Rome Termini And San Lorenzo

There are plenty of bars surrounding Termini, most of them close to hostels and thus especially popular with students. If you plan on staying out late, travel with a group and watch your purse. Stay away from the station as much as possible.

Ai Tre Scalini, V. Panisperna 251 (☎06 48 90 74 95), Look down V. Panisperna and you'll see two things: a hanging curtain of vines and a crowd of people. The sorridenti customers at this socially-conscious enoteca and cafe often spill out onto the street, wine glass in hand. Inside, the giant blackboard menu features only locally grown and seasonally harvested products hailing from Lazio. Their bufala con miele di tartufo (€6) is especially good. The beverage selection is just as sustainable, including organic and hand-cultivated wines (the Sangiovese was made by prison inmates); the restaurant also refuses to sell bottled mineral water. Blues in the background, frescoed walls, tiny tables, and dim lights make this the perfect spot for casual conversation, a game of chess (check out their antique set), or some Roman history catch-up (their mini bookshelf should help). Before leaving, make sure to sign the guestbook, which has more than four years of scri From the intersection of V. XIV Maggio and V. Nazionale (near Trajan's column), walk up V. Panisperna. Free Wi-Fi. 10% discount at lunch hours. Beer on tap €3-5. Wine €3.50-6 per glass, €11-70 per bottle. Open M-F noon-1am, Sa-Su 6pm-1am. Takes credit cards. No wheelchair access. Has internet. Serves alcohol.
Yellow Bar, V. Palestro 40 (☎06 49 38 26 82; www.the-yellow.com), Feeling a bit homesick for college, or perhaps just your home country? Whatever locale you have a hankering for, the international folks at Yellow Bar are sure to cure your case of the blues. Next door to its hopping hostel, this bar caters to a mixed crowd of travelers and students who come for cheap drinks, relaxed music, and good company. Order one of their special cocktails like the Chuck Norris Roundhouse Kick to the Face Crazy Shot (don't ask what's in it—just drink up) before heading downstairs to the beer pong room, fully equipped with two regulation-size tables and an official list of house rules. If you have to sit out a couple of rounds, be sure to scribble something on the white brick already covered in both lewd and lovely comments from past travelers. After the long night (or, shall we say, early morning), there's nothing like a “full American Breakfast” to get your day going—or perhaps prepare you for a nap. Termini. From V. Marsala, near track 1, walk down V. Marghera and then turn left onto V. Palestro. Pub quiz on W €5. Open bar on F €15. Cocktails €8. Beer pong pitchers €14.50. Happy hour spirits €2.50; wine €1.50. Open daily 7:30am-2am. Kitchen open 7:30am-noon. Happy hour 3-9pm. Takes credit cards. Wheelchair access. Serves alcohol. Has outdoor seating.
Twins, V. Giolitti 67 (www.twinbar.com), Flashing lights, loud music, and red walls set a lively stage for the international crowd that packs Twins every night. Located just outside of Termini's station, this club is as busy as the street outside. The front bars cater to those seeking more of a lounge, while the back room and its private outdoor courtyard pack it in with loud beats and dancing. Nightly themes ranging from Brazilian to house music keep the crowd mixed. One of the stops on a €20 pub crawl featuring two long drinks at each club (check website for details). Though it's easy to get carried away here, keep your wits about you and your wallet close to your body—Termini Station is known for pickpockets. Termini. Right outside of station. Latin night on Tu. Brazilian night on Th. House/Commercial most other nights. Beer €3.50-5. Cocktails €8. Open daily 6am-2am. Happy hour 5-7pm. Takes credit cards. No wheelchair access. Serves alcohol. Has air conditioning.
Druid's Den, V. San Martino ai Monti 28 (☎06 48 90 47 81; www.druidspubrome.com), Wait, we're in Italy? You'd never know it in this green-lit Irish pub, the second oldest in the country. The brick walls are lined with memorabilia from the owner's frequent trips back home, an assortment ranging from flags to wooden place-name placards. Popular mostly with Italians and expats in the neighborhood, this is the place to come for quality drinks against a backdrop of national soccer games (though they've been known to take homesick American requests for baseball) or traditional live Irish music, depending on the night. B: Cavour. Walk down V. Giovanni and veer left onto V. San Martino ai Monti. Live music F-Sa around 10pm. Special whiskeys €4-5. Cocktails €4.50. Drafts €5.50. Happy hour prices about €1 less. Open daily 5pm-2am. Happy hour 5-8:30pm. Takes credit cards. Wheelchair access. Serves alcohol. Has outdoor seating.
L'Isola che non C'è, V. San Martino ai Monti 7/A (☎06 48 82 134), Lavender walls and a sleek wooden catwalk lined with books and bottles make up the little isola that, according to its name, “is not here.” (Maybe that's because it's a paradise?) Books are only a starting point for discussion, an excuse for intellectual folk to gather over good wine and food. Occasional lectures on environmental concerns and live music on select nights provide other reasons to pop by this place and see what's going on. While classically Italian in its low-key style, Isola's tiny menu is a bit spunkier, with specials like smoked swordfish and pineapple or vegetarian delights like tabbouleh with zucchini. B: Cavour. Walk down V. Giovanni and veer left onto V. San Martino ai Monti. Free Wi-Fi. Live music most Th and Sa. Free buffet with purchase of a drink. Wine and beer €3-5. Cocktails €4-8. Open M-Th 11am-midnight, F-Sa 11am-2am. Takes credit cards. Wheelchair access. Has internet. Serves alcohol. Has outdoor seating.
