Bars � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �

Become a Happy Hour hero at The Clash (p.81).

In Warsaw you are never far from a great night out, and this section highlights some of our favourite venues� As it’s a large city, there are several key nightlife areas: Warsaw’s artsy, alternative crowd prefer the down-at-heel bars across the river in Stara Praga (H/I-4) and the fashionable Saska Kępa (L-7), while young trendsetters head to Powiśle (p�40)� Lads stick to the party strip on ul. Mazowiecka (F-6/7) and skint travellers and students enjoy the vibe of the dive bars in The Pavilions (ul� Nowy Świat 26, G-7)� In practice, many bars will stay open beyond the call of duty if business is good, but by the same benchmark will happily bolt the doors early if not�

Symbol Key

6 Animal friendly N Credit cards not accepted E Live music U Facilities for the disabled o Year-round Garden X Smoking room available AURA Bar

Cocktail Bar Chances are you wouldn’t find this place on your own, which is why you should seek it out! Though hardly bigger than a bedroom, the locals are eager to squeeze into this corner bar located in a lovely pre-war residential building� With high ceilings and a beautiful design of oriental patterns, warm lighting and brass fixtures, Aura has a real glow to it and a friendly neighbourhood vibe� What sets it apart however, is the huge selection of bourbons� This is the kind of place where the drinks come in tumblers and the seasonal cocktails are as delicious as the atmosphere� If an Old-Fashioned is your go-to bar order, this is your go-to bar, where they serve 8 unique varieties of the classic drink� Refreshingly relaxed, but clearly refined, great things come in small packages� QG-9, ul. Hoża 27, MCentrum, tel. (+48) 791 88 81 98. Open 17:00-01:00; Fri 18:00-03:00; Sat 18:00-02:00. o6

Cocktail Bar Stroll down ul� Koszykowa, just off from Plac Konstytucji, and at no� 53 on your left, head down to the end of the lane which looks more like a residential car park� Keep hugging the right-hand side, walking past a few restaurants, and voilà, you’ll reach the Back Room Bar - an appropriate name indicating how well hidden it is! It would be a shame to miss this place, as inside, the mix of American 1930s bar and inter-war Varsovian lifestyle is strong; all with a heady art deco atmosphere� To top off the atmospehere, they have live music every Thu & Fri from 20:30� The cocktails the friendly dressed-for-the-part staff make are great, the setting perfect for a private drink, or a mingling session with friends� No harm in trying it out, huh?QG-10, ul. Koszykowa 49A, MPolitechnika, tel. (+48) 794 49 56 59, www.backroom.bar. Open 19:00-24:00; Fri, Sat 19:0002:00; closed Mon, Sun. E

Charlie

Cocktail Bar Billing itself as a venue where elegance meets comfort, this lounge bar feels like the type of place your classy ole pal Charlie himself would invite you into� If you don’t know anyone called Charlie, then let this venue be the substitute to fill that void! Found on the likewise elegant ul. Mokotowska, one of our favourite areas of Warsaw, just off the beaten track, come here to check out a wide selection of cocktails, all in the pleasantly dark and moody atmosphere� Their calendar of events, hosting live acts, jazz music, a Saturday DJ and various parties are legendary�QG-10, ul. Mokotowska 39, MPolitechnika, tel. (+48) 739 09 75 14, www.charliebar.pl. Open 19:00-01:00; Fri 17:0002:00; Sat 19:00-02:00; closed Mon, Sun. XE

Jabeerwocky

Craft Beer ‘Beware the Jabeerwock’ - wait, this one’s not a fictitious monster, but a bare-brick dive bar inside a residential building, right in the city centre� And one well worth checking out, with 17 taps offering some fine craft beers, whiskey, bourbon and some basica snacks� A great place to kick back with friends for some good chat, and if you’re desperate to watch some sports, they have a large projector screen and TV for you to stare at if the chat’s not good enough� A separate room is available to book for private parties, which can hold up to 35 people�QG-8, ul. Nowogrodzka 12, MCentrum, tel. (+48) 22 254 31 07, www.jabeerwocky.pl. Open 14:00-24:00; Wed, Thu 14:00-01:00; Fri, Sat 14:00-02:00; Sun 15:00-24:00. 6

Pucker up at El Koktel (p�81)�

Kita Koguta

Cocktail Bar Even with the myriad of trendy drink bars around town it’s still a bit of a rarity to stumble upon a place where the staff seem permanently smiley, jolly and on the point of being certified - this is such a place� Two levels of surprisingly unpretentious cocktail showmanship and DJ danceparty mayhem, fuelled by the weird and wonderful auteur alcoholic concoctions on their regularly changing menu� If you’re feeling fussy or just want to chat up the willing staff, challenge them to come up with a custom drink based on your tastes and preferences� Great atmosphere, great drinks� To keep up to date with events they may host, check out their Facebook page� QG-9, ul. Krucza 6/14, MPolitechnika, tel. (+48) 512 30 72 84, www.kitakoguta.pl/. Open 18:00-24:00; Fri, Sat 18:00-02:00; closed Mon, Tue.

