OPEN BARS (10)
Helgi's
🇬🇧London, United Kingdom
A self-described occult rock bar, considered a heavy metal bar by any other name. A true labour of love reflecting owners' tastes for 60s/70s heavy rock, psychedelia, and the occult & horror. Features vibrant psychedelic rock decorations, occult decor, good vibes, and heavy music. Known for its welcoming, diverse crowd. Described as "Hackney's heaviest late-night hotspot".
Ballbreaker
🇪🇸Barcelona, Spain
Gràcia craft-beer pub playing heavy-metal, hard-rock and thrash playlists.
Duff's Brooklyn
🇺🇸New York, United States
Iconic Williamsburg heavy-metal dive packed with memorabilia and a legendary metal jukebox.
The Black Heart
🇬🇧London, United Kingdom
The Black Heart is a renowned rock and metal pub in Camden, often described as a "heavy metal hotspot". Nestled in a lamplit, brick-walled back alley near Camden Town Tube Station, it is about a fifteen-minute walk from King's Cross St. Pancras. The interior is decked out in exquisite all-goth attire; its walls painted black and smattered vibrantly with music artwork, fairy lights sparkling in the dimness, unisex bathroom stalls plastered with band stickers and extremely entertaining graffiti. The downstairs bar is a bustling social hub for metalheads and night-creatures from all walks of life, offering craft beers, shots (including the 'Lucky Sod' Irish liqueur), cocktails, and mocktails.
Woodstock Discos
🇧🇷São Paulo, Brazil
When Brazil was culturally isolated with restricted imports, owner Walcir Chalas curated imported vinyl educating an entire generation of Brazilian headbangers. More than a store—a cultural center.
The Chelsea Inn
🇬🇧Bristol, United Kingdom
Punk-run community pub with courtyard murals, hosting heavy-metal and punk rock nights.
Hell Awaits
🇪🇸Barcelona, Spain
Old-school metal bar with metal-themed décor, foosball and pool tables.
The Gryphon
🇬🇧Bristol, United Kingdom
Independent heavy metal and real ale pub with an intimate 50-capacity live room upstairs.
Lucky 13 Saloon
🇺🇸New York, United States
Brooklyn's first dedicated metal bar featuring go-go dancers, live shows and a famed jukebox.
Cart and Horses
🇬🇧London, United Kingdom
Famously known as "The Birthplace of Iron Maiden". A traditional East End pub transformed into a shrine for Iron Maiden fans, with photos, posters, and memorabilia. It has a dedicated rock bar and museum space, including a replica of the original stage. The main bar area serves drinks and food, remaining accessible even when the basement venue hosts ticketed gigs. The band's December 21, 1976 show with new guitarist Dave Murray is legendary.
CLOSED BARS (22)
Rebels
🇬🇧Sheffield, United Kingdom
Scrap Bar
🇺🇸New York, United States
Heavy-metal dive built from welded junk in Greenwich Village.
The Intrepid Fox
🇬🇧London, United Kingdom
A historic pub with roots dating back to 1784, named after statesman Charles James Fox. Originally at 97-99 Wardour Street, it became a prominent goth and heavy metal venue by the 1970s. Known for its distinctive dark, goth-rock aesthetic, featuring black-painted interiors, a mock graveyard, and other macabre decorations. It was a key meeting point for the goth and metal scenes. After closure in 2006, it reopened at 15 St. Giles High Street (2007-2014) before final closure.
Jilly's Rockworld
🇬🇧Manchester, United Kingdom
The Ruskin Arms
🇬🇧London, United Kingdom
Gazzarri's
🇺🇸Los Angeles, United States
Strip landmark that broke The Doors in the 60s and hair-metal titans (Poison, Warrant) in the 80s.
The Marquee Club
🇬🇧London, United Kingdom
The British equivalent of the Fillmore—a space that did not just host bands but defined entire eras of music. Originally opened in 1958 as a jazz club at 165 Oxford Street, its move to 90 Wardour Street in Soho in 1964 placed it at the physical and cultural center of "Swinging London." The Marquee is where British rock was forged, from the R&B boom through psychedelia to punk and the New Wave of British Heavy Metal.
Swinging Sporran
🇬🇧Manchester, United Kingdom
FM Station
🇺🇸Los Angeles, United States
A large hard rock and metal club in North Hollywood. FM Station – originally opened by nightclub impresario "Filthy" McNasty (real name Ed Danky) – was the premier rock venue in the San Fernando Valley during the 1980s and early '90s. It featured a stylish roadhouse vibe, stage with pro lights, and was a key venue for the hair metal era as well as other rock genres.
The Starwood
🇺🇸Los Angeles, United States
A notorious nightclub and live rock venue on Santa Monica Blvd in West Hollywood. The Starwood was active in the mid-to-late 1970s and was a key venue bridging the glam, hard rock, and early punk scenes in L.A. It was known for wild nights and for the criminal exploits of its owner, Eddie Nash, as much as for the music.
The Cat Club
🇺🇸New York, United States
Two-level hard-rock bar with cage dancers in Greenwich Village.
The Broken Doll
🇬🇧Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
Wapentake
🇬🇧Sheffield, United Kingdom
Club Typhoon
🇯🇵Osaka, Japan
The Crobar
🇬🇧London, United Kingdom
An iconic Soho rock and metal bar, affectionately dubbed the "beer-soaked jewel of London's metal community". It was located on Manette Street. Known for its endearingly grubby décor, a killer jukebox (which even spawned a compilation album), an extensive bourbon collection, and a welcoming, unpretentious atmosphere that felt like home even when it was brand new. It was a quintessential dive bar for metalheads and rock fans.
Sala Canciller
🇪🇸Madrid, Spain
Heavy-metal bar where Barón Rojo, Obús & Saxon shook the Vallecas night.
L'Amour
🇺🇸New York, United States
Bensonhurst warehouse turned 'Rock Capital of Brooklyn' and East-Coast thrash cradle. A storied rock/metal club that was the premier venue for heavy metal and hard rock in the NYC area throughout the 1980s.
The Wapentake
🇬🇧Sheffield, United Kingdom
The quintessential NWOBHM dive bar in the Steel City. Small, dark, with infamously low ceilings and a sticky floor that could literally anchor patrons to the spot.
The Crown Inn
🇬🇧Birmingham, United Kingdom
Known as "The Cradle of Heavy Metal," this historic venue housed Henry's Blueshouse upstairs where the "Birmingham sound" coalesced from industrial noise and blues rock. Grade II listed status in 2025.
The Stone
🇺🇸San Francisco, United States
Located on Broadway in San Francisco's red-light district. Larger stage and more professional than Ruthie's while retaining grit. Capacity 700. Part of Keystone venue family.
Bogiez Rock Club
🇬🇧Cardiff, United Kingdom
Mayfair Ballroom
🇬🇧Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom