Rooftop bars above the medinas, clubs in Marrakech and Casablanca, Gnawa music in Essaouira, and the rules on alcohol, Ramadan and dress in a Muslim country.
Photograph: Grand Parc - Bordeaux, France, CC BY 2.0
Alcohol
Licensed venues only
Drinking in public
Illegal
Busiest nights
Thursday to Saturday
During Ramadan
Most bars close
1
Morocco After Dark: What to Expect
Morocco is a Muslim-majority country with deep religious traditions, and it also has rooftop cocktail bars above its medinas, clubs that run into the small hours, and Gnawa musicians playing to crowds late into the night.
Each city goes out differently. Marrakech has the rooftops and the big clubs. Casablanca has bars, lounges and DJ nights. Tangier trades on its literary past, Agadir on the beach, Essaouira on its music, and Rabat keeps to hotel bars and lounges. This guide covers venues, alcohol rules, dress, safety, late dining and Jemaa el-Fnaa after dark.
2
Nightlife by City
What to expect in each city, and a few established places to start. Opening hours change with the season and during Ramadan.
1
Marrakech
Clubs in Hivernage · bars in Gueliz · rooftops in the medina
The busiest scene in the country: rooftop bars above the medina, clubs in Hivernage and cocktail bars in Gueliz, with a crowd of tourists, expats and Moroccans. Start on a rooftop near Jemaa el-Fnaa, then move to Hivernage for the clubs.
Places to start
Le Salama: rooftop bar and restaurant near Jemaa el-Fnaa
Theatro: nightclub in Hivernage
Barometre: cocktail bar in Gueliz
Café Arabe: medina restaurant with a rooftop terrace and a wine list
So Lounge (Sofitel Marrakech): hotel lounge with live music
2
Casablanca
Corniche and Aïn Diab on the coast · Maarif downtown
A local crowd of young professionals more than tourists, with bars, lounges and DJ nights. The Corniche at Aïn Diab and the Maarif district are the two main areas, and nights here start and finish later than elsewhere.
Places to start
Le Cabestan: restaurant and lounge on the Corniche
La Bodega: tapas bar
3
Tangier
Kasbah for rooftops · Ville Nouvelle for modern bars
The city of Paul Bowles and William Burroughs still trades on its literary past. Newer cocktail bars and rooftops sit beside old haunts in the kasbah, with the Strait of Gibraltar as the backdrop at sunset.
Places to start
El Morocco Club: bar and restaurant in the kasbah
Café Hafa: cliffside terraces for mint tea above the strait
Le Salon Bleu: rooftop in the kasbah with sea views
4
Agadir
Secteur Touristique · the beachfront
Rebuilt after the 1960 earthquake, Agadir is a modern resort with a long Atlantic beach lined with hotels, restaurants and bars. Beach clubs run from the afternoon to sunset, then the clubs in the Secteur Touristique take over. The crowd is European holidaymakers, surfers and young Moroccans from the south.
Places to start
So Lounge (Sofitel Agadir): hotel lounge with live bands and DJs
5
Essaouira
The medina · the port · the beach
Not a club town. Essaouira is the home of Gnawa music, and evenings centre on live music in small venues, rooftop bars above the ramparts and the beach at sunset. The Gnaoua World Music Festival turns the whole town into an open-air stage each June.
Places to start
Taros: rooftop bar and restaurant by the port, with live music
Ocean Vagabond: beachfront cafe
6
Rabat
Agdal for lounges · Hassan for hotel bars · the Oudaias for sunset
The capital is quieter, with hotel bars, wine lounges and cultural events rather than big clubs. Agdal and Hassan have most of the bars, and the Mawazine festival brings international headliners each June.
Places to start
Le Dhow: restaurant and bar on a boat moored on the Bou Regreg
Hotel La Tour Hassan: hotel bar
Villa Mandarine: boutique hotel with a garden bar
Café Maure: tea terrace in the Kasbah des Oudaias above the river
3
Jemaa el-Fnaa After Dark
Morocco's best-known night out needs no drinks. Every evening the square fills with food, music and performers.
Food stalls
After sunset, rows of food stalls set up in the square: grilled meats, snail soup, harira, fresh orange juice and pastries. Choose the stalls full of Moroccan diners, not the ones with the pushiest touts.
