The 9 best clubs in Mumbai

With a floor-to-ceiling alcohol tower, angel statues seeming to soar down from the sky, multicoloured neon dragonflies on the walls and plenty of plush upholstery, Dragonfly Experience certainly screams grandeur. Pan-Asian bites pair beautifully with the elegant cocktails from British mixologist Richard Hargroves (founder of London School of Bartending). Come for the food, stay for the party.

Modelled after London’s (now closed) mega-exclusive Mayfair club, this is Mumbai’s newest place to party – and it’s also the most exclusive club in the city. This space is where art meets fashion, with decor that takes design cues from iconic toys, fictional characters and comic books. Playing hip-hop and R&B on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays, you’ll need to put your dancing shoes on for this one.

When in Mumbai, you ought to dance to some of the latest Bollywood numbers – and R’Adda is the perfect place to do so. Dance the night away surrounded by Gothic decor, stained glass windows, Roman arches and exposed brick walls – and keep an eye out for television actors. While R’Adda is open ‘til 3 am, it’s worth checking out the happy hour deals.

Lord Of The Drinks (or LOTD, as the regulars call it) has a few branches across the city, but the Lower Parel outlet boasts something special: the longest bar in Asia. We’re not sure how exactly to verify this claim, but it’s certainly one of the prettiest bars in the city. Edison lights, mirrors and plush velvet couches offer the place a rather upscale vibe, though the crowd is mostly young professionals (LOTD is in the heart of the corporate district).

This unassuming bar found down a bylane in Worli village is one of the city’s most highly-regarded venues for drinking and dancing. The cocktail bar has an elegant ‘Great Gatsby’ vibe, with a bar menu of pre-prohibition era cocktails and a food menu of inventive small plates. Weekends are high-energy with good music and a great vibe – just make sure you dress the part.

It’s safe to call Kitty Su, inside The Lalit hotel in Mumbai, a wild child. Expect a red carpet welcome, multiple lounge areas boasting different décors and a tucked-away bar. Don’t forget to try the signature cocktails, the LaLiT Cocktail and Cold Chai.

A friendly neighbourhood bar during the day, The Daily transforms into a high-energy club post-10pm. Weekends are all about house music where the team brings in some of the best independent artists from the country to play. Their molecular cocktails are a must-try, as are the coffee cocktails.

Known for its vintage decor and huge dancefloor, Mansion at Sahara Star is the place to be when it comes to photo ops. We’re talking neon lights on the walls, a cage on the dance floor and an LED face mask installation at the DJ booth. As for the music, Mansion’s better known for its techno nights but don’t be surprised if it turns into a Bollywood party by the end of the night.

If you’re looking to experience Mumbai’s underground nightlife, Social Offline’s antiSOCIAL – an alternative performance, culture and events space – is a great place to start. This basement space in Lower Parel hosts gigs from both Indian and international artists and performers – and you can pre-game at Social’s bar upstairs, as they offer pocket-friendly drinks and bar snacks.