Balabushka , 4F Nippo Mittera Kaikan, 2-9-5 Nishi-Shinsaibashi. Unusually spacious bar, in Amerika-mura, with DJs on Saturday nights. Daily 6pm-late, Fri & Sat until 5am. Shinsaibashi Station.
Canopy , IM Excellence Building, 1-11-20 Sonezaki-Shinchi. A healthy mix of gaijin and Japanese rub shoulders in the least-likely-looking "American delicatessen" in Osaka. Cool down on the outdoor terrace and enjoy the 5-8.30pm Happy Hour, when beers are ¥400. Mon-Sat 5pm-6am, Sun 5pm-midnight. Higashi-Umeda Station.
The Cellar , B1 Dai-3 Hirata Building, 2-17-13 Nishi-Shinsaibashi. Reasonably priced drinks and a daily Happy Hour 6-9pm at this comfortable neighbourhood bar. Live music on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, and a popular jam session on Sunday afternoons. Mon-Thurs 6pm-2am, Fri & Sat 6pm-4am, Sun 6pm-midnight. Shinsaibashi Station.
Club Karma , Kasai Building, 1-5-18 Sonezaki-Shinchi. Stark yet roomy bar and club which hosts a range of trendy dance events and happenings, with the added bonus of a good food menu and a Happy Hour until 9pm. The all-night techno raves are usually held on Friday and Saturday, when there's a cover charge of ¥2500. Nishi-Umeda Station.
Dubliners , B1 Hoyama Building, 1-13 Soemon-cho. It may not be as intimate as Murphy's , but Osaka's big branch of the Sapporo-owned Dubliners packs the crowds in at the weekends. Mon-Thurs & Sun 5pm-11.30pm, Fri & Sat 5pm-1am. Namba Station.
Murphy's , 6F Lead Plaza Building, Higashi-Shinsaibashi. The city's original Irish bar has a cracking atmosphere to go with the draught Guinness and Kilkenny beer. Also serves food and has live music on Wednesday. Daily 5pm-1am, Fri & Sat till 3am. Nagahoribashi Station.
Pig & Whistle , B1 Ohatsutenjin Building, 2-5 Sonezaki (Higashi-Umeda subway station) & 2F Across Building, 2-6-14 Shinsaibashi-suji (Shinsaibashi subway station). The place to head if you're feeling nostalgic about the old boozer. Both branches of this British-style pub have Guinness on tap, fish-and-chip suppers, and darts.
Rockets , 6025 Namba-pia, 2-8-13 Nambanaka. Grunge chic club, nestling under the railway tracks running south from Namba Station. DJs spin everything from drum'n'bass to reggae and punk depending on the night of the week. It's best to check local media since it's not open every night. 11pm-5am. Entrance ¥2500 including one drink. Namba Station.
Tin's Hall , 10-3 Minami-Kawahori, Tennoji. Lively bar, on the north side of the station, which serves a good range of food, including smoked-salmon bagels and salads for ¥700, and has a Happy Hour Mon-Thurs 6-9pm. Mon-Thurs 6pm-2am, Fri & Sat 6pm-5am. Tennoji Station.