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Nightlife in Kota Kinabalu: Bars, Pubs, KTV and Live Music

Q: How many nightlife venues are there in Kota Kinabalu?

322 open bars, pubs, KTV lounges, clubs and lounges across greater Kota Kinabalu, in 11 areas from the City Centre out to Penampang, Putatan and Inanam. Another 38 are listed as closed.

Q: Which part of KK is best for a night out?

For a walkable strip with bands, Gaya Street : 60% of its venues have live music. For the most choice, Luyang (89 venues) and Penampang / Donggongon (85), though these are neighbourhood bars spread across town rather than one street.

Q: Where can I find live music in Kota Kinabalu?

62 open venues have evidence of live music, most of them in Penampang / Donggongon. Each listing says what the evidence was. Ring ahead: a band on Saturday is not a band on Tuesday.

Q: Which bars in KK stay open late?

169 open venues list closing times of 1 AM or later on at least one night, going by the hours they publish on Google. The directory has an "Open past 1 AM" filter.

Last updated: 27 September 2026

What is the nightlife like in Kota Kinabalu?

Greater KK has 322 open bars, pubs, KTV lounges and clubs. Most are neighbourhood bars spread across Luyang, Penampang / Donggongon and the City Centre; for bands, Gaya Street has the best odds. 62 venues have live music and 169 stay open past 1 AM.

322open venues 🎸 62with live music 🌙 169open past 1 AM 📍 11areas

Where to go out

Not one strip. Most venues are neighbourhood bars spread across town. Tap an area to see its venues.

🎸 live music 🌙 open past 1 AM · 108 of the 322 are in Penampang or Putatan, their own districts, included because that is where people in KK go.

Where the live music is

62 open venues have live music, shown only where the venue's own Google listing or its reviews say so. The most-reviewed:

ZING Sunset Bar 🍺 Bar · City Centre ★ 4.5 (1608)

MOGINUM Restobar 🍽️ Bar & restaurant · Gaya Street ★ 4.8 (1188)

The Shamrock Irish Bar 🍻 Pub · Waterfront / Api-Api ★ 4.3 (1111)

Mamasita Mexican Restaurant & Tapas Bar 🍽️ Bar & restaurant · Gaya Street ★ 4.4 (1043)

Biru Biru Cafe & Bar 🍺 Bar · Gaya Street ★ 4.4 (566)

Volcano Waterfront Kota Kinabalu 🍺 Bar · Waterfront / Api-Api ★ 4.9 (469)

See all 62 live-music venues →

Karaoke never counts as live music. Bands play on set nights, so ring ahead.

Open past 1 AM

169 open venues publish a closing time of 1 AM or later on at least one night. A few busy ones without a band:

KBOX Beverly 🎤 KTV · Luyang 🌙 Till 2 AM

Cempaka Square 🎤 KTV · Luyang 🌙 Till 2 AM

BALOI B2K PUB 🎤 KTV · Penampang / Donggongon 🌙 Till 3 AM

Tuba Pub&Bar Lounge, Cafe 🍻 Pub · Inanam 🌙 Till 3 AM

See all 169 late venues →

What kind of place

Google files many KK bars as cafés or restaurants. Each venue here is sorted by what it actually is.

Bars 165 Drinks first, a neighbourhood crowd, often food too Pubs 30 Pub-style bar, usually with a full kitchen and a regular crowd KTV 51 Private karaoke rooms, booked by the hour Clubs 16 A dance floor and a DJ as the main event Cocktail & lounges 21 Cocktail and wine bars, lounges and shisha lounges Live music venues 4 Music is the reason the place exists Bars & restaurants 35 A restaurant first, with a bar people go to at night

How this list is checked

Every venue re-read from Google Maps on 27 September 2026: hours, ratings, closures.
Restaurants, day cafés and shops that only looked like bars were taken off.
Live music only with evidence from the venue's listing or its reviews.
38 closed venues stay listed, marked closed, so a place you remember can still be found.
Most venues have not been visited by us. Each listing says so and has a report button.

Frequently asked questions

Q How many nightlife venues are there in Kota Kinabalu?

322 open bars, pubs, KTV lounges, clubs and lounges across greater Kota Kinabalu, in 11 areas from the City Centre out to Penampang, Putatan and Inanam. Another 38 are listed as closed.

Q Which part of KK is best for a night out?

For a walkable strip with bands, Gaya Street: 60% of its venues have live music. For the most choice, Luyang (89 venues) and Penampang / Donggongon (85), though these are neighbourhood bars spread across town rather than one street.

Q Where can I find live music in Kota Kinabalu?

62 open venues have evidence of live music, most of them in Penampang / Donggongon. Each listing says what the evidence was. Ring ahead: a band on Saturday is not a band on Tuesday.

Q Which bars in KK stay open late?

169 open venues list closing times of 1 AM or later on at least one night, going by the hours they publish on Google. The directory has an "Open past 1 AM" filter.

Q What is the difference between a KTV and a bar here?

A KTV sells private karaoke rooms by the hour; a bar sells drinks in a shared room. 51 open venues are KTVs. Karaoke is never counted as live music, because a karaoke room is not a band.

Q Is this list checked by anyone?

Every venue was re-checked against its Google listing and reviews on 27 September 2026, and places that turned out to be restaurants, day cafés or shops were taken off. Most venues have not been visited by us, and each listing says so. The report button on every listing reaches us.