Bishkek Nightlife

Well, there are more than a few clubs where you can party till the wee hours, but this one of my favs. It's smaller than some of the others, so you walk around and mingle better. Drinks are pretty cheap by American standards. But do as the locals do, drink vodka...straight up.

Dress Code: The more American you look, the better off you are. But they don't have a dress code per se, I've worn t-shirts to D&G, they don't care...really.

The American Pub is a nice place, with friendly, english-speaking staff. The Pizza here is the best in town, if not Central Asia. Maybe best suited for larger groups, since the place has mostly large tables, but you could allways sit by the bar.

Dress Code: Informal/casual.

Zeppelin is a good kilometre or two away from the TSUM-area, on Chuy prosp. It is a rock-bar, serving cheap beer and booze. I was here only once, my last night in Bishkek, and regretted thad I hadnt checked it out earlier. They showed some 70`s rock-videos on a big-screen, and i seem to recall a pool-table there! I think they have live-music there a couple of times a week, and if you like rock music and cheap alcohol you should check Zepelin out. This is a place where you will meet locals and not expats/tourists, mainly a young (20 yrs+-) clientele. You should take a taxi out here, since the neighborhood is not all about peace and love!

Dress Code: Its a hard-rock bar, for christs sake!

2x2 is a classy hangout for expats and local upper-class, with a cosmopolitan feel to it. It is a bar with a relaxed atmosphere, serving drinks and imported beer. Also a variety of coffee-drinks I believe. Expensive!

Dress Code: T-shirts and jeans were allowed, but it wouldnt harm to dress a little more smart I guess.

We went on a "pub crawl." It was fun!! Their clubs are very 'hip.' Most are decorated like they never left disco behind, while others are still stuck in the 80's. This is fine with me, because they were very clean. The men act very nice, and the women act stuck up. They were nice; it's just a little bit of bitterness left over from the dissolution of the USSR. (Russia left them very poor, and they had been fighting for independence for decades.) The music is a mix of 70's, 80's, and new releases. They are very current on entertainment culture.

Dress Code: Dress fashionably and you'll be fine. Just visit some of the clothing stores the day before to get an idea of how to blend in.