New & Featured

SWING Cocktail Bar

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 Asian-fusion 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 Friday and Saturday 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

El Koktel

Cocktail Bar Moody and elegant, this sophisticated cocktail bar serves signature drinks with performative flair. The imaginative menu of classic and modern mixed drinks changes seasonally; during our recent visit the sci-fi/space exploration theme featured delicious drinks with names like ‘Space Oddity,’ ‘Johnny Silverhand’ and ‘Houston, We Had a Problem,’ and the range of unique ingredients included nutella liqueur, agave nectar, bison grass absinthe and pomegranate tincture. These alcohol alchemists even make their own flavoured gin (cleverly named ‘Gin Dobry’), which you simply must sample by ordering a classic G&T. Also on the menu: wine, craft beer, and antipasti boards. Ring the doorbell to be admitted.

QG-7, ul. Wojciecha Górskiego 9, MCentrum, tel. (+48) 507 45 64 47, www.facebook.com/elkoktel. Open 18:00-24:00; Fri, Sat 18:00-01:00; closed Mon, Sun.6

Bars

Magic potions or witch’s brew? Find out at The Alchemist (p.84).

In Warsaw you’re never far from a great night out. As it’s a large city, there are several key nightlife areas: Warsaw’s artsy, alternative crowd prefer the downat-heel bars across the river in Praga (p.46) and the fashionable Saska Kępa (L-7), while young trendsetters head to Powiśle (p.36). Lads stick to the party strip on ul. Mazowiecka (F-6/7), and skint students enjoy the vibe of The Pavilions dive bars (G-7, courtyard of ul. Nowy Świat 26). In practice, many bars will stay open well their hours 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 B Outside Seating 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 goto bar order, this is your go-to bar, where they serve 11 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, Sat 18:0002:00. B6

Back Room Bar

Cocktail Bar Strolling down ul. Koszykowa from Plac Konstytucji, 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 for how well hidden it is! It would be a shame to miss this place, as the Art Deco interior creates some great inter-war vibes and the cocktails mixed by the dressed-for-the-part staff are top-notch. To top off the atmosphere, there’s live music every Thu & Fri from 20:30. The setting perfect for a private drink, or try mingling with the locals. You came all this, after all.QG-10, ul. Koszykowa 49A, MPolitechnika, tel. (+48) 794 49 56 59, www.backroom.bar. Open 19:0024:00; Fri, Sat 19:00-02:00; 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, Sat 19:0003:00; closed Mon, Sun. XE

Clash Bar at NYX Hotel Warsaw

Cocktail Bar Making a hotel more than just a place for its sleepover guests, NYX has created an inviting firstfloor space where urban art and culture collide, and anyone can drop in. With an open floor plan that features traditional dining areas flowing into more casual zones with sofas and armchairs, The Clash’s unique visual aesthetic includes retro and modern furnishings, elegant place settings and gold cutlery, plus edgy photography and street art installations. Dine on a unique fusion of Polish-Israeli cuisine, order a signature cocktail, or challenge their bar staff to make you a custom drink. Take advantage of Happy Hour specials from 17:00-19:00, and don’t be surprised to hear live jazz or a DJ dialling up the vibes (check FB to see what’s on).QE-8, ul. Chmielna 71, MCentrum, tel. (+48) 22 346 29 00, www.leonardo-hotels.com/nyx-hotel-warsaw. Open 14:30-23:00. TUE6

Drugie Dno - Multitap Bar

Craft Beer This is one of our favourite streets in terms of bars. It has quite a few bars dealing in craft and multitap beers, which to us is perfect - long may they keep standards up! Found at the far end of Nowogrodzka (heading east), Drugie Dno has a splendid 15 taps on offer, easily chosen from the board behind the bar. Take your drink and stare at the walls (alone or with someone) and ponder whether the stripped back brick walls were an intentional design choice or merely a compromise due to restricted funds. Regardless, it’s cool, having that post-industrial feel. The food is tops, from burgers, to the neat ‘party boards’ for sharing as you chat. Great place for relaxing and chatting. 2nd location on ul. Tarczyńska 5/9.QG-8, ul. Nowogrodzka 4, MCentrum, www.drugiedno.pl. Open 16:00-23:00; Thu 16:00-24:00; Fri, Sat 16:0002:00; closed Sun. 6

Jabeerwocky

Craft Beer ‘Beware the Jabeerwock, my’ - wait, this one’s not a fictional monster, but a bare-brick multi-tap dive bar inside a fine residential building right in the city centre. Offering 17 taps of terrific craft beer, there’s also a sneaky good whisky/bourbon selection and some basic snacks. A great place to kick back with friends for some good chat, or if you prefer the company of sports, they have a large projector screen and TV for you to yell oaths at. A separate room is available to book out for closed parties, which can hold up to 50 people.QG-8, ul. Nowogrodzka 12, MCentrum, tel. (+48) 22 254 31 07, www.jabeerwocky.pl. Open 14:0024:00; Wed, Thu 14:00-01:00; Fri, Sat 14:00-02:00; Sun 15:00-24:00. 6

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 18:0024:00; Fri, Sat 18:00-02:00; closed Mon, Tue. Myata Lounge

Cocktail Bar The first Myata Lounge in PL, this franchise might be known to those who have wandered over the border east, and as such, the clientele skews sexy eastern Slav. Known for good food, great drinks, shisha smoke and general debauchery in a sleek, modern interior full of plush love seats, Myata covers a lot of bases, but what makes it special is the regulars, who would rather go hard than go home. It’s a few-fucks-given kind of vibe that only the young and beautiful can pull off, and they do it here. The menu ranges from wasabi shrimp to burgers, quesadillas and seafood risotto, and they offer almost 30 flavours of shisha. There’s Guinness on draught, but you’ll find most of the fairer sex sipping cocktails. If you were hoping Warsaw would be a bit more Wild, Wild East, check this place out. QG-8, ul. Żurawia 6, MCentrum, tel. (+48) 534 72 73 25, www.myatawarszawa.tilda.ws. Open 16:00-01:00; Fri, Sat 16:00-04:00; Sun 16:00-02:00. X

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. If all this wasn’t enough, in the summer it’s the spacious terrace that draws the locals to lounge around for hours enjoying The Alchemist’s experimentation. Second location (without the Beer Wall) at ul. Grzybowska 5A (E-7).QF-5, Pl. Piłsudskiego 3, MRatusz Arsenał, tel. (+48) 22 628 00 23, www.thealchemist.pl. Open 12:00-23:00; Fri, Sat 12:0000:00. 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