TALLInn - In Your Pocket

48 nightlife nightlife 49
Karaoke
Pikk 39, Tallinn
On top of Hell Hunt / Second floor /
(+372) 6463722 , (+372) 5668 5338
Due to Tallinn’s proximity to the karaoke-loving nation
of Finland, there are quite a few karaoke spots to be
found here. By no means have we listed all the possible
karaoke venues, but here are a few that specialise in
the art of personal embarrassment.
Koskenkorva Karaoke Bar B-4, Roseni 13, tel.
(+372) 681 65 05, info@karaokebaar.ee, www.
karaokebaar.ee. Brought to you by the most popular
vodka in Finland, this spot runs Karaoke every night
except Sunday. They take this art-form so seriously
they even hold competitions and have a client card.
QOpen 19:00 - 01:00, Fri, Sat 19:00 - 03:00. Closed
Sun. JXW
The Shamrock Pub karaoke C-3, Viru 24,
tel. (+372) 631 31 36, merike24@msn.com.
This place has become somewhat of a ‘Mecca’ for
Karaoke and given it’s location on the bustling Viru
Street, with sessions running every night starting at
22:00, it’s not really a surprise. What is a surprise is
that most of the performers don’t even seem mildly
embarrassed despite the fact that most of them are
tone-deaf. QOpen 22:00 - 02:00, Fri, Sat 22:00 -
04:00. JXW
Vana Toomas karaoke C-2, Raekoja plats 10,
tel. (+372) 631 42 27, www.vanatoomas.ee. Offering
karaoke two nights per week - this is by far the
most central and even draws a fair amount of locals.
QOpen Fri, Sat 22:00 - 24:00. J
Live entertainment
Lots of pubs have weekend bands, but some places in
particular are known as venues for live music. Café Amigo
(see clubs) also pulls in some of Estonia's best acts.
Bastioni Aed C-3, Viru 23 courtyard, tel. (+372) 666
00 02, info@bastioniaed.ee. An outdoor café by day and
live entertainment venue by night, this spot tucked into a
courtyard, serves up some pretty decent food and some
enjoyable distractions as well. Due to the outside location
however, this locale will best be enjoyed during the warmer
months and with favourable weather. Check their Facebook
Fanpage for upcoming events. QOpen 12:00 - 23:00. JE
Chicago 1933 C-3, Aia 3, tel. (+372) 627 12 66, info@
chicago.ee, www.chicago.ee. For some of the finest live
blues this side of... well - Chicago, you can check out this
swinging establishment just around the corner from the Viru
Gates. The interior is all decked out in rich, dark wood and
filled with large booths just like they have in the 'Windy City'.
There's a strict 'no firearms allowed' policy though, so make
sure you check your guns at the door. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00,
Wed, Thu 12:00 - 01:00, Fri 12:00 - 03:00, Sat 14:00 - 03:00,
Sun 14:00 - 24:00. (€14). JUEXSW
Clazz C-2, Vana turg 2, tel. (+372) 627 90 22, clazz@
clazz.ee, www.clazz.ee. Not only is Clazz a great place to
grab a bite all hours of the day or night, it has quickly turned into
one of the most happening spots in town for live music - practically
every night of the week! Expect a wide variety of local and
international performers, with styles ranging from jazz to Latin
and everything in between. QOpen 12:00 - 03:00, Mon, Sun
12:00 - 01:00, Fri, Sat 12:00 - 04:00. JUEW
Drink Bar Comedy Night D-3, Väike-Karja 8, tel.
(+372) 644 94 33, drinkbaar@live.com, www.drinkbaar.
com. Every second Wednesday of each month is Comedy
Night at the Drink Bar and we quite enjoyed ourselves the last
time we were there. There were of course a few mandatory
groans mixed into the stew pot of chuckles, but the atmosphere
was all good - so too the hearty pub favourites. They
bring in comedians from all over Northern Europe to round out
a few regular expats and a handful of Estonian comics. Be
sure to show up early as it tends be standing room only by
the time 20:00 rolls around. Q Every second Wednesday of
each month, show starts at 20:00. Admission €5. JKXW
Rock Cafe H-4, Tartu mnt. 80d, 3rd floor, rc@rockcafe.ee,
www.rockcafe.ee. Built into an old factory building just past the
city's bus station, this minimalist, two-story rock club is decidedly
raw and industrial. Live acts - mainly rock but sometimes blues or
funk - are booked every weekend, and the place boasts one of the
best sound systems of any club in Estonia. Enter the courtyard, go
right and up the stairs. Please note that you may find them open
only when there are live acts scheduled. See website for details.
