Best Pubs and Bars in Bangalore 2026: Where to Actually Drink
Food & Cafes · By L K Monu Borkala · April 2026 · 11 min read
QUICK ANSWER
Which are the best pubs and bars in Bangalore?
Toit Brewpub (100 Feet Road, Indiranagar) for craft beer. The Humming Tree (Indiranagar) for live music. Bier Library (Church Street) for imported beer selection. Fenny’s Lounge (Koramangala) for cocktails. The Permit Room (Indiranagar) for Indian craft spirits. Bangalore’s pub scene is concentrated in Indiranagar and Koramangala, with MG Road–Church Street as the older, tourist-facing strip.
Bangalore Pub Culture: What It Actually Is
Bangalore’s pub culture is older than most Indian cities’ — the city’s colonial-era British military presence established a pub-going tradition that persisted longer here than elsewhere. The modern version, built around craft breweries, cocktail bars, and live music venues, has made Bangalore’s nightlife scene the most developed in South India.
The legal landscape is also relevant: Karnataka allows alcohol service until midnight (2 AM on select licensed premises), and the state has been more permissive about beer garden and rooftop licensing than Tamil Nadu or Andhra Pradesh. This has enabled a pub strip culture — particularly on 100 Feet Road and Koramangala’s 5th block — that doesn’t exist in most other Southern cities.
Craft Brewpubs
Toit Brewpub — 100 Feet Road, Indiranagar
Toit is the origin point of Bangalore’s modern craft beer scene. Opened in 2010, it brews 5–7 beers in-house at any time, rotating seasonally alongside core beers that have become Bangalore institutions. The Tintin Toit (pale ale), Beelzebub’s Blend (dark ale), and Basmati Blonde (wheat beer) are the regulars. The food is pub-standard and reliable. The rooftop fills completely on weekend evenings; the ground floor is easier to manage.
Hours: 12 PM–11:30 PM. Price: ₹350–₹500 per pint, ₹800–₹1,400 per person with food.
Arbor Brewing Company — 100 Feet Road, Indiranagar
Arbor Brewing (a collaboration with Michigan’s Arbor Brewing) produces the most experimental beers on the Indiranagar strip — barrel-aged stouts, seasonal sours, high-ABV specialties that aren’t available elsewhere in Bangalore. The food is better than at Toit. Smaller space, slightly less crowded, and the beer conversation is more interesting if you’re into craft beer specifically rather than pub atmosphere generally.
Hours: 12 PM–11:30 PM. Price: ₹400–₹600 per craft beer, ₹700–₹1,300 per person with food.
The Biere Club — Lavelle Road
The Biere Club predates Toit as Bangalore’s first serious beer bar, with the largest draught beer selection in the city — typically 50–60 international and domestic taps running simultaneously. The selection spans Belgian ales, German lagers, British bitters, and American IPAs alongside Indian craft beers. The food is an afterthought; the beer list is the reason to go. Best visited with people who want to methodically work through a selection.
Hours: 12 PM–12 AM. Price: ₹300–₹700 per pint depending on import status.
Cocktail Bars
The Permit Room — Church Street
The Permit Room focuses specifically on Indian craft spirits — in particular, Indian single malt whisky (Paul John, Amrut, Indri) and Indian craft gin (Greater Than, Stranger & Sons, Samsara). The cocktail menu is built around these spirits rather than using them as substitutes for Scotch. For anyone interested in what India’s own spirits industry is producing, The Permit Room is the most educationally interesting bar in the city.
Best for: Indian craft spirits, whisky and gin cocktails. Price: ₹500–₹900 per cocktail.
Fenny’s Lounge & Kitchen — Koramangala
Fenny’s has built its reputation on cocktail quality at prices that are reasonable compared to equivalent craft cocktail bars in Mumbai or Delhi. The bartenders are genuinely skilled — the drink specifications are tight, the balance is consistent, and the menu rotates seasonally rather than staying fixed. Worth visiting specifically if cocktails are the priority over beer.
Best for: Craft cocktails, date nights. Price: ₹450–₹800 per cocktail.
Live Music Venues
The Humming Tree — 100 Feet Road, Indiranagar
The Humming Tree is the best live music venue in Bangalore — a statement that’s been consistently true for a decade. The programming runs Thursday through Sunday, spanning indie, jazz, electronic, alternative, and occasional international touring acts. The sound system is excellent, the sight lines are good from most positions, and the bar is well-stocked if secondary to the music. Check their Instagram for the week’s lineup before going.
Best for: Live music (check current schedule). Cover charge: ₹300–₹800 depending on the act. Hours: Shows typically 8–11 PM.
The MG Road–Church Street Strip
The older pub strip around MG Road, Brigade Road, and Church Street is more tourist-facing and less locally-loved than Indiranagar and Koramangala. Pubs like Hard Rock Cafe (MG Road), The Irish House, and Pecos (Rest House Road) sit here. Pecos, which has been on Rest House Road since 1984, is worth knowing for its completely unpretentious rock bar character — low cover, classic rock on the stereo, cold beer, and no attitude.
Pecos: Rest House Road, off MG Road. Price: ₹150–₹250 per beer. Bangalore’s most democratic drinking venue.
Bar Quick Reference
| Bar | Best For | Location | Price/Person |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toit Brewpub | In-house craft beer, atmosphere | 100 Feet Rd, Indiranagar | ₹800–₹1,400 |
| Arbor Brewing | Experimental craft beer | 100 Feet Rd, Indiranagar | ₹700–₹1,300 |
| The Biere Club | Largest beer selection | Lavelle Road | ₹600–₹1,200 |
| The Permit Room | Indian craft spirits | Church Street | ₹800–₹1,500 |
| Fenny’s Lounge | Craft cocktails | Koramangala | ₹900–₹1,600 |
| The Humming Tree | Live music + drinks | 100 Feet Rd, Indiranagar | ₹700–₹1,400 |
| Pecos | Unpretentious rock bar | Rest House Road | ₹300–₹600 |
Frequently Asked Questions
What time do pubs close in Bangalore?
Most Bangalore pubs close at 11:30 PM–midnight on weekdays and Saturdays. Some licensed premises have 2 AM permits, particularly larger venues. The last orders are typically called 30–45 minutes before closing. Check the specific venue’s current licence before planning a late night — Karnataka excise rules change periodically.
Is Bangalore nightlife good?
By Indian city standards, yes — Bangalore has the most developed pub, brewpub, and live music scene in South India. By global standards, it’s modest. The concentration of venues in Indiranagar and Koramangala creates a genuine pub strip culture. What’s missing relative to European cities: post-midnight venues are limited, and the club scene is thin compared to Mumbai.
Are there rooftop bars in Bangalore?
Yes. Toit has a rooftop section. The Sheraton Grand and JW Marriott both have rooftop bars (with corresponding pricing). The Conrad Bangalore’s Sky Bar is the most premium rooftop option. For affordable rooftop drinking, Toit’s terrace is the most practical.
What is craft beer like in Bangalore?
Bangalore was India’s craft beer pioneer — Toit (2010) predates most Indian craft breweries. The current scene includes in-house brewing at Toit, Arbor, and several other Indiranagar and Koramangala venues, plus retail craft beer from Bengaluru Beer Company, White Rhino, and others available in specialised bottle shops. The quality ceiling is lower than American or European craft beer but higher than anywhere else in India.