Sanlitun is one of the most popular bar streets in Beijing, a tree-lined neighborhood of foreign diplomatic compounds located the Chaoyang
District northwest of the city center.

Sanlitun – the liveliest and most compact nightlife district in Beijing is on Sanlitun Lu,
officially designated as Sanlitun Bar Street in 1996. by the end of 1996, 25 bars had moved
onto the street and its hutongs. A dozen more opened their doors the next year, and by
2000, the tally was over 60.

Most of the bars and cafes are situated chockablock on the east side of Sanlitun Lu running
north from the intersection at Gongti Bei Lu. The sidewalk is strung with bright pennants
and table umbrellas. The cafes, bars, and clubs line the street and alleyways for the next 4
blocks, but the farther north you walk, the more likely it is that the bars will be interspersed
with small boutiques, art galleries, and rattan furniture shops. Eventually you reach the
north end of Sanlitun Lu, where the foreign embassies and consulates are located, but
there are cafes and bars here, too.

Most of these small, privately owned bars serve Western cuisine by day and imported beer, wine, and spirits by night. They attract a large number
of foreign residents, diplomats, and students, as well as young people. In the summer, most of these bars offer outdoor seating, pleasant places
to while away the sunlit hours. In the evenings, most become meccas for after-dinner drinks and live music, particularly rock.

The street is most attractive on weekend nights, when the neon lights shine and people of all
ethnicities dance and laugh over a background of trendy music and shouts. Even if it’s on a
weekday, you can still find a quiet bar, sit down and ask for a cup of coffee while you work or
read your favorite books. Observe the street beyond the neon-lit windows, and enjoy the lusty
night environment that is Sanlitun.

Sanlitun Bar Street, it is really a great place to stroll by day and to barhop after the sun sets.