QOpen , Fri, Sat 22:00 - 03:00. Admission €3 - 9. LEX
new
Salong Shah B-3, Pikk 39, tel. (+372) 646 37 22/(+372)
56 68 53 38, www.salongshah.ee. This reincarnation of a very
secretive and private club overlooking the bustling Pikk street has
transformed itself into a chic little Jazz club and lounge, fit even for
the former Shah of Iran. They have live music nights once a week
called the ‘Jazz Ministry’ featuring talented local and international
artists as well, on other nights you’ll be able to hear the sounds of
an experienced Jazz DJ. Fine selection of wines, cocktails and light
bites are on offer as is a smoking lounge. See the ad located in our
guide for program details.QOpen Tue, Wed, Thu 17:00 - 01:00, Fri,
Sat 17:00 - 02:00. Closed Mon, Sun. J6EXW
Scotland Yard B-4, Mere pst. 6e, tel. (+372) 653 51 90,
scotlandyard@scotlandyard.ee, www.scotlandyard.ee. An
absolute monster of a pub just outside Old Town, Scotland Yard
earns praise for its quaint Victorian-library/police-department
interior, which even includes toilets done up like electric chairs!
Sadly, people have died of old age waiting to get a drink at the bar.
Rock-type bands take to the stage on weekends, and despite its
gargantuan size, the place often fills to the brim. QOpen 09:00
- 24:00, Fri, Sat 09:00 - 02:00. Admission free. JLEW
Von Krahl C-2, Rataskaevu 10/12, tel. (+372) 626 90
90, baar@vonkrahl.ee, www.vonkrahl.ee. The real name
is 'Von Krahli Baar' but regulars just call it 'Krahl.' This downto-earth
pub attached to a local theatre is where Tallinn's
alternative bands come to play, and naturally the crowd tends
towards students, punks and artsy types. Come by during the
day for good, cheap pub food. QOpen 12:00 - 01:00, Fri, Sat
12:00 - 03:00. JEW
Bars & Pubs
Assorted watering holes, each with its own style.
Bayern&Böhmen Keller D-2, Suur-Karja 18, tel. (+372)
644 47 33, bbkeller@hot.ee, www.bbkeller.ee. Ah, Bavaria
- the rolling hills, the great beer, the lederhosen, sturdy women
with overflowing and abundant cleavage, the mouth-watering
sausages and succulent schnitzels... we apologise for getting
your hopes up, but you won’t find any of that here. What you will
find is a, somewhat, nicely decorated cellar pub which belongs
to a rather large chain of Estonian pubs that litter the country
and serve very average pub cuisine to locals who have gotten
used to greasy unimaginative food that is often heated up in
the microwave and served with French fries covered in French
fry seasoning. Und das ist nicht wunderbar. QOpen 11:30
- 24:00, Fri, Sat 11:30 - 02:00. JXSW
Brewery Beer Club (Brewery Õlleklubi) C-2, Pikk 1,
tel. (+372) 631 36 31, info@brewery.ee, www.brewery.
