Almaty Nightlife

If you are walking past Otrar Hotel, just continue walking... In the basement you find the nightclub/bar Tequila Sunrise. The drinks are expensive, the staff are hopeless, and allways saying they dont have change...hoping you will let them keep the money. (I dont tip unattentive and grumpy staff $10 each drink!). The guests are a mixture of asian businessmen, expats, working-girls and even some old trannys! Its supposed to be a western-theme I think, but it is far from charming. Give it a miss, or forget you have ever been there!

Dress Code: I think you could walk around wearing anything here, as long as you have your wallet with you...

Petroleum is a posh nightclub, with a clientele you would not buy a used car from... Most of the guys looked like mafia-types, and the girls appeared to be the "on the clock". Apart from that, it was a cool place, with a guy jamming with a saxophone to the dance-beats. Expensive, with a strict face-control.

Dress Code: No sneakers, but jeams were OK.

This is a restaurant, lounge and bar complex. I have written about its restaurant in another section, but I am telling you, this place is sooo good. At night it packs up with stylish and beautiful people, sipping cocktails in the lounge. The music is nice, and they have shows on most Fridays and Saturdays.
The manager's name is Nurgul, ask to speak to her, if the place is full, and she might get you a table. This is what I did, when it was packed:-)

PS this is the webpage of one of the famous international DJs who played in Di Wang, he talks about Almaty and the club:
http://www.moussaclarke.com/2005_06_01_archive.html

Dress Code: Basicly its smart clothes, but I dont think they will mind if you show up in sneakers.

I know it may sound boring but wait, give it a chance! Almaty's Ballet Theater has just been redesigned and looks quite beautiful. The ballet is not exactely Bolshoi but they do quite well (of course, you can guess whose relatives are the ones who clap the loudest :) ) and the orchestra is just fabullous, better than any hi-tech music system. And you will have the chance to proudly say to your grandkids that you enjoyed real ballet from eastern lands!

Dress Code: They say at least elegant shirt and pants are required but I saw a few guys who didnt match the codes, so dont refrain to go because of cloth issues.
Unfortunately the program is available only in russian so if you need to know what is it all about, have a russ-speaking friend accompany you to read it for you.

The Petroleum Club is one of three original clubs that opened after the fall of the Soviet Union. Things don't get going until late, pretty late, after midnight and later. Good dance floor and video wall and a large bar.

Dress Code: Dress to impress.

The Dublin Pub was recommended to us by some colleagues in Almaty. It is your typical Irish Pub atmosphere with good burgers and other menu items.

The beer selection is great, but best of all is Kilkenny. This brew is impossible to find in the states but it is well worth searching down. I liken it to a light-version of Guiness...smooth.

The pub gets frequented by foreigners and locals offering a good mix of both. The place is a little hard to find hidden but worth it.

Dress Code: Casual...

I am not a nightlife person, so...but I did go out a few times!If you like nightclubs in the more traditional sense (i.e. not frenetic 'clubs' with strobe lights and earsplitting 'music', etc, as currently understood, but places with a restaurant, bars, dance floor) then you could try the Adriatica, which is quite plush, VERY expensive to my mind (at least USD$6 in 1996 for an orange juice) and not crowded, for obvious reasons.Local girls (indeed women up to 30 and even 35) seem to think discos of various kinds the dernier cri of Western sophistication and, depending on their income level (or boyfriend's income level) will want to attend these places from time to time.The most expensive is probably Petroleum Club. Think megabucks to get in, drink, eat or even, maybe, breathe! Adriatica is also near the top of the list (personally I went with a group of people to be nice...couldn't wait to escape), along with the LA Club.There are many 'local' clubs, discos, etc, some of which are pretty drunken and unsavoury, apparently. One of the more salubrious for the younger element would be the disco held on Fridays (maybe Saturdays too) at KIMEP economics institute (formerly the Kazakhstan communist Party Higher Institute), a large unmissable white building, corner of Abaia and Lenina.Avoid the casinos in the city, except perhaps those attached to places like the Rachat Palace (Hyat) Hotel. Like Petroleum Club (by reputation, the watering-hole of the Mafia bosses), but more so, these are frequented by those you might not want to know, meaning criminal elements.The so-called 'Business Club' downtown (ask any expat) is THE place to socialize on Friday early evenings, from 1800 onwards. Totally mixed crowd, from almost innocent daughters of foreign execs to ladies very obviously and openly 'on the game', expatriate (mostly English and American) workers of various types, local people too. Louche, fairly crowded, but OK, unthreatening and safe too. I went there numerous times without a problem. You can eat there too and I'm told that's good too. An experience...Don't bother going any other day but Friday: it's dead as a morgue.There are a number of bars all over. You're better in the major hotels or somewhere like Capos, than in the smaller places, on the whole (like the bar near my place which advertized 'Vodka On Tap'...).Finally, be careful befriending people in the less respectable places. Robberies and even murders of foreigners have happened.

This place is on the Dostyk Str where there are many intl restaurants around. Live music at the weekends. Many expads visit here. No cover. Some import beer.

Dress Code: None