City Space Bar
Crowning the Swissôtel Krasnye Holmy, the City Space Bar is located on the 34th floor, offering one of the highest panoramic bar views of Moscow’s skyline. The bar provides a perfect place to watch the sunset while sipping on delicious drinks. Internationally renowned bartenders create both classic and one-of-a-kind cocktails. Their vast knowledge and advice can help you discover new tastes as well as accommodate a romantic evening with excellent service. Make sure to book a table, which can be done through their website.
Kosmodamianskaya Embankment, 52/6, Moscow, +7 495 221 53 58
BagaBar
Modelled after an Indian state of Goa, the sunny BagaBar smells of burning masala and offers customers a chance to relax and to dance to live bands and DJs until early in the morning. Among the statues of holy cows, Hindu gods, and majestic elephants, enjoy Goan rum, Old Monk, fruity cocktails, or an array of smoothies and lassis for non-alcoholic options. Bagabar also has an extended hookah selection – traditional, or with mojito or absinthe.
Pyatnitzkoye Highway, 18, Moscow, +7 495 544 77 74
Hookah Bar Friends
Just as the name suggests, Hookah Bar Friends is a place where you will feel at home, comfortable and cozy. You will find pillows, board games, an Xbox, a delicious food and drinks menu, and, of course, a fantastic selection of hookahs. The friendly staff will not hesitate to advise their customers on different types and flavors of tobacco; there are many to try. This is a welcoming and tasteful place to spend a relaxed evening with friends, or to make some new ones.
Bolshaya Ordynka Street, 13/9, Moscow, +7 966 187 00 80
Bar BQ Café
A youthful bar that is open all hours, Bar BQ Café is like a chameleon. In the mornings, the venue is quite upbeat and coffee-oriented; in the afternoon, you can relax with a carefully selected classical music playlist, and in the evenings, it is more loud. At night, everyone gets up to dance to trendy DJs. You can navigate through an extensive menu and order king-sized cocktails or unfiltered micro-brewed BQ pints. Here, you can do it yourself with an iPad, provided by BQ. Trying a selection of delicious tapas is highly recommended.
Pyatnickaya Street, 25/1, Moscow, +7 495 258 09 95
Belfast Irish Pub
Belfast Irish Pub is reminiscent of country pubs found anywhere between Cork and Letterkenny. Different from the usual chic and glamorous Moscow scene, Belfast welcomes you with its big and comfortable wooden benches, old photographs of regulars and sports memorabilia. This is the place to be if you like Irish stouts, Scottish ales or German brews. To complement the refreshing pints, there is a simple and well-balanced menu. The mouthwatering smells from the kitchen encourage you to try hearty Irish and Russian dishes.
Sredniy Ovchinnikovskiy Lane, 1/13, Moscow, +7 495 953 05 56
Mitzva Bar
The cozy and stylish Mitzva Bar might be hard to find through an obscure courtyard entrance, but it is well worth the effort. Jewish cuisine has evolved through centuries shaped by Jewish diaspora worldwide, both seeped in tradition and open-minded. Bar Mitzva is a fitting embodiment of this philosophy, with unusual but exquisite Russian-Jewish dishes and an eclectic mix of high-quality creative cocktails. The drinks might be a bit pricey, but the professional bartenders and chefs make this spot a highly recommended bar.
Pyatnitskaya Street, 3/4, Building 1, Moscow, +7 495 532 42 24
I Like Bar
The I Like Bar claims to have a feel of a second home, and rightly so, with soft spacious sofas, large wooden desks and soulful funk music. While primarily focusing on food, I Like Bar is also great for drinks; they have a very extensive menu full of both old and new world wines, international spirits and liqueurs, and most importantly, cocktails. The cocktails here are exciting concoctions based on fruit soaked in syrups. Customers who’ve tried these cocktails tend to become regulars.
Shukhova Street, 21, Moscow, +7 495 741 07 07
Brix Bar
The unpretentious and minimalist brick-walled Brix Wine Bar offers a lovely selection of wines. Do not fret if you are no expert; a knowledgeable and helpful team will advise and help you pick a perfect choice for your mood. After a busy day at work, Brix is perfect to unwind at. It’s snug, friendly, and offers democratic prices for high quality beverages. If you’re feeling peckish, every dish can be paired to a wine choice. Make sure to book a table beforehand as Brix is a favorite among locals.
Pyatnitskaya Street, 71/5, Building 2, Moscow, +7 495 227 38 37
Library Bar
The Library Bar in Mercury Paveletskaya Hotel contains shelves with some classic names and titles. The calm ambiance is perfect for a business meeting, a relaxed evening or a get together. The Library Bar features a selection of wines and champagnes by the glass or by the bottle, and customers are served by polite and friendly staff. The comfortable surroundings will make you want to stay for longer, and if you get hungry, choose some snacks from a menu – you will not be disappointed. In the evening, customers can enjoy a livelier version of the Library Bar – live music, DJs or tango nights.
Bakhrushina Street, 11, Moscow, +7 495 720 53 03
Jiga Driga Bar
A quirky cocktail bar, Jiga Driga Bar offers cocktails for a reasonable price in a cheerfully urban atmosphere. A minimalist interior and trendy professional bartenders wearing baseball caps make this a great spot to socialize and meet like-minded people. Thursday nights are two-for-one cocktails, and on Fridays and Saturdays, in-house DJs will make you want to dance. If you get peckish, you can always order a gourmet sandwich or a burger, or even French, German, and Mexican breakfast dishes.
Pyatnitskaya Street, 62/3, Moscow, +7 495 951 09 40