Cocktail Bar Right on the Royal Route, Swing is one of the capital’s most sophisticated and upscale destinations for dining, drinks and, yep, swinging cocktail parties� The elegance exuded by day is nicely offset by the creativity of the Asianfusion cuisine and the relaxed atmosphere created by the staff and clientele, particularly in the evenings, which belies all the finery� The cocktails are excellent, and they have an ample offering of wine and champagne to enhance the mood when local musicians bring the energy during retro swing concerts on Fri & Sat nights after 19:00� It don’t mean a thing, if it ain’t got that Swing�QG-7, ul. Chmielna 2, MNowy Świat-Uniwersytet, tel. (+48) 667 98 88 88, www.swingrestauracja.pl. Open 12:00-24:00. E6

The Alchemist Grill & Cocktail

Cocktail Bar Patenting the ‘future of drinking’ themselves, The Alchemist’s ‘Beer Wall’ was the first of its kind in Europe� With a handy ‘Beer Wall’ card, you can pour yourself as many drinks as you like from the 8 taps on the wall, typically offering local craft beer, cider and prosecco� Futuristic guzzling gizmos aside, however, the signature cocktails that shimmer, swirl and smoke are where the Alchemist earns its name, and their award-winning food (Gault & Millau 2020) makes this venue a must-visit� On the menu are delicious burgers, steaks and innovative interpretations of American and British classics� QF-5, Plac Piłsudskiego 3, MRatusz Arsenał, tel. (+48) 22 628 00 23, www.thealchemist.pl. Open 12:00-23:00; Fri, Sat 12:00-00:00. TU6

The Legendary Jack’s Cinema Restaurant & Bar

Cocktail Bar Bottles at the bar, bottles on the ceilings, and why not, considering your signature alcoholic drink is one of the world’s most recognisable brands? Not just a bar, this spot does some great American style grub, from burgers, steaks and BBQ ribs to fried chicken� What’s more, the quirk of this place is the cinema screen round back, great for films, live screenings of sports events or as a space for live music and other events� Come here for a drink, food, and definitely check out their events calendar on Facebook�QG-8, ul. Bracka 18, MCentrum, tel. (+48) 22 400 28 23, www.jackscinema.pl. Open 12:00-01:00; Sun 12:00-24:00. TUE6

Weles Bar

Cocktail Bar Walk casually past and you risk missing this hidden cocktail bar, whose very discreet entrance can be found in the back corner of an unassuming alleyway� Why, it’s almost as if they were trying to hide something���� Don’t worry, though, there aren’t any prohibition-fab pseudo-speakeasy shenanigans at play here� Instead, walking through the big metal door takes you on a trip down into the underworld� Not literally, thankfully, but physically and figuratively, as you descend into the mysterious and hedonistic domain of Weles - Slavic god of the underworld, and pagan patron of magic, music and prosperity� The vibe is quite alternative for a bar where most of the patrons are drinking fancy cocktails, and a scan of the room reveals a lot of black outfits, inked skin and moody makeup� A trip to the bar, where the staff mix the drinks with a mesmerising alchemic fluidity, is almost akin to initiation into some sacred ritual; we drank deep of Weles’ well and left converted� To say more would simply give away too much - visit on your own accord and accept your initiation�QG-8, ul. Nowogrodzka 11, MCentrum, tel. (+48) 602 77 39 97, www.welesbar.pl. Open 19:00-01:30; closed Mon. E Woda Ognista

Cocktail Bar Before we detail the place, we’ll mention the area - ul. Wilcza, one of many nice streets that can be described as ‘off the beaten track’, hiding some wonderful pre-war architecture you might miss if you don’t stray from Warsaw’s main drag, ul� Marszałkowska� Emitting a nostalgic air of bygone days, Woda Ognista captures and bottles this atmosphere of ‘forgotten Warsaw’, with classy 1920s-30s decor and a primly dressed staff that exude panache� Prepare to be impressed by their seasonal offerings, fantastic Polish-style cocktails and dishes that take you on a journey through Warsaw’s cultural history� Put simply, this is a wonderful place to experience a modern spin on pre-war Varsovian style and we’re sure the likes of Eugeniusz Bodo and Mieczysław Fogg would have approved�QH-9, ul. Wilcza 8, MCentrum, tel. (+48) 22 258 14 41, www.wodaognista.com. Open 17:0024:00; Fri, Sat 17:00-02:00. 6