It’s friday, time for a drink! And if you’re going to drink, you should go for the best thing Warsaw has to offer – cocktails. This is the second edition of my personal ranking of the best cocktail bars I visited in Warsaw. In the previous blog post I focused more on fancy, elegant spots specializing in cocktails. It was also more elegant and exclusive. There were definitely some favourites, so I recommend you read the previous post HERE. Now, along with a ‘Professional Alcohol Jury’ consisting of my friends, I visited more places that serve great cocktails. Some really sophisticated, others more casual.
First things first, I need to get something straight. My distinction between bars and cocktail bars is fluid and not motivated by anything but my own feelings so don’t @ me. I do not want to be held accountable for any definitions, because I do not know anything about it, so let’s just assume that all the bars described in this post are cocktail bars, because they serve drinks there. Ok? Of course, if you have any idea about how to properly distinguish them, let me know in the comments!
P.S. Excuse the quality of the pictures. It’s really dark in all of the places I describe here and my very old camera can handle the pressure.
BackRoom
Of course after everything I just sad about not making destinctions between bars and cocktail bars, the first lace I’m going to tell you about can only be desribed as a ‘real cocktail bar’. Why is that? Well, mainly because of:
- The atmosphere. The interior looks like Sherlock Holmes’ house. It’s dark, moody, elegant and cozy. There are soft airmchairs that you can sink into, there’s a [artificial] fireplace and an overall atmosphere that makes you want to smoke the pipe while reading a book from the nineteenth century.
- The staff. Cocktails are prepared by experts and waiters know a lot about what they serve as well. So you can actually get quite a lot information and leave the place not only pleasently buzzed but educated as well. The professionalism means that you can also ask for cocktails that are not on the menu and they’ll most likely know exactly what you’re talking about.
- The cocktails. Which are small pieces of art. Each one served differently. Some will come to your table underneath a glass dome filled with smoke, some will be served in unusual glass/dish, but all of them are impressive. Plus they all have a story. The menu looks a bit like a notebook of a colonial sailor who goes from port to port all over the world and gets to know the local culture and ingredients from perspective of a bar stool.
- Exclusivity. BackRoom gives the impression of the place that you can not enter from the street. It’s located in the city center but it’s hidden at the same time. You have to know where to go to get here. Hovewer the inaccesibility of the place is not real because we managed to come here without any reservations twice, and it was almost empty.
- Water. I mentioned in my previous blog post that I really like those places where they keep filling up not only your ‘alcohol glass’ but you can also get yourself hydrated with water. I guess it’s something to do with taste and being able to wash it away before moving on to the next drink, but it’s also a helpful hangover prevention method.
If that didn’t convince you to visit BackRoom straigh away, than I don’t know what to tell you. Once you’re there be sure to check out the drink called Peru, it was definitely my favourite. I also enjoyed Dover, but it’s not everyone’s cup of tea. Literally, as this drink is served in a porcelain cup with a biscuit and looks like tea with a hint of milk. The only dink I really disliked, even though it was based around gn which is my favourite alcohol, was called Orcadas. Maybe it’s one of those ‘acquired taste’ types of drinks. For me it tasted like water left after cleaning a floor with a hint of a foam from the dishwashing liquid. Do not recommend. Which does not change the fact that BackRoom, in my opinion, is one of the best cocktail bars in Warsaw and you should definitely check it out!
Pros: The cozy retro atmosphere (Sherlock’s home!), aesthetics (the smoke!), attention to details (glass), tap water, great staff and well thought out, original menu
Cons: None
Price: Around 30 złoty (approximately 7 euro) which turned out to be a norm in all of the places
Score: 
Wozownia
I won’t write as much about Wozownia since I’ve already witten a separate blog post about this place. Be sure to check it out HERE. The only thing you really need to know is that Wozownia made it difficult for me to finish research for thi blog post. It quickly became my favourite spot and I didn’t feel like going anywhere else. Plus they had an amazing happy hours offer which allowed me to try almost all of their drinks for cheap. I’m not sure if it’s still available (I didn’t get any reply from them, but will update you with detailed info as soon as I go there again and find out for myself).
As far as the drinks served in Wozownia go, the menu is not big, but there are some great things on it. Some classics and some signature cocktails. I usually go for thei gin-based cocktails – a classic G&T or a sweeter more original mix of gin, honey and lavender. I really enjoy their drinks on vodka as well, especially Rosemary Fizz which is refreshing and perfect for warm evenings.
Pros: Outdoor area, price, beautiful interior, tasty cocktails
Cons: None for me, I just really like this place (plus there’s food!)
