Nightclubs and bars in Moscow

I am not frequent visitor of clubs, but love some. My favorite is "Club Che" http://www.clubche.ru/ near Nikolskaya street. BTW there are about 10 clubs around. It is better to book your visit as guards may not allow you to enter.

Dress Code: Casual only. Coat and tie allowed only for business lunch.

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My favorite jazz-club in Moscow. The club owner - Igor Butman, saxophone virtuoso, bandleader and television host, is Russia's number one jazz personality.
Ex-President Bill Clinton stated that Igor Butman is "may be the greatest living jazz saxophone player, who happens to be a Russian."

Igor Butman Club (or Le Club) - it’s rather a restaurant with live music than a club.

Fans of jazz and blues music come here, because Igor Butman’s Big Band gig here every Monday. Rather popular bands gig here on weekends.

Live jazz, blues, rock-n-roll.
Available for banquets.
Igor Butman's big band on Mondays.
Acustic blues jems on Sundays.
Club day on Tuesdays: a 50% discount upon the menu for club members.

Igor Butman Big Band;
Nick Arutyunov (vocal) and "Funky Soul" orchestra;
Alexey Kozlov (saxophone) and "New Arsenal" band etc.

Dress Code: The concerts start at 20.30

The following garments, styles or dress are not permitted:
sportswear,
trainers or "aggressive" shoes,
cups and hats.
Administration of the club has the right not to let in without explaining the reason.

You can feel safe there.

This is a quiet bar in the centre with the most unexpected decor of anywhere I've seen in Moscow. At the beginning of the last century a cabaret bar called Maksim was situated in this spot and the current bar is named after a promoter who worked there and who, after the closure of Maksim, opened his own cabaret there.

The bar itself is large with plenty of seating (spinning blue plastic ones or velvet whore's boudoir crushed velvet enclaves) and good service. It used to be open until 5 am at the weekends, but on a recent visit, they closed at midnight (probably for economic reasons - it's never very busy).

This is a great place for a quiet drink and it's always fun to send your friends all unsuspecting to the toilets (once you've got the hang of of how they work that is!). One of my friends never did work out that there were doors to close there! The main downside to this place is how quiet it is. Last time I visited, there were only two other tables apart from ours. However, I guess this does mean that you can always guarantee that there will be space at the weekends.

As for prices, it's not expensive, but you can find cheaper places.

Dress Code: No dress code

Gogol is a popular spot for students and foreigners in Moscow. It is very cheap - glass of wine about 100r - and has live music Thursday - Saturday (although, to be honest, in my opinion, the bands they have are not that great) in a huge (heated) semi-permanent structure which resembles a circus tent. After the band finishes, the place turns into a disco with cheesy music which lasts till 6 or 7 am. In summer, it has a busy and pleasant summer terrace in the courtyard at the back. There is also an inside area if the live music and the summer terrace are not your thing. The food is as cheap as the drink, although, as you would expect, not fantastic. I do like the salmon shashlik however, and the potato wedges are also good. The chicken in mint sauce is interesting enough for me to have ordered it more than once.

If you want seats in the club part at the weekend, it's wise to book as it get very busy.

If you want a cheap and fun night out, this is a great choice. Just make sure your standards are student-level.

Dress Code: No dress code.

This is a 24-hour bar right in the centre of Moscow. Service is quite good and the barmen have some nifty moves when making cocktails, however, the food is not more than average. On the plus side, the prices are also not more than average for this type of bar in Moscow - about 250 + roubles for a cocktail. The main reason we find ourselves going back to this place time and time again is that you can usually get a table without booking (a rarity in central Moscow), it's not expensive and it is 24 hours. If you're looking for somewhere memorable or individual, this is not the place, however, if you want an easy and reliable option, this is it.

Dress Code: Casual, no face control

When the bars start kicking out or if no-one wants to spring for a club the preferred nighttime activity is to have a house party. This is possible because every residential neighbourhood is full of kiosks where one can purchase alcohol at any tiem of night. The traditional pre party order being about 8 beers and litre of Putinka , although don't forget mixers as there probably won't be much in the way of Zakushki. At a party you should always take your shoes off - especially in winter and smoking indoors is compulsary so any smoke wafters out there best stay away. As far as the neighbours go normally drunken behaviour is fine - it is Russia although the ever present miserable old people will call the Militsia which provides every party with a natural cut off point. This is good because around 4 in the morning people start crying and telling each other their problems and Russian guests will start telling you why the west is ne - kulturny.

Dress Code: Take your shoes off - leave your coat in the massive pile and put your gloves hat and scarf up one sleeve so they don't get lost

Once you get into Moscow, one of the first things you will do is ask about places to go at night, where you can dance, eat and have a great time. Many will suggest the Che Guevara, but be careful, stay away from it !!!. Che Guevara is an unexpensive bar, located near Red Square, but is far from a nice place, small, dirty, managed by very unfriendly people, it is probably one of the worst rat holes I have been in Moscow. It is usually crowded on weekends, since it can be filled up with not much people, the entrance is free and the food is not expensive (even though their cook is probably also the DJ or the security manager, their quality is very very low). If your plan is to get a sight of Drunk russians, in an ugly and dirty place, then maybe consider going tho this place, if your plan is to have a good time, meet people, and enjoy a night in Moscow, stay away from it.

Dress Code: Any

We were taken to Kontravas, a supposed student hang-on, by a PhD student that we met at our conference in Moscow. We weren't sure what to expect (in part because of the confusing description given to us by our friend), but it definitely did not disappoint. The club is completely done up to be a sort of throw-back to the heyday of Moscow nightlife in the 1920's. A jazz band plays throughout the night, and otherwise there are a series of old films (all Soviet of course) from the 1920s. As one of the few countries were you are actually encouraged to smoke indoors, Russia is probably one of the few places where a place like this can be as authentic as possible (minus the cell phones). Patrons sit around huge tables (so don't come here in ones or twos) and copious amounts of beer and vodka are consumed. You can also order a nargile (water pipe) - we did, and it most definitely adds to the hedonism of the place.

Dress Code: No real dress code, but Muscovites like to look nice when they go out (i.e. groom yourself)