Western European Russia
If you're into Hard Rock Cafe–style mainstream bars, you'll enjoy this place with sports on the huge screen, international flags dangling, live music most…
Must-see nightlife in Russia
St Petersburg
This shabby dive bar, one of many crammed into the Dumskaya/Lomonosova block, specialises in rock-and-roll karaoke. Lubricate your vocal chords with cheap…
Yakutsk
Bar Onegin whips up tasty salads, sushi, pastas and grilled fish dishes (mains R350 to R650), but it mainly serves as a bar. It's a fairly stylish spot,…
Sakhalin Island
In the basement of the Rubin Hotel, this expat haven is popular for its huge Russian business lunch (noon to 3pm, R300). Later on, stop in for pub grub …
Western European Russia
This compact basement bar combines a bit of Soviet-era kitsch and propaganda with a modern-day enthusiasm for televised sports; join the armchair athletes…
Northern European Russia
Branches of this appealing chain pepper the city. Great for tea, coffee, milkshakes, imaginative cocktails, sweet and savoury bliny (wheat pancakes),…
Western European Russia
Its walls plastered with Soviet-era newspapers and a Stalin bust behind the bar, this spot is a decent choice for a drink with sports on the TV, DJs and…
Western Siberia
This cleverly named Irish pub is a fine place for a pint of Guinness or a round of après-ski shooters. There's another branch in the Ays Club.
Western European Russia
Small modern cafe specialising in coffee (from R89), tea and light meals (soups, salads, pasta) with walls adorned in movie and music posters. There’s…
St Petersburg
This long-running dive bar is a sort of musical and alcoholic tribute to the ruler who 'outlived six presidents of America and six leaders of the Soviet…
Moscow
Four clubs. Four drinks. And one band of very merry Moscow travellers. That's what you get for your money on this weekly pub crawl. Dancing on the bar is…
Northern European Russia
American-style diner-bar with orange leather seats and a surprisingly good selection of English beers on top of its palatable own brew. Live bands on…
Northern European Russia
Hugely popular English-style pub with authentic local-boozer decor and a hugely comprehensive list of ales, stouts and beers from the UK and elsewhere.
Western European Russia
A cooling drink on the terrace of this joint facing the kremlin is perfect on a sunny day. It also does wonderfully fattening, German-style snacks.
St Petersburg
One of the longer-running operations in a string of virtually interchangable dive bars on Dumskaya ul.
Northern European Russia
Smart and sunny hideaway brewing strong coffees (from R140) behind the Arkhangelsk library.
St Petersburg
This cozy two-floor Portuguese bar on Fontanka embankment has a very relaxed atmosphere and a large selection of port, cocktails and tapas. If it's warm,…
