9 Best Nightlife in St. Petersburg, Russia

Head to this intimate and quiet little art café decorated in a British colonial style for live jazz, blues and rock. The menu is varied and good but inexpensive. Beware, though: the toilet, with its many large but defunct locks, is designed to confuse the guests.

This is a favorite haunt of locals and expats who enjoy drinking and listening to local alternative musicians, or who just want to play table football.

The best underground (literally) club in the city, this small former bomb shelter is usually packed with friendly, down-to-earth hipsters. It's owned and operated by a local band. In addition to decent live music, there's a mix of talented DJs spinning house, techno, and funk; check listings for different nights. Upstairs is Griboyedov Hill, or GH, which houses a small cafe, a couple of terraces that offer outdoor seating in the summer, and lmusic fare that is lighter than that to be heard in the club proper.

Russia's top jazz musicians, including the Leningrad Dixieland Band and the David Goloshchokin's Ensemble, regularly appear at this venue in a turn-of-the-20th-century building, as do visiting jazz luminaries.

The most popular jazz venue in town attracts top musicians performing all styles of jazz: acid funk, swing and blues, avant-garde, mainstream, improvisation. The only disadvantage is its modest size, so you may want to reserve a seat ahead of time.

This gay club has been going for years, in one incarnation or another. Attracting a friendly mixed crowd, the emphasis is on having a good time and everyone is welcome. Shows at the weekend start at 2 am and attract a loyal following. The club serves coffee and light snacks from noon on weekdays.

If rockabilly is your thing, or if you simply want to see a country-western saloon in Russia, head to this always-crowded bar for dancing and lots of fun. The live music usually starts at 8 pm. A minimal cover charge is collected sporadically.

Inside an anonymous building in an industrial wasteland far from the center, this chic oasis is still well worth seeking out. Inside, things are cool and sophisticated, decked out in dark woods, chrome and steel fixtures, and clever lighting. There's a modern menu and a lively music program of international art rock, jazz, and experimental acts. They also offer the weekly film screenings.

This modern and minimalist club, whose name means "waiting room," is part of the Varshavsky Express shopping center and entertainment complex, next to the former railway station for trains to Warsaw and beyond. The club can accommodate up to 1,000 people, making it one of the largest venues of its kind in the city, but rarely fills up past the point of comfort. The bands that perform here are a mix of homegrown Russian talent and visiting indy bands from abroad, and cover lots of musical bases, including rock, jazz, pop, and electronic. VIP and Super VIP areas let you score a table and put you at stage height, for a price.