The Russian capital is both a blessing and a curse. It’s such a dynamic city that never sleeps, which means there’s virtually an endless amount of cool bars to check out on any given day of the week. But that also means that navigating the choices – especially for a first time visitor – can be a daunting task. We get it. That’s why we’ve compiled this list of different bar hopping options where all you have to do is show up, make new friends and have a great time discovering Moscow’s best watering holes! 
 
City Pub Crawl
Bar tour, excursion, party and thematic quest rolled into one – that’s City Pub Crawl! You will have four hours and four different places with special tasks in each of them. There are three routes through Moscow’s city center with different bars, pubs and clubs with their unique features and special drinks. By the way, the ticket price includes welcome shots, which can always be replaced with something non-alcoholic (great option if you join the tour just for having fun and making new friends). The number of tour participants can reach up to dozens of people, sometimes even from different countries.
 
Foodiscovery Cocktail Tour
Do you know that, at the moment, Moscow is one of the mixology capitals of the world? Here, you’ll find dozens – if not hundreds – of different types of bars. Big and crowded, romantic and cozy, neighborhood corner bars and hidden speakeasy ones. We love all of them but prefer those with character, style and unusual signature drinks. These ones are rare birds which are difficult to find even for advanced cocktail lovers. So enter Foodiscovery Cocktail Tour! Join the tour led by one of the most respected food writers of the city who knows everything about the food and bar scene in Moscow and enjoy the special prices which are available only with this tour. The price of the tour is 7,000Rbl and includes visiting 3-4 bars in one evening, huge discounts on cocktails and, of course, socializing with Moscow’s biggest names in the bar scene. Also in the works is a Moscow food tour, so if you come back to Moscow again be sure to look it up! 

Vinny Bazar 
Drinking wine all around town has never been easier or cheaper and, in large part, it’s thanks to the Vinny Bazar chain of wine bars. The concept cannot be any more simple or convenient: at any one of the Vinny Bazar wine bars you can pick and choose the wines available on the shelves and if you’re feeling peckish, order a few wine-friendly dishes to satiate your hunger. The beauty of Vinny Bazar is that a) the prices are more than affordable, b) there are seven convenient locations all around town, c) each bar has its own concept so if you want something with a friendly neighborhood feel head to Komsomolsky Prospekt, for cosmopolitan vibes check out the bar on Petrovsky Boulevard, to dance the night away stop by Vinny Bazar Tantsy and d) Moscow In Your Pocket readers can enjoy a very special treat in each one of the Vinny Bazars! If you purchase a bottle of wine priced at more than 2,000Rbl, just say the code phrase “in your pocket” to get a delicious wine-friendly nibble to go along with your drink (Offer available from January 1). So drink wine, eat and relax! 
 
Darling, I'll call you
This chain of friendly “neighborhood bars” with four locations around the center is a great place for catching up with friends over a drink, for parties with DJs or for watching your favorite sports team play. And as soon as Muscovites started understanding cocktail culture, the guys behind the bar started offering some great choices. But apart from the cocktails, there are other reasons to visit as many Darling’s as you can. First of all, if you say the code phrase “in your pocket”, you’ll get a shot of their famous homemade nastoika on the house! On Saturdays, guests at the Darling on Mayakovskaya can take part in a cocktail tasting and those who guess the ingredients, get a gift voucher for a dinner at any of the Darling’s. The bar on Paveletskaya has free stand-up comedy on Saturdays and Sundays and quizzes and trivia night on Novokuznetskaya on Sundays and Mondays. On Friday and Saturday nights, of course, all Darling​​​​​​​’s have DJ parties until the wee hours. There are many other events and thematic nights that take place around the Darling​​​​​​​’s, so pop in any day and you’re likely to catch something!

One Door Community 
In the winter, as you may have noticed, it gets pretty chilly in Moscow so if you feel like bar-hopping without actually leaving a given area, head to One Door Community on Novoslobodskaya Street. Here you'll find three cool places to quench your thirst under one roof. First is Meat Puppets Bar, where the talented bar staff make signature cocktails using homemade ingredients. Starting on Thursdays and all throughout the weekend a DJ really gets the party going. Next, you can go to F***ing Craft Bar where you can sample a large variety of beers all while watching a sports match or an arthouse film. Complete your tour of One Door Community by visiting Take It Easy Darling - if you can find it! This secret bar hides behind one of the many doors but if you ask nicely, one of the staff will point you in the right direction. The search will be worth it because TIED serves hard liquor that you have never even heard of probably. Regardless of where you end up, use the code phrase "In Your Pocket" to get a little treat on the house!