Best Cocktail Bars in Russia: Trans Siberian Edition

Hello, your girl did not go all the way across on the Trans Siberian and not try every single cocktail bar she could edge her way into. Cultural and natural sights were dutifully attended to during the day, but once the sun set… we were on the hunt for the best cocktail bars in Russia. Give me the twists on the negroni, your unique gin and tonics, the salted herbals and the infused vodkas…wait, is that fishbowl smoking?

Our Trans Siberian trip took us from Moscow to Vladivostok, stopping in six cities between. And at every city, I prioritized the research that mattered — and now I’m proud to present my opus — the best cocktail bars in Russia, all along the Trans Siberian. (I did it selfishly. I think I’ve become a legend among Russian bartenders.)

But even I have a limit, guys, and that limit is time. If I heard of a great bar that we didn’t get a chance to visit, I’ve made sure to include it. If you know of an excellent cocktail bar in Russia, please add it in the comments. I’m sure I’ll be back, and I’ll need more to research. If you’re starting your Trans Siberian journey at it’s very northwesternly point, I also have a guide on Saint Petersburg cocktail bars — and one coming for Moscow as well.

Best Cocktail Bars in Kazan

More: This popular bar and restaurant was recommended to us by a lady on the street, who stopped when she saw to foreigners bent over Google Maps. The bartenders are young, hip, and friend — and they seem incredibly hungry to establish themselves as one of the best cocktail bars in Russia. After being welcomed with a shot, we were offered drinks off their summer menu or something crafted for our tastes. We opted for drinks off their summer menu first, which was inspired by popular tourist spots around Kazan. I got The Way, a Martini Fiero and cone jam drink, complete with a totally edible mini pinecone garnish. For my second drink I went with the bartender’s choice, just asking for something spicy. I was served up a light cocktail with notes of cinnamon and tequila. We would have stayed longer, probably, but other bars awaited.

xix.xx unaged [closed, new project opening soon]: We definitely would not have found this Kazan speakeasy without the recommendation from the good people of More, but we are so glad they sent us here. With their kitchen facing the street, so you have to walk through their mini lab of distillations and dehydrations to get to the elegant back room bar. A beautiful Italian mosaic table encourages communal drinking, through you can sit at one of the tables along the wall if you’d like something more private.

The bartenders were incredibly friendly, making jokes and suggesting other cocktail bars around the world. They’re also drink masterminds. They bar doesn’t use any aged products and they do their own distillations (and other science experiments!) When we visited, their menu (the fourth in their short six-month lifespan) was a Roarsch test — pick a picture and the bartenders would whip you up a cocktail inspired by a famous artist. My favorite of the night was the Salvador Gaudi, which had a coffee soda base.

UPDATE: It seems like xix.xx unaged is changing locations — maybe even names. Whatever these guys think up next is going to be spectacular, so check out their Facebook page or Instagram for updates.

Mr. Willard: Unmarked door? Shots in tiny goblets? Rules of decorum? Mr. Willard checks all the speakeasy boxes — including exceptional cocktails and bartenders who love what they do. Mr Willard is named after the 19th century mixologist. The way Regina, our bartender, spoke reverently of his ability to remember guests and be inventive showed her own desire for high standards in hospitality. She’s on the right track, serving us up toasted marshmallows flambéed on the spot.

We started with two drinks from their seasonal menu, for me a Summer Negroni and for Janet a Repeal Day, an Old Fashioned style drink with cigar bitters and three tea syrup — served in a tea cup. For our second drinks we opted to trust Regina’s knowledge. Janet asked for a vodka-based sour drink and got a refreshing, too-easy-to-drink cocktail with peach liquor and lime cordial. Mine was a scotch-based cocktail with lavender, rum, Campari, and raspberry. Oh yes, I like them strong.

Kommunalka: I love when bars have a singular vision, from the décor to the menu, and Kommunalka does its best to transport you back to the era of Soviet communal housing, when space was shared. It might be a bit of a romanticized version of these squished apartments, but for a bar it works like magic. The staff is recruited from all over Russian — our bartender had just arrived from a town in Siberia — and they all perform all the roles. The menu is based on what’s in season locally, and the interior is designed to mirror the haphazardness of communal apartments. Janet’s drink featured pickle-infused vodka. Can you get more Russian than that?

Recommended: Setka
Unfortunately we didn’t get to go to Setka, as we heard about it on our last night and it was closed the following day. The guys at xix.xx unaged recommended it, so we are sure it was worth the visit. They do food as well, and a brunch that looks worth getting up for, so make sure you check it out.

The Best Cocktail Bars in Perm

Gatsby’s: By the time I turned up at Gatsby’s I had already sampled three of Perm’s cocktail bars, and in truth I was a little disappointed by the city’s scene. The drinks at the other bars hadn’t been bad, just… uninspired. So I was thrilled when the bartenders at Gatsby’s listened to us and whipped up something different based on our tastes. Janet got slung a vodka and lime drink, while I was given a spicy tequila, ginger, and blackcurrant cocktail. I wish now we had started our night at Gatsby’s, where flair and hospitality make the drinks even more enjoyable.

