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Kraków Bars



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  • SomePlace Else

    SomePlace Else
    Nine plasma screens for live sports, friendly staff and a quality menu of bar eats that steers towards the Tex-Mex end of the spectrum make SPE an easy
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  • Pod Papugami Irish Pub

    Pod Papugami Irish Pub
    After a couple of refurbs, Pod Papugami has doubled its capacity, the upstairs has been beset by some fake brick finishing and brightened a bit, and though it
    Read on
  • Nic Nowego

    Nic Nowego
    Similar to a cosmopolitan Dublin Bar, the Irish-owned Nic Nowego continues to serve as the expat community's primary source of hangovers.
    Read on
  • Saloon

    Saloon
    There's a new sheriff in town. Evoking an American gold rush-era western saloon and cathouse in design, Saloon deftly avoids cowboy kitsch in favour of
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Krakow | Bars, Pubs & Clubs | Bars & Pubs

A hotel bar that comes without the hotel prices inside a two floored glass room attached to the Qubus hotel. The design is stark, overpoweringly so, with nothing to look at aside from shining steel and polished wood fittings. The idea of top-to-bottom windows would work well if there was something to look at, instead what would be fantastic river views are blocked by the rest of the hotel planted outside. [...]



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ul. Nadwiślańska 6 (Qubus Hotel)

tel. (+48) 12 374 51 00

Open 20:00-02:00,
Mon Closed.
This small dodgy, dive bar is known for its live rock and blues concerts (Thursday-Sunday), patient barmaids and plastered, hard-livin' local clientele who are never too shy to buy a sober stranger a drink. Smoky, steamy and frightfully claustrophobic, Awaria features a narrow underground corridor [...]



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ul. Mikołajska 9

tel. (+48) 12 292 03 50

Open 15:00-02:00,
Fri 4,
Sat 4.
Over several rooms of plush seating, high fashion photos, dangling chandeliers and a spacious garden, Baroque is a sharp and modern space that mixes in the new with the old. It looks attractive enough, but there’s one reason alone to be visiting this swanktank: cocktails that many argue are t [...]



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ul. Św. Jana 16

tel. (+48) 12 422 01 06

Open 12:00-24:00,
Fri 12:00-03:00,
Sat 12:00-03:00.
Peer through the Stygian gloom and you’ll find a bar like no other. This cellar is a complete dive, complete with squelchy floors, a scrum at the bar and rude doodles in the grotty toilets. The crowd consists of local nutcases, students, backpackers and Goths, a bubbly mix that isn’t av [...]



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ul. Mikołajska 24

tel. (+48) 12 423 00 30

Open 17:00 - 02:00,
Mon Closed,
Tue Closed,
Wed Closed.
In almost no time at all, this small bar has managed to establish itself as a cult hangout thanks to a simple concept few places follow anymore: good music and good people equals good times. Unpretentious with an interior of unfinished wood, brick walls and a small upstairs balcony level with a gre [...]



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Plac Szczepański 2/1

Open 10:00-02:00
Self-assuredly cool and confident, Boogie exudes style with a glossy black and creme interior. Local jazzsmiths strut through sets on Friday nights in this intimate space where things start classy, turning downright silly as the night raves on. [...]



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ul. Szpitalna 9

tel. (+48) 12 429 43 06

Open 10:00-24:00,
Mon 11:00-24:00,
Fri 10:00-02:00,
Sat 10:00-02:00.
Sunglasses at night and a spiky hairdo are usually enough to get past the fashion gestapo hovering at the door. Once inside expect a taste of chic minimalism with scrubbed stone walls and cream coloured seating, while a crowd of local media twits show off well practiced dance moves to R’n’B and disco backing sounds.  [...]



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ul. Gołębia 6

tel. (+48) 12 429 39 74

Open 19:00-01:00,
Mon Closed,
Tue Closed,
Fri 19:00-04:00,
Sat 19:00-04:00,
Sun Closed.
Budda Drink & Garden
To get the most out of Budda you need to visit in summer when adjoining courtyard gardens transform into an al fresco dance arena. On those chillier evenings make for the warmly lit crimson interior which comes illuminated by hundreds of flickering candles, while drinkers down potent concoctions under the conceited gaze of gold buddhas. Check out the unique mezzanine level for something a little different, while couples suffering a lull in their relationship should choose a cosy nook and study the wall paintings of randy Indian figures entwined in Kama Sutra embraces.   [...]



