World City Guide

Nightlife

Discos are popular in Moscow, although there are also an increasing number of pub-type bars, many of which serve food. These generally offer a happy hour, with two-for-one drink specials. There is no shortage of exotic entertainment and Western men do tend to attract young Russian women. Some bars can be quite violent – it is best for visitors to ask for local advice on which ones to avoid.

Moscow has a number of 24-hour bars and ‘night restaurants’ that are often open until 0500 or 0600. These combine dining, drinking and entertainment under one roof. Otherwise, bars tend to stay open until 2400 or 0100. The minimum drinking age in Russia is 18 years, although the minimum purchasing age is 21 years. Cover charges vary – some places actually offer free drinks for a limited time, while others charge a cover of Rb613-919/US$20-30 (or more). Live music is played all over the city but quality acts are not always easy to come by. Many of the bars and clubs are located in the larger hotels or the immediate vicinity. Because of the rocky economy, bars and clubs tend to close down and open up fairly frequently. The American ex-pat newspaper, eXile (website: www.exile.ru), offers an up-to-date, if somewhat rude, guide.

Bars: The John Bull Pub, Kutuzovsky proezd 4, has decent music and stays open until 0300 at the weekend. The Irish pub Rosie O’Grady’s, Znamenka ulitsa 9/12, is a popular spot. Homesick Canadians head for the Moosehead Canadian Bar, Bolshaya Polyanka ulitsa 54, where buffalo wings and other bar food keeps the punters happy and beers cost Rb122-184/US$4-6 (daily 1200-0500). Chesterfield’s, Zemlyanoy val 26, has the longest bar in Russia (apparently) and draws a mixed ex-pat and Russian crowd. For those who enjoy a cigar and cognac, The Embassy Club, Bryusov pereulok 8/10, provides an appropriately swanky environment. The News Bar, Petrovka ulitsa, has recently made a stylish entrance into the nightlife of Muscovites, while OGI Project, Potapovsky pereulok, has become hugely popular.

Casinos: There are dozens of casinos in Moscow. Some of the more elegant are attached to the five-star hotels. The 24-hour Casino Metropol, located in the hotel of the same name at Teatralny proezd 1/4, is a classic casino with blackjack, roulette and poker. The minimum stake is Rb166/US$25. For lower stakes, the Olympic Casino Club, aboard the Valery Brusov, Krymskaya naberezhnaya, is open 1900-0600 and offers roulette, blackjack and poker. Another alternative is the Casino Moskva, located in the Leningradskaya Hotel, Kalanchevskaya ulitsa 21/40. There is an age restriction of 18 years for gambling; a passport is not always required and the dress code is smart-casual.

Clubs: Propaganda, Bolshoi Zlatoustinksy pereulok 7, is one of the city’s best dance clubs and plays non-techno tunes (occasionally acid jazz). Techno ravers head for Khaos, Timirgazevskaya ulitsa 17. Brand, Smolensky ploshchad, has a more upmarket feel with a disco and bars. The big-name international DJs who appear from time to time at Club XIII, Myanitskaya ulitsa, attract foreigners and young Russians with pockets full of cash. Titanik, inside the Young Pioneers Stadium, Leningradsky prospekt 31, is a well-known techno club with a decent but expensive chill-out area (the cover charge is Rb919/US$30). Clubs catering to a gay crowd are becoming increasingly popular in Moscow. The most frequented of these is Central Station, Bolshaya Tatarskaya ulitsa, which could almost compete with any Western gay club. Homophobia is still very much in evidence in Moscow, so it is advisable for visitors to avoid going to any of the gay clubs alone.

Live music: Many of the bars and clubs have live music – usually rock but occasionally country, reggae or folk – for a couple of hours in the evening (generally 2200-2400/0100). For jazz and blues, the Arbat Blues Club, Aksakov pereulok 11, is considered one of the best spots in Moscow. The Jazz Art Club, Begovaya ulitsa 5, offers what the name suggests for a Rb214/US$7 entry fee. Bunker, Tverskaya ulitsa 12, and Tabula Rasa, Berezhkovskaya naberezhnaya 28, both feature live bands – the cover charge depends on the night and who is playing. The Voodoo Lounge, Sredny Tishinsky pereulok 5/7, is a fairly recent arrival, hosting rock and Latin music.