Live Metal Club

Gothic, black, doom, thrash. If you fancy any of the mentioned genres (or are simply curious), Live Metal Club might develop into a second home.

Placed somewhere near Gara de Nord, this giant brick cube is enhanced with suspended band banners (Guns, Metallica, Dimmu), the classical wooden benches and tables that could be seen only after a couple of minutes; when your eyes get used to the obscurity inside.

The cool part about Live Metal Club is the “pletos” phenomenon you can spot miles away, the great beer diversity, your blacker dude and goth chick bartenders and the fact that you could ask for any song, slow or fast, doesn’t matter and they will play it for you. The stage in the back, where hardcore concerts usually take place, is empty during the rest of the days, so you can notice folks dancing to rock ballads every once in a while.

The not so cool (actually scary) part about LMC is the bathroom. Honestly, don’t! Same obscurity here, no flushing, no... to any possible source of water. Last time I went there, I accidentally used the men’s room. I wasn’t drunk, it was just really confusing.
Anyhow, don’t cross it off your list just because of that. As a rocker, Live Metal Club should be a place on your “To go to” list, since many rock bars have been closed or restored, like Hanul cu Tei (which is similar to this one). So, have a good time headbanging to the good music and indulging in cheap beer within this metal heaven.

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Sumar: Intr-o lume invadata de cocalari, misca-ti pletele in LMC si respira aerul curat (sau plin de fum, la alegere), incarcat de decibelii metalisti. \m/

Wellingtons

I found out about this English pub from a friend and we decided to go there on a Friday afternoon. We were most looking forward to the cider, since I've been curious about this beverage for quite a long time now. When we met to go there, no one knew exactly where it was, and after 15 minutes of searching around Piata Victoriei and a certain avenue we made our way to the pub.

What first drew my attention were the chairs at the bar, which are absolutely genius, yet simple and normal for a pub. We sent my boyfriend for drinks (two ciders, one gin&tonic and a beer) and when he came back with just a gin&tonic and a beer he learned a valuable lesson: you just can't make cider in ten minutes if you don't have it. So yeah, I ended up with a gin&tonic (which was served in a Finlandia glass, so extra credit to the pub from a Finland freak like me) and my friend with a bottle of Redd's.

Next time I go there I'll make sure to get more money and try some other drinks if they don't have cider. Because I am going to stalk that place until I get my hands on cider.

Overall I liked the pub. The atmosphere and the place is typically British and for an even more intense 'British pub' experience, they have TVs to show sports. I had the camera with me but got busy trying to photograph a friend and forgot to take pictures of the place.

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Sumar: Daca te-ai saturat de terasa din fata blocului unde te uitai la Euro 2008, poti sa iti petreci cateva ore intr-un pub englezesc, cu o bere englezeasca si sa te simti ca-n filme ^^

Orient

Fed up with the same old, same old? Try something exotic like Orient's nargileh. Crossing the curved Valea Regilor hallway you feel the slight scent of a fragrant tea which lures you closer to what seems to be a coffee house. Orient serves stuff like rum tea and coffee, fruit cocktails, light beers you can mix with a tasty apple/mint/orange/rose or even grape nargileh.

Whether you're enjoying the comfy sofas upstairs or underground, the ancient pyramid feeling you get because of the decorations within never perishes. Oh, and make sure you get the drinks straight from the bar, otherwise you risk to be forgotten until you turn into a mummy, whoops! The oriental music is kind of dubious but fits with the whole foreign atmosphere (it could get creepy in a couple of hours, though).

To sum up, the picturesque design plus the smokey nargileh would go swimmingly with a truth or dare game, just saying, you should go see for yourself.

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Sumar: Ai tai zic ca fructele-s sanatoase, dar tu ai chef de o tigara? Impaca-i la o narghilea cu fructe in Orient, merita!

Avast!

Pirates, history enthusiasts, metal fans or people who want to escape the heath, weigh anchor and hoist the mizzen! We just found the perfect place for ye, damned souls. You find it close to Piata Unirii, behind Cocor and Baratie.

What is it? A tavern/pub waiting to fulfill yer wishes. Cheap beer, rum and a place I wouldn't mind being stranded in. The music varies from folk metal to old romance songs from the 50ies. They play music at request and if you're bold enough you can bring your own CDs. All in all, it's great pirate fun.