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Rynek Główny 6

tel. (+48) 12 421 65 22

Open 12:00-01:00
What the Great British Pub once looked like before the brewing industry was mugged by alcopops, Wetherspoons and silly smoking laws. Squint and you could be in the Rovers Return, what with all the glass sconces, booth seating and pictures of fox hunting toffs. The Brit associations and centre stage location mean a fair chance of running into groups of lads freshly dispatched from an EasyJet, thus disrupting the armchair atmosphere which would otherwise be ideal for an after-work beer and maybe a nap.
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ul. Mikołajska 2

tel. (+48) 12 423 11 68

Open 09:00-02:00
Attached to Kraków's best contemporary art gallery, this enclosed terrace bar/cafe on the Planty resembles a spacious greenhouse wherein the plants have been replaced with couples, happy hour colleagues and English teachers giving private lessons around wobbly tables and chairs. A year-round pleasure (thanks to plenty of heaters), Bunkier's inviting atmosphere is marred only by the slow to completely negligible table service that can't be circumnavigated. [...]



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Pl. Szczepański 3a

tel. (+48) 12 431 05 85

Open 09:00-02:00,
Thu 09:00-03:00,
Fri 09:00-03:00,
Sat 09:00-03:00.
A sewing table sign leads you into this veteran hole-in-the-wall cafe/bar of rickety furnishings, local photography, and random fashion flourishes (changing curtains, the titular mannequin) over two tiny levels. Playing anything with a pulse from Slum Village to Michael Jackson, Manekin creates a l [...]



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ul. Św. Tomasza 25

tel. (+48) 788 45 05 06

Open 09:00-02:00,
Fri 09:00-04:00,
Sat 09:00-04:00.
Owned by two amiable artists, Cafe Szafe has a warm, inviting atmosphere unique to most Kraków bars - a trait which has endeared it to locals and expats alike. With a secluded back room that frequently hosts concerts, film and photography exhibitions, Szafe gracefully accommodates barflies and [...]



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ul. Felicjanek 10

tel. (+48) 663 90 56 52

Open 09:00-01:00,
Sat 10:00-24:00,
Sun 10:00-24:00.
Head straight past the sketchy club on the right and advance over a wooden drawbridge to access this inner-city oasis. Choose from sitting on a timber frame mezzanine level, or on the wicker chairs concealed among the jungle of parlour plants. It’s all completely cheesy, but a decent distraction from the meat market lad clubs found in the immediate vicinity.   [...]



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ul. Szczepańska 3

tel. (+48) 12 431 08 64

Open 10:00-24:00,
Fri 10:00-01:00,
Sat 10:00-01:00.

Carpe Diem’s primary feature is a ceiling which does its level best to decapitate all those who visit. Survive this hazard and you’ll find yourself drinking in a typical cellar venue, this one with a half-hearted maritime theme that includes fishing nets, lanterns and a model galleon hanging precariously above. The bar staff appear grimly determined to keep the fridge unplugged at all costs.    [...]



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ul. Floriańska 33 (entrance on Św. Marka)

tel. (+48) 12 431 22 67

Open 12:00-04:00,
Sun 18:00-03:00.
On top of being Kraków's only microbrewery (serving rather palatable Light, Ginger, Dunkel and Weizen ales), CK Browar has plenty more going for it including the handsome beer hall interior with copper brewing vats, tiffany-style lamps and long wooden tables fit for a viking feast with a fist of grog. Redoubling the barbarian potential is the possibility of getting a five litre beer tower with its own tap fitted to your table. Damn good times, the downside being that what could be an elegant, even sophisticated, beer cellar has become a rather loutish lads' bar noted for bad music, bad service and bad company - mostly intoxicated, unpredictable and sometimes aggressive local boys. Shame indeed.
[...]



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ul. Podwale 6-7

tel. (+48) 12 429 25 05

Open 20:00-04:00,
Mon Closed,
Tue Closed,
Wed Closed,
Thu Closed,
Sun Closed.
From the same team as the 'Be Retro' vintage clothing store around the corner, you would expect Color Spot to have a slightly more savvy sense of style. Full of plastic-looking wooden counters and tables, cheap white chairs and beige wooden panelling on the white walls, the design element most iron [...]