The Fiddler's Elbow, V. dell'Olmata 43 (☎06 48 72 110; www.thefiddlerselbow.com), So, what exactly is a “fiddler's elbow”? A musician might say it's a sore elbow caused from the up-and-down motion of playing the fiddle, but a good Irishman will tell you it's actually the result of raising beer flask to mouth so often that the elbow stiffens. They're more prone to the latter injury here, the oldest Irish pub in Rome, which has been liquoring up The Eternal City since 1976. Renowned in the neighborhood for its family history, congenial company, and great drinks, this pub brings in everyone from the backpacker to the neighborhood expat to the sophisticated businessman stopping in after a day's work. The wooden interior is speckled with objects from the Emerald isle and full of loud conversation. Locals love playing piano on open-mike night. Termini. Walk toward P. Santa Maggiore and then down V. Paolina. Turn left onto W. Quattro Cantoni and left onto V. Olmata. Open mike Th at 10pm. Pool and dart room in back. Beer €5-5.50, €4-4.50 during happy hour. Open daily 5pm-2am. Happy hour 5-8:30pm. Takes credit cards. Wheelchair access. Serves alcohol. Has outdoor seating.
Old Station Pub and Club, P. Santa Maria Maggiore (☎06 47 46 612; www.oldstationmusicpub.it), You'd never know that beneath the old-fashioned cafe upstairs a raucous party of 20-somethings is raging. Come here for gelato, panini, and coffee with your parents; come for body shots, cocktails, and dancing until 4am with your friends. Beats ranging from reggae to house to R and B spin every night in the wooden “den” downstairs, where people either dance or lounge in one of the three rooms. Check out their website for themed parties and special events. On the corner of P. Santa Maria Maggiore. Karaoke on W. Cover €10; includes 2 drinks. Shots €3-4. Beer €5-6. Cocktails €8. Cafe open daily 7am-11pm. Bar and club open daily 9pm-4am. Does not take credit cards. No wheelchair access. Has outdoor seating.
Charity Cafe Jazz Club, V. Panisperna 68 (☎06 47 82 58 81; www.charitycafe.it), Though the long black benches are lined up like pews, you won't hear any classical choir here—only exceptional live jazz, all night, every night. The terra-cotta walls are covered with pictures of famed musicians as well as scribbles from past customers singing their praise. Great, well-priced drinks during happy hour make the jazz sound even smoother. From the intersection of V. XIV Maggio and V. Nazionale (near Trajan's column), walk up V. Panisperna. Check their monthly calendar for a schedule of nightly shows. Beer €6-7, during happy hour €3.50-4.50. Cocktails €8/4.50. Open in summer M-Sa 6pm-2am; in winter daily 6pm-2am. Happy hour daily 6-9pm. Takes credit cards. No wheelchair access. Serves alcohol. Has air conditioning.
Druid's Rock, P. dell'Esquilino 1 (☎06 47 41 326; www.druidspubrome.com), Conveniently located and laid-back, this Irish pub is the place to shoot the breeze, midday or midnight. The tall ceilings and outdoor seats overlooking the piazza create an especially open feeling, while live rock Friday and Saturday nights gives the place a bit more bite. If you don't choose one of the bar stools or small wooden tables, head upstairs where blue lights, eclectic decor, and a pool table give some kick to the place. On P. Esquilino, behind Basilica Santa Maria Maggiore. Live music F-Sa. Beer pints €5.50. Mixed drinks €5. Open daily noon-2am. Happy hour noon-8pm. Takes credit cards. Wheelchair access. Serves alcohol. Has outdoor seating.
Trimani Wine Bar, V. Cernaia 37-B (☎06 44 69 630; www.trimani.com), In the nest of mediocre trattorias and pubs that crowd Termini, this slightly upscale wine bar comes as a welcome surprise. The list of wine (which is practically a book) consists primarily of bottles to be split with your table (some, upwards of €200), though the first page features 20 varieties sold by the glass and organized according to the "four Cs": cult, chic, classic, and casual..one to match every mood? Delicious platters of cheese, salumi, and meats are great for satisfying a post-drink appetite. From P. Indipendenza, walk up V. Goito and turn right onto V. Cernaia. Buy 1 glass get 1 free during happy hour. Wine €3.50-23 per glass; also sold by the bottle. Mixed drinks €9. Primi, secondi, and antipasti €7-14. Open M-Sa 11:30am-3pm and 5:30pm-12:30am. Happy hour 11:30am-12:30pm and 5:30-7pm. Takes credit cards. Wheelchair access. Serves alcohol. Has air conditioning.