Podil East India Company

Despite what one might think because of the name, it's not a restaurant of Indian cuisine, but Southeast Asian-styled bar. Menu and the drinks come from the very same place: Pan-Asian classics, as well as barmen's own recipes. Each week something new is added at the bar, and the menu stays true to Indonesian, Indian and Vietnamese cuisine. Here you can also try Ukrainian craft beer, and owner's recommended: whisky-cola, seasoned and kept in a barrel for more than a month.
Address: 9, Mezhyhirska street
Pink Freud

This gem among the bars in Kyiv is located on Podil and truly takes cocktails to a whole new level. The bar list is divided into four vectors to the visitor's taste: sweet, rich&potent, sour, refreshing. This way you can combine couple of categories and find a perfect one. When in doubt, experienced waiters may help with the choice. Curious detail about the bar's inner patio: there's a fountain and cobbed floor.
Address: 19, Nyzhnii Val street
Read: Where to Taste Traditional Ukrainian «Nalyvka» in Kyiv
Khorosho, vsegda / Хорошо, всегда

No wonder that bar with the name that means "Good, always" has quickly climbed the top of the best since its opening in October 2017. Numerous kinds of whiskey, rum, tequila, gin, vermouth, classical and special cocktails are just a small part of what you can find here. Atmosphere is run by the best Kyiv DJ-s and electronic bands, who perform every Friday and Saturday night. The menu includes late breakfasts, burgers, salads and desserts.
Address: 21, Sichovykh Striltsiv street
Hangover

One more popular bar with a self-describing name, this is the place you indulge in guilty pleasures and order a mac 'n' cheese or doughnuts despite the diet you're actually kind of trying to keep to. You may be surprised to know that the main table and the bar are made from the old wooden staircase on Andriivskyi district. Coctail #13 is often recommended: vodka, coca liquor and lemon fresh.
Address: 3, Hrushevskoho street
Read: Where to Eat at Night in Kyiv
Like a Local's Wine Bar

The place aims at promoting high quality Ukrainian wines introducing them to the wide range of eager customers. Here guests can sample wines from the following Ukrainian wineries: Inkerman, Vyna Guliyevyh, Trubetskoy Winery, Colonist, Grande Vallee, SHABO, Kotnar, Chizay, Bolgrad, Koblevo, French Boulevard, Artemivsk Winery and Swans Land. Wines are sold by glass or by the bottle. The menu concentrates on various snacks that taste the best with wine. All cheeses and meat are supplied by local farms, so no wonder that meat and cheese platters are among the most popular picks in this Kyiv bar.
Address: 5, Lva Tolstoho street; 26, Sichovykh Striltsiv street
Blues Bar

This bar is a place everyone can find a bit of something for themselves in: quiet evening with a cocktail of choice, soul-wrenching live jazz performances for cold winter nights, favorite band's covers performed by the best Kyiv bands and, naturally, a wide bar list. Blues Bar has been operating for more than 10 years and is gained its fame for the atmosphere – and live music every night. Menu has Ukrainian and European cuisine dishes, which makes it the spot to spend time with the first-timers in Kyiv. It is opened from 8 P.M. till the last client.
Address: 24A, Mykhailivska street, 5 min walk from Maidan
De Bosch Bar

The concept and interior design of the place is inspired by the weirdest painter of the Renaissance era - Hieronymus Bosch. De Bosch is divided into three halls, each of them reflecting the painter's famous triptych, The Garden of Earthly Delights. The first stop is Heaven: light, roomy and full of vintage furniture. Second one: Earth, restaurant hall to enjoy the wonders of menu. The third one, Hell, is a dark smoking room mostly for philosophic purposes. Bar list is called "Immortal sins" and includes light sparkling, medium hard, fruity, hard cocktails, sweet drinks, two ounces of whiskey and non-alcoholic drinks.
Address: 12, Shota Rustaveli street
Win Bar

A relatively new bar format for Kyiv, bar that concentrates on wine, quickly gained popularity among locals. This spacious loft in a 19th century building with wooden tables and pleasant lights seems to have been created for this very purpose. 150 years ago, there was an apotheke, now it's a place with a rather alternative treatment. The place's wine range is truly impressive: best picks from different regions all over the world. Be it spice, pure sweetness or something other, the staff can help you pick the wine and best suiting dishes to it as well. Classical aperitifs like a cheese plate, sliced deli meats and roasted artichokes are present in the menu.
Address: 16/7, Khoryva street
Regenschirm

Regenschirm is a reincarnation of the Parasolka bar ("Umbrella" in Ukrainian), that was taken down by the authorities. The bar was re-opened in the same area, on Podil, keeping its original name. The owners opted for a German «Umbrella» this time. The concept stayed the same, as well: Regenschirm is a place to enjoy drinks, vibrant beats and good company of fellow party enthusiasts. The drinks’ menu consists of 15 cocktails and a list of strong spirit by the best intentional brands.
Address: 25/12, Khoryva street
Read: Kyiv New Dining Spots to Visit This Winter
Hendrick’s Bar

Winner of the prestigious SALT Award in 2017, this place was born due to the fast-spreading trend for speakeasies in Kyiv. To get to Hendrick's, you need to go down to the basement of the True Burger Bar and ring the armored door: if there are places available, you will get in. If the bar is packed, don't despair, you can always wait for your turn upstairs while enjoying delightful burgers from the True Burger’s chef. On Friday nights Hendrick’s treats its guests with free punch, prepared in a new interesting way every time.
Address: 42, Bohdana Khmelnytskoho street
Bezdelnyky

A new 24-hour bar, inspired by the party culture of Odesa and Saint Petersburg, can easily be named a bar with the most curious interior choices. Have you ever been to a bar with a working merry-go-round that greets you at the entrance? What about bar that serves street food from a stall, 24/7? Well, this is the place. The first hall is where the party lives: DJ set, which was tested by Ivan Dorn at the opening of Bezdelnyky, is located here. The next hall is where you can pick a seat: the bar, or faraway tables. Bar list has well-known and classical picks, as well as the original recipes you can only find here. There are tips to try Yellow Kiwi sour cocktail: based on the yellow kiwi puree, hence the name, it's a mix of three alcohol types: gin, Cointreau liquor and Maraschino.
Address: 38, Saksahanskoho street
Kyiv is promptly developing in all spheres, and restaurant business seems to overtake the rest lately. 2017 graced us with many new places to visit, and reminded us of the good ol' classics we come to like a second nature. Now, we are yet see what 2018 has in store.
Photo sources: shutterstock.com, Podil East India Company, Pink Freud, Khorosho, vsegda / Хорошо, всегда, Hangover, Like a Local's Wine Bar, De Bosch Bar, Win Bar, Regenschirm, Hendrick’s Bar, Bezdelnyky Facebook pages. All images belong to their rightful authors.