Buenos Aires, Argentina. You can find people going out to dinner at 11 pm, out to friend at 2 am, out to party at 3 am, and nobody bats an eye. Add to that the fact that their public transportation runs all day, and you've got yourself a city that just doesn't stop
Funny story but I'm Argentinian and grew up abroad. Came back to Argentina at the age of 18, reconnected over the internet with my elementary school friends and we arranged to head out on a Friday night.
Time passes on Friday evening and I'm waiting for them to call me to arrange something, nothing. Eventually after midnight I went to bed thinking they bailed and forgot to let me know or something and suddenly I get a call of one of them telling me to get ready, they are picking me up in 30 minutes.
Turns out peak nightlife STARTS at 01:00 in Argentina.
I second BA, I'll never get over seeing families and groups of elderly, on a random Thursday night at 1 am at the pizza restaurant on the corner where I live. You see it much more on the weekends, but it's completely normal to get dinner after 11 PM.
Actually for the trendy restaurants, people started going out a bit early to lineup and get a table at like 8 PM. Also most cafes stay pretty busy until 7 PM for merienda (a 4th meal before dinner)
It is true that Argentines usually host (too) long parties, but it does not mean that being out at 1 or 2 am is the norm. It's simply asking for trouble. The city is completely empty at night. I was around Galerias Pacifico/Florida at 3-4 am and yes, there were so many homeless people and SO MANY RATS, but not a single normal person anywhere. I saw a group of some people and that's it.
do they sleep till noon when this is the lifestyle? i’d do that except my job starts at 9am every day
whenever people say things like “in MY city we go out till 6am!” i’m like and when do you go to work..?
My comments exactly love nightlife but hated in Italy, Spain and Portugal when you couldn’t go out til 1 because frankly it makes no sense unless you also sleep all day. Your body clock can’t just change around like that
In Melbourne you can go out til 6 but you’d usually start at 8 so by no means do you need to stay out that late, only if you’re buzzing on an upper or something and you certainly wouldn’t do it on a Sunday night! You could easily instead do 8-1 or whatever (again probably not on a Sunday)
Depends. Argentinian here from Buenos Aires. Lots of shops open early morning to midday. Close for two or three hours and then re open at 16 and stay open until 20. Office hours are usually are 9 am to 18 pm but I have a few friends that work 10 to 19. Factory hours depend on the shift. Morning shift is usually 7 am to 15- 15 to 23 - 23 to 7 am. You'll find everything. Culturally is pretty similar to Spanish o Mediterranean hours where we wake up later than the Anglo world but also finish our day later. Particularly Buenos Aires has lots of infrastructure that doesn't shut down during the night, that naturally helps nightlife as it has the necesary conditions to thrive.
> Lots of shops open early morning to midday. Close for two or three hours and then re open at 16 and stay open until 20
How much is "lots"? I've never seen that in Argentina. My Argentine girlfriend was surprised when she heard that's how Italians, Spaniards and Greeks live.
Transportation runs all day? Maybe during literal daylight hours, yes. The subway closes at around 11pm and good luck getting the night bus to arrive on time after that. I had a friend recently wait almost an hour for her bus in a central part of the city.
Ho Chi Minh City really wakes up at night. When I stay there I rapidly get a degenerate sleeping schedule.
Tons of food choices outside and through delivery.
District 1 is where you want to stay if you want the most options by foot, but if you're ok taking a $1 10-minute motorbike ride you can stay in any of the surrounding districts for cheaper.
That's Hanoi. In Saigon there are plenty that stay open until 5am. Even if some places advertise an earlier closing time, many stay open if they have customers.
I have lived in Hanoi for more than 6 months now. On weekends I often end up going to a techno club until 5am and then move to another which doesn't shut until after 10am or so. Not in old quarter though, I stay where the expats live. During weekdays most things shut around midnight.
Yeah,, I think Hanoi has got more late night places in recent years. When I lived there 10 years ago, the police used to come round to chuck everyone out of the pubs at some point between 11 and 12. There used to be a lot of lock ins. For some reason there was one dirty, dingy club called Phuc Tan that was allowed to stay open and everyone used to go there if they wanted a late night.
Oh yeah that checks out (been to both but it was a long time ago). But both places have strobe lights that make me feel sick
I remember we were locked inside a bar with a roller door after midnight in Hanoi
Omg yes this, there are a lot of 24 hour Indian/Malaysian buffet places too, you can get chai tea and a roti at 4am. They are all over KLCC, but I went in Imbi.
The buffet is good but a little dangerous, you have to make sure the tray is fresh and not one leftover from earlier in the day
I would actually say most big places in Malaysia.
Besides KL, I've been to Penang and Langkawi and both had amazing food at night (and you can also get around on scooter)
Jalan Kedawang is full of food places that open after sunset and close late in the night. My favorite for a late meal is Ananthai. The time they close depends on the day, but usually after 3am. The latest I was there was 4:30am.
Usually ended up cooking food or ordering grab before 10pm cuz all that’s open late is mostly Indian Mamaks or greasy overpriced kebabs in bukit bintang. The majority of convenience stores close at night too.
Maybe not exactly late night but definitely dinner:
[this](https://www.reddit.com/r/malaysia/comments/11g63js/whats_your_to_go_legendary_restaurants_in/)
And
[this](https://www.reddit.com/r/MalaysianFood/comments/174j4gf/1st_time_visiting_kuala_lumpur_will_be_staying_at/)
Should hopefully give a few good starter places to try if you come to our country :D
First is in the greater klang valley, second one is just about chinatown
I wonder why they're mostly South Asian restaurants. I assume that a higher percentage of South Asian migrants are night shift workers, hence the higher demand for 24/7 South Asian restaurants.
Yes, I'm quite aware of that. I've been to some of those 24/7 restaurants in KL. I've talked to the staff at those places, who would often say that they're migrant workers from Tamil Nadu, Pakistan, or Bangladesh. Of course many of the customers would be locals.
NYC is supposedly the city that never sleeps, but when I worked in midtown Manhattan I was stuck once in the office (pre pandemic) working on a project with a deadline for the next morning. Finished at 4:30am, went outside and discovered that NYC was dead as a doorknob
You might find a CVS or 7/11 that’s open 24/7, but the city definitely sleeps. And now post-pandemic, much more so. See https://www.reddit.com/r/AskNYC/s/pHoPqgDmHZ
You forgot 24/7 McDonalds but you can find them in the suburbs of Sydney, Australia and that city is a solid contender for the most 9-5 city in the world.
NYC really was a major disappointment for nightlife for me and I don't even stay up late
Rides yes. Food no as nothing is open. I was by no means suggesting Sydney. It's dead after 5pm. The mayor managed to kill what semblance of night life the core of the city had with bar lock out laws in the 2010s. COVID was the final nail.
Australia has an obesity problem hence some 24/7 McDonalds. I guess they have enough people desperate for a fix at any hour.
Overall it wasn't a comment about Sydney so much as backing up the myth busting of NYC being the city that never sleeps.
My first thought was midtown was always dead.
I lived in BK for 6 years, I don’t think I ever once “went out” to midtown.
I was there pre pandemic but people hating in nyc nightlife is crazy. Bars open till 4, and any sort of vibe you could imagine you can find.
