Dance clubs in St. Petersburg

(The listings follow after this introductory text)
There are quite a few main tendencies of nightclub industry in St. Petersburg. First being the strange habit of choosing bomb shelters as nightclub locations (City pioneer Tunnel, Griboedov, Front); there are few obvious reasons for that – perfect sound isolation, ventilation system developed for army purposes and, probably the most important – the feeling of security unavailable in everyday life. Time prooves that nightclubs (and bomb shelter ones especially) never close down – they just change their names and owners, sometimes start going gay or invite new art managers, DJs and bands. But after all, everything stays the same. This is the second major tendency. Clubs never die – they move to new buildings, fall in somnolence or open their residencies on a Finnish Gulf beach during the low-clubbing summer season.

We’ve picked either long-existing places for this review, because we know what to expect from them, or the newest ones – because they show the direction of ever-changing fashion. The last tendency has something to do with laws of nature. Many people prefer company to loneliness, clubs do too. There are constellations of clubs concentrated in certain hot spots on the city map. The majority of jazz clubs in town are in a couple of blocks away from one another; Places like Che, Fashion Cafe Lounge, Jakata, Red Club and Cadillac are all on the same street; Par.spb, Café Tarkan and newly opened Live Park share the same building exactly like dozen of clubs and galleries of cultural center at Pushkinskaya 10, including FishFabrique, Experimental Sound Gallery (GEZ 21) and others. It means that once you start clubbing – there will always be another place to stop by right around the corner from where you are.
Some marginal and weird places in the outskirts of town are (read hard to find places) are out of scope of this review because we wouldn’t go there ourselves and would not suggest it to you.

For a listing of club events in St. Petersburg see our What's On in St. Petersburg section.

 
Editor's Choice for Electronic Music:

Par.Spb (PWT) The club was closed in late 2006, however the DJs sometimes organize very good parties. Look for listings in our What's On section... Currently Par.Spb exists as a web portal only - www.par.spb.ru
The team which used to run the club still continues organizing parties at various venues around town, attracting best DJs and trendy crowd.
Old review: The best place for those who like all kinds of good club music: from Techno and House to Lounge and live Nu Jazz. Club boasts a movie hall, 2 dance floors and 2 bars, giving audience a choice of different environments from loud dance floor to quiet bar to hang out with your friends. This place is regularly visited by famous Russian and foreign DJs and bands. Simple but cool interiors. Beer garden works in the summer months in the courtyard. Occasional live concerts on the main stage or in the courtyard. Along with Tunnel club par.spb is still the best electronic music club in town.
Address: #5B, Alexandrovsky Park. Location: metro Gorkovskaya, Tel.:
(812) 233 33 74. Web: www.par.spb.ru

Tunnel Club. (PWT) the club has been finally fixed and now works as a clock. Regular parties Thursday through Saturday, best DJs from Russia, UK and Germany.Military style interior. Attracts young crowd, mostly high-school students. Thursday through Saturday, midnight to 6 a.m. Entrance 150 to 300 rub.
Address: Corner of Lyubansky Per. and Zverinskaya Ul. Location: M: Sportivnaya. Tel.: (812) 233-4015. Web: www.tunnelclub.ru

 

Other Recommended Clubs:

Datcha. Actually, it's not a club at all but a tiny bar (about 25 seats + few bar seats at the counter) that gets so packed that it may take you an hour to
grab a shot (30 rubles) or pint of beer (50 and up). That's why everyone
hangs out outside (and you will have to pay a 50 rubles deposit when
buying yourself a beer for beer glass in case if you decide to smash it
against the wall while outside).
Bar boasts a kicker table just like one at Fish Fabrique. DJs play every night.
No electro, techno etc. just old-school rock, r'n'b, lounge, 70's & 80's,
and soviet retro, of course. No cover charge. Bar have successfully survived its first winter and just celebrated the first anniversary in early June. Although the bar co-founder Anton Belyankin of local ska band Dva Samaleta gave up managing bar’s musical policies, his former partner does her best to keep it on top of student’s and expats clubbing list.
The place is fantastically popular (located half a block away from Nevsky
Prospect on Dumskaya ulitsa: around the corner from Gostinny Dvor store)
among expats and students.


Trendy Griboedov Club. (PWT) This 6-year old club located in abandoned bomb shelter (with rent paid ahead for 44 years by new landlords). 6 years ago once famous and popular Russian ska band Dva Samoleta joint forces with few businessmen to open a truly underground club which is still managed by them. This year club has become more spacious, got the second bar and another couple of rooms.