Musicians and halqa circles
Gnawa musicians form circles and play late into the night on the guembri and krakebs. Drop a coin in the collection if you stay to listen. The halqa circles also hold comedians, acrobats and storytellers performing in Darija.
Henna artists and fortune tellers
Henna artists work the edges of the square. Agree the price before you sit down. Fortune tellers and herbalists complete the scene that earned the square its UNESCO recognition.
Snake charmers and storytellers
Snake charmers work in the late afternoon and early evening. They will put a snake on you for a photo and then ask for money. The storytellers perform in Darija; even without the language, watching the crowd react is worth it.
Photograph: Grand Parc - Bordeaux, France, CC BY 2.0
4
Live Music & Cultural Shows
Gnawa trance, Andalusian ensembles, DJs and dinner shows.
Gnawa music
Gnawa is Morocco's most distinctive musical tradition. Its roots are in sub-Saharan African spiritual practice, blended with Amazigh and Sufi traditions, and it is played on the guembri, a three-stringed bass lute, with krakebs (iron castanets) and call-and-response singing that can last for hours. Hear it in Essaouira, on Jemaa el-Fnaa and in riads in Marrakech, and at the Gnaoua World Music Festival in Essaouira in June.
Photograph: Monaam Ben Fredj, CC BY-SA 4.0
Andalusian classical music
Rooted in medieval Muslim Spain and played on oud, violin and percussion, it is best heard in Fes and Tetouan. Some restaurants in the Fes medina have Andalusian ensembles at dinner, and the Fes Festival of World Sacred Music is held in early summer.
DJs and electronic music
The electronic scene centres on Marrakech and Casablanca. Moroccan DJs mix local rhythms into house, techno and Afrobeats.
Dinner shows
Several Marrakech restaurants pair dinner with entertainment: Comptoir Darna has belly dance and live music, and Chez Ali stages a fantasia with horsemen and musicians outside the city. Both are made for tourists.
Jazz
Rabat has a small jazz scene: the piano bar at Hotel La Tour Hassan has hosted jazz evenings. Rabat’s Mawazine festival brings international headliners each June.
5
When to Go Out
Nights in Morocco start late. Begin on a rooftop and move to the clubs after midnight.
1
Sunset
Drinks on a rooftop or at a beach club. Popular terraces fill before sunset, so arrive early for a seat.
2
Evening
Dinner and cocktails. Moroccans eat late, so restaurants are busiest from 9 to 10 pm, and many venues have live music or a show at this hour.
3
Late night
Clubs start to fill around 11 pm and DJ sets begin. The food stalls on Jemaa el-Fnaa wind down around midnight.
4
After midnight
Clubs in Marrakech, Casablanca and Agadir are at their fullest in the small hours.
6
Late-Night Dining
Dinner at 10 pm is normal in Morocco.
Marrakech
The food stalls on Jemaa el-Fnaa, until around midnight
Café de France, overlooking the square, for mint tea and snacks
Comptoir Darna, dinner with a show
Al Fassia Aguedal, Moroccan cooking
Casablanca
Rick’s Café, a restaurant themed on the film Casablanca
La Sqala, courtyard dining inside an 18th-century bastion
Seafood restaurants along the Corniche
Tangier
El Morocco Club, dinner and drinks in the kasbah
Populaire Saveur de Poisson, a fixed-menu fish restaurant
Street food around the Grand Socco
7
Alcohol Laws & Cultural Considerations
Going out in a Muslim country: where alcohol is sold, Ramadan, dress and behaviour.
Alcohol is legal but regulated
Licensed hotels, bars, restaurants and nightclubs serve alcohol, and some supermarkets sell it, Carrefour among them. Drinking in the street or other public places is illegal and disrespectful, especially near mosques. Medina restaurants rarely serve alcohol unless licensed; hotel bars are the most comfortable option.
Respect Ramadan
During Ramadan most bars and nightclubs close or cut their hours; some hotel bars stay open for non-Muslim guests. Eating or drinking openly in public during daylight is deeply disrespectful. The dates move each year with the lunar calendar.