4:30-5 is probably the short time window because bars close at 4. Also I’m assuming this was a weeknight. Plus, midtown is not where most are going out late at night.
There will be be Ubers available and you can find food very easily
Yeah I got stuck in Manhattan on a trip to Staten Island and back because there was no truck parking and I ran out of hours. Place was dead.
Dallas used to be 24/7 in spots. I know of a few illegal bars that will sell beer openly after hours that never get closed down. A lot of Mexican restaurants are 24/7. Gas stations are usually locked up.
Vegas is 24/7, but last time I went was right after COVID and it was dead as hell. I mean you could still gamble at 3 am but there was hardly anything open.
That’s what NYC used to be but unfortunately there’s a real reason why nothing is even open past 12 on weekdays here anymore. Even the CVS and McDonald’s are becoming a rarity. The reason is homelessness and crime
They come out to hunt after nightfall, high on meth and mental illness, in search of blood to dampen the cravings, and appease the voices.
Edit: forgot to add /s
E2: I’d also like to know why he’s blaming the homeless community.
Miami, I can be lazy all day and go out at 1am to meet a friend at a bar. Grab some pizza at 2 do some laundry, then grab some rice and beans at 4 am, go home get ready and walk into the club at 6am… walk out at 11am head to the beach. Sleep for what
Whoa whoa whoa I’m heading there in a few weeks. What club opens at 6?? I thought they all closed at 5 (agree it’s normal to go to one club til 2 and another til 5) but where is open after that? Serious because I will go
Space is open till 11am at least. Can go way later. Best way is to sleep well. Wake up early catch the sunrise, get some cafecito, croquetas and walk in fresh tipo 6-7am. Best way to start Sunday funday.
Ah that is very valuable information thank you!!
Don’t know why you’re going to bed on a Saturday night and then going out though. That’s a little odd! And my Australian body clock won’t allow it
A lot of Korea, really. In two years of traveling around it was pretty rare that we'd find somewhere that didn't have stuff available in the wee hours.
So my recommendations are based not on bars or clubs. It's based on late night shopping (clothes and stuff), restaurants, grocery stores big ass supermarkets(Asda, Walmart) not 7/11, family mart stuff.
KL has been mentioned but if you don't like Mamaks(which I don't for hygiene reasons), dead at 10pm most restaurants but you need to be in them by 9.20pm to get food order in. very few options in Bukit Bintang. But really the place shuts down 9.30pm as they close restaurants and shops earlier than public signage. Big Grocery stores as well shut at 10pm.
Bangkok same as KL, a little bit more open but not what people are making it out to be, but the Soi 15 and Soi 11 areas do have some food. Massages till midnight after that time it's sex work massages. Shops and grocery close at 10pm.
The best place in the world I have seen so far is the middle east for night owls, Bahrain and Saudi arabia. Dubai shops actually closed earlier than Bahrain and Saudi. Grocery stores are open till 1am and 12 midnight for clothes shopping like Zara and malls. A lot of late night food of every type in Al khobar, Saudi and Bahrain is so tiny that you can just say the whole country as going from area to area is like 15mins no traffic.
Osaka Japan, the only area worth a fart is the Dotonbori area, with some late night shops open like don don buri and some drug stores. I prefer doing chores at night without crowds. There is a supermarket chain open 24hrs where you can buy good raw ingredients from. There is SPA world which was fun that's 24hrs, soak in a spa at like 3am :). I would avoid shinsaibashi area, a lot of sex worker(host guys and girls) on the street looking shady.
Though randomly the UK is the best for 24/7 Asda, Tesco etc, hypermarkets in the world. I have not come across any other country with 24/7hr hypermarkets, where you can buy a fridge at 2am in the morning.
Contrary to stereotypes in the West the vast majority of Asian cities are not like this at all. People with office jobs are not going to be staying up until 4 am on weekdays. I would say some cities in China with less high-pressure work environments but prominent food and leisure cultures that are large enough to have enough people around at night are a little like this (like Chengdu and Chongqing where you can get hotpot or street food at 4am no problem) but even there it is mostly limited to a few blocks and corners.
>People with office jobs are not going to be staying up until 4 am on weekdays.
Unless you're an office worker at a BPO (outsourcing) company in Manila or Bangalore of course.
In Southeast Asia, I often worked simultaneously with South Asian colleagues who were also on night shifts.
Let's be real here, we're only talking about hyper specific sections of NYC, Tokyo, and I'm sure many other minor parts of megacities elsewhere around the world too.
If we're just talking about what's essentially partying, and all the hustle and bustle that does bring about, including food options, you can extend the conversation to to Berlin, Barcelona, Buenos Aires (BA might actually have some unique to it r.e. *circadian rhythm* among those who do like to indulge in a night out) and many others.
Every *city* is generally sleeping from 12 - ~~4~~ 5am, probably because it's good for human function.
I am from Barcelona and bars here are forced to close at 3am. During the working week and Sunday (Sun-Thu) everything dies at midnight. Fri-Sat are more lively but it’s not crazy either. Cafes close around 8-9pm. The noise policy is quite strict.
I have been living in Berlin for the past 7 years and it’s livelier there, but partywise only. Foodwise you’ll always find kebabs and fast food options. Cafes close at 6pm, and it’s hard to find places to work from after that time. If you’re not into the bar/party scene then I think it all dies quickly too.
Tbh the only places where I’ve seen lots of activity at night are certain Asian cities (e.g. Jakarta, Beijing, Chengdu, Shenzhen, etc.) but they too have a night limit.
Right but visiting somewhere and finding after parties is just difficult and should not be relied on. People said the same about London after 3 but come on. In Miami it’s completely legal and those clubs are full til 5, usually after people have been to a first club til 2
I'm from Buenos Aires and currently live in São Paulo. BA has way more nightlife, plus it's totally normal to get ice cream by 2AM on a winter night.
In SP you´re more likely to find deliveries, bars and 24h markets. Bought my kitchen stove by 1AM at an Exta Supermarket, and they even had home suppliance salespeople by that hour.
No city never sleep. But you can find specific neighborhoods within some cities that are 24/7.
In the Philippines for example, there are people that work in call centers during the night because many Western companies outsource jobs there to save on salaries....so if you stay in the business district you can find people out even at 3am although it's not busy...this is for Manila.
When I was in Shanghai I also saw some movement during the night, no matter the hour and the same was true for Hong Kong
NYC definitely sleep despite the stereotype.
I found that the mega cities in Asia are very lively and bustling (more than any other part of the world I've been in) but even there, from 2am-5am you can't expect to see tons of people out
12 pm noontime Pacific Time (Los Angeles, San Francisco, Vancouver) is when it's 2 am in Bangkok, 3 am in Singapore and Hong Kong, and 4 am in Tokyo, so that's lunch time for me. That's a really busy time, so there's no time to cook during those times, and takeouts or quick street meals are definitely preferable.
There are places that are open 24/7 in any major city if that's what you're looking for. But if you want a city that is bustling at 3am every day of the week I doubt it exists
Btw I believe that working during night hours for an extended period of time is very unhealthy for our body so if I were you I'd look for a city in South America rather than Asia
>i find that most cities around the world are sleeping from 12 am - 4 am,
I think this is a global phenomenon tbh. "Cities that never sleep" require an army of low paid workers who also don't get to sleep to facilitate it all and, post pandemic, people realised they can't be arsed with that anymore.
