The Big Fellow, in the Sheraton Entertainment Centre off Abdoun Circle, is dedicated to the memory of Ireland's charismatic revolutionary leader, Michael Collins. It serves up traditional Emerald Isle food and plenty of imported Guinness, which usually comes with a decent shamrock in the head. The Big Fellow is a good spot to park yourself if you want to catch up on your sports as the TV screens are usually alive with some match or other.

JR The Wine Experience is the perfect place for wine enthusiasts to get a taste of the unique heritage of the area and catch a glimpse into the wine making industry. You can discover more than 40 international handpicked grape varieties during a lavish and luxurious wine tasting experience. 

If you’re looking for a good spot to enjoy a drink at sunset, make your way to the Living Room. This hugely popular bar has a little something for everyone, including decent meals, music and a full menu of non-alcoholic drinks. However the cocktails are the real crowd pleaser and they are best consumed on The Loft – the bar’s roof terrace with a lovely downtown view. Once the sun has disappeared, the Living Room is a comfortable, refined setup with an unassuming air.

If the name doesn't give the game away, the red, oversized phone box perched outside the Rover's Return usually does. This is an English-style pub, named after the boozer in Coronation Street, and much like its namesake it can get a little rowdy. Usually though, it's full of good cheer. It attracts a blend of locals, expats and tourists and the wooden trimmings give it a cosy, lived-in feel. It's a friendly spot for a draught beer or two and good for watching sport, especially football. Be warned though, it can get quite smoky.

Saluté, located opposite Fakhr El-Din restaurant behind the Iraqi Embassy, is a feisty, trendy bar popular with the young crowd who favour their music loud. The view from the terrace is impressive as is the line of decent beer brands on sale here. The bar also does food, for those looking for a little something to line the stomach.

The Irish Pub can be found in the basement of the Dove Hotel between the Fourth and Fifth Circles. It's not much like any taproom you'd find in Dublin, but just as in Ireland, its popularity is steered by its music and it's a favoured dance venue, particularly on Thursday nights. It also serves up some hearty food, including fish and chips and chicken quesadilla, and is known to host dart tournaments and salsa nights. Sports are also shown on a large screen.

The Harir Lounge is the place in town for the young and beautiful. DJs from around the world spin the crowd into a frenzy, especially on the weekend. It's also a popular spot for live bands which helps facilitate a growing local scene in the city. Keep an ear out for the powerful melodies of El Morabba3, who play regularly, and who attract a set of well-heeled Jordanian party-goers. Harir Lounge is located upstairs on the popular Abdoun Circle.

JJ's, at the Grand Hyatt Hotel near Third Circle, has British DJs playing the latest chart music, attracting young, well off locals and expats. The music is fairly eclectic, as are the cocktails, and both are usually met with enthusiasm. Open slightly later than many drinking holes in the city, this is the place to show the locals your latest dance moves.

For starters, The Blue Fig has live music weekly. It also boasts several bars, a restaurant, a café, a bakery, a movie room and an outside terrace. The owners certainly don’t do anything by halves, so everything from the food to the films is excellent, but it’s the music that hits the right note. The Blue Fig sees itself as a base for the city’s alternative, culturally appreciative crowd. Call ahead for a schedule of upcoming bands.

For a more sophisticated musical experience, try the Royal Cultural Centre which occasionally hosts concerts, usually in Arabic. It is the first centre of its kind in the country and is located in the Shmeisani area, not far from the Regency Palace Hotel at Interior Circle. As well as live music, there are often visual art, dance and drama performances staged here. Small but significant, there is room for up to 300 people in the auditorium, and the centre provides translations for some shows.

The Jordan National Gallery of Fine Arts is a complex of cinemas, theatres and exhibition spaces. It hosts a variety of activities and their handy monthly programme lists them all. This is also the venue for the Jordan Film Festival each May. It promotes itself as a disseminator of culture and the arts from both the Islamic and developing worlds, sometimes quite literally when the owners send out their touring museum truck around the country.