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ul. Bracka 4

tel. (+48) 500 78 91 19

Open 09:00-24:00,
Fri 09:00-03:00,
Sat 09:00-03:00,
Sun 09:00-03:00.
Getting in here is harder than it looks. You’ll see it from the outside easily enough, but the sign standing outside takes you into a completely different space – either the work of an English prankster, or a seriously confused barman who can’t remember where he works. You’l [...]



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ul. Gołębia 6

tel. (+48) 12 421 10 14

Open 08:00-01:00,
Fri 08:00-04:00,
Sat 10:00-04:00,
Sun 10:00-01:00.

Existing primarily to catch the run-off from Piękny Pies at about 5:00am (you can disregard the opening times we list), if you find yourself in DeCafencja you've truly gone the distance and deserve congratulations (and maybe just one more beer) if you're still standing. A one-room affair with temperatures reaching microwave levels, it certainly does nothing to deter creatures of the night from cramming in between the sidewalk giveaways that go for furniture. Here you'll find all manner of characters to engage in drunken banter or desperate flirting; keep your hand on your beer and your butt on the barstool and you're doing better than most. A sordid, laughable, yet lovable local institution.
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ul. Sławkowska 4

tel. (+48) 12 341 41 37

Open 13:00-04:00
Lost in the sauce somewhere between cafe and bar, Dym is a long, dark drink-den, the dull design of which is made up for by the character of the clientele: primarily self-proclaimed artists and intellectuals that blow a lot of smoke. How many advances and grants have been blown here it's hard to kn [...]



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ul. Św. Tomasza 13

tel. (+48) 12 429 66 61

Open 10:00-24:00,
Fri 10:00-02:00,
Sat 10:00-02:00.
Café/bar crossover with a soulful vibe that makes it a sensible spot for conversation. Not a pissed backpacker in sight, and a light, airy atmosphere.

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ul. Krupnicza 20

tel. (+48) 12 430 08 38

Open 08:30-22:00,
Sun 09:00-21:00.
Apparently the number of punters coming to town demanded it. Quite literally wall-to-wall football with team shirts hanging off every available space, three lions on the floor and Sky Sports beaming down their banal brand of hype and hyperbole. This is nothing less than stag heaven, and as such expect weekends to be awash with Brit lads bowling around bragging about last night's prostitute. Real men will take advantage of the tables out back that come fitted with their own private beer taps, though they sadly ruined one of the centre's best courtyards, formerly of Klub Re.
[...]



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ul. Mikołajska 5

tel. (+48) 12 421 01 49

Open 13:00-01:00
A typical Krakowian dungeon space with a set of perilous stairs leading to a network of rooms that reveal a Babylonian mixture of languages and vices. The central location means a quiet night is never on the cards, and local DJs spin everything from mainstream MTV hits to more specialized sounds like klemzer or drum’n’bass – check before hand to know what to expect.   [...]



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Rynek Główny 6

tel. (+48) 12 423 83 00

Open 14:00-03:00,
Thu 14:00-04:00,
Fri 14:00-06:00,
Sat 12:00-06:00,
Sun 12:00-03:00.
An audacious effort to do something different with a cellar for once. Badly signposted, you need to walk to the end of the courtyard corridor, down some stairs, round a few corners and then bang, find yourself inside one of Kraków’s best bars. The pseudo-industrial interiors hold a colle [...]



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Rynek Główny 30

tel. (+48) 12 423 26 52

Open 18:00-01:00,
Fri 17:00-03:00,
Sat 17:00-03:00,
Sun Closed.
If you find yourself being approached by a young lady or ladies taking an overactive interest in you and suggesting you join them for a drink, please be aware. While we do not wish to suggest that you are not the handsome dude that you clearly are, we have received increasing reports of incidents w [...]



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An exercise in chromatics, the interior of Intro is entirely made up of metallic greys with columns of numerals descending down the walls, making you feel like you've been beamed into someone's dodgy iPod knockoff. It's a design that already feels a bit dated, with long tubular lamps and light fixt [...]



