Pubs in Moscow

Russia’s capital is frustratingly short on traditional pubs and cheap places to drink in general. Indeed, even the few pubs that are scattered around the city are generally not cheap. But there are some places where you can at least find the atmosphere of your local pub back home, Lisya Nora and Silver's are especially recommended. Also, check out Kruzhka, which is the cheapest pub of them all, Russian style.

You may also be interested in our Beer Restaurants section.

 

Lisya Nora (The Fox Hole)
A popular expat hangout, it’s difficult not to like Lisya Nora, otherwise known as the Fox Pub. This German-style establishment has a cozy, bunker-like feel and a generally nice vibe to it. The best part about the pub is the nine beers on tap: five German ones including the delicious Schneider Weisse and the famed Weihenstephan, two Czech brews, Guinness, and Stary Melnik as the poor man’s choice at 60 rubles ($2.10). The imported options are priced as cheaply as you’ll find anywhere in Russia’s capital, costing between 140 and 160 rubles each ($5-$5.70). The food is quite good and the options are numerous, with the sausage selection probably the highlight. Unfortunately, though, food service is very slow. Otherwise Lisya Nora is a great place to come when you’re craving a pub in this city of fancy, overpriced bars.
Address: Daev Pereulok, #2, metro Sukharevskaya. View Map Tel: 207-0498. Open 11:00-0:00.

Big Pig Pub
Quite a nice place with reasonably cheap beer and a great location right next to Kitai-Gorod metro. The local favorite - Stary Melnik is on tap for 90 rubles ($3.20), the house beer costs 120 rubles ($4.30) and the imported beers are around 180 rubles ($6.40). Between midnight and 6am all hard liquor is 2-for-1. The Big Pig serves standard pub grub but it’s all overpriced and fairly uninspiring. The pub has bad live music about four nights a week which is best to avoid because they’ll hit you up for 99 rubles ($3.50) for the torture of listening to it. The rest of the time you can watch music videos, fashion TV, sport or movies on the large screens around the joint. Service is generally unfriendly but the beers arrive promptly so it’s not such a big deal. In general the Big Pig is one of the better pubs around.
Address: Maroseika Ulitsa, #3/13, metro Kitai-Gorod. Tel: 624-0104, Website: www.bigpigpub.ru. Open 24 hours.

 

John Bull Pub
Well, it certainly does look like an English-style pub so it’s not a bad option for anyone with a serious case of homesickness. It is a bad option for anyone on a budget with the cheapest beers costing a whopping 195 rubles ($7) per 500mL. You might be persuaded to pay that much in the center of London but in Moscow it verges on the ridiculous. The food is similarly overpriced and not especially good. On the bright side there is a fine selection of English ales and lagers which can be hard to find in Moscow. And the interior is impressive, with the pub decked out stylishly in dark wood and set on two levels. The coat check guy dressed in a Union Jack shirt might send you into fits of laughter.
Address: Karmanitsky Pereulok, #9, metro Smolenskaya (just outside the exit). Tel: 241-0644. Open Sun-Thur: 12:00-0:00, Fri-Sat: 12:00-2:00.
Krasnaya Presnya Ulitsa, #25, Bldg. 1, metro Ulitsa 1905 Goda. Tel: 252-5540. Open Sun-Thur: 12:00-0:00, Fri-Sat: 12:00-2:00.


Kruzhka.
It would be easy to snub Kruzhka with its sardine-tin, noisy atmosphere and poor food. But, it is just too cheap to pass up. This is a good place to get in a few cheap drinks before heading on to a club. The house beer “Kruzhka” is only 40

