Best Bars In Moscow To Watch The 2018 World Cup

As the FIFA World Cup is reaching its peak, securing a ticket is becoming nearly impossible. Luckily for those who don’t get to watch the matches in Moscow’s stadiums, the city has no shortage of bars to watch the game. Here’s Culture Trip’s list of the best places to enjoy Russia 2018 in Moscow.

1. Liga Pap

Bar, Pub, Gastropub, European

This is the best place to watch sport in Moscow, and not just because they screen it 24/7. Housed in a historic mansion, Liga Pap boasts massive TV screens and delicious food and drink.

2. The Tipsy Pub

Bar, Pub, European, Irish

With an interior created by Irish pub designers, the homey Tipsy Pub seats around 170 people and serves some of the best burgers in town. The pub has two floors decorated with authentic Irish memorabilia and sells a wide selection of draft beer. The Tipsy Pub also serves up a variety of home-cooked style dishes.

3. Bunker-42

Bar, Pub, Russian, European

If watching a football game in an anti-nuclear bunker is on your bucket list, there’s a place in Moscow where you can cross it off. Located 65 meters underground, Bunker-42 is a former secret Soviet bunker right in the heart of Moscow, which now houses an atmospheric restaurant and a Cold War museum. You can take a tour of Bunker-42’s winding hallways and secret rooms, grab a bite and wash it down with some local beer, watch a football match, and even play a game of laser tag.

5. Connolly Station

Bar, Pub, European, British, Irish

One of the most aesthetically pleasing pubs in Moscow comprises two floors, predictably filled with Irish memorabilia. Named after Dublin’s central railway station, this spacious place offers you everything you’d expect from an Irish pub: fantastic beer, Irish music and live football.

6. Tap & Barrel Pub

Bar, Pub, Irish, European, British

Tap & Barrel is situated in the centre of Moscow, on the site of the legendary Soviet bar Yama (‘The Pit’). Known for its traditional Irish food and drinks, the Tap & Barrel is the perfect place to watch those all-important World Cup games.

7. Harat's Irish Pub

Bar, Pub, Irish, British, European

With its simple interior, large screens and friendly staff, Harat’s Irish Pub is a great place to catch a game. Harat’s stocks a number of beers and offers a variety of traditional Irish and English dishes, along with lots of beer-friendly snacks.

8. Chelsea Gastropub

Gastropub, Contemporary, British, European, Fusion

Chelsea is a place for football fans who know their food; this gastropub is considered one of the best in the city. Chelsea offers a good selection of beer brands and 100 whiskeys, and claims to cook the food of all former British colonies, which gives the chef plenty of space for experimenting. The must-try dishes are stew soup, grilled squid and cherry strudel.

9. Petrov & Vasechka

Bar, Pub, Contemporary, Fusion, Russian

Arguably the friendliest pub in Moscow, Petrov & Vasechka is where the food is fantastic and signature cocktails have names that’ll test your knowledge of Russian culture. Petrov & Vasechka’s highlights include New Orleans-style barbecue ribs, kimchi burgers and unagi salad. The pub’s quirky interior, charismatic staff and delicious cocktails are three reasons why you should head here.

10. Bruxelles

Gastropub, Belgian

Gastropub Bruxelles is a favourite of locals and tourists alike. Enjoy the football here while sipping on delicious Belgian beer and tucking into some of the best food around.

11. Beer Happens

Gastropub, European

With its first-class menu and big-screen TVs, Beer Happens is a hungry sport fan’s dream. If the pub becomes too overcrowded, check out Beer Happens’ shop, which sells a variety of beers at discounted prices.

12. John Donne

Bar, Cocktail Bar, Pub, European, British

If you plan to hit John Donne on a game night, be sure to get there early as it gets packed. Latecomers won’t be able to squeeze their way in. On regular days, there’s less of a crowd, making it an ideal spot for beer connoisseurs and pub-lovers.

Yulia S. also contributed to this article.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.