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ul. Św.Tomasza 13

tel. (+48) 12 423 91 91

Open 10:00-01:00
Cheekily stationed in the midst of Kraków's embassy row, the massive Irish MBassy is a popular place for weekenders and expats to get their passports punched and forget where they are. Numerous TV screens beam down live sports over three stories of original brick and gothic details, punctuated by sponsorship signage, sports and Irish memorabilia. Absolute madness during matches, the doe-eyed staff do well to keep track of the orders fired at them, while a decent line of pub grub - burgers and baguettes – makes this a one stop solution for a long night.
[...]



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ul. Stolarska 3

tel. (+48) 12 431 02 21

Open 12:00-01:00,
Fri 12:00-03:00,
Sat 10:00-03:00,
Sun 08:00-01:00.
Almost unobtainable for a long time, microbrews have arrived in Kraków and Katedra offers at least 40 different labels from around the country. A slightly creepy interior based on the legendary Polish fantasy film of the same name features planetary murals and crawling vines painted on the walls, while behind the bar you'll find several games including 'Wiedżmin' - a Polish role-playing game ala Magic: The Gathering. Though sounding a tad adolescent, the atmosphere is laid back and Katedra remains a good option for a delicious, civilised drink with friends who have joined the small, but growing ranks of Kraków's non-smoking population; check your butts at the door.
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ul. Poselska 9

tel. (+48) 12 294 88 60

Open 10:00-01:00
Your standard Krakowian cellar bar in most respects, Re is a standout for two reasons. The first is its success in bring touring international acts to Kraków: some of the city's most exciting and memorable concerts happen at this small venue, including contemporary indy bands from America and abroad. The second is its beer garden, which at one time ranked as the best in Kraków, but has sadly been encroached on by the neighbouring English Football Club and Rooster. Still, this tree-filled courtyard is as pleasant a place as you'll find for a drink with friends on an amiable afternoon.
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ul. Św. Krzyża 4

tel. (+48) 12 431 08 81

Open 12:00-02:00
The line of snipped ties that hang above the bar stand as warning to what happens to prats in cravats, and as such they’re low on the ground here. It’s primarily a student crowd that drinks in a large area decorated with vinyl records and trumpets, which is just as exciting as it sounds. They do have a pool table though, as well as an electronic dartboard that bleeps and whistles during moments of particular drama.    [...]



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Rynek Główny 29

tel. (+48) 12 422 25 26

Open 13:00-01:00,
Fri 13:00-02:00,
Sat 13:00-02:00.

A cultured cigar and piano bar, Le Fumoir’s art-deco interior is a perfect background to drink port and make important decisions. As you’d expect, impeccable service, cracking live music and a list of cigars from all corners of the world. Top marks. [...]



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ul. Sławkowska 26

tel. (+48) 12 411 72 88

Open 19:00-24:00,
Fri 19:00-01:00,
Sat 19:00-01:00,
Sun Closed.
A well-designed lounge bar with deep leather seats and stark photo images hanging off blank coloured walls. Soft lighting and spaced out tunes complete the valium trip, though the planned introduction of big-screen sports and karaoke may well disrupt those glazed daydream moments.
   [...]



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ul. Pijarska 11

tel. (+48) 12 422 06 72

Open 16:00-02:00
Lizard King
Following their success in Poznań and Łódz, Lizard King has brought music to the masses of Kraków, largely deprived of a proper rock venue until now. Free entry to see their nightly noisy Polish rock acts has already made this place immensely popular, despite the expensi [...]



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ul. Św. Tomasza 11a

tel. (+48) 12 422 04 75

Open 12:00-03:00,
Fri 12:00-04:00,
Sat 12:00-04:00.
Giddyap gringoes, greenhorns, tenderfoots and Polish cowpokes - and get on down to Sheriff Luciano's hard-livin' saloon for a lesson in whiskey, women and weirdness. Inexplicably owned and operated by a Hungarian father and son team, this unknown gem in one of Kraków's least visited quarters i [...]



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ul. Bałuckiego 16

tel. (+48) 12 267 28 68

Open 16:00-02:00
Guests get buzzed through a glass door before being led down the stairs by a tall hostess who would be equally at home on the centerfold of a magazine. Supremely classy M Bar is a great detour from Kraków’s student infested cellar drinking pits, and the perfect escape from the stags that [...]



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ul. Św. Tomasza 11a

tel. (+48) 12 431 00 49

Open 18:00-05:00,
Mon Closed,
Tue Closed,
Sun Closed.

