where to eat, drink, dance & play after dark

For music and dance lovers 

If you’re keen to show off your moves on the dancefloor or sing along to your favourite tunes, Wollongong’s many live music venues and nightclubs offer fun nighttime dance sessions. Visit Wollongong’s live music mecca, La La La’s, for everything from hard rock to ‘90s throwback nights, comedy performances, burlesque and punk. Spread over two floors, Heyday is a popular place to dance and see local bands. The Illawarra combines traditional Aussie pub vibes with acoustic sessions and sports broadcasts, and the UniBar at the University of Wollongong is known for hosting internationally renowned musicians and local bands in a relaxed atmosphere. 

For food lovers 

Whether you want to spend $10 or $100 Wollongong has a delicious dinner sorted. Head to Crown Street every Thursday evening for a tasting trail of the city’s local food producers at the Crown St Night Markets: donuts, banh mi, vegan Thai food, arancini and more, plus live music until 9pm. Crown Street is also the place to go for post-dancing late-night eats with plenty of kebab stores, burger joints and grills – some open to the early morning. One of the Gong’s most popular burgers can be found at His Boy Elroy, try woodfired pizza at Da Orlando and Asian-inspired street food and delicious drinks at Dagwood, which serves up snacks until 11pm on the weekend.  

For fancy nights out, seasonal and sustainable restaurant Babyface Kitchen and modern Italian eatery Restaurant Santino won chef hats in the 2023 Good Food Guide awards. Don’t miss dessert via Sydney’s award-winning gelateria Cow and the Moon, who have a southern outpost on Wollongong’s Crown Street open until 10pm – don’t miss their almond affogato flavour, voted the world’s best gelato in 2014. 

For drink lovers 

Wollongong’s locals are a friendly bunch, and some of the best places to meet them are at the city’s diverse range of pubs, bars and breweries. If you’re keen for a drink with beach views, head to Pepe’s on the Beach for California-inspired snacks and beachside cocktails. You’ll get good city views at Humber, a slick three-level venue with a palm-covered rooftop bar, DJs and happy-hour cocktail specials.  

Craft beer lovers should head to Five Barrel Brewing, a brewery and taproom that has 21 tap beers, tours, tasting paddles and food trucks on Thursday to Sunday nights. If you prefer your boozy night out planned for you, join Let’s Roam’s Wollongong Bar Crawl Scavenger Hunt tour – as well as visiting the city’s best bars, there are competitions and games along the way. 

For sport lovers 

Home of the NRL’s St George Illawarra Dragons, Wollongong is a fiercely sport-loving city. Catch a rugby or football game at the 22,000-capacity WIN Stadium (one of the only stadiums that has views of the Pacific Ocean). Sit back with a beverage at one of the Gong’s many sports bars: The Frisky Flamingo is a jungle-inspired, American-style, late-night sport lounge playing NBA, AFL and NRL live; Teddy’s Bar has games on the big screen alongside foosball, pool, and darts; and chic Crown Street bar Mr Crown offers multiple live TV screens in its upstairs sports lounge. If you prefer to get on the field, join one of the social teams at Urban Rec, offering fun competitions for basketball, netball, touch football and more. 

For action lovers 

In Wollongong there’s no shortage of nighttime activities to get your adrenaline pumping. At Breakout Bar, not only will you find cool cocktails and all-ages karaoke rooms, but there are also five escape rooms for you and your mates to test your problem-solving skills: try to escape The Asylum, embark on a Medieval Quest, solve a murder mystery at Motel 666 and more. Gamers and nostalgia seekers will love a night out at B. Lucky & Sons, a cocktail bar packed with both retro and modern arcade games including Mario Kart, Daytona and NBA Hoops. If you prefer more physical exertion, climbing gym Hangdog is open until 9pm six nights a week. 

For comedy and theatre lovers 

Wollongong has a thriving arts scene, with regular live shows, theatre and comedy. Merrigong Theatre Company stages dance, music, comedy, cabaret and more performances at their venues, including the Illawarra Performing Arts Centre, Wollongong Town Hall, The Music Lounge and even the Wollongong Botanic Gardens. The University of Wollongong’s UniBar hosts regular music nights with local artists, and WIN Stadium’s entertainment centre hosts some of the world’s biggest musicals and musicians.