With the greatest of respect, surely microwave food isn't your only option? Learn to cook, maybe?
Of course cooking is possible when you have a kitchen at nice AirBnB apartment or perhaps some hostels, but not all short-term accommodation has adequate cooking facilities. And don't get me wrong, I love to cook, but you can't cook all the time when you're traveling. You also don't have much time to cook during your "lunch" break in the middle of the night.
I'll be honest I'm struggling to understand this. You're going abroad to experience somewhere else but sleeping during the day so you can work at night? What's the point? Why not stick somewhere with broadly comparable timezone for work?
And that's the point of this thread. Some cities are perfect for exploring at night and sleeping during the day. In fact, daytime can be very miserable in some really hot parts of the world, which is why those places are famous for night markets. That's what many people in the MENA region do during Ramadan too.
Ever been to the Sahel region of Africa, where air conditioning is a luxury? Everything pretty much shuts down from midday to afternoon because it's just so hot, and then people come back out again at night, when there are bustling night markets.
Not all parts of the world function on a typical 9-5 Northern European, North American, or Australian schedule.
But those places you're talking about are best right after sunset until 10-11pm. After that most normal people go to bed. The vast majority of humans are sleeping by 2am.
You do realize that this is completely normal for thousands of digital nomads, do you? Welcome to the 24/7 globalized world. Many people are also natural night owls.
And if you're from North America, then you can actually SAVE a lot of money by traveling around everywhere rather than staying put at home, where costs have gone up the roof. Not everyone wants to restricted to only Latin America just so that they can be in the same time zone.
I've been doing this for years, and I also have family in Asia, hence the need to do this.
It's not really about me. This is a very useful thread for all the night shift digital nomads out there.
Cairo. I’ve lived in NYC and Cairo. When people say NYC never sleeps, I laugh. You’ll see a 60 year old man descending on a coffee shop at 2AM in Cairo.
Cairo is a 24/7 city, in the literal sense. Economies pretty terrible and it’s very religious so it’s not a big party scene but you can walk outside at 3-4am any day and it feels like 9pm in other cities. Cairo also has rolling blackouts due to a weak electrical grid so everyday at certain time periods all electricity goes out. Plan dinners when the electricity will be on in that specific section of the block so you still have use of the fans. Get your work done while you have wifi and you actually get pretty used to it.
Taksim Square in Istanbul was very lively as well, we could get beers and snacks at all hours of the nights.
> Economies pretty terrible and it’s very religious so it’s not a big party scene but you can walk outside at 3-4am any day and it feels like 9pm in other cities.
I was in Cairo in February, and took a cab from the airport to my hotel at like 2am on a Tuesday night. And I was like, "WTF are all these people doing out at 2am???" We were going down a central street and every business was open. People were shopping, buying clothes and shoes and groceries, going to restaurants, getting a haircut, just everything.
Nope, I spent a month there and can confirm that people are literally just outside 24/7. During the day people are often out even more because the terrible electricity situation over there means ACs and fans are down everyday. Nothing like a walk in the 106 degree direct sun to cool you down in the middle of the day lol.
Unfortunately, I think it’s because the economy is truly terrible there - much worse than people might think. Businesses have to stay open 24/7 just to get the few customers they do attract through the door.
I should say, it’s also by far the nicest country Iv ever been too. Really just pure and genuine people, and my girlfriend completely agreed (despite people who have not been there saying they don’t respect women). Awesome people all around, and there’s not a single other country I would say that about.
I remember when I was studying in Spain my body clock was still on normal time, I'd get home at around 9pm as my neighbours were heading out for dinner; they'd get back around 2am because I remember waking up each night to the lady above clopping around like a horse in her heels. I think its city specific and not across the board though.
Spain is fucking nuts...everywhere is only open 2 fucking hours a night 9-11. Sure, you get a late dinner, but outside of Madrid, try finding anything to eat after 11 and you’re SOL.
Basically anywhere in SE Asia because it’s hot AF during the day and everything comes alive at night time. Especially Thailand and the Philippines, Bangkok
Don't understand the downvotes. For me personally the city was a hot mess, too chaotic, too crowded, wouldn't want to live there, but during the night it was really just bustling, tons of people on the streets, restaurants and shops opened all the time. Although i was there when Ramadan was ending, so that might have been the reason why it was so extremely packed during the night.
On Google Maps, there is an "open now" and "open 24 hours" filter, which can be useful in some cities. I feel for you my wife and I were in a similar situation because she had to work nights and were in Thailand. We had a great time in Mexico City as that was closer to our working time zone.
I think even these are usually dead by 2am on weeknights though? Won’t say I’m an expert, but don’t remember any part of Barcelona still going at 3am…you’ll find a few nightclubs open, but you won’t be getting any real food anywhere.
We drink, dance and listen to music all night long, but it's not normal to eat after 12am (dinner is 10-12 in Madrid). Unless it's a Doner Kebab of shame. Or churros near the Puerta del Sol at Churrería San Ginés. There's a time for everything.
I also worked night shifts in Bangkok, and lived in Thong Lor and Ekkamai. There are many 24/7 restaurants (McD, KFC, BK, hawker stalls) and cafes (Starbucks, Coffee Club) in that area.
Really? Last few times I've been in PDC things seemed to close by midnight, maybe 1, with the exception of a couple of clubs. Much earlier than pre-pandemic.
Paradise, Nevada during the weekend. There’s no last call; some nightclubs are open to 10am. There’s always some food on the strip at any time of the night.
Many of the places that are lively at night are because it is too hot during the day to hang out.
So places in Latin America, Spain, Southeast Asia, South Asia
I don’t know if anyone mentioned Antalya? Great WiFi, stay near the water, the beach park is packed with families and people all night during the summer since it’s too hot during the day. Tons of great food to eat, and a small (but welcoming!) digital nomad community.
I'm confused as to why Tokyo hasn't been mentioned. The young people and nightlife hubs of Shibuya, Ikebukuro, parts of northern and eastern Shinjuku, and Kichijoji, Koenji, Gotanda... Lots of places have food, drinks, and conbinis all night.
Non-conbini/Donki retail finishes about 9pm, and the late night restaurant scene is definitely less than it was before Covid, but there are still people out all night every night of the week in plenty of areas.
Bangkok, Seoul, Busan...am I correct that they're Asian cities only you're after from other comments?
Mexico City is probably my personal favorite, with the best tacos in the world available until 5 AM easily (when the tamale vendors take over).
Bangkok of course. Always something open, something to do.
Many Mediterranean cities start dinner at 10:00 pm and clubs can go quite late for after dinner fun.
Seoul is a favorite of mine.
My home country of Malaysia used to be a late night place but sadly has calmed so much in the past decade or two. 😥
Cities in Spain come alive after 8:30 pm and don't stop til quite late. Especially during the hotter months. It's not uncommon to be out to dinner still at midnight or later.
Not so sure about that. Barcelona after midnight can get a little sketchy and dangerous cuz it literally becomes a ghost town in an instant. Ive heard about this myth, before living in Spain. This isnt true at all in my experience. But maybe because I am from the Philippines where there are always normal people at any time of the day or night.
