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 Microbreweries & Pubs
AB: Pub and restaurant. Nice terrace overlooking small reservoir; woodsy atmosphere. On Dostyk well above the Koktube turn-off, just before the Gai check. You’ll see the reservoir on your left and the restaurant is just beyond it (uphill). Tel: 54-18-21. Web: http://www.ab.kz.
Ali Baba: Mata Zalka, just north of Abai. Heading west on Abai, turn right onto Mata Zalka. Turn right at first opportunity and Ali Baba entrance is furthest door to the right of the building. This was the most pleasant surprise of the night. A large pub/restaurant with glass wall view of brewing facility; large copper vats ringed with wooden slats. Attractive, clean, several large rooms, and popular. Micro-brew is golden-style HBH beer: Open until 24:00.Telephone #27-30-87.
Altyn Orda: Panfilova at Makataeva. One of Almaty’s few real brew pubs (they brew their beer on the premises.) Great beer and a nice décor. Worth a try. Open until 23:00. Tel: 33-10-26.
Brigantina: Gogol & Nauzyrbay, next to Business Club. One room pub serves Master Brew beers in Golden Man glasses.
Dicken’s: Scottish styled pub and restaurant. Located on Dostyk, a block down (north) from Hotel Kazakhstan, on the same side of the street.
Dublin Pub: Certainly another standard for local expatriates (no THAT’S an oxymoron), Dublin has proved itself to weather the rough seas, and usually has a good crowd at the weekend.
Touting itself as an Irish pub, it’s got a Russian manager and surprise special appearances from an American bartender. Go figure. Nevertheless, the small pub has seating indoors and outdoors in fine weather, and a great, everyone-knows-your-name atmosphere. The small bar has been home to many an interesting conversation, from national security issues to the great Scottish contributions to Western Economy.
They regularly host events, from Labour Day celebrations to 4th July to locally sponsored drinking fiestas. These have proven to be must-see affaires, with men and women alike disrobing in the name of charity, fun and simple exhibitionism.
Beer starts from 300TG and cocktails from 500TG. The ever-changing menu now offers a host of delicious traditional pub fare, and highly recommended is the shepherd’s pie and the ever present fish and chips.
Baiseitova, between Abai and Satpaeva. Telephone: 69-17-16.
Edelweiss: 187 Aiteke Bi Street at Myrzoyana. Small, pleasant pub with few snacks, but a great glass wall with view of shiny copper vats. Entry floor has edelweiss flower in marble design. Micro-brew is Edweisser Pilsner: T150 per 0.5L, T75 on Sundays. Telelephone #42-84-77. E-mail: edelweis@online.ru
Guinness Bar: Located at 71 Dostyk and Shevchenko. Lunch served. Pool tables. Darts. Live music. Guinness beer on tap and bottled. Tel: 69-57-26.
Jazz Club: Pool and billiards in the front and a main room with a small bar, tables and stage in the back connected by a long narrow hallway, Jazz club is popular with expats but the main room is so overcrowded on weekends that your only options are to leave wishing you came really early and got a table, or commit suicide, and when you consider the logistics involved in squeezing your way out, option two starts to have its charms. We wandered in around 10pm on a recent Wednesday, however, to find the place empty except for a couple of girls playing billiards in the front, some friendly staff, and the jazz band warming up for an evening jam. The guitarist was playing some virtual backup -- handily -- to the likes of Outkast. But when the diva, who had been relaxing at her table by the stage studiously paying us no mind, stepped up to sing a few songs, the real treat began. This place has heart; we just wish the big man in the back room would do us a favor and knock out some walls, pleassssse.
Mad Murphy’s: True to the word of its new manager, Murphy’s is making a strong comeback from its recent slump, and enticing the expat community anew. Under the new management, Aussie Vince, Murphy’s has implemented a number of reforms and is promising us a great summer.
Even within the last two months we’ve seen a great improvement in service and overall atmosphere, which is to say that girls are quick with the menus and actually smiling. The food is still the best around, with a menu chock-full of outstandingly tasty Mexican plates, along with traditional pub grub. The chef here is not afraid of the spice rack, and the portions are huge. Add to this some of the city’s best pizza and fast to-your-door delivery for only a couple of bucks, and you’ve got a good thing going.
While topless nights are out, Friday and Saturday nights bring us live music from a mysteriously unnamed band. Last night we heard a all-pub version of American Pie, and it warmed our hearts like a Southern Comfort and Coke. We particularly love the Saturday afternoons outside with a string quartet and free coffee. Perfect to nurse that hangover, or just let the kiddies out to play while you relax for once. Other niceties include 2-for-1 drinks on Tuesday, discounted Irish stout on Thursday and Mexican night Mondays.
Sports rule here, with all major football and rugby games televised, usually augmented with a cash pool. Billiards and pool are available upstairs, but we’re promised that in winter renovation will change the upstairs to a full-on sports bar and banquet facility.
Pricing is typical of expat-oriented places here, with beers starting at a reasonable 300tg, and main dishes from 750tg.
Cruise on down before you do any all-night dancing, and see if you approve. Telephone: 91-28-56, 91-59-72. www.irishpub.kz. Located on 12 Tole bi corner of Zenkova.
Mook: Four floors. Three of them you can eat and drink on, and the top one is for playing billiards. Run by Koreans with Korean dishes in addition to the usual Kazakstani fare. Friendly and competent young staff, relaxed atmosphere, and nice views from your table of the Zhibek Zholi promenade in front of Tsoom. On the Friday night when we visited, probably the worst band we have ever heard was trying failingly to play something we couldn't make out but which was supposed to be popular --internationally...
Nottingham: Small but nice pub with wooden tables and a bar. Live singer starting 8 PM. They brew their own Nottingham Ale, available in dark and light sorts. Dark beer is seldom found in Almaty: Nottingham Ale dark is just the right type and not bitter. 0.5 l of beer is just 150 tenge. On Sundays, every second mug is free. Located 148 Bogenbai batyr at Maulenova. Tel 62-29-20.
Soccer: good choice of beer on tap and bottled and pizza (they deliver). A huge TV screen showing sports programs.163 Kunaev at Kurmangazy. Open until 24:00. Tel 63-23-63.
Third Time Football Bar: Lots of TVs all over the place showing sports on various channels. Irbis beer on tap: T100 per 0.5L. Hungarian cuisine. Open: 13:00 – 02:00. Timiryazeva, opposite Kazakh State University area, close to Baizakova. Tel: 47-80-11, 47-34-50.
Stetson: Don't come here looking for new friends because in spite of being a bar, Stetson's is really a restaurant and everyone sits at tables with their own, smokes cigarettes, has a bite to eat, and depending on the time, either discusses where they are going to go for the evening, or what they did that night. Expensive, open 25 hours, the place often feels like a staging ground for the execution of diverse actions at other bars and clubs around town. There is nothing quite like staring bleary-eyed over your 8-egg omelette at 8am at the table of girls across from you staring, bleary-eyed, away. 128-1 Furmanov St. Tel: 63-25-01, 63-68-63. Web-site: http://www.stetson.kz
01.02.02
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