A Night Out on the Town
Bishkek takes the cake for having some of the most fun and festive restaurants. Its bar and night club scene is small yet offers a unique experience for those looking to dance away the night. The city itself seems to enjoy late nights as many people can be found strolling the parks or hanging out in front of the malls eating ice cream and listening to music.
My friends and I had the privilege of enjoying the night life to its fullest. Most nights were also spent eating dinner at one of the various steak houses and roof top restaurants.
Views from the IWA Roof Bar at the Sheraton hotel. It is perhaps the most prestigious sushi restaurant in the city.
Our waiter making an infused absinthe drink
Torro Grill is a top favorite of mine. Located near Victory park, this steak restaurant offers a great selection of wine and is generous with its mashed potato servings. The lamb shank falls right off the bone like it should. There is also live music and a limo table for larger parties. Super fun place!
Ala-Too square comes to life in the evening as street vendors sell toys and cotton candy. Its a great place to take your kids. Balloon popping is a popular game where you can win fun little prizes. Your kids are definitely going to want to rent a power wheels G-wagon or Bentley. There is even a pony you can ride.
The ZUM mall is a great place to spend the evening. The intersection is a mini times square where hundreds of people hangout and eat ice cream. The eighth floor of the mall has two steak restaurants which provide a nice atmosphere and views of the city.
These guys came up to me one night as I was taking some long exposure shots. They asked if I could take their picture and I agreed. Tuffest pictures I took in the country.
This clock tower across from the ZUM mall makes a chilling sound every hour. It sounds more like I need to take shelter from a storm or a nuclear strike.
The nightlife scene is small as I mentioned. However, there is no shortage of fun. Most of the clubs are open until sunrise and provide plenty of space to lounge with your friends. Karaoke and hookah is very popular. It’s fun watching some of the tv screens depict images of Jay Z or Beyonce over a Russian song that has nothing to do with them. The selection of music depends on the night. Salsa dancing is a common themed night. A regular night you might expect to hear Kyrgyz and Russian hip-hop. You will most definitely hear the latest Drake or Weeknd hits. Most places offer a wide selection of cocktails but the beer selection is very poor. Budweiser, Bud Light, Stella, Red Sun, and Baltika are the most commonly sold. Corona is the most expensive beer on the menu at four to five dollars. Baltika 9 is my favorite Russian lager and personal recommendation. Its a nice hard hitting pint!
