6
nightlife
T H E B A LT I C G U I D E ™ J U N E 2 0 1 5
Radisson Sky Bar
Tallinn Nightlife A few more suggestions for evening (or early morning) entertainment:
A LOCAL NIGHT OUT Shvips Telliskivi 51i, Tallinn A1
This bar opened in January, with a retro feel reminiscent of the 1970s, and perfectly in keeping with the hipster vibe of the rejuvenated Kalamaja district in which it lies. The first thing that catches your eye is the classic sign, making Shvips feel like the kind of place David Bailey would enjoy, if he had taken one of the rare flights from the UK to Tallinn during his heyday. The feel inside is cosy, if a bit dark, with wood panelling the design language and long dark leather benches on which to recline as the night draws on. Service is bright and perky - the bar’s owners work inside there day-to-day, and you can tell that they invest a lot of thought into how customers perceive the place at first. They’ll advise you on wine from a point of view of real knowledge, and they’ll provide you with tasty snacks if wished. If you want to compare Shvips to somewhere, its closest analogue is probably Frank, the equally welcoming, cosy and period-fixated Parisien hideout on Sauna street in the Old Town. Both of these places are worth visiting and comparing.
Gay
Clayhills
G-punkt
Pikk 13, Tallinn Old Town H1.
Pärnu mnt 23, Tallinn
Drink Baar
X-baar
Väike-Karja 8, Tallinn Old Town I2.
Tatari 1, Tallinn B2.
Hell Hunt Pikk 39, Tallinn Old Town G2.
Karaoke
Mad Murphy’s
Gelsomino Karaoke
Mündi 2, Tallinn Old Town H2.
Lai 2, Tallinn Old Town G1.
Nimeta Baar
Koskenkorva Karaoke Bar
Suur-Karja 4, Tallinn Old Town I2.
Roseni 13, Tallinn A2.
Protest
Laif Restoran & Karaoke Club
Mere pst 6a, Tallinn A2.
Lai 5, Tallinn Old Town G1
Põrgu
Nightclubs
Rüütli 4, Tallinn Old Town I1.
So, Vaba Lava is an Shvips ”it’ll-do” theatre, with architecture befitting a provincial playhouse in Leicester or Milton Keynes, not a modern European capital’s landmark. However this well-appointed facility has a saving grace, and it’s named after one of the most original and inventive minds in cinema. Foody Allen is that place. It’s so good, you wonder how the linear and unimaginative minds behind Vaba Lave thought about putting this purveyor of tasty street food and fine German white beer inside the foyer. But they have - and they have, as a result, created the world’s first theatre-foyer bar and cafe that one
The Highlander Kuninga 1, Tallinn Old Town H2.
Butterfly Lounge Vana-Viru 13 / Aia 4, Tallinn Old Town H3.
Café Amigo
Cigar Lounges
Viru väljak 4, Tallinn B2.
Chicago 1933
Club Baila
Aia 3, Tallinn Old Town H3.
Sauna 1, Tallinn Old Town I2.
La Casa del Habano
Club Hollywood
Dunkri 2, Tallinn Old Town H1.
Vana-Posti 8, Tallinn Old Town I2.
Sigari Maja
Club Privé
Raekoja plats 16, Tallinn Old Town H2.
Estonian
would visit in spite of the theatre, not because of it. Open until late and serving food that generally doesn’t hit you hard in the pocket, including salads for the
Harju 6, Tallinn Old Town I1.
Club Studio Sauna 1, Tallinn Old Town I2.
Karja Kelder
Loung Club Violet
Väike-Karja 1, Tallinn Old Town I2.
Roseni 9, Tallinn A2.
Kochi Ait Tavern
Teater
Lootsi 10, Tallinn A3.
Vabaduse väljak 5, Tallinn Old Town J1.
Kolmas Draakon
Vabank
Raekoja plats 1, Tallinn Old Town H2.
Harju 13, Tallinn Old Town J1.
Seiklusjutte Maalt ja Merelt
Venus
Tartu mnt 44, Tallinn B3.
Vana-Viru 14, Tallinn Old Town H3.
Valli Baar
Late Night Dining
Müürivahe 14, Tallinn Old Town H3. Photo: Shvips
T
his month, we take a look at three places you should visit if you like chilling with a glass of wine, and then one final place that you must see if you want to cut some rug, and get a true idea of the real Estonia.
Bars & Pubs
Live Music
Istanbul Kebab Estonia pst 7, Tallinn B2.
Café Amigo
Loca
Viru väljak 4, Tallinn B2.
Tatari 1, Tallinn B2.
Chicago 1933
Söögiplats
Aia 3, Tallinn Old Town H3.
Tatari 1, Tallinn B2.
Clazz
Taco Express
Vana turg 2, Tallinn Old Town H2.
Suur-Karja 18, Tallinn Old Town I2.
NYC Piano Bar Vana-Posti 8, Tallinn Old Town I2.
Rock Café Tartu mnt 80D, Tallinn C4.
Tapper Pärnu mnt 158g, Tallinn
health-conscious and meat dishes for the rest of us, Foody Allen is a joy, and well worth making part of your evening out, whether you go to a performance or not.
Foody Allen Vaba Lava, Telliskivi 60a, Tallinn A1
Radisson Blu Sky Bar
Vaba Lava is talked-up as the crowning achievement of a new, thrusting Tallinn, a theatre for the 21st Century with versatility to boot. Although the seating can be moved around impressively within the auditorium, the new performance venue suffers the same fate as the Nordea Concert Hall: given the typical Estonian tendency not to be overly-enthusiastic, the venue needs to assist in generating that atmosphere through its layout. It is debatable how well Vaba Lava does this.
Rävala Puiestee 3, Tallinn B2
You might already have been told about the bar up on the top floor in Riga, Latvia’s capital. You might have gone up there, marvelled at the panoramic views, but been disappointed that you were hemmedin by glass, with no possibility of going outside and feeling the sun and the sky against your face. Tallinn, as in so many other ways, is different and better than Riga. When you go up to floor 24 of the Radisson, you’ll be greeted by a typical, low-lit, piano bar, but
also a fine selection of gourmet food for all palates (provided you have a few euros to spend), and, out of the door, a truly uninhibited view of Tallinn, as it is, the Baltic wind wreaking havoc on your delicate coiffure. Though the Radisson Blu Sky Bar is not for every pocket, if you only want to stand and admire the view, order a glass of wine from the wide selection on offer, and watch the world go by from up on the roof. There’s surely no finer way to spend the white nights. ■
✎ Stuart Garlick is a journalist and English language teacher based in Tallinn. Since 2012, his blog, Charm Offensive, has covered food, music and fashion in Estonia.