rubles ($1.40) per 500mL and doesn’t taste too bad. At least it’s better than the next cheapest option, Sibirskaya Korona. The food isn’t great but the servings are usually too big to finish and their shaurma are decent. For an average of 100 rubles ($4) per meal you can’t expect much. There are many locations throughout the city. Common features are large screens showing sport and all of them are so crowded and loud that it can be difficult to have a conversation. This is a great place to get drunk and have a snack cheaply, and not much else. It may sound ridiculous, but it can get so crowded on weekends that you may need to reserve a table…
Address: Arbat Ulitsa, #31, metro Arbatskaya. Tel: (495) 241-0886, Website: www.kruzhka.ru. Open Sun-Thur: 12:00-0:00, Fri-Sat: 12:00-4:00.
Myasnitskaya Ulitsa, #32/1, Bldg. 1, metro Chistiye Prudy. Tel: 363-2404. Open Sun-Thur: 12:00-0:00, Fri-Sat: 12:00-4:00.
Almost fifteen other locations in Moscow. For other addresses see: http://www.kruzhka.ru/adress/

Silver’s
Along with the Boarhouse this is probably the place in Moscow where you’ll hear the most English being spoken. Silver’s is good place to network and meet other foreigners and also a good place to have a feed and get drunk. The Irish pub has Baltika on tap as the budget option as well as the cheapest Guinness going. The food here is also a good option, especially the breakfasts and business lunches which consist of traditional Irish cuisine. With such a prime location and friendly clientele it’s difficult not to become a regular after your first visit. Silver’s was even given a thumbs up by Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern when he dropped by during a visit to Moscow. The photo is on the wall to prove it along with all sorts of other standard pub paraphernalia.
Address: Tverskaya Ulitsa, #5/6 (entry from Nikitsky Pereulok), metro Okhotny Ryad. View Map Tel: 290-4222. Open Sun-Thurs: 8:00-0:00, Fri-Sat: 10:00-4:00.

The Albion
Another expat favorite, the adjoining Phlegmatic Dog internet cafe might be gone but the pub remains. But since changing management in March 2006 it’s uncertain if its former popularity will remain.
Address: Manezhnaya Ploshchad, #2 (in the Okhotny Ryad shopping center, Aleksandrovsky Sad entrance), metro Aleksandrovsky Sad. Tel: 995-9495. Open Mon-Thur: 11:00-1:00, Fri-Sun: 11:00-4:00.
 
 
Churchill Pub
A traditional English pub with eleven beers on tap and serving European food. It’s not really central, but Aeroport area is where most expats rent their flats, and it is a nice place to go if you live in the area. Otherwise it’s not really worth the journey.
Address: Leningradsky Prospekt, #66, metro Aeroport. Tel: 151-6710. Open 12:00-last customer.


Molly Gwynn’s
Managed by the same people behind the John Bull Pub and basically the same except this one has a more Irish orientation and the interior isn’t quite as classy. Prices are still inflated.
Address: Novy Arbat, #24, Bldg. 2, metro Smolenskaya. Tel: 290-3317. Open Sun-Thur: 12:00-0:00, Fri-Sat: 12:00-2:00.
Pyatnitskaya Ulitsa, #24, metro Novokuznetskaya. Tel: 959-5852. Open same as above.
Krasnaya Presnya Ulitsa, #1, Bldg. 5, metro Krasnopresnenskaya. Tel: 252-2459. Open same as above.

Rosie O’Grady’s
A long-standing Irish pub, Rosie O’Grady’s opened back in 1993. Has both an extensive bar menu and a mixed European food menu. Most of their beers are expensive but there are a couple of cheap options.
Address: Znamenka Ulitsa, #9/12, Bldg. 1, metro Borovitskaya. Tel: 203-3822, Website: www.rosie.ru. Open 12:00-morning.

Sally O’Brien’s
Another Irish pub. Has quite an impressive interior but otherwise there isn’t anything special about it. Quite expensive.
Address: Bolshaya Polyanka Ulitsa, #1/3, metro Polyanka. Tel: 959-0182. Open 12:00-0:00.

Shamrock
Moscow’s first Irish pub founded way back in 1991 and one of the best bets. Good Irish food, nice atmosphere and the beer isn’t all that pricey.
Address: Novy Arbat, #11, metro Arbatskaya. Tel: 291-7681. Open 11:00-0:00.