Photo by Peter's Walking Tours

The chillout area was updated with leather sofas and a satellite TV. Bar started offering decent hot meals along with traditional gallons of alcohol. This is definitely not a top-notch place: low ceilings, dark walls, dimmed light. But what attracts people is the feeling of a “house party”, while cheap booze makes conversations more and more honest and intimate with every next shot. Bands play from 22.00 to midnight; DJs spin their records until morning light. There is extremely popular among St. Petersburg clubbers Soviet retro disco party held every Wednesday (conducted by former keyboard player for Dva Samoleta - Denis Medvedev, now DJ Redisco). At Griboedov you may have a great time even on Monday, which is the best recommendation indeed.
Address: Voronezhskaya Ul., #2A (in a bombshelter); Location: close to Vetebski railway station. Directions: metro Ligovsky Prospekt, cross Ligovski prospekt (street) turn left, walk along the street and then make another left. Map: C4 (object #8); Phone: (812) 164-4355. Opened: daily 17.00-6.00. Cover: 50-80 roubles ($2.5)


Paranormal Phenomena. (PWT) CLOSED. This place belongs to people fond of Eastern & Buddhists culture. First thing you notice inside is unusual interior with futuristic furniture, round windows, luminescent colors and lighting. Seems like some aliens took you for a ride on their flying saucer, if you ever had such a feeling. The bar serves various exotic and plain drinks (alcoholic, non-alcoholic & mixed) and both normal and paranormal meals. A few months ago “Paraphen” (that’s how we call it) became a real nightclub when launched everyday parties (each day of the week dedicated to certain musical style e.g. Goa trance, Lounge, House) with gay days every once in a while. Club works Monday – Wednesday 1p.m. – 1 a.m., Thursday – Sunday 1 a.m. – 10 a.m.
Address: Moika emb., #59 (on the corner of Nevsky prospect) Location: M: Gostinny Dvor; phone: (812) 315 94 68; Internet: www.paraphen.ru


Jet Set. (PWT) Closed in late 2006. Perhaps the local "jet set" gradually assimilated... Before you can browse pages of the club’s website you should first answer a very simple yet ambiguous question: “are you V.I.P?”. If the answer is “no” you‘re immediately redirected to the website of Prosvet – marginal and mobster type of club at the edge of town. St. Petersburg residency of Moscow Jet Set Club promotes expensive life style and claims that everything they do is unique and special, inviting you to spend your hard earned cash at the bar, which, I must admit, is extremely expensive. So is everything else at Jet Set. Did you say you are V.I.P? (Wednesday – Thursday 20.00-6.00, Friday – Saturday 22.00-6.00) Club cards,
Address: Furshatskaya Ulitsa,# 58b (metro Chernyshevskaya). Tel.: (812) 275 92 88; Internet: www.jetset.spb.ru


Magrib. This place is fashionable for fashionable and is becoming the most popular nightlife spot, especially for trendy St. Petersburg'ers and foreign travelers. There's also a restaurant and cafe inside. The location right on Nevsky Prospekt makes it impossible to miss.
The decor is made in the Eastern theme, featuring Asian rugs, special vases and carvings on the walls. The music is not especially good, but gives a party mood. People usually come to meet each other, so it's a good place for those, who want to get a date. Entrance is 400R, open daily
Address: Nevsky Prospekt, #84 (metro Mayakovskaya), Telephone: (812) 275-7620

Mama. (The club is closed at the moment and perhaps forever) This club was opened after the end of the famous rave club ìtunnelî by the same people. So, this is supposed to be the best club in St.Petersburg for rave parties and electronic music.
Mama is set at an old building, a kind of warehouse in trendy district of Petrogradskaya side. Designed like a standard European place: wooden floors, brick walls, tubes under the ceiling. Two floors, computer lounge, dance zone. Good sound, two extremely cheap bars (as almost everywhere in Piter).
All kinds of electronic music (house, techno, trip-hop, drum’n’bass, electro, acid jazz), the best spb djs plus interesting foreign guests (Funki Porchini , dj Food (Ninja Tune Records), Dmitry from Paris and others).
The only disadvantage - no food and no place to sit and relax, nevertheless high spirited young people dance all night long and chill on the roof. Many teenagers.
Address: Malaya Monetnaya Ul, #3b (near ìGorkovskayaî metro station). Directions: walk out of Gorkovskaya metro and cross the big Kamenoostrovski prospekt. Then walk a bit further and turn right behind the large conference-hall white building. Walk along B. Posadskaya street and make the first left turn. As you walk straight ahead you'll see graffiti on your right and then - an old house with no signs, except "Center for Youth" - this is "Mama". I hope these directions will help, because we spent 30 minutes looking for it the first time. Map: B2 (object #9); Phone: (812) 232-3137.


