Les I would say the best thing to do 1st is have a look round in the day time - can be daunting finding bars on a hot night with poor lighting down the side streets.
A decent one to go in 1st is Top Gear Bar which is opposite the floating casino boat. If you get the free ferry across, walk up the jetty and turn left, keep on walking 400yards or so and it is on the other side of the road. Also near here is the Mandovi hotel which has a nice balcony to sit on and view the night life.
If you search for the Panjim Inn, this has a nice courtyard to sit in and art gallerie to browse around - menu looked very good as well, but didn't try anything.
It's not an easy place for giving out directions I'm afraid, so you need to do as we did and have a good morning walk around the city, even right to the back of the town up the hillside for some good views across the city.
You will come across quite a few hidden gems and some very good looking restaurants. Head towards the Royal Enfield bike shop and work your way up the back of there.
If I can come up with anything else, I will post asap.
Spike

some good advice spike thanks,think we will start our pub crawl about 2pm,least we will be able to see where we are going ,lol.all part of the fun not knowing what lies ahead of you!.had a couple last time we went after the delhi durbhar and came across a couple of intersting local places.was good

Some pics of Panjim Inn.
http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/LocationPhotos-g303877-d425691-Panjim_Inn-Panaji_Goa.html#20067377

If you look on google maps, you will see OUREM ROAD and it is a bit further along near ARMARDA PORTUGUESA ROAD.

Not a bad way to print off a street guide to get you to the back of the Church of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception. Up on the hillside you will come across government buildings and the court rooms, once there you can work your way down to the Panjim Inn, nice walk if you can stand the heat.
I would post some pics if I had half of brain to do it !

thanks ahain for your help spike

Agree that the Panjim Inn is a nice place to while way an hour over a beer. Feels like New Orleans somehow.

We ate out late one night in Panjim after going to the Kala Academy and at 10.15pm the buses had packed in, the taxis had gone and we struggled to find one (never thought I'd say that about taxis in Goa!).

The walk along the river was quite intimidating with bodies asleep (or stoned?) on the pavement and on seats. Mrs Roma was not happy and of course, I'd earlier mocked her pleas to leave earlier because we wouldn't get transport! "Not find a taxi, in Goa..are you mad?" She was very keen to point out that, once again, I was wrong and pig-headed. Nice.

Make sure you've got your return journey arranged!

will give the p-anjim inn a try ,thanks all for advice