10
nightlife
T H E B A LT I C G U I D E ™ O C TO B E R 2 0 1 5
Kolm Lõvi
Tallinn Nightlife A few more suggestions for evening (or early morning) entertainment:
Bars & Pubs Clayhills Pikk 13, Tallinn Old Town H1.
Drink Baar Väike-Karja 8, Tallinn Old Town I2.
Hell Hunt Pikk 39, Tallinn Old Town G2.
Mad Murphy’s Mündi 2, Tallinn Old Town H2.
WHERE THE TOURISTS DON’T GO
Pärnu mnt 158g, Tallinn
Cubanita Live Cafe Narva mnt. 5, Tallinn A2.
Gay G-punkt Pärnu mnt 23, Tallinn
X-baar Tatari 1, Tallinn B2.
Nimeta Baar Suur-Karja 4, Tallinn Old Town I2.
Karaoke
Protest
Gelsomino Karaoke
Mere pst 6a, Tallinn A2.
Lai 2, Tallinn Old Town G1.
Põrgu
Koskenkorva Karaoke Bar
Rüütli 4, Tallinn Old Town I1.
Roseni 13, Tallinn A2.
The Highlander
Laif Restoran & Karaoke Club
Kuninga 1, Tallinn Old Town H2.
Lai 5, Tallinn Old Town G1
Cigar Lounges
Nightclubs
his month, we think you need to take a look at the bars where foreigners don’t go in such great numbers, because it is there that you find the real Estonia, and see, for affordable prices, how the locals socialise. All of these diverse watering-holes are guaranteed to entertain and enlighten you. Let’s take a look at the unexplored side of Tallinn.
Chicago 1933
Butterfly Lounge
Aia 3, Tallinn Old Town H3.
Vana-Viru 13 / Aia 4, Tallinn Old Town H3.
La Casa del Habano
Café Amigo
Dunkri 2, Tallinn Old Town H1.
Viru väljak 4, Tallinn B2.
Sigari Maja
Club Baila
Põrgu
Raekoja plats 16, Tallinn Old Town H2.
Sauna 1, Tallinn Old Town I2.
Rüütli 4, Tallinn Old Town I1
Estonian
Club Hollywood
Põrgu means purgatory, but don’t be put off; it’s much closer to heaven than hell. It’s a secluded bar set into what looks like a trading house in the Old Town. It’s hard to find, but once you get there, you’re in for a treat. The cavernous bar, which is accessible through an old wooden door and up a flight of stairs, allows you to drink with your friends while feeling a part of the history of Tallinn. Nestling in quiet Rüütli street, this is a bar which only knowledgeable people frequent - and that’s where you come in. The drinks offered include a generous number of Estonian and international beers, while also having a menu full of traditional treats, alongside some international flavours such as the cheesy, breaded jalapeno peppers! The atmosphere, in spite of its location, is always lively, and Põrgu is an excellent place to start a night out, especially if you want to experience the real Estonia. Põrgu comes recommended for its easy charm, its unfussy inter-
Karja Kelder
Club Privé
T
Põrgu
Väike-Karja 1, Tallinn Old Town I2.
Kochi Ait Tavern Lootsi 10, Tallinn A3.
ior, and the feeling you get of the place being your own little secret. The lack of a reliable phone signal when you’re under all that stone is also a hidden advantage; it means that you will find it much easier to make conversation with the person you came in with.
Karja Kelder Vaike-Karja 1, Tallinn Old Town I2
For a similar experience to Põrgu, but situated in a more central spot, Karja Kelder is a great option. All the beers you could have hoped for are there, but there is, in my opinion, a slightly better food menu at this bar. Alongside the occasional
western option are a series of tasty Estonian treats that should fill you up without leaving a hole burning in your pocket. Located down, rather than up, a series of stone steps, Karja Kelder also gives an otherworldly feel, as if you have travelled back in time - an illusion only broken by the music playing in the bar, and the regularly-used betting machine by the door. However, distractions are limited, and this is a fine bar for spending time chatting, with the acoustics excellent in every part of the room. The clientele, due to Karja Kelder’s location close to the usual tourist trap of Nimeta and Shooters, is more mixed than in Põrgu, with foreigners and Estonians sharing the space on most nights. You can be sure that you’ll be more than welcome here, and you’ll want to stay once you arrive.
Kolm Lõvi Kopli 14, Tallinn A1
From quiet, considered, Estonian bars, to the place where the strange magic happens. When you step into Kolm Lõvi, it’s like the
Vana-Posti 8, Tallinn Old Town I2. Harju 6, Tallinn Old Town I1.
Club Studio Sauna 1, Tallinn Old Town I2.
Kolmas Draakon
Loung Club Violet
Raekoja plats 1, Tallinn Old Town H2.
Roseni 9, Tallinn A2.
Seiklusjutte Maalt ja Merelt
Teater
Tartu mnt 44, Tallinn B3.
Vabaduse väljak 5, Tallinn Old Town J1.
Valli Baar
Vabank
Müürivahe 14, Tallinn Old Town H3.
Harju 13, Tallinn Old Town J1.
Live Music
Venus
Café Amigo
Karja Kelder
Photo: Stina Kase
Tapper
Vana-Viru 14, Tallinn Old Town H3.
Viru väljak 4, Tallinn B2.
Late Night Dining
Chicago 1933
Istanbul Kebab
Aia 3, Tallinn Old Town H3.
Estonia pst 7, Tallinn B2.
Clazz
Loca
Vana turg 2, Tallinn Old Town H2.
Tatari 1, Tallinn B2.
NYC Piano Bar
Söögiplats
Vana-Posti 8, Tallinn Old Town I2.
Tatari 1, Tallinn B2.
Rock Café
Taco Express
Tartu mnt 80D, Tallinn C4.
Suur-Karja 18, Tallinn Old Town I2.
saloon bar in one of those cartoon westerns: it’s as though the air goes still. The music carries on, but everyone in the bar looks round, curious about the new visitor. Kolm Lõvi has gained a degree of notoriety for being the only bar in Tallinn’s Kalamaja district to stay open after 2am. Inside, Russian disco music blares, people enjoy themselves, completely unselfconsciously, and it’s clear there is a great party going on here. Someone asks me, using her eyes only, to vacate my seat, as it is hers. She does this with the withering look of someone who idolises Clint Eastwood’s character in “Gran Torino” and doesn’t like to be messed-with. Meanwhile, several women aged over 40 are pirouetting around a pole that has been
placed, randomly, in the middle of the dancefloor, presumably for the amusement of the regulars. It works. No need for snobbery here - for a smooth, luxury experience, there is always the bar of your hotel, but for a true Tallinn latenight survival epic, head to Kolm Lõvi. You might surprise yourself with what you find there. My advice, though: go with a friend, as the groups of people who frequent Kolm Lõvi tend to know each other very well, and you will wish to share the experience with someone. ■
✎ 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.