5 Best Pubs in Johannesburg (2026)

Independently ranked by our review of ratings, reviews and reputation · How we chose

By Thorne Savarin, Culinary Explorer · ✓ Data verified July 2026 · 8 min read

A Friday night in Braamfontein or Melville can swing between a proper heritage pub and a rooftop cocktail crowd within a few blocks. The busiest of the pubs in Johannesburg on this page has racked up 2,686 Google reviews, and between the venues here there are over 8,000 reviews on file, so the question isn't whether Joburg has decent options, it's which one matches the night you're actually planning.

Short answer: Sin+Tax holds the highest rating on this page at 4.6 stars across 734 Google reviews, prized for its speakeasy setup and rotating cocktail menu. Shakers Cocktail Bar and The Radium Beerhall both sit at 4.3, with the Radium standing out as Johannesburg's oldest running bar. Expect a price per person of roughly R100 to R500 depending on the venue and how much you order.

Jump to a business

1. Six Cocktail Bar
2. Shakers Cocktail Bar
3. Kitchener's
4. Sin+Tax
5. The Radium Beerhall
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How Joburg's Top Pubs Compare

#	Business	Rating	Reviews	Best for
1	Six Cocktail Bar	4.2 ★	2,686	Melville nightlife / late-night food	View ›
2	Shakers Cocktail Bar	4.3 ★	2,167	Maboneng / dancing & DJs	View ›
3	Kitchener's	4.2 ★	1,457	Braamfontein / heritage bar	View ›
4	Sin+Tax	4.6 ★	734	Speakeasy cocktails	View ›
5	The Radium Beerhall	4.3 ★	1,147	Old-school Joburg pub	View ›

Our top picks, reviewed

#1 Overall🕑 Open 7 days↩ Responds to reviews

Six Cocktail Bar

4.22,686 Google reviews

Six Cocktail Bar sits on 3rd Avenue in Melville, a cocktail bar with a lively late-night atmosphere that stays open until 2am most nights. It runs jazz sessions on Wednesdays and karaoke on Fridays, alongside a food menu covering pizza, wings and shared platters. It is the most-reviewed pub-style venue in Johannesburg on this page.

What people praise

Reviewers highlight the relaxed, chilled atmosphere for unwinding after work
Live jazz on Wednesdays and karaoke on Fridays add regular events
Smoking area includes a jukebox reviewers mention specifically
Deep review history, the most of any pub on this page

Worth knowing

Some reviewers report slow food service on busy nights
A few describe inconsistent food quality compared to the drinks and atmosphere

Reputation scorecardrank in Johannesburg

Rating4.2 / 5

Review volume2,686 · 97th

Confidencehigh

Recency6 weeks ago

Info completenesssite · phone · hours

Rating breakdown56% 5-star

✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: The volume leader here, and a solid pick for a relaxed Melville night out, though go in expecting the drinks and vibe to be the strength, not necessarily the food.

Website Book now +27836237950 Directions

90 3rd Ave, Melville, Johannesburg, 2092

#2🕑 Open 7 days

Shakers Cocktail Bar

4.32,167 Google reviews

Shakers Cocktail Bar operates on Commissioner Street in Jeppestown, in the Maboneng precinct, with a rooftop, VIP section and dancefloor built for amapiano and Afrobeat sets. Reviewers describe strong security at the door and a packed dancefloor that holds until close, with reasonably priced drinks and quick bar service. It is one of the more established nightlife names in Maboneng.

What people praise

Reviewers describe feeling safe with tight security at the entrance
DJ sets and dancefloor consistently praised for keeping the energy up until close
Reasonably priced drinks and food for the area
Second most-reviewed pub on this page

Worth knowing

One reviewer flagged restroom upkeep as needing attention
Not independently verified on Google, so confirm current hours before heading out

Reputation scorecardrank in Johannesburg

Rating4.3 / 5

Review volume2,167 · 92th

Confidencehigh

Recency2 months ago

Info completenessphone · hours

Rating breakdown57% 5-star

✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: The pick for a proper night of dancing rather than a quiet drink, with a review base that backs up the reputation for a packed, high-energy floor.

+27780320025 Directions

300 Commissioner St, Jeppestown, Johannesburg, 2043

#3🕑 Open 5 days/wk

Kitchener's

4.21,457 Google reviews

Kitchener's is a heritage bar on Juta Street in Braamfontein, part of the Play Braamfontein precinct of venues, with a courtyard and late-night crowd that reviewers describe as a genuine Joburg institution. It serves pizza and pub food alongside its drinks list, and its history gives it a different feel to the newer cocktail bars on this page. Weekend hours run until 2am.

What people praise

Reviewers consistently describe it as a Joburg institution with real history
Pizzas and food get specific praise, particularly the burgers
Courtyard and full sound setup for a livelier weekend crowd
A regular, loyal Braamfontein crowd rather than a one-off destination

Worth knowing

A couple of reviewers mention the menu feeling limited outside pizza and burgers
Music volume can make conversation difficult later in the evening

Reputation scorecardrank in Johannesburg

Rating4.2 / 5

Review volume1,457 · 87th

Confidencehigh

Recency8 months ago

Info completenesssite · phone · hours

Rating breakdown51% 5-star

✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: The pick for anyone who wants the feel of an established Joburg pub with real history behind it, best enjoyed later in the evening when the vibe reviewers describe kicks in.