Nic Nowego
Similar to a cosmopolitan Dublin Bar, the Irish-owned Nic Nowego continues to serve as the expat community's primary source of hangovers. Black-clad candidates for Miss Polska serve up a wicked array of drinks from behind a sleek metallic bar, including the best Guinness in Poland, while Sky Sports keeps a largely foreign audience captivated. A sadly necessary ‘No Stags’ policy keeps things gentlemanly and propping up the bar you’ll find a range of characters from loyal customers who’ve been rewarded with their own fridge, to bleary-eyed lads who’ve just blithely missed their return flight. Recommended.
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ul. Św. Krzyża 15

tel. (+48) 12 421 61 88

Open 07:00-24:00,
Fri 07:00-01:00,
Sat 10:00-01:00,
Sun 10:00-24:00.
A small, dingy, obscure locals bar, there's one reason and one reason only why you should visit Non Iron. Not the atmosphere, company, music or design, but for cheap, delicious beer. Here you'll find dark and amber ales from Kraków's old Smocza Jama brewery (13zł/litre), Kozel, and ot [...]



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ul. Św. Marka 27

tel. (+48) 12 429 41 98

Open 14:00-24:00,
Sat 12:00-24:00 ,
Sun 12:00-24:00.
Two sections; a traditional wooden bar area in the first, complete with a small screen to watch any sports action, and booth seating in the side room. A car theme prevails throughout with sepia pictures of vintage cars filling the ochre coloured walls. Prop up the bar with the locals while staff fix cocktails like ‘Sex in a car,' or enjoy the largest selection of whiskies in town.
[...]



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ul. Św. Tomasza 31

tel. (+48) 12 425 40 00

Open 12:00-03:00,
Sat 16:00-03:00,
Sun 16:00-03:00.
The flagship bar of Nathan’s Villa Hostel, so expect crowds of backpackers drinking with debauched abandon and the raucous atmosphere you’d expect when people don’t have to work the next day. Lucky buggers. Split into four rooms including a billiard room, separate smoking lounge and a main bar area, which frequently hosts live music and impromptu acts of depravity. No problem mingling, and the quiz nights on Monday and Thursday attract a number of local expats taking advantage of the cut-price beer. [...]



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ul. Św. Agnieszki 1 (Nathan's Villa Hostel)

tel. (+48) 12 422 35 45

Open 12:00-04:00
This narrow lounge bar in one of the Rynek's most coveted locales seems to be looking down its nose at everyone else. Set in an early 16th century palace, One Lounge has gone minimal modern with an interior of white walls and white leather loveseats with skinny glass tables. While it's all quite comfortable, it does an impressive job of rendering one of Kraków's most storied buildings utterly soulless. Fortunately in summer you can escape to seating right on the market square, but there's no lack of that nearby. If you want to pay the highest prices on the Rynek, might as well do it in the Rynek's most pretentious interior. Against the white backdrop everyone's sure to comment on how much your spending power stands out. Bravo.
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ul. Rynek Główny 42 (Bonerowski Palace Hotel)

tel. (+48) 12 374 13 52

Open 08:00-24:00
Home to many things including a mediocre disco and an even less exciting restaurant, Panorama’s genius comes in the guise of offering perhaps the best view in Kraków. Assuming that the weather is being kind, the terrace perched up on top of the Jubilat shopping centre provides a wonderfu [...]



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Al. Krasińskiego 1/3

tel. (+48) 12 422 28 14

Open 11:00-22:00
Paparazzi
Kraków cocktail culture started here. A long, narrow space plastered with candid pics of celebs practicing their pout, Paparazzi's cocktail list is second to none and this remains first choice for anyone looking to clinch deals over invigorating concoctions fixed by a team of specialists. Two TVs playing sports and Murphys on tap add to the overall appeal of this celebration of celebrity.
[...]



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ul. Mikołajska 9

tel. (+48) 12 429 45 97

Open 11:00-01:00,
Sat 16:00-01:00,
Sun 16:00-01:00.
Pauza
One of the trendiest drinking dens in the Old Town, head to this unmarked first floor bar to feel like you're 'in the know.' Full of stylish haircuts and sexy dresses, Pauza twins as a photography gallery with perfectly illuminated high-quality exhibitions, making the hipsters feel justifiably art-smart. Furnishings are modern with low loveseats and stools and some enviable tables in the windows overlooking Floriańska. Despite an atrocious queue for the toilet and typically trendy house music, this is one of the best hangout spots in the Old Town.
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ul. Floriańska 18/3

Open 10:00-24:00,
Sun 12:00-24:00.
Pergamin
Take a seat at the bar to allow the staff their moment of glory as they spin bottles in a bid to create the perfect cocktail. Elsewhere find secluded corners aplenty, scarlet colours and clubbish background sounds stoking the temperature. The perfect pre-party spot on a street that has emerged as many people's abiding memory of club Kraków. [...]