Metro. (PWT) Some people consider it a very good club, but the place is controversial. While it is made following all the rules of making a good dance club, something is wrong. It is favored by kids from the outskirts of town and suburbs. People with good taste for music may get really disappointed by what makes crowd move around the dance floors. Chewing gum is forbidden. Opened daily, 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. Entrance 66 to 250 rub.
Address: #174, Ligovsky Pr. Tel.: 166-0204. Web: www.metroclub.ru

Rossi’s club seems to be a decent alternative for Metro Club, Plaza and all those bigger’n’fancier places where music normally sucks, but that’s not what people come there for. Generations of renowned Russian ballet dancers were trained right across the street from Rossi’s at the Academy of Russian Ballet, but don’t let this fact disappoint you – there’s nothing classical about this club. House music parties and occasional live
concerts actually put this club on a list of good all-around rock & dance
clubs. Reasonable bar prices and lot of dancing drunken student girls will
always attract quite a few people and if it’s not just dumb kilowatts
awaking your animal self but some good music too, you can consider
visiting Rossi’s an option.
Wednesday through Sunday 18.00-6.00, admission 50 – 150 rbls.
phone: 110 40 16, Rossi Street, 1/3, Metro Nevsky Prospect / Gostinny Dvor.

Plaza. (PWT & WTR) A fancy big dancle club, often hosts performances by russian pop stars. . Striptease, pricy bar and admission, now also combined with casino and restaurant. Club reopened after reconstruction on April 1 and hopefully something has changed since I last been there. This place absolutely lacks individuality – you are surrounded by naked strip dancers with made up smiles, music makes you wanna puke and finally some celebrity comes onstage to lip-sync for 20 minutes while crowd goes nuts. The musical orientation is not well defined. Club gathers a lot of rich (and often senior) people especially on weekends.
Tuesdays - MUZ TV parties (the famous Russian music channel), Wednesdays - "Red Devil parties", Thursdays - fashion shows, Fridays and Saturdays - discoteques.
The music is not well defined, can be anything: from good house to dated rock, but nevertheless the club gathers a lot of fancy people especially on weekends.
Address: Vasilievski island, Makarova embankment, #2. Contacts: (812) 323-90-90, 323-90-80, 323-90-78. Web: www.plazaclub.ru. Directions: walk over Dvortsovy bridge from Hermitage to Vasilievski island and walk straight ahead along Neva river embankment, the club is near Birzhevoi (bridge. Map: B2 (object #3); Open hours: 23.00-6.00.


Pla.Styl.Inn. (PWT) The club is closed at the moment. Hosts DJs sets, fashion shows, exhibitions. Has a restaurant, lounge bar. Opened Sunday to Thursday, 10 a.m. to midnight; Friday, Saturday, 10 p.m. until the last person leaves. Parties start at 11 p.m. Entrance 200 rubles. Club cards, invitations.
Address: #6, 2-aya Krasnoarmeiskaya Ul. Location: M: Technologichesky Institut. Tel.: 316-7202.

Pyatnitsa (Friday). A typical club for young people, graffiti decorates the walls, cheap draught beer, two dance floors, drum'n'bass and house music mainly. Good especially on Friday and Saturday evenings, however, dance floors are sometimes completely empty, while the bar is not. This club divides its time between occasional rock concerts, electronic-music festivals and regular parties with DJs attracting mostly young and unpretentious crowd. Open Thursday - Saturday 19.00 till night.
Address: Moskovsky avenue (behind Sportmaster shop, in the courtyards, follow the graffiti signs, metro Sennaya Ploshad)