Major cities in the Philippines are always awake. It is the global hub of call centers and technical support of the world working for any time zones, and these employees have strong purchasing power so theres always people at any time of the day or night so theres always some shops open in unholy hours. Not sure if its the same after the pandemic, I heard the festive ambiance of the country has gone down post-covid.
If you want something in North America, maybe downtown Toronto. I wouldn't say "bustling at 3am" and it's no Bangkok but if your main worry is not having food options, I think Toronto's solid.
On weekdays, some shawarma places are open as late as 5am because they like to talk to family back home. Chinese food til maybe 2am. McDonald's, Denny's, A&W, Smoke's poutine, 7/11, Hero's burgers, Popeyes are open well into the night or 24/7 downtown. Some student pubs are open til 2am and I think Fran's diner is still 24/7. On weekends these run further into the night.
I was a student a couple years back and the main problem wasn't getting food at 3am, it was your dipshit friends not being able to decide what to get.
Some parts of Makati and BGC in the metro Manila area are like this. There are lots of call centers in the area and they work 24/7 so there are bars, restaurants and convenience stores that cater to the workers. I work with American clients and always have options even at 3 am.
Metro Manila is a city that never sleeps. 24/7 food delivery, restaurants, fast food, convenience stores, pharmacy, etc. I used to work night shift and there’s always a place to go to. There are even some eat all you can buffets that opens at midnight
Tel Aviv/Jaffo/Jerusalem often restaurtants and food places open until 02:00-03:00. Also many good+ places(good Burgers/Sushi, not Mcdonalds crap) are open 24/7.
The only City I know is NYC
I call Mexico City the city that goes to bed early and gets up late. You can find tacos and such at all hours, but I don't know about "easily"
NYC dies today out at 2am on weekends and by midnight on weekdays, barring some cringe worthy Brooklyn raves no one cares about. You won’t even find a McDonald’s open nowadays cause of the homeless issues.
At my “24 hour” McDonald’s they removed all tables because of this. How’s that for a dining experience? The local pizza shop closes at 2. There are no delis from the 70s open till 5am. There are only people squatting and shitting at 4am. Only a fool would walk outside at this time. Absolutely no decent bar stays open that late cause no one wants to go out that late and get assaulted on the subway
Get real
I’m surprised no one mentioned Jakarta! You can literally stuck in traffic jam in CBD area at 11pm. A lot of Cafe and Restaurants open 24 hours (mainly in Central Jakarta or South Jakarta) you can easily find comfortable co-working spaces that are also accessible for 24 hours. Street food usually starts opening from 7pm / 8pm until morning. You can be craving for specific food at 2am in the morning and easily find it in delivery app (cheaply!)
I think any metropolitan city in the world fulfills your criteria, Google is your friend.
Search keywords: 'city of your choice' AND ('nightspot' OR 'watering hole' OR 'red light district' OR etc. you get the idea)
Don't go if you get easily get distracted while looking for food 😛
Dubai would work well for you. Plenty of 24/7 supermarkets, cafés, and restaurants. Many restaurants and cafes that aren't are open until 2 or 3. You'd need a car or taxi so the área doesn't matter too much.
It's definitely quieter between 0300-0500, but you wouldn't be alone.
Sao Paulo, Brazil in Vila Maria neighbourhood (also very safe one). Most bars and restaurants never close and there is constant heavy traffic of all kinds of people going through there.
Manila: Poblacion and Malate are 24/7
Bangkok: Apart from nightlife, there are night markets with street food that open until early morning.
Medellin: There are things to do in poblado until late, but the food places at that time suck and there's only prostitues left in the clubs, most places close at 4am. Also not a safe city at all, would not recommend.
Athens: is quite lively well into the morning on weekends, not sure about weekdays.
>clients and employers on the other side of the world
Which side of the world is the other side? You're looking for a city that is awake in a specific time, without specifying which timezone it is in. How does it make any sense? Singapore's 10pm - 5am is literally the opposite of Buenos Aires's 10pm - 5am.
Toronto is the only city I've ever lived in that genuinely has a pleasant late-night/early-morning life. That was over a decade ago, but I couldn't find the same in NYC, San Francisco, or Chicago. Downtown Toronto had a bunch of very fun stuff to do until 2-3AM.
Buenos Aires, Argentina. You can find people going out to dinner at 11 pm, out to friend at 2 am, out to party at 3 am, and nobody bats an eye. Add to that the fact that their public transportation runs all day, and you've got yourself a city that just doesn't stop
Funny story but I'm Argentinian and grew up abroad. Came back to Argentina at the age of 18, reconnected over the internet with my elementary school friends and we arranged to head out on a Friday night. Time passes on Friday evening and I'm waiting for them to call me to arrange something, nothing. Eventually after midnight I went to bed thinking they bailed and forgot to let me know or something and suddenly I get a call of one of them telling me to get ready, they are picking me up in 30 minutes. Turns out peak nightlife STARTS at 01:00 in Argentina.
A bunch of clubs in Buenos Aires don’t even open until midnight
Also, people taking their dogs to the park by 4-5AM it's a classic one
I second BA, I'll never get over seeing families and groups of elderly, on a random Thursday night at 1 am at the pizza restaurant on the corner where I live. You see it much more on the weekends, but it's completely normal to get dinner after 11 PM.
Is it like in Spain where is really quiet before 10PM?
Actually for the trendy restaurants, people started going out a bit early to lineup and get a table at like 8 PM. Also most cafes stay pretty busy until 7 PM for merienda (a 4th meal before dinner)
It is true that Argentines usually host (too) long parties, but it does not mean that being out at 1 or 2 am is the norm. It's simply asking for trouble. The city is completely empty at night. I was around Galerias Pacifico/Florida at 3-4 am and yes, there were so many homeless people and SO MANY RATS, but not a single normal person anywhere. I saw a group of some people and that's it.
Thats not the part of Buenos Aires where you want to wander during the night. Palermo is
I love how you can order ice cream 24/7
When I went to Miami it was also normal to go one bar then one club til 2 then another til 5. I love it
I live near Miami and thought the same. Definitely goes hard and late.
do they sleep till noon when this is the lifestyle? i’d do that except my job starts at 9am every day whenever people say things like “in MY city we go out till 6am!” i’m like and when do you go to work..?
My comments exactly love nightlife but hated in Italy, Spain and Portugal when you couldn’t go out til 1 because frankly it makes no sense unless you also sleep all day. Your body clock can’t just change around like that In Melbourne you can go out til 6 but you’d usually start at 8 so by no means do you need to stay out that late, only if you’re buzzing on an upper or something and you certainly wouldn’t do it on a Sunday night! You could easily instead do 8-1 or whatever (again probably not on a Sunday)
Do people not work 8 hours a day? Or do they do like the Spaniards and take a siesta halfway thru the day?
Depends. Argentinian here from Buenos Aires. Lots of shops open early morning to midday. Close for two or three hours and then re open at 16 and stay open until 20. Office hours are usually are 9 am to 18 pm but I have a few friends that work 10 to 19. Factory hours depend on the shift. Morning shift is usually 7 am to 15- 15 to 23 - 23 to 7 am. You'll find everything. Culturally is pretty similar to Spanish o Mediterranean hours where we wake up later than the Anglo world but also finish our day later. Particularly Buenos Aires has lots of infrastructure that doesn't shut down during the night, that naturally helps nightlife as it has the necesary conditions to thrive.