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ul. Bracka 3-5

tel. (+48) 600 39 55 41

Open 10:00-02:00
Comfortably off the Old Town high streets, Philo's polished woods, beige leather seating, beavy of bookshelves and top-mark house tunes played at chill-out volume attract a crowd of students and dropouts engaged in deep discussion while earnestly working their way through a pack of cigarettes. An ideal place to build your reputation as a hard-living intellectual.
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ul. Św. Tomasza 30/2

tel. (+48) 513 06 79 96

Open 24hrs.
Such was the outcry when this cult venue was forced to change locations a few years back that many responded as if they had lost their favourite drinking buddy to an untimely overdose. Well, he's back and his tolerance is stronger than ever. Full of the same unwashed artists and Dylan Thomas impersonators on the muralled ground floor, Piękny Pies 2.0 draws a fair number of students to its downstairs dancefloor where DJs play party hits on weekends, in addition to occassional live acts. Essentially by drunks, for drunks, you can disregard the listed hours: this place never closes and continues to be the best choice in the Old Town for a late night, but not a nightclub. Slop factor: 5 out of 5.
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ul. Sławkowska 6a

Open 12:00-02:00,
Fri 12:00-04:00,
Sat 12:00-04:00.
Pod Papugami Irish Pub
After a couple of refurbs, Pod Papugami has doubled its capacity, the upstairs has been beset by some fake brick finishing and brightened a bit, and though it may have lost some character, generally it now feels less like you're doing your drinking inside an ephysemic lung thn previously (not a bad trade-off). Over two levels full of wooden fittings, Irish bric-a-brac, plasma screens streaming sports, small barmaids, pints of Murphy's, Guinness and Kilkenny, and a billiards table in the poorly ventilated downstairs, Pod Papugami has a friendly sociable atmosphere beloved by lads and gentlemen alike. A great place to meet people and find out just what exactly 'the craic' is, PP actually captures everything we like about being in an Irish bar.
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ul. Św. Jana 18

tel. (+48) 12 422 61 01

Open 12:00-02:00
A neon blue cross marks the entrance to the Emergency Friendship bar. Regularly packed to the rafters, this is where groups of dressed up students descend to neck vodka shots and swap phone numbers. Dancing on the tables is rife and encouraged, so watch your drink. [...]



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ul. Floriańska 53

tel. (+48) 12 421 84 65

Open 19:00-01:00,
Thu 19:00-03:00,
Fri 19:00-03:00,
Sat 19:00-03:00,
Sun Closed.

QUBE
Located in the Sheraton's magnificent showpiece atrium, QUBE is as sexy a spot as you'll find for a drink in Kraków, as you'll notice from the glass ceiling many stories above and the beautiful waitresses gliding around dispatching cocktails fixed by the expert barstaff. QUBE's real claim to f [...]



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ul. Powiśle 7 (Sheraton Kraków Hotel)

tel. (+48) 12 662 16 74

Open 08:00-01:00,
Fri 08:00-02:00,
Sat 08:00-02:00.
Welcome to Coolsville. Done up in retro 70s pop style, Relaks is full of bright rainbow colours, gummy bear lamps, vintage tables and chairs you wish were in your own apartment and vintage ashtrays that almost make smoking seem elegant. With low-key lighting, this cafe/bar takes on a laid-back bree [...]



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ul. Św. Tomasza 28

tel. (+48) 12 422 53 23

Open 10:00-24:00,
Fri 10:00-03:00,
Sat 10:00-03:00.
Saloon
There's a new sheriff in town. Evoking an American gold rush-era western saloon and cathouse in design, Saloon deftly avoids cowboy kitsch in favour of gold satin drapes, faux-19th century wallpaper, beige leather booths and dark stained woods. In terms of aesthetic they've nailed it, and you almost expect to hear bottles breaking and see pistols pulled over the honour of some busty Delilah. But time spent with a tumbler of whiskey at the bar has this outlaw wishing they pushed the concept even further, ditching the contemporary funk, hip-hop and pop dominating airplay and dolling the staff in their bordello, bandit and bankrobber best. Or just put a mechanical bull in the back and we're there every night. Ride 'em, cowboy.
[...]