Jakata. (PWT) It’s rather a restaurant or café-club than a full-time club. Although it was Jakata that pioneered regular R&B parties now hugely popular everywhere in St. Petersburg about a year ago. Good thing is no admission, but administrator may not let you in if he doesn’t like you. Clubbers note that you must be well-dressed or at least look sophisticated to get in. Good DJs come to Jakata to play their sets, so give it a try. Dress code, Face control, Monday - Tuesday 12.00-0.00, Wednesday - Sunday 12.00-6.00.
Address: #5 Bakunina Ul, Metro: Ploshad Vosstaniya, phone# 346 74 62. Web: www.jakata.spb.ru


Al Capone. (PWT) It’s a new place that uses long forgotten trick – being a nice coffee shop with innocent name of Amor Fati during the day, and turning it into a bar of prohibition times in the USA at night (well, the name makes you think of Chicago gangsters right away). If you can find the place it ain’t hard to get in – there’s no cover charge. R&B / hip-hop parties on Wednesdays, Dance stuff on weekends. Club works: noon to 6 a.m. Address: #64 Liteiny Pr. Location: M: Mayakovskaya, Vladimirskaya. Tel.: (812) 119-8092. Directions: It’s the first lighted arch on the right side of the street as you walk away from the corner of Nevsky. There’s a metal door on the right in the arch.


Fashion Café Lounge. (PWT) Closed. Now there's a restaurant called "Djelsalmino" there. First Russian member of International Fashion Cafe chain. Monday through Sunday, noon to 6 a.m. Entrance 150 to 300 rub. DJ Calambria from Italy plays House sets every day at 9 p.m. Address: # 5/29 Poltavskaya Ul, Location: Metro Ploshad Vosstaniya, Ploshad Alexandra Nevskogo Gorkovskaya. Tel.: (812) 103 5795


Café Club D.E.F.I.C.I.T. (PWT) Located in the basement of Union of Architects Building, this club is mainly expecting students and young crowd to become their audience. Striptease, inexpensive bar, R&B and House parties – everything to make you wanna come. Thursday through Saturday 10 p.m. – 6 a.m. admission 100 – 200 rubles.
Address: Bolshya Morskaya Ul. Location: Metro Sadovaya, Sennaya, Nevsky Prospect. Tel.: (812) 974-0452.


C.C.C.P. (PWT) Yet another café club. The new generation of kids hardly knows that CCCP is abbreviation for USSR. They even spell it as [Si Si Si Pi] – grandfathers wouldn’t be proud of them. Menu includes some typical Soviet-times restaurant menu items like cream soups etc. It’s intended for young and trendy (read - dumb), so there’s no place for nostalgia. DJs play contemporary stuff (to hear Soviet oldies try Griboedov club on Wednesday night) on Friday & Saturday nights at 3 a.m. Works Mon-Fri 3 p.m. – 6 a.m. ; Sat-Sun – around the clock. Club cards and invitations.
Address: # 54 Nevsky Pr. Location: M: Gostinny Dvor Tel.: (812) 310-2949.


Opium. (PWT) Closed in 2006. The new club project of producer Miloslavsky known for his summer EscoBar club at Sestroretsk resort beach (St. Petersburg suburb). Located in a former movie theater foyer. It’s hard to find out how the name affects the concept of the new place, but the first visitors described it with only one word, which was “obscure”. Works so far on Fridays and Saturdays only, midnight to 6 a.m. Entrance – free/invitations.
Address: # 12 Sadovaya Ul. Location: M: Gostinny Dvor. Tel.: (812) 312-0148.


Taj Mahal (PWT). The club has a new name: Buddha Bar - similar ambiance, but not the same. The name of the club usually helps you to imagine what it should be like, but not in this case. Interior is a weird mixture of eastern (Hinduist), western and cyber-punk motifs. DJs play at midnight and/or at 5 a.m. Deep house is the only demanded style. Crowd: fashion freaks, bandits with chicks, bandits without chicks, their friends all recovering from cocaine anesthesia with scotch, Courvoisier and hookah. Club cards are required, but I’ve seen foreigners entering this place having no card on them. It’s like a visit to a Zoo, just leave kids home. Works: 11 a.m. ‘till the last party animal leaves.
Address: # 46 Bolshaya Morskay Ul. Location: M: Sennaya, Sadovaya. Tel.: (812) 314-7007.


