Casablanca
Casablanca's dive bars are the rooms locals defend hardest. Cheap, loud, exactly right. The dive bars on this list span every neighbourhood worth a trip — Maarif, Corniche, Centre Ville, Anfa all show up — and every price tier from a $5 local pour to a $25 hotel-bar tasting. Each bar earns its spot for a different reason. We have visited every one.
CENTRE VILLE · $$$ · COCKTAIL BARS
Recreation of the fictional Casablanca bar from the 1942 film. Order: Mint-tea spiked martini. Best time: Tuesday and Wednesday before 9pm, when the regulars haven't filled the room yet. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Saturday after 10pm gets crowded — book ahead or arrive early.
MAARIF · $$$ · COCKTAIL BARS
Polished cocktail bar with a tight rotating menu. Order: Mint-tea spiked martini. Best time: any weeknight between 7pm and 9pm, when the bar settles into its rhythm and the bartender has time to talk. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Friday from 8pm fills up; reserve a counter seat or a high table.
CORNICHE · $$$$ · COCKTAIL BARS
Heritage Atlantic-side restaurant-bar. Order: Mint-tea spiked martini. Best time: Sunday from 6pm, when it's the room's quietest premium night and the kitchen is unhurried. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Avoid post-match nights if the local team is playing — the upstairs gets loud.
MAARIF · $$$ · COCKTAIL BARS
Boutique cocktail bar with a hi-fi sound system. Order: Mint-tea spiked martini. Best time: Thursday late or Friday early, when you'll catch the room building toward its weekend tempo. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. First-Friday traffic in the district can mean a 20-minute wait at the door.
CENTRE VILLE · $$$ · ROOFTOP BARS
28th-floor rooftop bar inside the Kenzi Tower Hotel. Order: Mint-tea spiked martini. Best time: Tuesday and Wednesday before 9pm, when the regulars haven't filled the room yet. Best for sunset drinks or a slow first date. Saturday after 10pm gets crowded — book ahead or arrive early.
CORNICHE · $$$$ · COCKTAIL BARS
Beachfront yacht-club bar. Order: Mint-tea spiked martini. Best time: any weeknight between 7pm and 9pm, when the bar settles into its rhythm and the bartender has time to talk. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Friday from 8pm fills up; reserve a counter seat or a high table.
Use this guide either as a single curated route through Casablanca or as a checklist to revisit over a long weekend. Reservations are flagged where they matter. Otherwise, walk in. Below: the ten dive bars that any serious drinker in Casablanca would tell you to put on the list.
Recreation of the fictional Casablanca bar from the 1942 film. Order: Mint-tea spiked martini. Best time: Tuesday and Wednesday before 9pm, when the regulars haven't filled the room yet. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Saturday after 10pm gets crowded — book ahead or arrive early.
Polished cocktail bar with a tight rotating menu. Order: Mint-tea spiked martini. Best time: any weeknight between 7pm and 9pm, when the bar settles into its rhythm and the bartender has time to talk. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Friday from 8pm fills up; reserve a counter seat or a high table.
Looking beyond Casablanca? See our guide to the best dive bars worldwide, or compare dive bars city by city. Or find dive bars near you.