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5 Best Bars in Johannesburg (2026)

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

Vespera Quill
By Vespera Quill, Expert in Local Experiences and Cultural Analysis · ✓ Data verified August 2026 · 8 min read

Pick the wrong bar in Johannesburg on a Friday and you're stuck queuing behind a cover charge for a room that isn't your scene. The best bars in Johannesburg here range from a 2,687-review Melville institution to a tucked-away Rosebank speakeasy with barely 444 reviews and a 4.6 rating, so review volume and polish don't always move together. Six Cocktail Bar alone has logged more reviews than the other four combined.

Short answer: Six Cocktail Bar in Melville leads on sheer track record: 4.2 stars across 2,687 reviews, open until 2am nightly. For something quieter and pricier, Sin+Tax in Rosebank holds 4.6 stars from 734 reviews with a cover charge and speakeasy-style entry. Smoking Kills, also in Melville, matches that 4.6 rating on 444 reviews and pairs cocktails with a smash burger menu.
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Johannesburg's bars, side by side

# Business Rating Reviews Best for
1 Six Cocktail Bar 4.2 ★ 2,687 Busiest track record View ›
2 Shakers Cocktail Bar 4.3 ★ 2,166 Maboneng nightlife energy View ›
3 Jojo Rooftop Lounge 4.4 ★ 1,153 Rooftop views with food View ›
4 Sin+Tax 4.6 ★ 734 Speakeasy cocktails View ›
5 Smoking Kills 4.6 ★ 444 Smaller, local vibe View ›
5 Best Bars in Johannesburg (2026)

Where to actually go

Six Cocktail Bar logo
#1 Overall🕑 Open 7 days↩ Responds to reviews

Six Cocktail Bar

4.22,687 Google reviews

Six Cocktail Bar is a Melville cocktail bar open seven days a week until 2am, serving cocktails alongside a food menu that runs from lambshank to burgers and pizza. It's the most-reviewed bar on this list by a wide margin, which usually means it's easy to find and rarely empty. Live jazz on Wednesdays and karaoke on Fridays give it a program beyond just pouring drinks.

What people praise

  • Reviewers repeatedly call out the atmosphere and polite waiters
  • A smoking area with a jukebox lets you DJ your own night
  • Open late every night of the week
  • Jazz and karaoke nights add variety beyond a standard bar crawl stop

Worth knowing

  • Kitchen wait times get long when the venue fills up
  • A recent one-star review flagged slow food service and undercooked sides
Reputation scorecardrank in Johannesburg
Rating4.2 / 5
Review volume2,687 · 98th
Confidencehigh
Recency8 weeks ago
Info completenesssite · phone · hours
Rating breakdown56% 5-star
✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: The volume of reviews here is hard to beat in Johannesburg, and most of them are positive, but go for the drinks and jazz nights rather than a quick meal on a busy evening.

Website Book now+27836237950 Directions

90 3rd Ave, Melville, Johannesburg, 2092

Shakers Cocktail Bar logo
#2🕑 Open 7 days

Shakers Cocktail Bar

4.32,166 Google reviews

Shakers Cocktail Bar sits in Jeppestown's Maboneng precinct, open until 2am with a rooftop, VIP section and dancefloor built into a proper bar layout. It's unclaimed on Google and has no listed website, but the review volume, over 2,000 reviews at 4.3 stars, suggests it doesn't need one to draw a crowd.

What people praise

  • Reviewers describe zero-hassle entry and visible security outside
  • DJ sets mixing amapiano and Afro beats keep the dancefloor going until close
  • Affordable food and drinks according to multiple reviewers
  • A VIP section and rooftop for groups wanting more space

Worth knowing

  • Restroom maintenance came up as a complaint in more than one review
  • No official website listed, so details are easiest to confirm by phone
Reputation scorecardrank in Johannesburg
Rating4.3 / 5
Review volume2,166 · 93th
Confidencehigh
Recency3 months ago
Info completenessphone · hours
Rating breakdown57% 5-star
✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: This is the pick if you want dancing over conversation. The reviews paint a loud, packed, well-run night out rather than a quiet drink.

+27780320025 Directions

300 Commissioner St, Jeppestown, Johannesburg, 2043

Jojo Rooftop Lounge logo
#3🕑 Open 7 days

Jojo Rooftop Lounge

4.41,153 Google reviews

Jojo Rooftop Lounge is a Maboneng rooftop venue blending African cuisine, cocktails and live entertainment, open until 2am on weekends. Its own site describes DJ sets and live music building through the evening, and the business says it has run in Maboneng since 2017.

What people praise

  • Reviewers highlight the Sunday atmosphere and kwaito sets before 6pm
  • African cuisine gets consistent praise alongside the drinks
  • Rooftop setting with sunset views over the Maboneng skyline
  • Good for groups and celebrations, per multiple reviews

Worth knowing

  • Service slows down during busy periods, per several reviewers
  • One review flagged a dispute over an added tip that's worth knowing before you go
Reputation scorecardrank in Johannesburg
Rating4.4 / 5
Review volume1,153 · 88th
Confidencehigh
Recency6 months ago
Info completenesssite · phone · hours
Rating breakdown68% 5-star
✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: Come for the rooftop view and the food as much as the bar. It rewards patience on a packed Sunday but the setting is genuinely a draw.