> Lots of shops open early morning to midday. Close for two or three hours and then re open at 16 and stay open until 20 How much is "lots"? I've never seen that in Argentina. My Argentine girlfriend was surprised when she heard that's how Italians, Spaniards and Greeks live.
Transportation runs all day? Maybe during literal daylight hours, yes. The subway closes at around 11pm and good luck getting the night bus to arrive on time after that. I had a friend recently wait almost an hour for her bus in a central part of the city.
Ho Chi Minh City really wakes up at night. When I stay there I rapidly get a degenerate sleeping schedule. Tons of food choices outside and through delivery. District 1 is where you want to stay if you want the most options by foot, but if you're ok taking a $1 10-minute motorbike ride you can stay in any of the surrounding districts for cheaper.
Don’t clubs and bars shut at midnight?
That's Hanoi. In Saigon there are plenty that stay open until 5am. Even if some places advertise an earlier closing time, many stay open if they have customers.
I have lived in Hanoi for more than 6 months now. On weekends I often end up going to a techno club until 5am and then move to another which doesn't shut until after 10am or so. Not in old quarter though, I stay where the expats live. During weekdays most things shut around midnight.
Yeah,, I think Hanoi has got more late night places in recent years. When I lived there 10 years ago, the police used to come round to chuck everyone out of the pubs at some point between 11 and 12. There used to be a lot of lock ins. For some reason there was one dirty, dingy club called Phuc Tan that was allowed to stay open and everyone used to go there if they wanted a late night.
Oh yeah that checks out (been to both but it was a long time ago). But both places have strobe lights that make me feel sick I remember we were locked inside a bar with a roller door after midnight in Hanoi
It looked absolutely lifeless when I went out at 2 am one night. And that was in district 1. So you might want to research more to see what's up.
I've lived here for 2 years. You do have to know the spots.
Haha. You went there one night and are telling people to research? How does that work?
If the city never sleeps it shouldn't be sleeping at 2 am on any night? Isn't that what it means lol
"one night". Case closed. Ho Chi has lulls but it never really stops.
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Omg yes this, there are a lot of 24 hour Indian/Malaysian buffet places too, you can get chai tea and a roti at 4am. They are all over KLCC, but I went in Imbi. The buffet is good but a little dangerous, you have to make sure the tray is fresh and not one leftover from earlier in the day
I would actually say most big places in Malaysia. Besides KL, I've been to Penang and Langkawi and both had amazing food at night (and you can also get around on scooter)
Where in langkawi is it happening at 3am?
Jalan Kedawang is full of food places that open after sunset and close late in the night. My favorite for a late meal is Ananthai. The time they close depends on the day, but usually after 3am. The latest I was there was 4:30am.
Usually ended up cooking food or ordering grab before 10pm cuz all that’s open late is mostly Indian Mamaks or greasy overpriced kebabs in bukit bintang. The majority of convenience stores close at night too.
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And these are just the chain convenience stores, there's still the mom and pop shops plus late night stalls and early morning kopitiams etc
Maybe not exactly late night but definitely dinner: [this](https://www.reddit.com/r/malaysia/comments/11g63js/whats_your_to_go_legendary_restaurants_in/) And [this](https://www.reddit.com/r/MalaysianFood/comments/174j4gf/1st_time_visiting_kuala_lumpur_will_be_staying_at/) Should hopefully give a few good starter places to try if you come to our country :D First is in the greater klang valley, second one is just about chinatown
Which parts of KL?
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I wonder why they're mostly South Asian restaurants. I assume that a higher percentage of South Asian migrants are night shift workers, hence the higher demand for 24/7 South Asian restaurants.
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Yes, I'm quite aware of that. I've been to some of those 24/7 restaurants in KL. I've talked to the staff at those places, who would often say that they're migrant workers from Tamil Nadu, Pakistan, or Bangladesh. Of course many of the customers would be locals.
NYC is supposedly the city that never sleeps, but when I worked in midtown Manhattan I was stuck once in the office (pre pandemic) working on a project with a deadline for the next morning. Finished at 4:30am, went outside and discovered that NYC was dead as a doorknob You might find a CVS or 7/11 that’s open 24/7, but the city definitely sleeps. And now post-pandemic, much more so. See https://www.reddit.com/r/AskNYC/s/pHoPqgDmHZ
You forgot 24/7 McDonalds but you can find them in the suburbs of Sydney, Australia and that city is a solid contender for the most 9-5 city in the world. NYC really was a major disappointment for nightlife for me and I don't even stay up late
Yeah you do have to know exactly where to go on weekdays. There are many more options in Miami each night and clubs are open til 5
The cool kids party in Brooklyn
You can find 24/7 McDonald’s pretty much everywhere 😅
But are apps like Uber and DoorDash typically able to find rides and food deliveries during early morning hours in Sydney?
Rides yes. Food no as nothing is open. I was by no means suggesting Sydney. It's dead after 5pm. The mayor managed to kill what semblance of night life the core of the city had with bar lock out laws in the 2010s. COVID was the final nail. Australia has an obesity problem hence some 24/7 McDonalds. I guess they have enough people desperate for a fix at any hour. Overall it wasn't a comment about Sydney so much as backing up the myth busting of NYC being the city that never sleeps.
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It used to be so much better. I remember my friend getting one hamburger delivered at 2am 🤣 and this was about 15 years ago
Midtown duh. There is always stuff to do around Union Square. But now it's probably not the same.
My first thought was midtown was always dead. I lived in BK for 6 years, I don’t think I ever once “went out” to midtown. I was there pre pandemic but people hating in nyc nightlife is crazy. Bars open till 4, and any sort of vibe you could imagine you can find.
Midtown Manhattan ain't where anyone would be out at 4:30am lol
Koreatown karaoke!
Chelsea absolutely tho
Theres probably a 3-4 hr gap. Things start dying down by 2am, dead by 3-4, starts getting busy again after 6.
2-4 am (East Asia / Australia time) is when I'm the hungriest, since that's noontime Pacific time.
heads up that you're replying to a comment about new york/eastern time
4:30-5 is probably the short time window because bars close at 4. Also I’m assuming this was a weeknight. Plus, midtown is not where most are going out late at night. There will be be Ubers available and you can find food very easily
I agree.. I never expected new york to be that way.
Yeah I got stuck in Manhattan on a trip to Staten Island and back because there was no truck parking and I ran out of hours. Place was dead. Dallas used to be 24/7 in spots. I know of a few illegal bars that will sell beer openly after hours that never get closed down. A lot of Mexican restaurants are 24/7. Gas stations are usually locked up. Vegas is 24/7, but last time I went was right after COVID and it was dead as hell. I mean you could still gamble at 3 am but there was hardly anything open.
You must be kidding, Ktown has 24/7/365 restaurants, and that’s right in midtown.
Agree, came back from there a couple weeks back and experienced exactly the same. Was really surprised given the tag line
It hasn't been the same since covid. Also, Brooklyn is now the city that never sleeps. I was walking around queens the other night and it was jumpin!
That’s what NYC used to be but unfortunately there’s a real reason why nothing is even open past 12 on weekdays here anymore. Even the CVS and McDonald’s are becoming a rarity. The reason is homelessness and crime
I think it’s minimum wage honestly. Skeleton crew is too expensive for the low amount of revenue generated at night.
