Setting the Bar for Nightlife

Kyiv: everyone’s favourite city to party in. Could it be the speakeasy cocktail bars, interesting locations, or never-ending club hours? Only you can be the judge. With so much variety in the capital of Ukraine, every weekend is a new experience

Keep it classy

Kyiv is home to a variety of unique cocktail bars. Set foot in any one of them and an enthusiastic bartender will shake up your drink with passion. These bars make for a great place to meet with friends to enjoy a laid-back evening or to just get it started. Find something fresh on the menu that tickles your fancy or stick to what you know and order a well-made classic. Don’t skip over the food either: these places have deliciously hand-crafted items that pair well with any choice of poison. Checking out a new bar can be a fun weekend adventure: Loggerhead, the most recent cocktail bar I visited, greets its guests in a courtyard with an unlabelled steel door. One must pull the lever beside the door in order to request entrance. Are you worthy?

Clubbing in the Capital

What’s On, Facebook, and word of mouth are great ways to find out about clubs and events in the city. Find a recent issue of yours truly to start. Or, ask around and you will get peoples’ honest opinions about what they think is best. Of course, Facebook is a great place to find detailed information about events hosted by clubs. Check out reviews, what type of music you will find there, prices, and more. If you’re searching for a certain genre of music, you’ll be sure to find it in this city.

For instance, Closer is a local and international techno hotspot, and Latin music makes its appearance at places like Habana.  For less main-stream genres, some clubs off the beaten path are likely to be the hosts, like Volume Club. Be aware that with a variety of venues, music, and atmosphere, there’s also a variety in entrance checks. Situations can vary from being asked “How old are you?” to full-on ID checks and face control, as well as entrance fees.

No Rest for the Wicked

With tourism season coming into full swing, you’re never far-off from a good time on Khreschatyk. You can be sure that the cider at Bilyy Nalyv never runs dry (and that the line never gets shorter, either). Round up your mates – or head out solo – and enjoy the endless options of bars, restaurants, and late working hours (most night clubs work until 06.00). If you want to see something new, head over to Lift, Ukraine’s only gay bar. Every weekend at 02.00 Kyiv’s drag queens grace the main stage with confidence and charisma.

Notable places:

Logger Head
Taras Shevchenko Blvd 1

Parovoz
V Vasylkivska 19

Lift
V Vasylkivska 72A

River Port
Nyzhnii Val 67

Volume Club
Harmatna 26/2