Enjoy the Silence? Not here!

For a lot of tourists, it’s important to get an idea of what it was like in Estonia in times past. There are lots of great museums that we recommend elsewhere in the Baltic Guide, but you can also get a sense of history from going to some of Tallinn’s older bars, some of which are, happily, unspoilt by progress. There’s none of your hipster-chic here – just good, honest, old-style drinking and fun. 

A great place to start your evening of discovery is DM Baar (Voorimehe 4, Tallinn Old Town) – this used to be one of two Depeche Mode-themed bars in Tallinn’s Old Town and now stands proudly alone as your own personal watering-hole. Depeche Mode has a standing that’s right up there with Elvis and The Beatles here in Estonia, and the electronic trailblazers’ four-decade career is crowned by this black celebration, a dark, moody bar where you can listen to your favourite band while taking in the unique atmosphere of this bar, which is supported by the group’s fan club. This is a place where people are people, so if you’re sick of bars where fancy people hang out with cocktails and everything counts in large amounts, this will be a place you just can’t get enough of.

After you’ve quenched your thirst for electronica, head on to a similarly tranquil bar with a contrasting decor and atmosphere, which also has a history that is tangled in the story of Estonia. Back in the Soviet 1980s, Cafe Moscow was one of the places to see and be seen in Tallinn, sitting on what was then known as Victory Square, and which since the restoration of independence in 1991 has been known as Vabaduse Väljak (Freedom Square).

Wabadus (Vabaduse Väljak 10, Tallinn Old Town) still has old photos from those times on its walls, and it’s instructive to look at how some things have changed, and some things, particularly the buildings around Freedom Square, have remained almost the same. The excellent waiters and waitresses will serve most of the cocktails you can think of, alongside an impressive selection of wines and food that always hits the spot.

There are two floors to Wabadus, and if you go up, there is often a live DJ set and a party taking place, with groups such as Tallinn’s Internations, for foreigners living in or visiting Estonia, regularly using the cafe as a base. On a warm day, it’s nice to sit outside and enjoy a cold beer while watching the tourists stroll past your seat, and the occasional skateboarder performing daring tricks on the rails and steps of Freedom Square.

For a dose of the past, which young people still enjoy in ever-increasing numbers, you need to go to Kultuuriklubi Kelm (Vene 33, Tallinn Old Town). It’s a bar attached to a dark, mysterious room where DJs play the best, most thundering and dense club music you will find in Tallinn Old Town. You won’t hear cheesy pop anthems here, but if you really love immersing yourself in the club atmosphere, and don’t care what you’re wearing or how much you’re sweating, you’ll have a terrific time in Kelm, which is a real club for real people.

The bar has the ambiance of a traditional drinker’s pub, with worn-out sofas and comfy chairs offering plenty of places to slump at the end of an evening, but equally presenting a great place to chat to friends, in a non-threatening environment. Most of Kelm’s crowd are Estonian, but if you’re a tourist you’ll enjoy yourself just as much. The stereo in the bar pumps out reliably adrenaline-inducing rock music, and if you want to play a game with your buddies, there’s an eclectic selection, featuring everything from Uno to one of the few remaining copies of Trump: The Board Game. Yes, really. For so many reasons, you should take a step back in time.

Click on the address to see the location.

TEXT STUART GARLICK, PHOTOS ANDREI CHERTKOV, DM BAAR

Stuart Garlick is a journalist and English language teacher based in Tallinn. Since 2012, his blog, Charm Offensive, has covered food, music and fashion in Estonia.

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