Moroccan wine and beer
Most Moroccan wine comes from around Meknes; Château Roslane, Domaine de la Zouina and Médaillon are labels to look for. Flag Spéciale and Casablanca are the common local beers.
Dress
Hotel bars and rooftop lounges expect smart casual. Clubs in Marrakech and Casablanca refuse entry in shorts, sandals, flip-flops or sportswear. Agadir’s beach clubs are relaxed by day but expect a change of clothes for the evening.
Behaviour
Public displays of affection are frowned on, wherever you are. Being visibly drunk in public is seen as disrespectful. Some local bars are mostly male spaces; hotel venues are more mixed.
8
Safety on a Night Out
1
Arrange the ride home first
Ask your hotel to book a trusted driver, or take an official petit taxi and insist on the meter. Avoid unofficial cars. Save your hotel’s address and phone number before you go out.
2
Carry only what you will spend
Leave passports, spare cards and large sums in the hotel safe. Upscale bars and clubs take cards; smaller venues and taxis are cash only. Avoid ATMs in quiet or poorly lit streets after dark.
3
Stay with your group
Stick to established venues and avoid unfamiliar neighbourhoods late at night; medina lanes are confusing and poorly lit after dark. If you get separated, head for a hotel or a lit main street and take a taxi.
4
Watch your drink
Never leave a drink unattended and watch it being poured. If you feel unusually ill after one drink, get help at once.
5
Save the emergency numbers
Police 19 and ambulance 15, plus your hotel’s front desk. Your hotel concierge can also help if something goes wrong.
6
Know the law
Recreational cannabis (kif) is illegal despite how visible it is in places. Public drunkenness draws police attention. Same-sex relationships are criminalised under Moroccan law, so LGBTQ+ travellers should be discreet in public.
9
What to Expect on Your First Night Out
Moroccans eat late, often at 9 or 10 pm, and bars get going from 10 or 11. Clubs are close to empty before midnight, so start at a rooftop bar or cocktail lounge and move on later.
Popular clubs run door policies: bouncers may refuse entry for dress or capacity, and a reservation made through your hotel or arriving as a mixed group helps. Smoking is common in many bars and clubs; rooftop terraces and hotel bars are the best bet if you want to avoid it.
10
Frequently Asked Questions
Is alcohol available in Morocco?
Yes. Morocco is a Muslim-majority country, but alcohol is sold in licensed bars, hotels, restaurants and nightclubs, and in some supermarkets such as Carrefour. Drinking in the street or other public spaces is illegal. Moroccan wine from the Meknes region and local beers such as Flag Speciale and Casablanca are easy to find.
What time do nightclubs close in Morocco?
Clubs in Marrakech, Casablanca and Agadir run into the early hours at weekends, while rooftop bars and cocktail lounges close earlier. Clubs fill late: arrive before 11 pm and the room may be nearly empty. During Ramadan many venues close or cut their hours.
What should I wear to go out in Morocco?
Rooftop bars and hotel lounges expect smart casual. Nightclubs in Marrakech and Casablanca are stricter and will turn people away in shorts, flip-flops or sportswear. When unsure, dress a level smarter than you think necessary.
Is Morocco nightlife safe for tourists?
Hotel bars, established clubs and tourist venues are generally safe. Take an official petit taxi or a car booked through your hotel, avoid walking alone through unfamiliar areas after midnight, keep valuables to a minimum and never leave a drink unattended.
Does nightlife change during Ramadan?
Yes. During Ramadan most bars and nightclubs close or open for very limited hours; some hotel bars stay open for non-Muslim guests but are much quieter. After iftar, the meal that breaks the fast, streets and cafes fill with families and street food. If nightlife matters to your trip, plan around Ramadan, whose dates move each year with the Islamic lunar calendar.
What is the best night of the week to go out in Morocco?
Thursday, Friday and Saturday are the busiest nights, especially in Marrakech and Agadir. Sunday to Tuesday is quieter, though hotel bars stay open.
Can I experience nightlife in Morocco without drinking alcohol?
Yes. Many of Morocco's best evenings are alcohol-free: Jemaa el-Fnaa in Marrakech with its food stalls, musicians and storytellers, rooftop cafes serving mint tea, late-night restaurants, Gnawa music in Essaouira and cultural shows.
