Lyttelton, Christchurch
Nice People Only
The weirdest, coolest bar, live music & party venue in Christchurch
Indie / Rock • Doors 8pm
Electronic / House • Doors 9pm
All genres welcome • Sign up 7pm
Tue — Fri: 4pm — 3am
Sat — Sun: 1pm — 3am
Monday: Closed
Tucked into the heart of Lyttelton's London Street, Wunderbar has been the beating heart of Christchurch's underground music and arts scene for over two decades.
Rebuilt after the earthquakes with even more character than before, this is the bar where the weird kids, the musos, the poets, and the dreamers all come together.
Upcoming gigs, DJs, open mics & more
Indie rock four-piece from Wellington making their Lyttelton debut. Support from local legends The Swamp Things.
Resident DJs spinning house, techno & everything in between. The dance floor is calling.
Bring your guitar, your poems, your weird experimental noise — all are welcome on our stage.
Belt out your favourite tunes under the disco ball. Costumes encouraged, talent optional.
Three bands, one wild night. Psych-rock, doom, and everything fuzzy. Earplugs recommended.
Wunderbar isn't just a bar. It's a portal to somewhere weirder, louder, and infinitely more interesting than wherever you just came from.
Nestled on London Street in the harbour town of Lyttelton — the creative heartbeat of Canterbury — Wunderbar has been a beacon for misfits, musicians, artists, and anyone who believes that the best nights out are the ones you didn't plan.
Since opening its doors, Wunderbar has championed underground music and arts in Aotearoa. From punk to electronica, poetry slams to experimental noise, if it's weird and wonderful, it's probably happened on our tiny, legendary stage.
The walls are covered in years of stickers, posters, and the kind of decorations that make first-timers stop and stare. Every corner tells a story. Every surface has a memory.
When the Canterbury earthquakes struck in 2010 and 2011, Lyttelton was hit hard. Buildings crumbled. The main street was devastated. Like so many beloved Lyttelton spots, Wunderbar was damaged and forced to close.
But you can't keep a good weird bar down. The community rallied. Lyttelton rebuilt. And Wunderbar came back — a little different, a lot stronger, and just as wonderfully strange as ever. The rebuild was a labour of love, a testament to what happens when a community refuses to let go of what makes it special.
It's not just a sign on the wall — it's our whole philosophy. Wunderbar is a space where everyone is welcome, as long as you bring good vibes. We don't care where you're from, what you wear, or how you dance (and trust us, we've seen some moves). Just be kind, be yourself, and be ready for anything.
Wunderbar is a launchpad for emerging artists, a gathering place for the community, and proof that small venues are the backbone of live music in New Zealand. We've hosted thousands of gigs, launched countless careers, and poured even more beers along the way.
Run by Dark Star Ventures, Wunderbar continues to evolve while staying true to its roots: great music, cold drinks, warm people, and a healthy dose of the unexpected.
Come for a drink. Stay for the weirdness.
Host your event at Christchurch's weirdest venue
Snapshots from the weird side