Price: 13 to 22 złoty which is cheaper than in other spots
Score:
Warmut (with an addition of GRAM)
I wanted to go to Warmut mainly because of the interior. The 3D city model mounted on the ceiling is impressive and worth seeing live. The vision of the drinks was less appealing to me before my visit because I had no opinion about vermouth which is the focus of this bar. I like it, but it’s not something I think about first when ordering drinks (first it’s gin, then rum, then tequila, vodka as a last resort, vermouth does not automatically appear on my list). Has my opinion changed after the visit to Warmut? Not necessarily. The drinks were very tasty andeasy to drink (like lemonade!), but to be honest, if I did not have my secret blogger’s notebook with all of the places described and ranked, I would not even remember that I was already in Warmut. In any case, I tried the refreshing Baby Rosemary with grapefruit, and I seem to remember Pinks ordering a sparkling Princess, but I might be wrong. Both were good and refreshing.
What might make you want to visit Warmut is Gram, the place upstairs where you can order a beer and play all night long on one of the arcade or pinball machines available. Most of the machines are free of charge, some work without chips, for others you will need some chips available on the bar. I think only one or two machines require you to pay any money, but for those you will need a supply of coins. The interior is also pretty cool. It’s quirky and circus-inspired. I don’t have any photos as it was too dark for my camera, but check them out on GRAM Facebook profile.
Pros: Outdoor area, Pinball and Arcades upstairs, prices
Cons: Crowded on the weekends, the drinks are good but very original (overall meh)
Price: 15-18 PLN for the signature cocktails, 16-24 PLN for the classics
Score:
Kita Koguta
I’ve been to Kita Koguta several times over the last few years. Always with Doris, who is a fan of popcorn, and here they serve it as a snack with all of the cocktails. There’s no cocktail menu. The waiter cames over, asks about your preferences and suggests drinks that you might enjoy. I like this option because there is a greater chance that the drink will taste good. Of course every time I go for ‘something sour based on gin’ and Doris prefers ‘something sour with whiskey’. Even though I like the personalisation aspect of there being no menu, I also feel like that limits my options. It is true that a lot depends on the waiter, because it is he who offers me the final product, but the starting point is my proven formula “sour with gin”. Of course, this is not a complaint against the bar, because their more “personal” approach is definitely a positive thing. Maybe I should surprise myself and change my order “formula” once in a while.
There is a more informal atmosphere in Kita Kogut. The waiter walks over, introduces himself by name, asks you about your name, and for the rest of the evening you are homies (unlike, for example, in Weles or Cosmo described in the previous blog post). The decor is also “normal”, you won’t find any crystal chandeliers, decorated ceilings or soft velvet armchairs in here. What makes Kita KOguta a ‘real’ cocktailbar are qualified bartenders and the aforementioned water served with drinks. Respect.
Pros: Proffesional staff, ‘personalised cocktails’, popcorn, water
Cons: None
Price: Typical – around 30 PLN
Score:
Hideout
Hideout is a spot that my younger sister told me about. She is a huge fan of Aperol Spritz and is always on a hunt for deals and discounts. That’s how she came across Hideout where they serve a large glass of Aperol for just 14 PLN on Wednesdays.The bar is well stocked so you will be able to get lots of different drinks there, however I went for Aperol as well so I don’t have any info to share with you about other cocktails.
I really liked the interior of Hideout. The bar is hidden in a tenement house right next to a popular techno club (where I’ve never been, but have to go there finally as I’ve been planning it for a year or more). There are high ceilings, soft, cozy colourfull armchairs and sofas as well as tons of plants. A recipe for Instagram success! The maximalist urban jungle makes you feel as if you were at someone’s house which adds extra points to the atmosphere of coziness and makes you want to spend hours there chatting away with your friends. With a drink in hand, of course.
Pros: Cozy, beautiful interior, cheap Aperol Spritz on Wednesdays
Cons: I don’t have anything to say as I didn’t try anything exept Aperol
Price: Aperol Spritz for just 14 PLN on Wednesdays
Score:
Zamieszanie
I’ve been to Zamieszanie a few times before as well, but it was always by accident, when I was planning to go to the neighbouring Cuda na Kiju for a pub quiz but it was too crowded. This time, however, Zamieszanie was my main destination. I made a reservation, invited my friends and seta goal to try as many different cocktails as possible. The drink menu is divided into few different sections. First of all, you can order “drinks on tap”, ie a few permanent options available on the taps plus one ‘surprise drink’ that changes from time to time. Secondly, there is an option of mini bottles filled with cocktails which are also already mixed up and wait for their turn in small glass bottles in the refrigerator. Finally, there are cocktails mixed “normally”, meaning when you order them and not in advance. We managed to try quite a few options, although unanimously we voted that Dr.Green was our favourite drink (just ask them to make you a less-sweet version). Enthusiasts of whisky also really enjoyed the Scottish Mohito.
