15 Best Nightlife in Morocco

True to the name (El Fenn means "art" in the local dialect), this fashionable spot in the medina is a magnet for designers, artists, and photographers. Wine, beer, spirits, and a vast selection of cocktails are available and can be sipped fireside in winter, or under the rooftop tent with views across to the Koutoubia mosque.

The restaurant in this galleried, bougainvillea-strewn riad is known for the food but the sleek rooftop bar is also an excellent place to enjoy cocktails, Moroccan wine, or champagne. 

A mash up of café, restaurant, and bar, the Café du Livre is a good place for a meal but it's also popular just as a place to meet for a drink. There's usually live music Friday and Saturday, but it can get very smoky. It's upstairs behind the Carré Eden shopping mall, just next to the Hotel Toulousaine. 

A lively crowd gathers regularly at Comptoir Darna to take in the nightly cabaret show, enjoy the occasional live music, or to chill out with cocktails on the candlelit, plant-filled patio. The food is good, too, if expensive. There's a small dance floor for those who want to swirl to the tunes.

Right near the Djemâa el Fna and with one of the best views of the Koutoubia minaret, Kabana is the latest hot spot on the Marrakesh night scene. Live DJs, an array of cocktails, and a full menu of snacks and main dishes are available. 

The intimate surroundings of the jazz bar at hotel La Maison Arabe provide a cozy fireside setting for cocktails and a tasty menu of light savory snacks. A resident pianist tickles the ivories every evening from 7 to 9.

Permanently moored on the Bou Regreg River, this boat has several decks on which you can eat, drink, and people-watch while a DJ spins ambient music. Pull up a quirky armchair as the sun sets and watch the twinkly lights of the kasbah splash the historic walls of the medina, or gaze across the river to the marina in Salé. Tapas, burgers, salads, and pizzas are available on the lower deck bistro, and there's a more formal restaurant above. 

A stone's throw from the Djemâa el Fna and up a narrow staircase, Le Salama is one of the few places in the medina where you can grab a cold beer or an aperitif without having to eat dinner. Drinks are served either at the bar area in the top terrace Sky Bar with views across to the Koutoubia.

The rooftop bar of the 2Ciels Hotel has sixth-floor views over the Royal Tennis Club, the old Marrakesh soccer stadium, and the Hivernage neighborhood. The bar serves tapas, beer, wine, cocktails, and coffee throughout the day and into the evening and has pleasant shaded seating areas with tables and reasonable prices.

Live music and a cool, local atmosphere are the draws of this bar and restaurant near the beach. The crowd is mostly local thirty- and fortysomething local professionals. The live music is a house band that does English-language covers and some local English-language and contemporary Amazigh music as well. The vibe is that of a feel-good community. 

Part of the Goethe Institute, this combination bar-restaurant-cultural hub is packed every night. Drinks and food are reasonably priced, with pizzas being the favorite menu item, and the interior is charming. There's a large screen for televised sports, plus a garden out the back. There's often live music, too.

This sky lounge, on the hotel's fourth-floor terrace, has the impressive views over the ramparts to La Mamounia and the Koutoubia mosque, as well as the Menara Gardens and beyond. It's the perfect spot for sunset drinks (or tea, coffee, or snacks). Added bonus: there's a doughnut-shape pool in the middle if you want to sunbathe and take a dip (for an extra 300 DH).

Within the walls of a restored medina riad, Rick's Café evokes, of course, the romantic Casablanca from the classic 1942 Humphrey Bogart film—which wasn't actually shot here. The pianist, Issam, plays jazz nightly and also organizes jazz jams next to the bar. Service is efficient and the restaurant menu blends American, French, and local cuisines. You can dine while sitting atop a high stool at the bar or settle in at one of the intimate tables. The cocktails are perfectly crafted and there's a comprehensive wine list.

Known for spectacular sunset views and for being one of the coolest party spots among expats, this bar and restaurant offers creative cocktails, tasty tapas, and live music. 

Those looking for postdinner, preclub drinks with a touch of East African colonial elegance should stop by Zanzibar at the Riu Tikida Beach Resort.