Ratskeller
Football at the City Hall
Ratskeller means “city hall cellar” in German and there’s a traditional “ratskeller” pub in almost every town in Germany. The Yekaterinburg version of a ratskeller is also located in the basement of the local city hall. Ratskeller is a great spot to watch football while sipping on a grapefruit-flavored beer and snacking on koryushka (fish from the Baltic Sea).
Ulitsa 8 Marta, 8b ratskeller.ru
The Optimist
Balkan Food and Football
More of a restaurant than a bar, The Optimist’s menu focuses on Balkan cuisine. Try shopska salad with brynza, a white brine cheese (310 rubles), homemade sausages (from 445 rubles) or veshalitsa (pork loin, at 470 rubles). There are several beers on tap, too, including Guinness, Mort Subite and Paulaner (from 200 rubles).
Prospekt Lenina, 50 theoptimist.ru
Bar Ogonek
Premium-Class Football
Ogonek literally means “tiny fire,” but going to an “ogonek” means to going to a little party. It’s also the name of a magazine that was immensely popular during perestroika. Ogonek positions itself a premium bar with decent prices, and its distinctive features include quality leather sofas and waiters wearing bow ties. The walls are covered with posters of politicians and various media personalities, including Edward Snowden. Try salad with chicken liver (420 rubles) or lamb tongues grilled in a special Josper charcoal oven (820 rubles) and chase it down with the bar’s specialty: a homemade sea buckthorn vodka infusion (250 rubles).
Ulitsa Engelsa, 36a barogonek.ru
The Yankee Bar
Burgers and Football
In short, this is an American-style bar with food. There are burgers (including “the Urals burger” at 330 rubles), fries and chicken wings. The selection of craft beer is also extensive: from Yankee Bar’s own specialty beer (from 140 rubles) to local craft beer and some imports (from 220 rubles). You can also watch the game on one of the three TV screens or play one on a games console. Fun fact: the bar’s windows face the local police station.
Ulitsa Tolmacheva, 25 facebook.com/TheYankeeBar
Chuck Norris
Kick-Ass Football
Exploiting the mysterious fascination that Russians have with this B-list American actor, Chuck Norris is full of references to his various martial arts films and TV series. Waiters even have bandages stuck to their noses, as if they were just in a fight. Chuck Norris has an international menu, too: there are “creative” burgers (try the one with deer for 400 rubles), as well as pasta and pizza. There are also several beers on tap, make sure you don’t miss the local specialty Chuck Norris beer (from 130 rubles). When will you have the chance to try it again?
Ulitsa Mamina-Sibiryaka, 101 vk.com/chucknorrisbar
Televizor
Craft Beer and Football
Televizor is located in the basement of a small business center on busy Ulitsa Radishcheva, and it’s a favorite spot for local football fans. There’s a TV set at the bar, which broadcasts mostly football and hockey matches, and the interior design is basic and straightforward: a bar counter, several tables, banners, and different kinds of memorabilia devoted to local football clubs. The beer selection is where things get interesting — Televizor has everything from Heineken to a full stock of locally brewed Jaws beer.
Ulitsa Radishcheva, 4 vk.com/bartelevizor