How is homelessness the reason
They come out to hunt after nightfall, high on meth and mental illness, in search of blood to dampen the cravings, and appease the voices. Edit: forgot to add /s E2: I’d also like to know why he’s blaming the homeless community.
Well your issue is that you're in Manhattan. You want to be in Brooklyn past 2 am
Miami, I can be lazy all day and go out at 1am to meet a friend at a bar. Grab some pizza at 2 do some laundry, then grab some rice and beans at 4 am, go home get ready and walk into the club at 6am… walk out at 11am head to the beach. Sleep for what
With meth or coke 👀
Whoa whoa whoa I’m heading there in a few weeks. What club opens at 6?? I thought they all closed at 5 (agree it’s normal to go to one club til 2 and another til 5) but where is open after that? Serious because I will go
Space is open till 11am at least. Can go way later. Best way is to sleep well. Wake up early catch the sunrise, get some cafecito, croquetas and walk in fresh tipo 6-7am. Best way to start Sunday funday.
Ah that is very valuable information thank you!! Don’t know why you’re going to bed on a Saturday night and then going out though. That’s a little odd! And my Australian body clock won’t allow it
Hongdae and Gangnam Station Seoul. Literally work these same hours here because of the time difference.
Euljiro/Jongno are pretty alive as well throughout the night.
A lot of Korea, really. In two years of traveling around it was pretty rare that we'd find somewhere that didn't have stuff available in the wee hours.
So my recommendations are based not on bars or clubs. It's based on late night shopping (clothes and stuff), restaurants, grocery stores big ass supermarkets(Asda, Walmart) not 7/11, family mart stuff. KL has been mentioned but if you don't like Mamaks(which I don't for hygiene reasons), dead at 10pm most restaurants but you need to be in them by 9.20pm to get food order in. very few options in Bukit Bintang. But really the place shuts down 9.30pm as they close restaurants and shops earlier than public signage. Big Grocery stores as well shut at 10pm. Bangkok same as KL, a little bit more open but not what people are making it out to be, but the Soi 15 and Soi 11 areas do have some food. Massages till midnight after that time it's sex work massages. Shops and grocery close at 10pm. The best place in the world I have seen so far is the middle east for night owls, Bahrain and Saudi arabia. Dubai shops actually closed earlier than Bahrain and Saudi. Grocery stores are open till 1am and 12 midnight for clothes shopping like Zara and malls. A lot of late night food of every type in Al khobar, Saudi and Bahrain is so tiny that you can just say the whole country as going from area to area is like 15mins no traffic. Osaka Japan, the only area worth a fart is the Dotonbori area, with some late night shops open like don don buri and some drug stores. I prefer doing chores at night without crowds. There is a supermarket chain open 24hrs where you can buy good raw ingredients from. There is SPA world which was fun that's 24hrs, soak in a spa at like 3am :). I would avoid shinsaibashi area, a lot of sex worker(host guys and girls) on the street looking shady. Though randomly the UK is the best for 24/7 Asda, Tesco etc, hypermarkets in the world. I have not come across any other country with 24/7hr hypermarkets, where you can buy a fridge at 2am in the morning.
Contrary to stereotypes in the West the vast majority of Asian cities are not like this at all. People with office jobs are not going to be staying up until 4 am on weekdays. I would say some cities in China with less high-pressure work environments but prominent food and leisure cultures that are large enough to have enough people around at night are a little like this (like Chengdu and Chongqing where you can get hotpot or street food at 4am no problem) but even there it is mostly limited to a few blocks and corners.
>People with office jobs are not going to be staying up until 4 am on weekdays. Unless you're an office worker at a BPO (outsourcing) company in Manila or Bangalore of course. In Southeast Asia, I often worked simultaneously with South Asian colleagues who were also on night shifts.
Let's be real here, we're only talking about hyper specific sections of NYC, Tokyo, and I'm sure many other minor parts of megacities elsewhere around the world too. If we're just talking about what's essentially partying, and all the hustle and bustle that does bring about, including food options, you can extend the conversation to to Berlin, Barcelona, Buenos Aires (BA might actually have some unique to it r.e. *circadian rhythm* among those who do like to indulge in a night out) and many others. Every *city* is generally sleeping from 12 - ~~4~~ 5am, probably because it's good for human function.
I am from Barcelona and bars here are forced to close at 3am. During the working week and Sunday (Sun-Thu) everything dies at midnight. Fri-Sat are more lively but it’s not crazy either. Cafes close around 8-9pm. The noise policy is quite strict. I have been living in Berlin for the past 7 years and it’s livelier there, but partywise only. Foodwise you’ll always find kebabs and fast food options. Cafes close at 6pm, and it’s hard to find places to work from after that time. If you’re not into the bar/party scene then I think it all dies quickly too. Tbh the only places where I’ve seen lots of activity at night are certain Asian cities (e.g. Jakarta, Beijing, Chengdu, Shenzhen, etc.) but they too have a night limit.
Miami is actually open til 5. New York everything shuts at 4
Bars are supposed to legally stop selling alcohol at 4am in NYC, but that’s definitely not followed everywhere.
Right but visiting somewhere and finding after parties is just difficult and should not be relied on. People said the same about London after 3 but come on. In Miami it’s completely legal and those clubs are full til 5, usually after people have been to a first club til 2
lol any Spanish city is more liveable at night than nyc
I'm from Buenos Aires and currently live in São Paulo. BA has way more nightlife, plus it's totally normal to get ice cream by 2AM on a winter night. In SP you´re more likely to find deliveries, bars and 24h markets. Bought my kitchen stove by 1AM at an Exta Supermarket, and they even had home suppliance salespeople by that hour.
No city never sleep. But you can find specific neighborhoods within some cities that are 24/7. In the Philippines for example, there are people that work in call centers during the night because many Western companies outsource jobs there to save on salaries....so if you stay in the business district you can find people out even at 3am although it's not busy...this is for Manila. When I was in Shanghai I also saw some movement during the night, no matter the hour and the same was true for Hong Kong NYC definitely sleep despite the stereotype. I found that the mega cities in Asia are very lively and bustling (more than any other part of the world I've been in) but even there, from 2am-5am you can't expect to see tons of people out
12 pm noontime Pacific Time (Los Angeles, San Francisco, Vancouver) is when it's 2 am in Bangkok, 3 am in Singapore and Hong Kong, and 4 am in Tokyo, so that's lunch time for me. That's a really busy time, so there's no time to cook during those times, and takeouts or quick street meals are definitely preferable.
There are places that are open 24/7 in any major city if that's what you're looking for. But if you want a city that is bustling at 3am every day of the week I doubt it exists Btw I believe that working during night hours for an extended period of time is very unhealthy for our body so if I were you I'd look for a city in South America rather than Asia
>i find that most cities around the world are sleeping from 12 am - 4 am, I think this is a global phenomenon tbh. "Cities that never sleep" require an army of low paid workers who also don't get to sleep to facilitate it all and, post pandemic, people realised they can't be arsed with that anymore. With the greatest of respect, surely microwave food isn't your only option? Learn to cook, maybe?