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ul. Św Tomasza 31

tel. (+48) 12 425 40 00

Open 15:00-03:00
Drinking in the Radisson is as therapeutic as a shot of valium. Pleasantly protected from the elements outside Salt & Co comes with a bright interior complimented by seats in dark violet. Modern art hangs from the walls, some of which were made using salt directly from the Wieliczka Mine. Polite staff serve a choice of Cohiba cigars while fixing complicated cocktails, and soft jazz and suchlike slides from the speakers. [...]



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ul. Straszewskiego 17 (Radisson Blu Hotel)

tel. (+48) 12 618 88 88

Open 08:30-01:00,
Sun 09:00-24:00.
A wacky bar seemingly plucked from the pages of an Arabian Nights fantasy. Lose yourself in a maze of chambers, each boasting names such as The Sultan’s Room and Shisha Bazaar. There is a menu – pizza, pasta etc – but the real reason for visiting is the selection of water pipes; order one to your table and let the day slip away, mezmerised occassionally by the flash of a belly-dancing midriff.
[...]



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Mały Rynek 2

tel. (+48) 12 421 64 98

Open 10:00-24:00,
Fri 10:00-02:00,
Sat 10:00-02:00.
ul. Szczepańska 5 (Stary Hotel)

tel. (+48) 12 384 08 10

Open 12:00-22:00
SomePlace Else
Nine plasma screens for live sports, friendly staff and a quality menu of bar eats that steers towards the Tex-Mex end of the spectrum make SPE an easy place to witness your 'down time' overpower whatever itinerary you thought you had in Kraków. The list of world beers goes above and beyond the usual choice of local liquids, and the American interior is a combo of Yank road signs and pics of rock’n’roll heroes. Though not open late, this low-key expat and itinerants bar is still your best bet for convincing the staff to help you watch your favourite MLB, NFL or NBA team in action.
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ul. Powiśle 7 (Sheraton Kraków Hotel)

tel. (+48) 12 662 16 70

Open 12:00-24:00,
Mon 12:00-23:00,
Fri 12:00-01:00,
Sat 12:00-01:00,
Sun 12:00-23:00.
Play out scenes from ‘The Spy Who Shagged Me’ inside this trip back to the 60s. Brown and orange colours permeate throughout, and authentic touches come in the way of vintage radios rescued from the attic, furry disco balls and a zany choice of colours. But this place is no junk store t [...]



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ul. Bracka 3-5

tel. (+48) 12 430 07 28

Open 10:00-02:30,
Fri 10:00-04:00,
Sat 12:00-04:00,
Sun 12:00-02:00.
Vaulted brick rooms, wooden benches and a darts machine making bleepy noises indicate Sport Bar is every bit as original as its name. Salvation comes in the form of Sky Sports, the apparent absence of Brit stags menacing the locals and a collection of black and white pictures showing podgy looking amateur sport sides in action. [...]



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ul. Rakowicka 17

tel. (+48) 12 623 77 69

Open 11:00-23:00,
Fri 11:00-24:00,
Sat 13:00-24:00,
Sun 13:00-24:00.

This formerly characterless cellar has been filled with the requisite memorabilia, a billiards table, football table (free!) and 6 LED TVs to give you an alternative to some of Kraków's more stag-happy sports pubs. The teles aren't huge, but there is a three metre projection screen ready for the big match; that said, we can imagine things getting pretty cramped. With more locals than foreigners, this stands as a better place to find some casual sports cameraderie or challenge the neighbourhood joystick jockeys to Pro Evo; play free everyday and ask about frequent tourneys.
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ul. Grodzka 50