Speakeasy: Did we have to walk through an under-construction street to get to this courtyard bar? Yes of course, and we did it gladly. Speakeasy was a smaller, more intimate bar than Gatsby’s, casually cool. Worth visiting if you don’t trip over a bulldozer on your way in.

Station B: You’ll have to chat up some of your mixologists to be lucky enough to get an invite to this bartender’s bar — and that’s all I’m going to say about that one…

Best Cocktail Bars in Yekaterinburg

Spletni: We only have about 24 hours in total in Yekaterinburg, so we were light on the drinking. One stop we did have to make was Spletni, recommended by the bartenders in previous cities. I can’t remember the cocktail I had at the bar, but we did take away a bottle of their specialty, milk limoncello — vodka matured with lemon zest, mixed with milk syrup, mmm.

Shalom Shanghai: Another Yekaterinburg bar that was recommended to us was Shalom Shanghai. I only had time to duck in for a quick drink before our train out — to be honest, I’m not entirely sure they had opened for the evening when I plunked myself down at the bar and asked for a cocktail. I sipped my 4 o’clock lavender gin and tonic quickly and eyed the multiple disco balls hanging above the dance floor.

Recommended: Bar Kollektiv
I don’t remember who told me about this bar. I don’t remember why I starred it on my Google Maps. Yes, by the photos I can tell it’s going to the understated classy vibe I like in my basement speakeasies. But more than that, thirty seconds on their Instagram makes you feel like they would be a fun bunch of bartenders to hang out with.

Best Cocktail Bars in Krasnoyarsk

Soho: Shame on everyone who shrugged their shoulders when we asked about cocktail bars in Krasnoyarsk! Soho ended up being one of the most fun bars on the Trans Siberian! Not only are the bartenders super friendly (did we do a round of shots with half a dozen of them? It’s possible…) but also they have a full gambit of cocktails. Janet started out with a ridiculous fishbowl sized drink with gummy bears and dry ice, and I had a sophisticated and subtle chai cocktail. While we sat at the bar on the patio and it was relatively quiet, I think on weekends Soho becomes a bit of a party place. Still, what I like about it is that it manages to balance gummy bear drinks and party life with spicy cocktails and chats with the bartender. Definitely a top bar in Krasnoyarsk.

Welcome Bar: We also stopped in Welcome Bar, which was dead quiet when we went but seemed like the kind of place hip young Russians would hang out, packed into the basement bar, sitting on the stairs and dancing near the bar — just, not at 7pm on a Thursday. I had a salted aloe vera cocktail that stands out as a favorite from the trip and one I would like to figure out at home.

Best Cocktail Bars in Irkutsk

Molchanov Bar: Molchanov was a welcome bit of comfort about halfway through our Trans Siberian adventure. The friendly bartender whipped me up a sour drink based on a local fruit similar to a blueberry. I was only there for one drink on a quiet night, but it’s my top pick for cocktails in Irkutsk. Intuitive staff who care about good hospitality and excellent cocktails is always a win for me!

The Library Bar: I hesitate putting this on the list because the service was pretty abysmal. I was the only person in there, besides some friend of the bartender, and I never even got a glass of water because the two of them were too busy scrolling through their phones. However — they had some really interesting drinks on the board, seasonal offerings and local inspirations. Maybe I would have stayed to try another if I had felt more welcome. But their Instagram makes it seem like a much more happening and open place, so maybe I just arrived on an off night.

Best Cocktail Bars on Olkhon Island

Haha, just kidding!

Best Cocktail Bars in Ulan-Ude

Look, I can’t with any sort of conscience recommend stopping in Ulan-Ude in the first place. But if you’re there… We heard that Bar 12, on top of the Mergen Bator hotel is the place to go. For one, I’m not sure there’s another rotating panoramic view bar in all of Siberia. Sadly, it was closed for a private function the six hours we were there — and I doubt I’ll be making a return trip any time soon — so someone else will have to report back on Bar 12.

Best Cocktail Bars in Vladivostok

Moonshine: I came here intending to have just one drink… But look, some places are just comfortable. And while I enjoyed my twist on a Bloody Mary (maybe the only Bloody Mary that I’ve ever really enjoyed), what I really loved was the skillfully layered, licorice-flavored shot I was given. Not the kind of shot twenty-something college girls take at 3am — it was like a mini cocktail on its own.

Recommended: Chinoaru
Ah, my only regret of my whole nine months in Russia! I cannot believe I went all the way across the Trans Siberian and didn’t make it to the one bar that I had waited the whole time for. The Chinoaru menu is the work of Artem Peruk and Igor Zernov, masterminds behind another one of the best bars in Russia, El Copitas in Saint Petersburg. Chinoaru looks like a fab place, smashing design and delectable cocktails. But, unfortunately, I got distracted by the offer to take a tiny speedboat out into open water at night and I did not make it to the bar.

Next time…