14 Best Nightlife in Rabat and Casablanca, Morocco

Inside the Pietri Urban Hotel, Rabat’s most popular jazz restaurant features superb musicians every Friday and Saturday night. Expect anything from bebop and Latin to jazz fusion. On weeknights, the bar fills up with the after-work crowd and gets lively. The food is excellent, too, with a menu embodying a good deal of Mediterranean tastes and some genuine inventiveness from the chef.

The bar area inside Le Cabestan Ocean View restaurant heats up after dark, drawing the glitterati of the city who drink, dance, and gossip the night away as the DJ spins. Spectacular coastal views and briny air add to the unforgettable experience.

Take a stool at the bar or squeeze around a table and enjoy fantastic wine along with excellent cheese and charcuterie at this chic French brasserie. This is a great place to meet local Casablancans.

Featuring DJs with music from Senegal, Mali, Ivory Coast, and more points south, the 5ème Avenue Afro Club is open from 6 pm to 4:30 am. 

Drawing a party-loving crowd, the city's original nightclub has been going strong for over 30 years and shows no sign of stopping. If you're after something lively, look no farther. The fun doesn't really start until after midnight.

If you're looking for a place to drink and dance, head to Brooklyn Bar, which blends the scenes of New York City and Casablanca nightlife. There's a rooftop area, too.

Pop into this popular watering hole to have a drink at the long bar, sample tapas (or a meal if you prefer), then dance while the DJ spins. Soccer fans should note that if there’s a big game on, Chester’s will be showing it.

Permanently moored on the Bou Regreg River, this boat has several decks on which you can eat, drink, and people-watch while a DJ spins ambient music. Pull up a quirky armchair as the sun sets and watch the twinkly lights of the kasbah splash the historic walls of the medina, or gaze across the river to the marina in Salé. Tapas, burgers, salads, and pizzas are available on the lower deck bistro, and there's a more formal restaurant above. 

The classy bar above the Restaurant du Port draws a fun-loving crowd. DJs make this the chic place to party as the sun sets over the ocean; there's also food available for those in need of a bite.

Part of the Goethe Institute, this combination bar-restaurant-cultural hub is packed every night. Drinks and food are reasonably priced, with pizzas being the favorite menu item, and the interior is charming. There's a large screen for televised sports, plus a garden out the back. There's often live music, too.

Within the walls of a restored medina riad, Rick's Café evokes, of course, the romantic Casablanca from the classic 1942 Humphrey Bogart film—which wasn't actually shot here. The pianist, Issam, plays jazz nightly and also organizes jazz jams next to the bar. Service is efficient and the restaurant menu blends American, French, and local cuisines. You can dine while sitting atop a high stool at the bar or settle in at one of the intimate tables. The cocktails are perfectly crafted and there's a comprehensive wine list.

In downtown Casablanca, Vertigo offers a great mix of entertainment, from DJs to live music to quirky theater. It's a small place but pulls in a cultured crowd of all origins and ages. Drinks are reasonably priced as is the simple but appetizing menu. Entrance fees vary according to what's on.