Website+27721446709 Directions

Floor 6, 289 Fox St, Maboneng, Johannesburg, 2094

Sin+Tax logo
#4🕑 Open 5 days/wk↩ Responds to reviews

Sin+Tax

4.6734 Google reviews

Sin+Tax is a Rosebank speakeasy-style cocktail bar with a hidden entrance and a passport-themed cocktail menu the venue calls 'Sin+Tax Airways.' Its own site notes the bar made the World's 50 Best Bars' extended top 100 list in 2019, and it's open Tuesday through Saturday from mid-afternoon into the early hours.

What people praise

  • Reviewers consistently praise the creativity of the cocktail menu
  • A live jazz band and a genuinely hidden, speakeasy-style entrance
  • Food gets specific praise, including the bang bang cauliflower
  • Highest rating on this page at 4.6 stars

Worth knowing

  • There's a cover charge at the door, per at least one reviewer
  • Closed Sunday and Monday, so it won't cover every night out
Reputation scorecardrank in Johannesburg
Rating4.6 / 5
Review volume734 · 83th
Confidencehigh
Recency7 weeks ago
Info completenesssite · phone · hours
Rating breakdown73% 5-star
✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: If a polished cocktail experience matters more than proximity to the dancefloor, this is the strongest rated bar here, but check the door policy and hours before heading over.

Website+27109002559 Directions

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

Smoking Kills logo
#5🕑 Open 5 days/wk

Smoking Kills

4.6444 Google reviews

Smoking Kills is a Melville cocktail bar pairing rum-based drinks with a smash burger menu, open Wednesday through Sunday afternoons into the early hours. It's the smallest review base on this page at 444, but it matches Sin+Tax's 4.6-star rating.

What people praise

  • Reviewers single out the rum cocktails and the smash burger together
  • Staff get repeated praise for making customers feel welcome
  • Bouncers get specifically called out as kind and professional
  • Alt-music crowd and ambiance draws a loyal following

Worth knowing

  • Smaller footprint than the bigger Melville and Maboneng venues on this list
  • Only open five days a week
Reputation scorecardrank in Johannesburg
Rating4.6 / 5
Review volume444 · 78th
Confidencehigh
Recency3 months ago
Info completenesssite · phone · hours
Rating breakdown77% 5-star
✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: This is a newer, tighter operation than the others here, but the rating holds up. Good pick if you want something less crowded than Six Cocktail Bar just down the road.

Website+27799507385 Directions

78a Avenue, 4th Ave, Melville, Johannesburg, 2092

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How we rank Johannesburg’s bars

We pull real, live Google ratings and review counts for every bar, then weigh rating against review volume so a business with thousands of reviews and one with a few hundred are compared fairly. Confidence reflects how much data backs the rating, and recency checks how current the reviews are. No business can pay to change these numbers.

What does a night out at Johannesburg’s bars cost? (2026)

Reviewer-reported spending at these bars runs from casual to a proper night out, depending on the venue and whether you’re eating too.

JobTypical price
Drinks and light food, per personR100 - R300
Full meal with cocktails, per personR400 - R800
Cover charge (where applicable)R50 per person

Ranges compiled August 2026 from reviewer-reported price-per-person figures left on each business’s Google listing.

Bars across Johannesburg

These bars cluster around Melville’s 4th and 7th Avenues, the Maboneng precinct in the inner city, and Rosebank, three of Johannesburg’s busiest nightlife pockets. Searching ‘bars near me’ in any of these neighborhoods should turn up one of these names or something close to it.

What to check before you head out

  • Is there a cover charge, and does it apply every night?
  • What are the current hours, since several of these venues vary by day?
  • Is the kitchen still serving, or is it drinks only at that hour?
  • Does the venue take bookings, or is it walk-in only?
  • Is there secure parking or valet nearby?
  • What’s on that night, live music, DJ sets, or a quiet weeknight?

Frequently asked questions

Are these rankings paid?

No. Rankings come from public Google data. A business can pay to be a Featured Partner (badge and top placement), but that never changes another business’s score or position.

How did you choose these bars?

We pulled real Google ratings and review volume for bars across Johannesburg and ranked them using a transparent scorecard that weighs rating, review count, and how current the feedback is.

How often is this updated?

This page reflects data verified in August 2026. We refresh listings periodically as ratings and review counts change.

Which Johannesburg bar has the most reviews?

Six Cocktail Bar in Melville leads with 2,687 reviews at a 4.2-star rating.

Do any of these bars charge a cover?

Sin+Tax has a door cover charge according to reviewer reports. Check ahead, as policies can change by night.

The bottom line

For a reliable night out with the deepest track record, Six Cocktail Bar in Melville is the safe default. If you want something quieter and more polished, book ahead at Sin+Tax and confirm the cover charge before you go.

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