12 Best Nightlife in Anchorage, Alaska

The rustic interior here is all stone, wood, and antlers, but the real attraction is the sun-soaked two-story rooftop deck where, on clear days, you can see Denali hovering over the northern horizon. The menu of pizzas and hearty bar bites emphasizes all things Alaska, including giant burgers appropriately named for noteworthy peaks. Beers are brewed on-site using local ingredients like Sitka spruce tips and Talkeetna birch syrup. The restaurant also hosts a range of events in its on-site theater, including improv comedy and trivia nights.

Arguably the most artistic brewery in the entire state, ABC's inventive beers skew toward the sour. Grab a glass in the high-ceiling tasting room and wander freely among the brewery's towering wood casks, or carry your pint outside to the cozy patio with a firepit.

This low-key lounge pulls in plenty of twentysomethings looking to dance, drink, and tackle the late-night menu served on the equally expansive outdoor patio. On weekends there is usually a good local DJ upstairs and a mediocre live band outside.

A rambling timber building with sawdust floors, loud music, weekend DJs, and rowdy customers, Chilkoot Charlie's is where young Alaskans go to get crazy. The legendary bar has many unusual nooks and crannies, including a room filled with Russian artifacts and a reconstructed version of Alaska's infamous Birdhouse Bar.

Lots of old-timers favor the dark bar of Club Paris. This is your spot if you like a stiff, no-nonsense drink.

One of Anchorage's biggest bars, Humpy's Great Alaskan Alehouse serves up rock, blues, and folk several nights a week, along with dozens of microbrews (more than 40 beers are on tap) and surprisingly tasty pub grub. Check the website calendar for the full spread of bands, open mics, and trivia nights. You can grab one of Humpy's delicious halibut burgers on your way out of town—the company has a satellite restaurant in Terminal B of the Anchorage airport.

The city's bigger bands get the summer spotlight at Town Square Park. Designed for the after-work crowd, these Thursday evening shows start at 5:30 pm and feature a beer garden from Humpy's Great Alaskan Alehouse. 

Alaska's premier gay bar offers dozens of LGBTQ+ community events. Though housed in an unassuming beige building, the glittery interior offers weekly karaoke, DJ sets on the dance floor, lounge-y couches, a cozy patio, and a kitchen menu only overshadowed by the cocktail list. The main event is the all-inclusive drag show every Friday and Saturday night that rivals anything in the Lower 48. The entrance for Myrna's is in the alley between 5th and 6th Avenues.

A trendy place for the dressy crowd, the bar at Simon & Seafort's Saloon & Grill has stunning views of Cook Inlet, a special single-malt-Scotch menu, and tempting cocktails. The lavender martini is a highlight. Take advantage of the two happy hours each day, including a late-night stretch starting at 9 pm.

Guests can ski straight to the back patio and firepit at this rollicking bar and grill. The Sitz hosts an event nearly every winter night under its spiral-painted ceiling, from game nights and trivia to nationally touring music acts. The bar closes each spring and fall as The Hotel Alyeska shifts between mountain bike and ski seasons; call to confirm hours before visiting.

This central three-story entertainment hub tries to be everything for everybody, and mostly succeeds. With a rooftop bar, coffee shop, pinball arcade, not-so-secret speakeasy, and concert venue, there's always something going on here. Check the online schedule for events like movie nights, DJs, trivia, and dance parties.