Nightlife · Amman · Jordan
Amman nightlife
Where the evenings happen in Amman, from early drinks to late nights.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: miiika, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Amman's nightlife is relaxed and social, centred on cafés, rooftop bars and a handful of pubs and lounges rather than big clubs. The main areas are Rainbow Street and Jabal Amman, Jabal al-Weibdeh and Abdoun and west Amman.
Key facts
- Nightlife areas
- 3
- Stay near the action
- Jabal Amman and Rainbow Street
- Local drink
- Arabic coffee
Where to go out
Rainbow Street and Jabal Amman
Rooftop bars, cafés and restaurants with views, busiest on Thursday and Friday nights.
Jabal al-Weibdeh
Small bars and cafés popular with artists and students around Paris Circle.
Abdoun and west Amman
Upscale lounges, cocktail bars and hotel bars.
Nightlife tips
- Thursday night is the main night out, as Friday is the weekend.
- Shisha cafés are a big part of evening social life and stay open late.
Evening sights
Street · Jabal Amman and Rainbow Street
Rainbow Street
Come at dusk for the views from a rooftop café, and wander the side streets towards the Wild Jordan Center.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Food
- After dark
- Couples
- Shopping
Experience · Downtown (Al-Balad)
Downtown street-food trail
Eat hummus and falafel at a busy counter, then queue for knafeh in the lane off King Hussein Street.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Food
- Iconic
- After dark
Viewpoint · Jabal Amman and Rainbow Street
Citadel-view sunset from Jabal Amman
Walk the stairs down from Jabal Amman to downtown at dusk, stopping at the terraces along the way.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Views
- Couples
- After dark
- Photo spot
What to drink
- Arabic coffee — Light-roasted coffee brewed with cardamom and poured in small handleless cups as a sign of welcome; shaking the cup gently means you have had enough.
- Sage and mint tea — Sweet black tea infused with fresh mint or dried sage (maramiya), served in small glasses throughout the day.
Evenings through the year
Sunset and the overnight low decide how long the outdoor part of a night lasts. August has the warmest evenings, with lows around 19°C (66°F).
| Month | Sunset (15th) | Overnight low | Rainy days |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | About 17:54 | 4°C (39°F) | 11 |
| April | About 19:05 | 10°C (50°F) | 3 |
| July | About 19:43 | 19°C (66°F) | 0 |
| October | About 18:04 | 14°C (57°F) | 2 |
Getting home late
- Walking — Downtown, Jabal Amman and Jabal al-Weibdeh are connected by public stairways; the Citadel to the Roman Theatre is about 15 minutes on foot, downhill.
- Taxi — Have your destination written in Arabic or shown on a map, as street addresses are rarely used.
- Ride-hailing — Ride-hailing apps operate in Amman and avoid meter disputes, with fares shown in advance.
- Bus — Shared white service taxis follow fixed routes, and a bus rapid transit network runs on some main corridors; useful mainly for longer stays.
Late-night bites
- Falafel — Long-running counters in downtown's lanes and stands around the city.
- Shawarma — Stands around the circles of Jabal Amman and on Rainbow Street.
Staying safe at night
Amman is generally calm for visitors, but check your own government's travel advice before and during your trip given wider regional tensions. Traffic is the main everyday risk: crossings are few, so take care on busy roads, and agree on the meter or use an app for taxis.
- Emergency number
- 911 (police, ambulance and fire)
Where to stay for nightlife
$$$ · Best for first-timers, couples, food lovers and nightlife
Jabal Amman and Rainbow Street
Jabal Amman is one of the city's oldest residential hills, with 1920s–1950s stone villas around the First and Second Circles and Rainbow Street's cafés, restaurants and rooftop bars. Steps lead down to downtown in about 15 minutes, and the area is lively in the evenings, especially on Thursdays and Fridays.
- Good
- Walkable to downtown; Good restaurants and cafés; Views over the old city
- Watch out
- Heavy traffic on weekend evenings; Steep streets
- Nearby
- Rainbow Street, First Circle, Wild Jordan Center, Downtown
Questions travellers ask
+Where is the best nightlife in Amman?
Rainbow Street and Jabal Amman, Jabal al-Weibdeh and Abdoun and west Amman. Rooftop bars, cafés and restaurants with views, busiest on Thursday and Friday nights.
+Which area of Amman is best for nightlife?
Jabal Amman and Rainbow Street: Stone villas, café terraces and boutique hotels above downtown.