Northbridge is where Perth goes out at night, and the concentration of bars, clubs, and live music venues along and around James Street and Aberdeen Street constitutes the city's main nightlife district. The quality and character varies considerably: some of the bars are relaxed and interesting, with good craft beer selections and occasional live music; others are the kind of loud, crowded venues that exist in every city and require no further description. The neighbourhood's saving grace is its density — if one place is not working for you, there are a dozen others within two minutes' walk.
The craft beer scene in Northbridge has improved dramatically over the past decade, with several venues stocking serious WA craft beer from breweries like Feral, Gage Roads, and Nail Brewing. The bars along Lake Street tend to be slightly more relaxed than the James Street clubs. For live music, the Northbridge venue circuit covers everything from jazz to indie rock to electronic nights, and the scene is healthy enough to have something happening most weekends. The precinct is also where you find several of Perth's better cocktail bars, tucked into side streets and laneways. Northbridge starts quiet before 9pm and is at its most animated from 10pm onwards on Fridays and Saturdays.