ee. With 47 different beers to choose from (including Stella
on tap), a stylish interior and excellent service - BBC certainly
has a lot going for it. The cuisine did not quite live up to our
expectations though. With the Estonian favourite, ‘potato
seasoning’, blanketing our fries and a burger that literally fell
apart in our hands under the weight of what appeared to be
Caesar salad dressing - this addition to Tallinn’s dining and
drinking scene, fell a little flat when we last visited but we have
been assured they are trying to improve upon what could be
a really good thing. QOpen 12:00 - 01:00, Thu, Fri 12:00 -
04:00, Sat, Sun 11:00 - 04:00. (€11). JUIEXW
Citypub D-4, Rävala pst. 6, tel. (+372) 681 46 15, citypub@citypub.ee,
www.citypub.ee. A small pub across from
the Radisson hotel, Citypub caters mainly to hungry people
working in the area, but could just as easily work as an earlyevening
warm-up spot. Lunch specials from 12:00 to 15:00;
hot food and salads all day. QOpen 11:00 - 22:00. 6UW
Drink Bar & Grill D-3, Väike-Karja 8, tel. (+372) 644 94
33, drinkbaar@live.com, www.drinkbaar.com. It’s evident
there’s a passion for beer culture here, not only in its name
‘Drink Bar & Grill’ but overall, offering natural and ‘live’ beers,
a special ‘house brew’, unusual imports and even organic
and ‘still’ ciders. On a typical evening you’ll find a lively bunch
of patrons from all over the world; backpackers, locals and
ex-pats all seem to congregate here. Whatever category
you might fit into you’ll be sure to have feel at home here,
imbibing in a ‘drink’ or otherwise. Check out their fantastic
beer shop, located just around the corner, see p. 88. QOpen
12:00 - 24:00, Fri, Sat 12:00 - 03:00. (€7). J6IXW
Wine bars
In recent years, wine bars have emerged as a sophisticated,
mature alternative in this overly beer-centric
town.
Gloria Veinikelder D-2, Müürivahe 2, tel. (+372)
640 68 04, vein@gloria.ee, www.gloria.ee. The
shop section is charming enough, but wind your way to
the back rooms to find one of the Tallinn’s most elegant
places to enjoy a good Merlot. An expert is always
on hand to help you choose from the ca. 2000 wines,
cognacs and whiskeys available. QOpen 12:00 - 23:00.
Closed Sun. JIS
In Vino Veritas C-2, Lai 6, tel. (+372) 641 84 40,
restoran@invinoveritas.ee, www.invinoveritas.ee.
More of a full-on restaurant than wine-bar, it’s a quaint
little place with an atmosphere that makes you want to
settle in for a while. The menu isn’t huge, but the assortment
of cheeses, pastas and fresh mains are pleasing to
even the most fickle of tastes, and needless to say, the
selection of wines here make it that much better. Dining
in the wine cellar available for small groups. QOpen
12:00 - 23:00, Fri, Sat 12:00 - 24:00. JI
MarcoVino B-2, Lai 26, tel. (+372) 672 20 55/
(+372) 55 96 11 54, info@marcovino.ee, www.
marcovino.ee. What it lacks in size, this tiny wine-bar
makes up for in spirit. Owned and operated by one of Tallinn’s
Italian transplants, this sip-sized vinoteque serves
up a good number of fine Italian wines alongside some
savoury bites from the ‘Old Country’. Space is limited,
but the possibilities are endless. QOpen 16:00 - 23:00.
Closed Mon. JW
Old Estonia C-2, Raekoja plats 8, tel. (+372)
641 21 83, info@oldestonia.ee, www.oldestonia.
ee. Its location right on Raekoja plats makes this the
most central and visible of Tallinn’s wine bars, but Old
Estonia still manages to keep up a standard of personal
and friendly service. The huge windows overlooking
the square were just made for people-watching, or
spying, depending on how you look at it. QOpen
10:00 - 23:00. JW
Osteria del Gallo Nero C-2, Rataskaevu 4, tel.
(+372) 646 21 07, osteria@italbaltica.com, www.
osteriagallonero.com. Personality is everything, and
that’s exactly what you’ll find at this cosy Italian food
shop/café. The owners turn it into lively - albeit tiny -
wine bar at night. They’ll mingle with you and may even
encourage you to sing along with the stereo. QOpen
10:00 - 24:00, Thu, Fri, Sat 10:00 - 01:00, Sun 11:00 -
24:00. JSW
Wine Library C-2, Raekoja plats 8/Kinga 6, tel.
(+372) 641 12 20, info@winelibrary.ee, www.
winelibrary.ee. Probably the best thing about this
place right on Town Hall Square is just that - it’s on Town
Hall Square. Re-branded as a wine bar, this former café
does indeed have an extensive wine selection, but it’s
a little too small to be effective enough in this category.
Not to say that you shouldn’t stop in though, just that
there are certainly better places in Old Town for the
‘Wine Aficionado’. If it’s a decent glass of fermented
grapes your after and a good view, it certainly fits the
bill. QOpen 10:00 - 01:00. JW
Tallinn In Your Pocket tallinn.inyourpocket.com tallinn.inyourpocket.com
October - November 2012