>The Hollywood scene where girls hang around alone by the bar waiting for guys to hit on them doesn't exist here.

I don't know that it exists anywhere anymore. It can be dangerous for a woman to out drinking alone.

But ladies do go out in groups. As a guy you just have to be nice and chat up the group and don't get hyper focused on any one person. None of them are probably going to drop everything and go home with you that night. But you can often get a phone number (or two) and go on a real date from that.