Bad Manors

Club · Johannesburg Newtown

Food, drinks and a dance floor in an old mansion: Bad Manors in Newtown is a place for house, Afro-tech and speed garage, until morning on Fridays and Saturdays, with regular queer-friendly party series.

• ★ 4.1 on Google (43)
• House and Afro-tech
• Courtyard
• Fri and Sat until 6 am

Address

Side alley off Quinn Street, 39 Gwigwi Mrwebi Street, Newtown
2113 Johannesburg

Opening hours

Fri and Sat 8 pm–6 am
Special events on other days too, calendar on Instagram

Crowd

young, music-loving and mixed, mostly 20–35, lots of queer guests at party series like The Shelter

Flirt factor

medium

Programme

Night School with new DJs every first Thursday of the month
Party series such as The Shelter, dates on Instagram

What makes Bad Manors stand out

Bad Manors belongs to restaurateur Chris van den Berg and was based in Illovo and Parkhurst before moving to Newtown. Today it’s in a historic mansion in the cultural district. There’s a wall of books, a dance floor and a courtyard where the house burger is served. The chicken wings and cocktails with Drunken Horse Gin are also well known.

Musically it’s all about speed garage, house and Afro-tech. On the first Thursday of the month, new DJs play at Detention Radio’s Night School. Party series like The Shelter explicitly see themselves as safe spaces to party.

Atmosphere and crowd

The atmosphere is relaxed and a little cheeky, somewhere between bar, reading nook and club. The crowd is young and music-loving. Queer-friendly parties take place regularly, but Bad Manors isn’t an exclusively gay venue.

Contact

Editorially researched, as of October 2026. Sources: Instagram @badmanorsjozi, Johannesburg In Your Pocket, Resident Advisor, Google reviews (4.1 stars, 43 reviews). Opening hours, prices and programme may change, please check before visiting.