Late Drinks
If you’re looking for a drink but don’t fancy paying to get into a night club then there are plenty of options. In addition to the places listed here don’t forget that most hotels have night bars that will happily serve non-residents. The list below is divided into Bars & Pubs, Cafes and Restaurants.
Bars & Pubs
Mixx Club Pub
Krasnaya 12 (Красная, 12)
15:00-03:00 daily
A bit hidden away, this bar has been selling Czech, German and Irish beer and showing live football for five years. It claims to be a British style pub and it pulls it off quite well in so much as the atmosphere is informal and a beer costs three quid. Small food menu, entirely in Russian. If you are in Yakub Kolas Square follow the tram lines heading left and the entrance is about 200 metres on the left opposite the Virus Internet Cafe.
U Ratushi (У Ратуши)
Gertsena 1 (Герцена 1)
12:00-02:00 daily
Just behind the city’s main cathedral that overlooks the river, this if not officially an Irish pub but it might as well be. Large and unassuming it has Guinness, Harp and Kilkenny on tap. With Heinz ketchup on each table this is as close to home as it gets for an ex-pat. Live music after 21:00 every evening when there is an admission charge of 5,000br.
Drozhi United (Дрожжи Юнайтед)
Sverdlova 2 (Свердлова 2)
09:00-02:00 daily
Minsk’s token Irish pub only arrived four years ago, making it perhaps the last major city in Europe to get one. It’s quite small with some high tables on one side and some cosy snugs on the other with a horseshoe bar in the middle. Irish, Czech and German beer at western prices and a food menu that’s essentially Belarusian dishes with Irish names.
Pinta Pab (Пинта Паб)
Komsomolskaya 34 (Комсомольская 34)
12:00-02:00 daily
A beer cellar with a sushi menu. If ever proof was needed that sushi has penetrated areas of Minsk where it really shouldn’t been seen then this is the place. Inside the walls are decorated with old Soviet posters and newspapers, which adds to the curiosity.
Banana Café (Банана Кафе)
Storozhevskaya Street 7 (Сторожевская 7)
10.00-05.00 daily
In the heart of the old town this venue offers extended opening hours and a downstairs so-called VIP area with hookahs up for grabs (note the spelling, this isn’t a hotel lobby). Upstairs the cavernous wooden hall offers the usual Slavonic and European fare and a decent selection of beers and spirits if you’re using it for a late drink. Service can be a bit slow.
Kayon Bar
Komsomolskaya (Комсомольская)
10:00-06:00 daily
The only notable thing about this place is the opening hours. They only have a small food menu but the kitchen stays open as long as the bar. So if want to soak up some of that alcohol before you go to bed then this could be the place.
Cafes
Kafeynaya (Кафейная)
Komsomolskaya 34 (Комсомольская 34)
11:00-01:00 daily
This has been the site of one of Minsk’s most eccentric café’s for years. In it’s Soviet-era manifestation there was red velvet on the walls and mirrors on the ceilings. Nowadays you’ll find spoons (hundreds of them!) on the ceiling and crockery on the walls. You’ll also find a great range of coffee and the naughtiest deserts in town, including suet pudding.
Air Grip
Komsomolskaya 19 (Комсомольская 19)
10:00-03:00 daily
For great ice-cream and coffee head to this café located to inside the Pobeda cinema (entrance to the side). There are pictures of all their dishes so a lack of Russian won’t be a problem. The venue can be a bit stuffy in Summer and it’s definitely not to be confused with the nameless bar next door, which you enter from the rear of the cinema building.
Restaurants
Panorama (Панорама)
Starozhevskaya 15 (Сторожевская 15)
12:00-04:00 daily
Situated on the 22nd floor of the Hotel Belarus, this is strictly speaking a restaurant but will also just serve drinks. The extensive views of the city are quite spectacular, particularly when it’s lit up late at night. English language menu.
Saloon (Салун)
Prospekt Pobediteley 23 (Проспект Победителей 23)
12:00-24:00, Thurs-Sat 12:00-03:00
Don’t be put off buy the Wild West theme, this is one of the best eating experiences in Minsk. The restaurant itself is divided into a series of cosy eating areas. The menu has plenty of meaty dishes and the bar has six draught beers. Good value for money and they have live blues music late at night too. The address can be a bit misleading as it’s not on the Prospekt itself, rather just around the corner from the Hotel Yubileyniya on the main road. English language menu.
Jomolungma (Джомолунгма)
Gikalo 7 (Гикало 7)
12:00-05:00 Mon-Sat, 12:00-02:00 Sun
Minsk’s best curry house stays open to 5am! Although the emphasis is on Tibetan dishes they also do Nepalese and Indian cuisine here. Reasonable prices, friendly atmosphere and English speaking staff. Most dishes are the mild side of medium but if you want your food spicy then just ask. One of the few places in town where you’re likely to find another foreigner at the table next to you. English language menu.
Night Clubs Late Drinks Late Shops Adult Entertainment