Bia hoi or iced tea? Coming?

Hanoi always has one more plastic stool

Hanoi has its own way of going out: a glass of iced tea on the pavement, a mug of bia hoi on an Old Quarter corner, or a walk around Hoan Kiem Lake on a weekend evening when the walking streets are buzzing. Low plastic stools, small tables and long conversations.

Hanoi has four seasons, and each gives you a reason to go out: mild autumn evenings along West Lake, hotpot when winter turns cold, a lakeside breeze in summer. But meeting someone new is still hard. Hanoians tend to be reserved and rarely strike up a conversation with strangers, and dating apps rarely turn chats into actual meetings. YesTonite asks just one question: are you going out tonight? If you see someone else who is, send one message and meet that same night.

Friday to Sunday is the busiest, especially when the walking streets around Hoan Kiem Lake are open. On weekdays people go out after work too, but many places close earlier than in Saigon, so plan to meet a little early.

Where to go in Hanoi tonight

• Old QuarterA web of small streets around Hoan Kiem Lake, with food stalls, bia hoi spots and bars one after another until late.
• Ta HienThe Old Quarter's famous beer street, plastic stools spilling over the pavement and always lively.
• Hoan Kiem Walking StreetOn weekend evenings the streets around the lake close to traffic and fill with strollers and street performances.
• West LakeA long lakeside road with cafes, bars and restaurants, most beautiful at sunset.
• Truc BachA small lake next to West Lake, with lakeside eateries and breezy evenings that feel very Hanoi.