Revolution. (PWT) This time we have Lenin playing vinyl for us. October revolution of 1917 promised easy living to peasants & proletariat, and the Revolution club seems to be very promising hangout for proletariat kids, spoiled by MTV and subliming their class hatred singing along with hip-hop stars.
The neighbor of Money Honey/City Club occupies the basement floor at one of the sections of Apraksin Yard, the largest city market, selling consumer goods from China & Turkey, stuff from Burma and Tajikistan and spirit from Caucasus. There’s nothing bohemian here. Simple as it is: everyday house and R&B parties that you can’t miss. Popular theme will never let the club down. Everything is cheap and calls for having fun. Admission 50 – 100, Works: Monday – Wednesday, Sunday 11 a.m. – midnight, Thursday – Saturday 11 a.m. – 6 a.m.
Address: # 28 -30 Sadovaya Ul, building 1. Location: M: Sennaya, Sadovaya, Gostinny Dvor. Tel.: (812) 311-2391.


Ostrov Club. (PWT) Located in a newly restored mansion, build by architect Briullov back in the 19th century. Interiors are great and classy. The club is quite popular among wealthier clubbers, gays and bohemian crowd. Definitely not cheap - it pleases tastes of new bourgeois generation with erotic shows, gourmet dishes and elite alcohol. DJs and music programs are average; it’s not what people come here for. Works: Thursday – Saturday 10 p.m. – 6 a.m. Entrance 200 to 400 rub.
Address: # 37 Lieutenant Schmidt emb. Vassilievsky Island. Location: M: Vassileostrovskaya. Tel.: (812) 328-4649.


Apollo. (PWT) It’s not a space station, it’s just a club. Sci-fi interiors, waitresses and barmen are dressed like space-shuttle pilots, though quite polite and helpful. Dance floor isn’t large and sound is mediocre but Ok for student’s parties. Regular house sets by resident DJs. Monday through Saturday, Noon to 6 a.m. free entrance so far.
Address: # 12 Izmailovsky Pr. Location: M: Technologichesky Institut / Baltiyskaya. Tel.: (812) 316-4516.


Decadance.
In contrast to first Decadance, which became club legend, new club prepared 3 years, spent in tens times more and did it more glamury. Cellar, 2 halls, columns between halls, designing ideas in interior. More different public: from rich to underground. Something from there, something from there, as a result have no orientation.
Address: Sherbakov per., #17. location: M. Vladimirskaya, Dostoevskaya, middle of Rubinshteyna str.
Contacts: tel.: 7(812) 947-70-70.
Open hours: We, Th 18:00-01:00; Fr, Sa 18:00-06:00. entrance free, facecontrol.


2-nd floor.
More club version and branch Datcha. Located about 5 meters from there. Its more then place for dance, fun and concerts, and program more different. Club politic same at the Datcha, like a visitors, like a prices.
Address: Dumskaya str. #9. location: M. Gostiny Dvor, Nevskiy Prospect.
Prices: entrance about 100 rub(4$). Open hours: 18:00-06:00.


Red Club.
The best place for those who like all kinds of good club music: from Techno and House to Lounge and live Nu Jazz, Rock, Nu Wave Music. Mach more different events, concerts, night parties. Youth public, friendly atmosphere, good music. Nice place.
Address: Poltavskaya str. #7.
Location: M. Ploshad' Vostaniya. From Moskowsky Train Station (Moskovskiy Vokzal) turn right to a small street, Goncharnaya, and follow it to the end, then turn right again and 40 meters further you will find it.
Tel.: 7(812)717 13 60, 7(812)717 0000. web: http://www.clubred.ru/


Havana Club
Smart Cuba-themed club with live bands and three dance floors playing Latino, house and pop. Restaurant, chill-out room, pool and free popcorn for all. Beer from 60 rub($2.5), craze merriment, many girls. Good club for first time in S. Pb.
Address: Moscowskiy pr., #21.
Location: M. Tekhnologicheskiy Institute. Web: http://www.havana-club.ru/flash/index.html
Open hours: 12:00-06:00 daily. Entrance: 12:00-21:00 free; after 21:00 from 100 rub.($3.5) to 250 rub.($10).


PinUp
A theme bar with interior décor based on U.S. pin-up art from 1950s and early 1960s. the club boasts a massive bar, vast space and convenient location in the city center. Thought out design, more beautiful girls on the wall and with trays, big dance floor and scene, but understanding musical program.
Address: Mokhovaya str., #37.
Location: M. Chernyshevskaya/Gostiny Dvor.
Contacts: 7(812) 323-90-90. Open hours: 12:00-02:00; Fr,Sa 12:00-06:00. Entrance free.