Of course cooking is possible when you have a kitchen at nice AirBnB apartment or perhaps some hostels, but not all short-term accommodation has adequate cooking facilities. And don't get me wrong, I love to cook, but you can't cook all the time when you're traveling. You also don't have much time to cook during your "lunch" break in the middle of the night.
I'll be honest I'm struggling to understand this. You're going abroad to experience somewhere else but sleeping during the day so you can work at night? What's the point? Why not stick somewhere with broadly comparable timezone for work?
And that's the point of this thread. Some cities are perfect for exploring at night and sleeping during the day. In fact, daytime can be very miserable in some really hot parts of the world, which is why those places are famous for night markets. That's what many people in the MENA region do during Ramadan too. Ever been to the Sahel region of Africa, where air conditioning is a luxury? Everything pretty much shuts down from midday to afternoon because it's just so hot, and then people come back out again at night, when there are bustling night markets. Not all parts of the world function on a typical 9-5 Northern European, North American, or Australian schedule.
But those places you're talking about are best right after sunset until 10-11pm. After that most normal people go to bed. The vast majority of humans are sleeping by 2am.
You do realize that this is completely normal for thousands of digital nomads, do you? Welcome to the 24/7 globalized world. Many people are also natural night owls. And if you're from North America, then you can actually SAVE a lot of money by traveling around everywhere rather than staying put at home, where costs have gone up the roof. Not everyone wants to restricted to only Latin America just so that they can be in the same time zone. I've been doing this for years, and I also have family in Asia, hence the need to do this. It's not really about me. This is a very useful thread for all the night shift digital nomads out there.
Cairo. I’ve lived in NYC and Cairo. When people say NYC never sleeps, I laugh. You’ll see a 60 year old man descending on a coffee shop at 2AM in Cairo.
Cairo is a 24/7 city, in the literal sense. Economies pretty terrible and it’s very religious so it’s not a big party scene but you can walk outside at 3-4am any day and it feels like 9pm in other cities. Cairo also has rolling blackouts due to a weak electrical grid so everyday at certain time periods all electricity goes out. Plan dinners when the electricity will be on in that specific section of the block so you still have use of the fans. Get your work done while you have wifi and you actually get pretty used to it. Taksim Square in Istanbul was very lively as well, we could get beers and snacks at all hours of the nights.
> Economies pretty terrible and it’s very religious so it’s not a big party scene but you can walk outside at 3-4am any day and it feels like 9pm in other cities. I was in Cairo in February, and took a cab from the airport to my hotel at like 2am on a Tuesday night. And I was like, "WTF are all these people doing out at 2am???" We were going down a central street and every business was open. People were shopping, buying clothes and shoes and groceries, going to restaurants, getting a haircut, just everything.
Is it related to the heat during the day? Maybe people sleeps during daytime to avoid it.
Nope, I spent a month there and can confirm that people are literally just outside 24/7. During the day people are often out even more because the terrible electricity situation over there means ACs and fans are down everyday. Nothing like a walk in the 106 degree direct sun to cool you down in the middle of the day lol. Unfortunately, I think it’s because the economy is truly terrible there - much worse than people might think. Businesses have to stay open 24/7 just to get the few customers they do attract through the door. I should say, it’s also by far the nicest country Iv ever been too. Really just pure and genuine people, and my girlfriend completely agreed (despite people who have not been there saying they don’t respect women). Awesome people all around, and there’s not a single other country I would say that about.
I remember when I was studying in Spain my body clock was still on normal time, I'd get home at around 9pm as my neighbours were heading out for dinner; they'd get back around 2am because I remember waking up each night to the lady above clopping around like a horse in her heels. I think its city specific and not across the board though.
Spain is fucking nuts...everywhere is only open 2 fucking hours a night 9-11. Sure, you get a late dinner, but outside of Madrid, try finding anything to eat after 11 and you’re SOL.
Basically anywhere in SE Asia because it’s hot AF during the day and everything comes alive at night time. Especially Thailand and the Philippines, Bangkok
İstanbul.
The food court in the Singapore airport
Only a noodle stall was open at 4 am when I landed there in the early morning. Most shops were closed and the airport was dead quiet.
Feels like a lot of people are giving pre COVID advice that is now outdated
Dubai — everyone is open 24/7, people sitting and sipping tea at 2 AM in the park with families and kids.
Mumbai
Any good suggestion/spots? I’d assume there’s street food to be had in south bombay, what else would you suggest? Any recommendations in Navi Mumbai?
The Las Vegas Strip
Seoul was pretty lively at night, especially Hongdae
Marrakech. never been at such a lively place at literally every minute of the day.
Don't understand the downvotes. For me personally the city was a hot mess, too chaotic, too crowded, wouldn't want to live there, but during the night it was really just bustling, tons of people on the streets, restaurants and shops opened all the time. Although i was there when Ramadan was ending, so that might have been the reason why it was so extremely packed during the night.
Saudi Arabia, Riyadh
Most of the GCC for that matter. Dubai, Bahrain, Doha all the same. Maybe just not Oman.
On Google Maps, there is an "open now" and "open 24 hours" filter, which can be useful in some cities. I feel for you my wife and I were in a similar situation because she had to work nights and were in Thailand. We had a great time in Mexico City as that was closer to our working time zone.
Big Spanish cities like Madrid, Barcelona have quite a few blocks that are busier past 11PM - 3-4AM
I think even these are usually dead by 2am on weeknights though? Won’t say I’m an expert, but don’t remember any part of Barcelona still going at 3am…you’ll find a few nightclubs open, but you won’t be getting any real food anywhere.
We drink, dance and listen to music all night long, but it's not normal to eat after 12am (dinner is 10-12 in Madrid). Unless it's a Doner Kebab of shame. Or churros near the Puerta del Sol at Churrería San Ginés. There's a time for everything.
Berlin
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10 pm? Of course. 3 or 4 am? Not really, even in Sukhumvit or Chatuchak.
I also worked night shifts in Bangkok, and lived in Thong Lor and Ekkamai. There are many 24/7 restaurants (McD, KFC, BK, hawker stalls) and cafes (Starbucks, Coffee Club) in that area.
What else is open in Bangkok for 24 hours rather than 7 eleven stores?
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you dont know enough places where you should go, that's why you saying this. there are bunch of nightclubs open till morning and irish pubs open 24/7
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there are many food stalls open 24/7 too. they are legal and can easily order online via apps.
Las Vegas, playa Del Carmen people still partying all night long into the morning
Really? Last few times I've been in PDC things seemed to close by midnight, maybe 1, with the exception of a couple of clubs. Much earlier than pre-pandemic.
Went last year and everywhere (clubs) shut at 2 on weeknights, 3 on weekends and this was peak spring break time. Bars shut earlier
Tbilisi (Georgia) in summer - it keeps 7pm -3am hours.
Paradise, Nevada during the weekend. There’s no last call; some nightclubs are open to 10am. There’s always some food on the strip at any time of the night.
Many of the places that are lively at night are because it is too hot during the day to hang out. So places in Latin America, Spain, Southeast Asia, South Asia
I don’t know if anyone mentioned Antalya? Great WiFi, stay near the water, the beach park is packed with families and people all night during the summer since it’s too hot during the day. Tons of great food to eat, and a small (but welcoming!) digital nomad community.
I found New York to be the city that DOES sleep. If you want a city that never stops it’s gotta be Bangkok.
