Some of the best bars in Yerevan are what gives the city its cool and vibrant side! Miles away from the weight of our complicated history, these places are like nothing else in our capital. These are true hotspots for young and trendy locals and expats living in Yerevan. A bit underground – maybe! But certainly full of positive vibes, sense of freedom and friendly atmosphere. So, here is my list of top 6 best bars in Yerevan which I think you should definitely visit. And if you want to fast-track to the most epic bar in Yerevan, skip to the bottom of this post. 😉
If you like this post and decide to follow my advice, I wish you a great party! Take pictures and tweet or instagram those to me with #ArmeniaTravelTips. Let me know what your thoughts are on our bars and party scene.
Stoyka pub. Underground vibes at a bar.
Although Stoyka claims it’s a pub, I think it’s more of a bar, or even a club to be honest. That’s because dancing happens in every corner of this “pub”. Although, to be fair, we Armenians tend to ignore labels and we dance wherever we want to. 🙂
This is probably the only truly underground venue in the entire Armenia, so the atmosphere is really amazing. The vibe is nothing but positive! People, including staff, are very nice and friendly. They play modern electronic music and offer great cocktails. And needless to say, here you will always find a bunch of people who are ready to chat and dance together.
It’s off the beaten track, located in 48, Nalbandyan Street, but still quite central and easy to get to if you’re in the city center. So, I think it’s a must visit for everyone who enjoys deep and dark club environment and electronic music. If you consider taking a taxi, check out my post about Uber-like taxi apps in Armenia.
Beatles. The name speaks for itself.
Beatles is one of the most well-known bars in Yerevan. As you might guess from the name, the pub is heaven for those who love Beatles as well as 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s music. Here you will often find people playing guitar or piano, dancing, and singing famous songs late at night. As a result, this creates a cozy and friendly atmosphere that makes you feel at home.
Moreover, open mic nights and smaller performances are often organized by the owner, and they shouldn’t be missed. All in all, this is one of the friendliest bars in Yerevan, certainly worth visiting during your night out. By the way, if you’re interested in how much nightlife costs in Armenia you can read the post. It will give you an idea of your average expenses when you go out.
It’s located in 60, Pushkin Street, in the heart of one of the trendiest areas of the Armenian capital. If you want to have a wonderful evening socializing and enjoying below-the-average-priced drinks, then Beatles is the right place for you.
Tapastan – best tapas and wine bar in Yerevan
Tapastan, which means steppe in Armenian, is a warm and atmospheric tapas bar located in 6, Saryan Street. It’s also a smart word play, cause they serve traditional Armenian foods in a form of “tapas” (small bite-size servings), and Armenia is “Hayastan” in the local language. So, the name of the place is also a merger of the words Tapas and Hayastan.
Tapastan is considered one of the trendiest places by the young professional Armenian demographic. Its relaxed atmosphere and delicious food and drinks certainly help boost its popularity. Once you visit Tapastan, you will be surprised by how excellent a restaurant service can be… at a bar! The staff is very friendly and always ready to help you choose from the menu. And believe me you will need some help once you see the great selection of wines they have.
The outdoor seating is a nice place to gather with friends or do people watching, while you can choose the indoor seating for a bit cozier atmosphere. Tapastan also has a vegetarian-friendly menu. Check Tapastan out once and I’m sure you will want to come back again. By the way, if you’re into veg, check out my list of great vegetarian cafes in Yerevan, and an overview of vegan food options for visitors of our capital.
Side note, the street Tapastan is located in, is considered very hip and cool. This is also the place where they organize a huge Yerevan Wine Days festival in May. If it sounds interesting, check out my post about the best time to visit Armenia, where I compared pros and cons of all 4 seasons.
Friends – the friendliest bar in Yerevan
What’s the friendliest bar in Yerevan? Of course, it’s Friends Pub! The nice environment of this bar accompanied by music of all kinds is what you need for your bar hopping program in Yerevan. “Come as a guest, leave as a friend” they say. And I must say, they deliver to that claim.
The place is also very popular among travelers and local expat community. So, you will often find groups of young people celebrating birthdays (check out other cool birthday locations in Yerevan at the link) or other events here. Everyone is dancing and having fun! And if you’re open to building new friendships this is the right place to go.
Located in 49, Pushkin Street, Friends Pub is open every day from 5 PM till midnight. In addition to palatable bar food and drinks, they also offer weekly events. Anything from live blues music performances to crazy Latino dance parties can happen here.
Ilik – the jazz “bar” of by choice
This one is not quite a bar, but rather a cafe. But since they’re usually open till midnight and play great jazz or blues music, I really wanted to include it in my list of the best bars in Yerevan. This is an arts cafe, so you can imagine it attracts a very creative crowd. The atmosphere is very unique thanks to art items all over the place, carpets and old furniture tastefully placed around to create an incredibly cozy environment.
Located in 25, Mesrop Mashtots Avenue, Ilik is a must-visit place for anyone who’s got a creative eye. You can also buy various handmade items in this café, eat some delicious home-made food (check out their traditional Armenian soups for sure!) and meet very creative people. This is a great option if you want to spend a relaxing evening with nice music and positive atmosphere.
Calumet – the most epic bar in Yerevan
In my opinion Calumet is the most epic bar in Yerevan. No, more than that, this is definitely one of the most interesting bars I’ve ever visited, well beyond the Armenian capital. In essence, Calumet is what, nowadays, many would call a hipster bar. But in fact, it’s been like this even before the term ‘hipster’ in its modern sense has reached Europe at all. It is a great bar to spend time with friends and enjoy good music that varies from traditional and experimental to fusion and spiritual folk. Combining the traditional and the modern, Armenian and foreign, Calumet unites people from around the world in one place.
The bar often organizes musical performances, open mic jam sessions and art exhibitions to make sure there is something for everyone. There is only one negative side to it (well, for some) – typically they don’t let single male visitors in. So, if you are a guy and you are not accompanied by a woman, you might be rejected at the entrance. But I personally have experienced being an exception from that “rule”, so I’m not sure how strictly it is really followed.
This ethnic lounge bar is situated in 56a, Pushkin Street, right next to the Human Rights Center. It is truly a one-of-a-kind bar that opens its doors every day from 5 PM until late at night. Here you will have a chance to try multicultural cuisine and a great variety of drinks and cocktails. So, I strongly recommend you give it a try.
Final thoughts on the best bars in Yerevan
Who doesn’t love to have fun? Let’s admit it – we all do! After all, a little party never killed nobody. Besides being a historic city, our capital offers some great options for having fun, drink, dance, and most importantly listen to some great music. I hope you found my list of the best bars in Yerevan useful. So, enjoy your time here and don’t forget to tweet or instagram your party pictures to me with #ArmeniaTravelTips. I’ll be looking forward!
Featured image credit: Photo by Reza Tahvili on Unsplash (CC), edited
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