Turkey Guide
İstanbul
Taksim
1 5.Kat Sıraselviler Cad, Soğancı Sok 7 In trendy Cihangir, this is a sumptuous dance-club with a great reputation and even better views over the Bosphorus. The beer is expensive, though.
2 Andon Sıraselviler Cad 89 
0212/251 0222 Price: On Friday and Saturday the 20YTL admission charge includes one drinkMassively popular with İstanbul's fashionable set, this features five overwhelming floors, each with their own personality: dancing in Pera to İstanbul's best DJs; wine and cheese in the second-floor Wine House; live Turkish music and belly dancing in Müdavim Bar; a fourth-floor meyhane with seafood snacks, fasil band and rakı; and fifth-floor roof-terrace restaurant. A fixed-price menu of 60YTL includes unlimited local alcoholic drinks; booking advised.
3 Gossip Hyatt Regency Hotel, Taşkışla Cad. Opening time: Mon– Sat 8pm–4amExpensive hotel club sporting avant-garde decor. Mainstream bands play from May to Sept, but there's a nicer atmosphere in the relaxing garden area, decorated with trailing ivy and oil lamps.
4 Kemancı Sıraselviler Cad The decor is Alien meets Marilyn Manson, all gloomy black metal, but the former thrash-metal basement area has now become the Riddim hip-hop club. Plays mainly classic rock/grunge music, with live bands from 11.30pm at weekends. There's a terrace out back with wonderful views over the Bosphorus. Beers 6YTL.
5 Roxy Arslan Yatağı Sok 113, Sıraselviler Cad 0212/245 6539 
www.roxy.com.tr Opening time: Daily 6pm–3.30amDJs and live bands play rock, R&B, jazz and dance music in this posy, pricey bar-disco, which attracts a mixed crowd – rich students to 1980s throwbacks.
6 Yaga Sıraselviler Cad 67 Opening time: Daily noon–4amAn unassuming entrance opens up to all sorts of treats inside – several levels of bars, a dance floor, giant TV screen and garden with comfy cushions. Bands play Wed– Sun at 10pm. Café and restaurant open during the day, cover charge levied after 9pm, when things liven up.
7 Barbahçe Sıraselviler Cad, Soğancı Sok 7 Opening time: Daily 8am–4amOn the first floor, this place has an excellent reputation amongst İstanbul's gay sophisticates.
8 Club 14 Abdulhakhamit Cad, Belediye Dükkanları 14, Taksim Opening time: Daily except Mon, 11pm–4amTiny late-night spot with a young crowd, lively atmosphere, good music and friendly staff.
9 Neo Lamartin Cad 40, Taksim Opening time: Daily except Mon 10pm–2amPopular bar with upmarket professionals, quite yuppyish but one of İstanbul's consistently crowded gay venues.
10 Prive Tarlabasi Bul 28, Taksim Price: Admission charge only at weekends Opening time: Daily midnight–4amGay-only dance club, with a devoted following due to its reputation as a pick-up place. The ancient Western pop tunes will appeal to people who like words with their music.