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Santo Domingo's nightlife is vast and ever changing. Check with the concierges and hip capitaleños. However clubs and bars must close at midnight during the week, and 2 am on Friday and Saturday nights. There are some exceptions to the latter, primarily those clubs and casinos in hotels. Sadly, the curfew has put some clubs out of business, but it has cut down on the crime and late-night noise, particularly in the Zona Colonial. Some clubs are now pushing the envelope and staying open until 3, but they do get in trouble with the authorities when caught, and you probably don't want to be there then.
Dancing is as much a part of the culture here as eating and drinking. As in other Latin countries, after dinner it's not a question of whether people will go dancing but where they'll go. Move with the rhythm of the merengue and the pulsing beat of salsa (adopted from neighboring Puerto Rico). Among the young, the word is that there's no better place to party in the Caribbean than Santo Domingo. Almost every resort in Puerto Plata and Punta Cana has live entertainment, dancing, or both.
The action can heat up—and the island does have casinos—but gambling in the Dominican Republic is more a sideline than a raison d'être. Most casinos are in the larger hotels of Santo Domingo, with a couple on the North Coast, plus many more in Punta Cana. All offer slot machines, blackjack, craps, and roulette and are generally open daily from 3 pm to 4 am, the exception being those in Santo Domingo, which, for now, must close at midnight (2 am on Friday and Saturday). You must be 18 to enter.
This cozy beachfront bar, styled as a cabin with a thatch roof, is adorned with colorful art and warm lighting. The cocktails are some of the region's finest. Note that there's no air-conditioning and the interior space can get quite warm.
Imagine you were dancing the night away in a natural cave, with earth-rocking acoustics. You can bounce back and forth between the various "cave" rooms with their stalactites and stalagmites, with equally hot dance floors. Theme nights change, like Crazy Thursday might switch to Brazil's Carnaval. Come late and stay early: things start getting steamy well after midnight, when many club crawlers descend via shuttle (round-trip) from the local resorts. Tickets are sold online and at the door. The regular open bar for $55 includes international beverages, which differs from other local clubs that only offer national liquors. For just $15 more, premium tickets include an open bar with premium liquors.
This is the cigar club that other cigar bars look up to, a classy, sceney bar and salon elegant enough that you don't need to be a smoker to enjoy it. A high-tech ventilation system keeps the room from being unpleasantly smoky. And, of course, Fuente cigars are among the best, pairing well with the finest aged rums or cognacs from the bar. This club is populated by well-heeled capitaleños, and has a semi-formal dress code, so dress the part or you may be turned away.
At this branch of the popular Mexican club, Latin Club music is interspersed with shows (such as celebrity impersonators or samba demos) lasting some 20 minutes, long enough for the dancers to cool off and drink. The atmosphere is loud, hot, and crowded. Paying extra for VIP service may be a good idea if you don't want to compete with the throngs on the main floor, and this includes transportation back to major resorts in the area.
The action includes some 50 slot machines and 16 gaming tables. You can also play a couple of hands of blackjack, shoot craps, or take a spin at the roulette wheel. There's action here from 9 am to 5 am. Diamante's disco, Trio, is a hot ticket, too. Security runs a tight ship.
The crowd here covers all walks of Dominican life, from old men playing dominoes on the plastic tables on up to a wealthy and well-dressed group stopping by after an art opening. It's as funky and real a slice of life as it was before the neighborhood became so gentrified. When the traditional dancing begins, you’ll see all ages moving to the Cuban beat, with many seriously proficient in their merengue moves.
Delivering consistently good meals and good tunes, this club-restaurant breaks the stereotype that you shouldn't eat where you party. The beachside bar regularly hosts local and international DJs with jam sessions covering a wide variety of genres. While the bar provides tried-and-true favorites, the cocktail menu (with non-alcoholic options) is extensive and the drinks are well-made. It's one of the places to be in Las Terrenas.
The well-equipped bar at this museum is a hot spot, with a dance floor, seating areas, and live music that span merengue, bachata, and salsa.
At this perennially popular bar that really comes alive by night, you can sit in the sand in lounge chairs or jump into the action on the outdoor deck, where a DJ will be spinning madly or a live band might be playing. It's one of the few dance clubs in the area without a cover charge. The inexpensive food is good, and there are special theme nights and drink specials. You can also check several bars on the same coastline.
This Malecón casino is the largest in the capital with more than 50 slot machines, baccarat, roulette, craps, blackjack, and Pai Gow poker tables.
This avant-garde wine bar and wine store was created by the major wine distributor El Catador. Cushy leather armchairs and hardwood floors help create a clubby atmosphere. If you want to eat, there's a good menu of tapas. You will want to buy one of the 500 bottles of wine from around the wine-making world. Generally there are a dozen wines for tasting, but there are no samplings during the busy Christmas holidays.