Website +27607936107 Directions

71 Juta St, Braamfontein, Johannesburg, 2017

#4🕑 Open 5 days/wk↩ Responds to reviews

Sin+Tax

4.6734 Google reviews

Sin+Tax is a speakeasy-style cocktail bar at the corner of Bolton and Jan Smuts in Rosebank, open Tuesday through Saturday from mid-afternoon until late. It built its reputation on a travel-themed bottled cocktail menu and made the World's 50 Best Bars' extended list in 2019. Reviewers repeatedly mention the inconspicuous entrance and a live jazz band as part of the experience.

What people praise

Highest rating on this page at 4.6
Reviewers single out the food menu, particularly the cauliflower and fried chicken
Creative, rotating cocktail menu with a distinctive travel theme
Live jazz band featured on several visits reviewers described

Worth knowing

A cover charge applies, and the entrance can be hard to find the first time
Cocktail quality was described as inconsistent by at least one reviewer

Reputation scorecardrank in Johannesburg

Rating4.6 / 5

Review volume734 · 71th

Confidencehigh

Recency6 weeks ago

Info completenesssite · phone · hours

Rating breakdown73% 5-star

✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: The strongest rated pub-style venue on this page and worth the search for the entrance, especially for cocktails and a food menu that gets its own praise.

Website +27109002559 Directions

Corner of Bolton &, Jan Smuts Ave, Roads, Johannesburg, 2193

#5🕑 Open 5 days/wk↩ Responds to reviews

The Radium Beerhall

4.31,147 Google reviews

The Radium Beerhall on Louis Botha Avenue in Orange Grove has been serving Johannesburg since 1929, making it the oldest running bar among the pubs on this page. It combines a grill menu, including a prego roll reviewers specifically call out, with live music nights and a genuinely historic room. The current owner, Lina, replies personally to reviews and has kept the venue running since a change in management.

What people praise

Genuine local history reviewers consistently reference, dating back to 1929
Prego rolls and grill menu praised alongside the drinks
Owner replies personally to reviews, including addressing complaints directly
A regular spot for a pre-event drink given its location near sports venues

Worth knowing

Live music nights can require advance booking that isn't always clearly communicated
Smoking policy in the bar area has drawn mixed feedback from reviewers

Reputation scorecardrank in Johannesburg

Rating4.3 / 5

Review volume1,147 · 82th

Confidencehigh

Recency3 weeks ago

Info completenesssite · phone · hours

Rating breakdown55% 5-star

✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: The pick for old-school Joburg character over polish, with an owner who visibly takes feedback seriously and a menu locals keep coming back for.

Website Book now +27665999007 Directions

282 Louis Botha Ave, Orange Grove, Johannesburg, 2192

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How we score

Every number on this page comes from public Google data on the date shown, not from opinion or payment. Rating is the venue’s live Google star average. Review volume is how many customers have rated it, ranked against other Johannesburg pubs. Confidence weighs the rating by that volume, so a 4.6 from hundreds of reviewers carries more weight than the same score from a dozen. Recency reflects how recently people are still leaving reviews. No business can pay to change these numbers.

How much does a night out at a Johannesburg pub cost? (2026)

Prices vary by venue and how much food and drink you order. Based on real price-per-person figures customers left in their Google reviews of the venues above, a casual night runs on the lower end, while a full dinner and cocktails at a place like Sin+Tax runs higher.

Job	Typical price
Casual drinks, no food	R100 - R200 per person
Drinks plus a meal	R300 - R500 per person
Full night with cocktails and shared plates	R500 - R800 per person

Ranges compiled July 2026 from price-per-person figures customers reported in their Google reviews of the venues listed above.

Serving all of Johannesburg

The pubs above are spread across Melville, Maboneng, Braamfontein, Rosebank and Orange Grove, covering most of the areas where Johannesburg’s nightlife concentrates. Searching for a pub near me? Every listing below shows a live phone number and directions to the venue closest to you.

What to check before heading to a Johannesburg pub

Is there a cover charge, and does it change on weekends or event nights?
Do they take card, or is it cash only for cover charges and tabs?
Is there a dress code or age restriction for entry?
Do they take reservations for groups, or is it walk-in only?
What time does the crowd and music pick up, if you want a livelier night?

Frequently asked questions

How did you choose these pubs?

We started from pubs and bars in Johannesburg with a public Google presence, then ranked by rating, review volume, consistency and recency. See How we score above.

Are these rankings paid?

No. Rankings come from the public Google data in the scorecard. A business can pay to be a Featured Partner, which adds a badge and top placement, but that never changes another business’s score or position on the underlying data.

How often is this updated?

The data carries a verified date (July 2026 on this page). We refresh listings periodically so ratings and review counts stay current.

Which of these pubs has live music?

Six Cocktail Bar runs jazz on Wednesdays and karaoke on Fridays, Sin+Tax has featured a live jazz band, and The Radium Beerhall hosts live music nights. Confirm the schedule directly before you go, since some nights need advance booking.

Do Johannesburg pubs charge a cover fee?

Some do, particularly speakeasy-style venues like Sin+Tax. Confirm with the venue directly, since cover charges can vary by night and whether there’s a live event.

The bottom line

Sin+Tax is the top-rated pick for a proper cocktail night, while The Radium Beerhall delivers the most genuine old Joburg character. For a bigger crowd and dancing, Shakers in Maboneng is the safer call. Whichever you choose, confirm the cover charge and hours before you head out.

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