tel. (+48) 12 422 40 73

Open 15:00-24:00,
Thu 13:00-01:00,
Fri 13:00-01:00,
Sat 13:00-01:00,
Sun 13:00-01:00.
Krakow's only sailor bar could be best described in three words only: Never-ending drunken singalong. This smoky, candlelit ship-in-a-bottle is packed full of students and seamen on permanent shore-leave and the selkies, sirens and sea-wenches that love them. Surrounded by nautical knick-knacks, salty, sea-creased musicians sing shanties into the wee hours (particularly on Thursday nights) and fellowship is found at the bottom of every bottle. Our favourite pub/plank to walk. Fetch aft the rum, Marcin!
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ul. Straszewskiego 27 (entrance from ul. Jabłonowskich )

tel. (+48) 12 430 09 62

Open 09:00-01:00,
Thu 09:00-03:00,
Fri 09:00-03:00,
Sat 12:00-03:00,
Sun 12:00-01:00.
ul. Sławkowska 5 (Grand Hotel)

tel. (+48) 12 424 08 00

Open 07:00-24:00
Perhaps the most enchanting and laidback bar in the Old Town, Święta Krowa is an intoxicating alchemic elixir of alcohol, incense, candlelight, cloves and ambient eastern grooves. Hidden in a small, soulful brick cellar off Floriańska, The Holy Cow inhabits two oriental s [...]



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ul. Floriańska 16

tel. (+48) 12 429 59 51

Open 12:00-03:00,
Fri 16:00-05:00,
Sat 16:00-05:00.
Celebrating the music of the 70s, 80s and 90s, one soon notices that the rock legends of the late 60s are sorely lacking from the cheesy playlist of this dingy brick cellar plastered with press photos of the said legends: everyone from The Boss to Freddie Mercury. Wednesday and Sundays are unlikely [...]



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ul. Szczepańska 3

tel. (+48) 695 358 578

Open 17:00-05:00
You will love the menu: a faithful reproduction of the Kraków transport map with station names replaced by drinks. Next stop, Herb and Honey Coffee? Located next to the US Consulate Tram Bar is alternative without going over the top; here you can escape the standard Kraków tourist crowd, [...]



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ul. Stolarska 11

tel. (+48) 12 423 22 55

Open 07:30-24:00,
Sat 11:00-24:00,
Sun 11:00-24:00.
Two choices: drink on the ground floor surrounded by huge armchairs, vaulted ceilings and scrubbed stonework, or take the lift to the top floor where a narrow glass room offers grandstand views of the town square. Found in Kraków’s best hotel, so expect to see plenty of champagne corks b [...]



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ul. Szczepańska 5 (Stary Hotel)

tel. (+48) 12 384 08 08

Open 12:00-23:00
A basic cellar decorated with tatty brewery bumph and a giant Black Death Vodka pennant. The staff should be tarred and feathered: it’s the customers who should be immersed in conversation, not the barmen. Kraków has better bars. [...]



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ul. Sławkowska 2

tel. (+48) 12 421 88 26

Open 13:00-24:00,
Fri 13:00-03:00,
Sat 14:00-03:00,
Sun 14:00-24:00.
Combining the comforts of an expat-friendly watering hole and a decent place to watch sport on a big screen, this superbly located bar tucked away in the bowels of a fancy shopping centre has gone for a combination medieval-industrial look complimented with some of the finest looking barmaids in Po [...]



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Rynek Główny 13

tel. (+48) 12 617 02 22

Open 11:00-01:00,
Thu 11:00-05:00,
Fri 11:00-05:00,
Sat 11:00-05:00.
Perhaps the only space on the Rynek to survive Kraków's tourist boom with its scummy integrity intact, Vis a Vis is a timeless local favourite unhesitantly happy to tell foriegners to piss off while indulging pensioned Polish drunkards until their heads hit the beermat. Sadly forced to inflate to 8zł a pint, this is still the cheapest drink on the Rynek, making its outdoor tables the first you should look for a seat in before sending your most competent compatriot to fetch a drink inside the small stool-laden bar where watching the local barflies makes for an intriguing social study. One of the few remaining remnants of the 'real Kraków' that the Rynek has left. [...]



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Rynek Główny 29

tel. (+48) 12 422 69 61

Open 08:00-23:00
There is no reason to come here other than to get blind drunk and have a rather naughty time. Poles take their vodka seriously, and this tiny enclave takes it more seriously than most. Choose from some fifty different brands and don’t make plans for the following day. [...]



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ul. Mikołajska 5

tel. (+48) 12 422 32 14

Open 10:00-24:00,
Sat 13:00-02:00,
Sun 13:00-02:00.