Copenhagen has a reputation for early nights, and it's partly deserved. Most kitchens close by ten, and a lot of cafes pull the shutters down at six. But once you know where to look, the city after ten has its own rhythm, quieter than Berlin or London but with a stubborn small group of places that keep going. Here's where I'd go after dinner ends and the night isn't.
Late wine on Jægersborggade
Manfreds takes walk-ins at the bar until late, and the natural wine list is one of the best in the city. If it's full, Pompette across the street is the backup. The Jægersborggade strip in Nørrebro is the rare part of Copenhagen where things stay open past most people's bedtime, and the energy after eleven is different from the dinner-rush version. The lights are lower, the conversations are longer, and nobody is rushing you out.
If you want something stronger, walk five minutes to Rust on Guldbergsgade. Upstairs is a club, downstairs is a bar, and the crowd skews twenty-something but doesn't card aggressively. The DJ schedule is hit or miss, but on a good Friday it's the most fun room in Nørrebro.
Sauna and swim at La Banchina
La Banchina on Refshaleøen runs sauna sessions late into the evening, and the routine is simple. Twenty minutes hot, thirty seconds in the harbor, repeat. In winter the contrast is brutal in a good way. In summer the water is warm enough that people stay in for ten minutes at a time. Book ahead, because it's small and locals have caught on. Bring a towel and a swimsuit, or don't, the crowd is relaxed about it. Afterward, the wine bar attached serves orange wine and small plates until late.
This is a date for someone you're already comfortable with. Mostly naked and freezing isn't a first-meeting energy.
Jazz at La Fontaine
La Fontaine on Kompagnistræde is the oldest jazz club in the city, and it's exactly what you want a basement jazz club to be. Low ceilings, candles on the tables, a small stage where the players are close enough that you can see the sweat. The late set usually starts around eleven and runs past one. Cash works better than card. Order whisky, sit toward the back, and don't talk over the music. Locals will glare at you and they'll be right.
A walk around the lakes
Copenhagen's three connected lakes (Sortedams, Peblinge, Sankt Jørgens) are ringed by a path that takes about an hour to walk in full. After midnight it's almost empty except for runners and other couples. The light from the bridges reflects on the water, and you can stop at any of the benches without anyone bothering you. Start from Dronning Louises Bro, which connects Nørrebro to the city center, and pick a direction. There's a 7-Eleven at the bridge if you want to bring a beer for the walk. It's legal to drink in public here, within reason.
Last call at Bo-Bi or Eiffel Bar
For the proper old-Copenhagen nightcap, Bo-Bi Bar on Klareboderne is the move. It's been there since 1917, the bartender will not pretend to be charming, and the regulars are writers and journalists who have been coming for thirty years. The room is the size of a living room and smells like it has held a lot of conversations. Order a beer and a snaps. Don't ask for a cocktail menu, there isn't one.
Eiffel Bar in Christianshavn is the other version of this. French sailors used to drink there, the jukebox is excellent, and it stays open late on weekends. It's the kind of place where you end up in a conversation with a stranger and your date makes a friend. That's a good sign.
A note on getting home
The metro runs all night on weekends, which is one of the best things about dating in this city. You can stay out until three and still get home without negotiating a taxi. The night buses (the ones starting with 1, 2, 3, etc, with an N prefix) cover the rest. Bikes are fine until about midnight, riskier after. If you're walking your date home along the lakes at two in the morning, that's the date working.