Triangle: Unpretentious Dancing and Expat Haven

Triangle is a bar, live music venue, and small club next to Yuanshan MRT Station that gets its name from the triangular shape of its premises. Located inside the bustling Maji Square, Triangle may be nowhere near the usual Taipei club scene, but that doesn’t mean it should be overlooked.

Being a small venue is in many ways a bonus for Triangle: not only does it provide an intimate setting for live acts and DJs, but it’s much harder to lose your friends when you’ve had one beer too many. The inside of Triangle is made up of a bar area, dance floor, and stage, all of which are pretty modest in size. Still, although there are exceptions depending on the night, it doesn’t usually get too packed to the point where you feel suffocated by people. And if it does, you can easily step outside for a breather.

Triangle isn’t known for specialty drinks, but they offer your standard bar and club fare at very reasonable prices, making it one of the better clubs to end up at if you are on a budget. Although there are no outside drinks or food allowed inside (expect bag checks — you can leave your stuff outside to collect later if you get busted), most people buy drinks from the nearby 7-Eleven to consume outside the club before going in. Triangle’s biggest advantage is its location: MAJI Square has a huge number of tables and chairs outside that are vacant overnight, and you are totally free to sit with your 7-Eleven purchases for as long as you like. Not only is this good for the money-conscious, but it means that the party spills outside to where the music is quieter, and you can actually hear yourself think. This makes the outside of Triangle just as fun as the inside, which is rare to find in Taipei.

In addition to live music acts, Triangle keeps a regular club schedule. Tuesday is karaoke night, where you can sing any song in any language — though it can get pretty packed, so sometimes you might wait a while for this. Fooseball, ping pong and beer pong are available for free. Entrance is $200 with a drink.Happy hour is from 8pm – 10pm.

Wednesday is student night, with free entry all night for students and ladies. Select drinks are free for women until midnight. Cover is $200 with a drink if you aren’t a student or a woman, and there is a $100 beer on offer if you don’t feel like making the trek to 7-Eleven.

Thursday is jam night, with ping pong tables, beer pong, and fooseball to provide non-musical entertainment. Entrance is $200 with a drink.

Fridays and Saturdays can get pretty wild, with different events depending on the night itself. There have been latin nights, hip hop nights, and throwback/retro nights. You can check upcoming events on their Facebook page.

Triangle is also home to one of the biggest gay parties in Taipei, WERK Party. Held every month, WERK is a lively gathering for LGBTQ+ folks and allies. Expect incredible outfits, drag queen shows, and lots of fun. Entrance is free before 11pm, after which it is $600 with a drink. As with all Triangle nights, half the party will always be outside at the tables — don’t be afraid to go say hi.

Triangle is definitely a place more suited for those of us who aren’t looking for a big, fancy night. If well-made drinks and a classy crowd are your scene, this is not the place for you. Still, there are plenty of people who actively seek out the casual, friendly vibe found atTriangle in place of the usual Xinyi club scene. At the end of the day, Triangle is never going to be for everyone, but if you’re looking for cheap drinks, a good place to socialize with some wild party-goers, and a slightly less mainstream atmosphere, you might want to check it out.

What’s the vibe?

Small, casual club with an underground, laid-back vibe. The crowd is mostly students and English teachers, with a good mix of locals and expats. Lots of people hang out outside the club, making it a great place to strike up conversations.

Worth it?

It’s certainly cheap, and it really depends on your scene and the night that you go. Some people love it for its unpretentious, casual nature (three cheers for no dress code), but others prefer a more polished vibe. The great things about Triangle is that you can go, ask people standing outside if it’s worth going in, and make your decision based on what they say. You could just hang outside all night if you like — as long as you keep it reasonable, there’s no reason why you can’t bring your speakers and make your own party (we recommend going a little further from the club if you’re going to do this). The bad thing about Triangle is how far away it is from the other clubs — decided it’s not worth going in, but still want to go clubbing? Enjoy your 20-minute cab ride to Xinyi.

Would you go back?

Triangle definitely has its advantages, and the fact that you can sit outside and drink whatever you bring with you is a huge one. Apart from PIPE in Gongguan, we’ve never encountered an outside, public area as fun and chill as this one, and it’s a huge draw. As for the club itself, we’ve had hit and miss experiences. It all depends on the night.

Triangle

Hours: Tues 8pm - 1am Wed 8pm - 4am Thurs 8pm - Until the music stops Fri & Sat 10pm - 4am

Phone: 0933 449 874

English Address: No. 1, Yumen Street, Zhongshan District, Taipei City, 10491

Chinese Address: 10491台北市中山區玉門街1號