Queenstown Bars & Nightlife

Queenstown's famous cocktails, and a bar flies guide to what your looking for in New Zealand's best year round party town!

Queenstown boasts the highest number of bars per capita in New Zealand and almost year round you can expect a lively and vibrant night out any day of the week.

With so many options to choose from a little inside knowledge will go a long way to ensuring you get what you came for - from a night of debauchery to a sophisticted evening sampling some of Central Otagos finest wines by a raging fire the following should help point you in the right direction.

Let's start with...

Novelty factor:

Cowboy Bar is the wild west of the Queenstown nightlife scene. Don a Cowboy hat at the door, mosey on past the giant grizzly bear and sign up to saddle up on the mecanical bull. Not for the faint hearted this bucking beast has claimed it's fair share of casualties inflicting the unwitting with bumps n bruises, and has even claimed the odd tooth - so proceed with caution this is entertainent rodeo style

A very well done theme bar with shuffle board, pool tables, and plenty of other things to discover you can find Cowboy on Church Lane in Queenstown

Minus 5 Ice Bar is a cool place to enjoy a vodka cocktail and kick start your evening. Everything including the glass you drink from is made of crystal clear solid ice! Lounge on ice furniture among beautifully hand carved ice sculptures, enjoy the delicious vodka cocktails and have shooters poured through novelty ice carvings. Minus 5 provide warm jackets and gloves to make sure you stay comfy in the sub zero temperatures.

Located on Steamer Wharf Minus 5 will set you back $32 which includes entry and your first vodka cocktail - however if your lucky you can sometimes grab a deal on www.bookme.co.nz for as little as $10

Buffalo Club - Buff Ugly  A popular backpacker bar Buffalo Club turns on the 'novelty factor' on Thursday nights with a live performance by their resident Buff Ugly girls. Taking to the bar top scantily clad the Buff Ugly Dancers are armed with jugs of water to 'cool themselves down' while performing their dance routine. Joined by adventurous members of the crowd keen to cut loose with the wet T-Shirt competition that ensues it all makes for a pretty funny scene. Something for the more sinfull and a good soft option for a bucks night, stag do, or hens night.

Find Buffalo Club on Brecon St.

Iconic Queenstown Cocktails

1) The Money Shot - Originated in Bar-up on Eurika Arcade off Queenstown Mall this tasty little number is guaranteed to get you salivating. An absolute must do right up there with a Fergburger - big call I know, but I've seen plenty of people licking the glass afterwards these things are so tasty!  The key is to shoot it all in one without being in a hurry to swallow; ensuring you savour the desert-like goodness down to the last drop.

Enjoy Money Shots at Bar-up, Mini Bar, Bardeaux and Barmuda - all good cocktail bars in their own right located Eureka Arcade and Church Lane.

2) Tea-pots at World Bar - Queenstown's iconic backpacker bar is world famous for their cocktails served in tea-pots. With such a civilized aproach to revelry it would be rude not to endulge in at least one while in Queenstown - go for the Long Island Iced Tea (makes sense?) or you can choose from a full range of the usual suspects.

Beer connoisseurs:

1) A locals favorite Dux de Lux brews it's own award winning beer! Sit outside in the sun or enjoy live music by the fire inside at night. The beers at Dux are outstanding; from the Alcoholic ginger beer "Ginger Tom" which goes down a treat on a summers day to the chocolatey stout "The Sou-Wester" to keep you fortified on a cold day. The classic Dux larger is a refreshing favorite and the high strength "Nor-wester" dangerously likely to blow you away! Find Dux de Lux on Church St

2) Mini bar is aptly named for the size of the venue not the beer list! With over 100 beers from all over the world on the menu mini bar is a great place for the beer lovers, & also serves great cocktails. The compact size means the atmosphere sparks up on just a few small groups making it a great place to head even on quieter nights.

Sophistication, fine wine & cocktails:

Here are my top pick's for the bars that know how to sling a good cocktail together, and offer wine lists designed for taste not tin. You'll find the music at the right level with service and surrounds to match.

Bardeaux located on Eurika arcade off Queenstown Mall offers a roaring fire, comfy leather couches, and outdoor balcony area with tables to make the most of summer evenings. The cheese platters are great value for money here which helps compensate for the fact you will be paying for fine wine or cocktails.

Bunker Bar is tucked away down Cow lane - set off the street access is via a short flight of stairs. A unique little setting with roaring fire inside, and cosy outdoor area complete with leather couches and old James Bond movies projected on the wall of the old buildings that enclose the area.

Barmuda is the larger of my three recomendations in this category, offering great cocktails, plush interior and large outdoor area with a raging fire. Barmuda holds a bigger party and is a great place to head to for a big night out in plesant surrounds. The cheese platters are also very good here!

Work in progress ... more info to come so please comment and share your suggestions!