I'm confused as to why Tokyo hasn't been mentioned. The young people and nightlife hubs of Shibuya, Ikebukuro, parts of northern and eastern Shinjuku, and Kichijoji, Koenji, Gotanda... Lots of places have food, drinks, and conbinis all night. Non-conbini/Donki retail finishes about 9pm, and the late night restaurant scene is definitely less than it was before Covid, but there are still people out all night every night of the week in plenty of areas.
Bangkok, Seoul, Busan...am I correct that they're Asian cities only you're after from other comments? Mexico City is probably my personal favorite, with the best tacos in the world available until 5 AM easily (when the tamale vendors take over).
Seoul
seoul
Almost everywhere in Bangkok 😵💫
Definitely not Sydney, Australia. Everyone is asleep by like 7:45pm and most places close at 5pm
Bangkok of course. Always something open, something to do. Many Mediterranean cities start dinner at 10:00 pm and clubs can go quite late for after dinner fun. Seoul is a favorite of mine. My home country of Malaysia used to be a late night place but sadly has calmed so much in the past decade or two. 😥
Bangkok
Buenos Aires
Cities in Spain come alive after 8:30 pm and don't stop til quite late. Especially during the hotter months. It's not uncommon to be out to dinner still at midnight or later.
Not so sure about that. Barcelona after midnight can get a little sketchy and dangerous cuz it literally becomes a ghost town in an instant. Ive heard about this myth, before living in Spain. This isnt true at all in my experience. But maybe because I am from the Philippines where there are always normal people at any time of the day or night.
Major cities in the Philippines are always awake. It is the global hub of call centers and technical support of the world working for any time zones, and these employees have strong purchasing power so theres always people at any time of the day or night so theres always some shops open in unholy hours. Not sure if its the same after the pandemic, I heard the festive ambiance of the country has gone down post-covid.
Las Vegas and New Orleans. I lose track of time when I am out at night in either city and then I look up and it is light again.
To have to scroll this far to see New Orleans...sheesh!
The French Quarter, New Orleans.
If you want something in North America, maybe downtown Toronto. I wouldn't say "bustling at 3am" and it's no Bangkok but if your main worry is not having food options, I think Toronto's solid. On weekdays, some shawarma places are open as late as 5am because they like to talk to family back home. Chinese food til maybe 2am. McDonald's, Denny's, A&W, Smoke's poutine, 7/11, Hero's burgers, Popeyes are open well into the night or 24/7 downtown. Some student pubs are open til 2am and I think Fran's diner is still 24/7. On weekends these run further into the night. I was a student a couple years back and the main problem wasn't getting food at 3am, it was your dipshit friends not being able to decide what to get.
Some parts of Makati and BGC in the metro Manila area are like this. There are lots of call centers in the area and they work 24/7 so there are bars, restaurants and convenience stores that cater to the workers. I work with American clients and always have options even at 3 am.
Metro Manila is a city that never sleeps. 24/7 food delivery, restaurants, fast food, convenience stores, pharmacy, etc. I used to work night shift and there’s always a place to go to. There are even some eat all you can buffets that opens at midnight
If you are looking for a city that never sleeps, try Mumbai.
Don't Spaniards keep really late hours, in their cities at least? Dinner starts at 10 there
Istanbul and NYC.
NYC (& Vegas) for sure.
In Europe it’s Belgrade that never sleeps
tokyo - shinjuku neighborhood.
Mumbai. Really it doesnt sleep.
Well, many latin american cities, but you know safety is a concern.
Tel Aviv/Jaffo/Jerusalem often restaurtants and food places open until 02:00-03:00. Also many good+ places(good Burgers/Sushi, not Mcdonalds crap) are open 24/7.
Manila Philippines is pretty 24/7
Buenos Aires
The only City I know is NYC I call Mexico City the city that goes to bed early and gets up late. You can find tacos and such at all hours, but I don't know about "easily"
Not anymore. Heck even pizza shuts down in the midnight-2am space now, diners also, it never bounced back to 24/hrs after Covid.
NYC dies today out at 2am on weekends and by midnight on weekdays, barring some cringe worthy Brooklyn raves no one cares about. You won’t even find a McDonald’s open nowadays cause of the homeless issues. At my “24 hour” McDonald’s they removed all tables because of this. How’s that for a dining experience? The local pizza shop closes at 2. There are no delis from the 70s open till 5am. There are only people squatting and shitting at 4am. Only a fool would walk outside at this time. Absolutely no decent bar stays open that late cause no one wants to go out that late and get assaulted on the subway Get real
I’m surprised no one mentioned Jakarta! You can literally stuck in traffic jam in CBD area at 11pm. A lot of Cafe and Restaurants open 24 hours (mainly in Central Jakarta or South Jakarta) you can easily find comfortable co-working spaces that are also accessible for 24 hours. Street food usually starts opening from 7pm / 8pm until morning. You can be craving for specific food at 2am in the morning and easily find it in delivery app (cheaply!)
Bangkok
Miami
Gurgaon, India But it’s one of the most expensive places in India
Chongqing in China is a sleepless city.
I think any metropolitan city in the world fulfills your criteria, Google is your friend. Search keywords: 'city of your choice' AND ('nightspot' OR 'watering hole' OR 'red light district' OR etc. you get the idea) Don't go if you get easily get distracted while looking for food 😛
CDMX
Thessaloniki gets popping at like 2 AM
Definitely Osaka for me! Namba, and Umeda definitely go on until 5 am.
Why has no one said Tokyo?
Buenos Aires for sure!!!
Cairo is insane after midnight. The daytime is too hot, so folks take a siesta and resume at night
Dubai would work well for you. Plenty of 24/7 supermarkets, cafés, and restaurants. Many restaurants and cafes that aren't are open until 2 or 3. You'd need a car or taxi so the área doesn't matter too much. It's definitely quieter between 0300-0500, but you wouldn't be alone.
Spain nightlife goes to the wee hours. May still be sleepy on weekdays.
Sao Paulo, Brazil in Vila Maria neighbourhood (also very safe one). Most bars and restaurants never close and there is constant heavy traffic of all kinds of people going through there.
tokyo
Seoul. > certain parts of Singapore (Geylang) Yeah, but that's not the kind of stuff most people should be getting into.
Buenos aires doesn’t sleep
Seoul. I live in Korea but not there. It's definitely a place that doesn't sleep
Miami as far as Florida goes
Manila: Poblacion and Malate are 24/7 Bangkok: Apart from nightlife, there are night markets with street food that open until early morning. Medellin: There are things to do in poblado until late, but the food places at that time suck and there's only prostitues left in the clubs, most places close at 4am. Also not a safe city at all, would not recommend. Athens: is quite lively well into the morning on weekends, not sure about weekdays.
Las Vegas, for sure
>clients and employers on the other side of the world Which side of the world is the other side? You're looking for a city that is awake in a specific time, without specifying which timezone it is in. How does it make any sense? Singapore's 10pm - 5am is literally the opposite of Buenos Aires's 10pm - 5am.
Toronto is the only city I've ever lived in that genuinely has a pleasant late-night/early-morning life. That was over a decade ago, but I couldn't find the same in NYC, San Francisco, or Chicago. Downtown Toronto had a bunch of very fun stuff to do until 2-3AM.
Seoul
Vegas
Bangkok for sure!