Pros: Quite a lot of options, water, original formula (drinks on tap, little bottles)
Cons: It may be crowded, not really my cup of tea – most drinks were rather sweet
Price: 24 PLN – 32 PLN
Score:
That’s it from me, now let’s move on to the spots that Doris managed to visit in the last few weeks. Once again sorry for the photo quality. These were taken with a phone.
Kiti Bar
We arrived at Kiti Bar because there are no free table at Kita Koguta. This time the ‘Proffesional Alcohol Jury’ composed of Doris (alcohol of choice: whiskey) and her colleague Michał (alcohol of choice: everything else except from whiskey). We waited a moment to be seated by a waiter. I like that there aren’t wild crowds at the bar. Everyone has their own place and the waiter has time to cater to us. He also has time to talk about drinks. I felt taken care of 😀 We get shrimp crisps for a snack. I remember my mother preparing them at home. The crisps disappear from our table at an alarming rate. We love them!
The decor is very nice, “desert island” inspired. On the shelves there are different kinds of glasses and mugs that you can buy. We also get our drinks in some of them. We browsed the menu (which is composed as letters from distant journeys, cool I like it when there’s a story!), but in the end decided to go for our own inventions. Mine had to be be in a glass that looks like a chicken. The drinks arrived and… did not really taste the way we wanted them. The waitress takes them back and brings us new ones. Those are perfect! We also tried a drink from the menu that has marinated jalapeno peppers and tastes like Mexico. Yummy.
Pros: Water, snacks, amazing staff that really takes care of you
Cons: None
Price: Typical – around 30 PLN
Score:
B52
I spotted B52 bar and restaurant when I was on a tram. I don’t even remember what restaurant used to be located here, but B52 is quite new. I checked out the menu online (I like to know what’s in store for me beforehand) and was really intrigued by the fish bowl cocktails. I asked the waitress what to expect from fish bowl drinks and she responds that they are what she would consider ‘women’s drink’, so exactly what I though – they are suppose to look good, and not necessarily taste good as well. Not relly my cup of tea, but the ladies at the next table are over the moon with their fish bowl orders posting them to Intagram straight away!
Time to choose first round of drinks. I ordered somthing based on whisky for myslef and prosecco cocktail for Michał (he asked me to choose for him, so that’s what he gets!). They look great. They’re colourfull, decorated with fresh flowers, my glass is also decorated with sugar. Unfortunately they don’t taste as good as they look. They’re a bit bland and mostly sweet. In comparison to cockails we tried at other spots these ones are not something I’d be willing to come back for. We decided to try something else to try to make up for the last order, so we went for their signature shots called B52, like the br itself. The glasses are full but the waitress had a lot of trouble with setting the shots on fire (as they’re supposed to be served), she called for help but the lighter didn’t work. After few minutes of searching for a new one they managed to find one but we were not that excited by then. W left a bit dissapointed by the whole experience.
Pros: Big tables which means you can come here with a bigger group, but nothing more
Cons: Drinks are ot that good. They’re supposed to be fancy and sophisticated but the result is not that impressive, maybe it would be better if they went for something simple but good
Price: Typical – 25-30 PLN
Score:
6 Coctails
This cocktail bar is one of the hidden ones. You need to know where you’re oing in order to find it. We managed to find it without contacting them first because the building was under construction and they needed to put up signposts. At the door they spring us with questions: Are you one the list? No. Are you on the Facebook list? No. Have you been here before? No? Hmm, ok, this time we’ll make an exception and let you in, but next time be sure to sign up on the list. I thought to myself that it’s probably really crowded inside if they only let inside people form the list, but no, there’s quite a lot of free tables to choose from. The bar is located in one of the apartments on Mokotowska street, so the atmosphere is similar to high school house partie that I used to attend years ago.
The menu is written on the wall, but you can also talk to the bartender and ask for his reccomendations. He’ll prepare whatever you ask for. We decided to go for a Pornstar artini with passion fruit and the Freman. Both cocktails are served in beautiful crystal glasses and are really tasty. There’s nothing to complain about! I like my drink so much that decide to go for another one, this time my favourite classic – Whisky sour. It’s perfect and tastes exactly as it should!
I waited quite a long time to get to the bathroom. How much can you… The door opens and 4 girls come out. WTF? I go inside and I immidiately know what’s going on. The bathroom is also like an old apartment. There’s a corner bathtub, and in it… filled with pink plastic balls! Now I understnd the waiting time. How can you not take selfies here? It’s really difficult to do it myself, but somehow I managed. I guess I was in there a bit too long, because I see the impatience in the eyes of my companion. Well… I could not miss such an opportunity 😀 I really enjoyed my time at 6 cocktails, it’s a great place to party and dance with friends, but not to sit and chat with a drink.
Pros: Great atmosphere, amazing cocktails, professional staff
Cons: Only one bathroom, bother with the guest lists
Price: 25-30 PLN
Score: and a half