The atmosphere is that of a genuine pirate tavern, with maps on the walls, wooden chairs (which get kind of uncomfortable after a while, but you're euphoric enough not to care), stained glass and posters with captains Morgan and Bartholomew. Do not expect to find a drunk Jack Sparrow though. He's busy searching for the fountain of youth, so maybe later xD

The prices are good, a beer varying between 4 RON and 6 RON. The place is opened between 5 and late at night or early in the morning, after the last pirate strolls out of the place. I loved the place to death and you'll probably find me there quite often. And I'm really curious what they will do on September 19, International Talk Like a Pirate Day.

The ship tavern is waiting to send you back on land three sheets to the wind. Don't disappoint, lads!

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Sumar: Gasiti un articol in romana aici. They would've made me walk the plank if I refused.

The Bluzz

I don't know whether it sounds cool or odd or downright kinky, but you can decide on your own if you take take a right turn near the end of Olari street. This petit bar is hidden in the back of a wooden labyrinth which used to be a tavern most probably.

The search is worth it. Cream white walls host the simple wooden benches and tables and, of course, the tiny bar. Their laptop plays, as you might have guessed, a cocktail blend between jazz and blues, some oldies and some chill out. If you're lucky, you could stumble upon the hippie bartender chick and her boyfriend. They're a bit odd and folksy but nevertheless good listeners. Also, don't miss the creamy, musty unfiltered beer. It has a higher alcohol degree and an authentic, unique taste. It's around 10 RON and you'll be more than satisfied. If you play whist, poker or any other card game, you wouldn't want to miss a good play in this lovely, hip-jazzy pub.

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Sumar: Ti-e dor de vietile anterioare de prin '60 sau esti adept Flower Power? Sau vrei o bere buna? Ia-o urgent spre The Bluzz...

Revenge

I'm not really sure whether you want to hear about the basement-bar in Curtea Sticlarilor or not, but since it served me well this winter, here you go.

When I first went there, it was a controversial gathering place for teenagers (most of them metal/punk/rock fans) who were literally waiting at the door 30 minutes before the opening hour. I never really got what was so special about Revenge back then, but it could be described as a combination of the following: cigarette smoke (the ventilation system is not one of its strength), good and cheap booze, awesome music and generally nice people.

In that time, the place had Anime projections every Sunday and if my memory doesn't fail me with the name, I watched a few episodes of Elfen Lied there.

Lately, Revenge seems to have a different target. The number of people under 18 has diminished, maybe as a consequence of the fact that they ask for identification more often. But the drinks and prices are the same, and the music is getting better by the day. And by the way, Tuesday there's Metal Night!

One thing is certain: for me, Revenge will always be the place to get great hot chocolate and listen to good music every Tuesday in winter. And they have amazing Green apple Vodka cocktails too.

In summer they also have a terrace outside, which is quite an enjoyable place, but I am afraid they kinda lack music there.

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Sumar: Revenge este locul ala care anul trecut fura clientela din Fire dupa ora 5. Au preturi mici si servicii geniale, si este unul dintre cele mai bune localuri de prin zona. Merita, plus ca poti studia anarho-punkerii in mediul lor natural.

Cool Cat

As you walk down the lovely pub-packed Gabroveni Street, not far from Fire Club, lies yet another pearl of Lipscani. Meeow! Cool Cat, the bar, not the cartoon, is impossible to go by unnoticed, mostly because its flashy neon blue banner and the roaring music that could be heard from Bulgaria. Well, not really but close.

One of the "youngest" bars, Cool Cat embraces avantgardism, as opposed to the classic-designed Fire Club. Although situated in a two-story older-than-Christ building, you’ve got the fancy bar squeezed downstairs while the second floor lounge lures you to take a lazy catnap on the stuffed puffy sacks, for there are no chairs. A nap here wouldn’t be viable though, considering the loud jungle, trip-hop and indie beats, but the drawings on the walls are sure to set a psychedelic mood. I once asked the bartender who they belong to and found out that Arts College Tonitza students started off along with the owners, using graffiti spray, markers and all sorts of pens. The short messages, anecdotes, signatures, hi5 and blog addresses go all the way to the restroom.

Some say certain drinks lack the average amount of alcohol, so if you want to be sure, go for beer. Unfortunately, most of the time you only come across Tuborg Gold which is around 5 RON so it’s cool. It’s even cooler during autumn, when the windows won’t shut but since summer’s here, get out and about and enjoy this contemporary piece of art that is Cool Cat.


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Sumar: Nu mai lenevi la domiciliu, leneveste ca o adevarata mâţă pe pernele din Cool Cat, alaturi de alti indivizi tineri precum localul in sine, intr-o atmosfera colorata, unica si nonconformista.