Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Metro¨ BAR
(Map p234; Chuy 168A; beer from 105som;
h 10.30am-last customer) Shoehorned into
the column-filled foyer of a once-grand So-
viet era theatre, this off-beat boozer might
feel like post-Vietnam War Bangkok were
it not that the clientele (predominantly sin-
gle, male, Western) are actually glued to the
sports blaring on TV.
Steinbräu¨ BEER HALL
( % 43 21 44; gertse 5; mains 250-750som, sausages
200som, draught beer 65-132som) The setting
sun pouring through an upper window illu-
minates a Kyrgyz yurt-crown draped in hops
in this spacious two-level beerhall. The bar is
built around a gleaming copper brew-vessel
whose excellent micro-brewed beers are the
main draw. There's a full menu of German
and European meals, or seven types of sau-
sages to snack on. It's hidden amid ageing
apartments at the east end of Bokonbayev.
Dragon's¨Den¨ CAFE-BAR
(Map p234; Frunze 557; beer 70-110som; h 9.45am-
10pm) Friendly pub-cafe with excellent,
inexpensive Svejak beer on tap and a well-
considered menu (mains 100som to
350som), including full English breakfasts
and a couple of vegetarian choices. The Brit-
ish owner has many a tale to tell. Handy for
hotels Grand and Rich.
Promzona¨ LIVE MUSIC, NIgHTCLUB
( % 90 02 44; www.promzona.kg; Cholpon-Atinskaya
16; h 8pm-5am) High-quality live bands and
dancing without the strict dress codes of the
more central clubs. A taxi from town costs
around 200som.
Fatboys¨ PUB
(Map p234; Chuy 104; mains 190-300som; h 8am-
10pm Sun-Thu, 8am-midnight Fri-Sat) With more
character than most central pubs, Fatboys'
location makes it a good meeting place and
there's a local cider on tap.
12¨Bar¨ NIgHTCLUB, BAR
(Map p234; Moskva 118, 12th fl; cover varies, Mon
free, beer from 200som; h 6pm-6am) Atop a
downtown high-rise, this self-consciously ex-
clusive bar/nightclub has panoramic views
from comfortable sofa-seating where suave
guests smoke shishas and sip well-mixed
cocktails. Upstairs the small outdoor terrace
features silver decapitated mannequins and
there's a handkerchief of dancefloor (active
weekend nights, very late). Smart dress code.
Snail¨ BEER TERRACE
(Map p234; beer 65som; h 10am-11pm Apr-Oct
weather permitting) Unpretentious open-air
pavilions tucked behind the Opera. Good for
pints of cheap beer on warm summer eve-
nings, not so good for food.
Retro¨Metro¨ NIgHTCLUB
(Map p240; www.retro-metro.kg/; Mira 24; cover
300som) Mid-market club with predomi-
nantly 1980s music, occasional live bands
and a series of curious theme evenings (Add-
ams Family, Theatre Night etc).
Telegraph¨ COCKTAIL BAR
(Map p234; www.telegraph.kg; Chuy 227; beer
from 100som, cocktails from 220som, mains 470-
860som; h 11am-2am, kitchen til midnight; W )
Long, poised bar-restaurant whose recti-
linear, semi-minimalist style seems to have
been designed to host a fashion show.
Schwarzwald¨Baeckerei¨ CAFE
(Map p234; www.schwarzwald-baeckerei.kg; Tok-
togul 165; coffee/beer 40/53som; h 8am-8pm
or later) Cheap Senseo coffee and six types
of draft beer are served at this sweetly un-
sophisticated two-table bar-cafe and mini
bakery.
3 ¨Entertainment
State¨Opera¨&¨Ballet¨Theatre¨ THEATRE
(Map p234; % 66 15 48; Soviet (Abdrakhmanov)
167) Classical and local productions are
staged in this elegant building, usually
starting at 5pm Friday to Sunday, autumn
to spring. Check the billboards outside for
upcoming shows. Same-day tickets are of-
ten available.
Philharmonia¨ CONCERT HALL
(Map p234; % 21 22 35; Chuy 210) Features West-
ern and Kyrgyz orchestral works and the oc-
casional Kyrgyz song-and-dance troupe. The
kassa (ticket office) is on the west side.
Circus¨ CIRCUS
(Map p234; circus.312.kg; Frunze; tickets 500-
800som) Shows, in what looks like a 1950s
UFO, can be very impressive.
State¨Academic¨¨
Drama¨Theatre¨ THEATRE
(Map p234; % 66 58 02; Panfilov 273) On the east
side of Panfilov Park, this is the place for
popular Kyrgyz-language works, more often
than not written by Chinghiz Aitmatov, Kyr-
gyzstan's premier man of words.
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