These are the best bars in Helsinki

What is it? A small and atmospheric sake bar that also serves excellent food.

Why we love it? This is Helsinki’s most immersive bar experience – such an authentic izakaya that you could easily imagine it being in Tokyo. Luckily Sake Bar & Izakaya is in Kruununhaka, just a tram ride away instead of a flight to the other side of the world. Japanese izakayas are bars where you drink and eat a variety of small dishes at the same time, and the food here is so good you could come just to eat. Still, the real heart of the experience is the sake, introduced by the servers with the same care usually reserved for fine wines.

Time Out tip: At the start of your meal, choose your own sake cup from the wide selection. The sake is served in small carafes holding about two cups’ worth – perfect for sharing, so you can taste twice as many varieties for the same price.

Vironkatu 11, Kruununhaka. Open Thu–Mon 18:00–00:00. Expect to pay €7–€20 for small plates, €49 for a seven-course menu.

What is it? Helsinki’s only speakeasy comes with a playful backstory.

Why we love it? As it should be, there’s no sign on the door, just a small entrance where you ring a buzzer. After a pause – sometimes a long one – a little hatch in the wall opens, and eventually you’re ushered into a cocktail bar styled as a 1900s detective agency named Trillby & Chadwick. According to the bar’s backstory, two British detectives were hired during Finland’s prohibition era to crack down on bootlegging, but ended up selling their confiscated liquor instead. It’s a full-blown bar experience.

Time Out tip: It’s a great place to visit also solo and sit at the bar – many travellers do. The service is top-notch.

Katariinankatu 1D, Kruununhaka. Open every night until 01:00 or 02:00. Expect to pay around €17 per cocktail.

What is it? Next to Sörnäinen metro station, Harju8 is a café by morning, restaurant by day and Kallio’s favourite bar by night.

Why we love it? Candles flicker on the tables, the atmosphere is electric, and it’s always full – yet somehow there’s always room, as there are no reservations and everyone makes space. Alongside your drinks, definitely eat: the food is pretty good and delightfully affordable. The pesto pasta is just €10! Red-lit stairs lead to a small basement that doubles as a natural wine bar and dance floor. Once a month, you might stumble into one of the city’s best surprise parties, when the house band funks and grooves like there’s no tomorrow.

Time Out tip: The menu is mostly veggie. Some dishes can be a bit of hit-and-miss so play it safe, and go for the tofu skagen – a fantastic dish where crispy potatoes meet tangy, creamy skagen.

Harjutori 8, Kallio. Open daily 11:00–23:00, until 02:00 on Fridays and Saturdays. Expect to pay €12 for the tofu skagen.

What is it? A beer lover’s paradise in Ruoholahti – and, according to many, the best beer bar in the whole country.

Why we love it? One Pint Pub has been at the top of Finland’s beer scene for 30 years. For the past 15, it’s been run with love and dedication by brewmaster Allu Montien, who’s often found behind the bar himself. Of the 15 taps, 12 are carefully curated and constantly changing, many pouring rare brews. There are also permanent taps for Krombacher and One Pint’s own beers, Alpo’s IPA and Redneck. The fridges are crammed with an impressive range of bottles and cans. The atmosphere is warm and easy-going, helped along by Montien’s knack for chatting with customers. This small bar also hosts regular live gigs.

Sinikaislankuja 2, Ruoholahti. Open daily.

What is it? A flamboyantly queer cocktail bar on Fleminginkatu where anyone with a love for the theatrical will feel right at home.

Why we love it? Tiny, extravagantly decorated Bar Struts is packed with atmosphere. Chandeliers hang from the ceiling, and on the walls are paintings that, on closer inspection, reveal scenes of bondage and other delights that lead you gently away from the vanilla. There’s even a jet engine hanging among the stars on the ceiling – a leftover from the bar’s previous aviation-themed incarnation. Expect excellent cocktails and the occasional cabaret show (on what’s surely Helsinki’s smallest stage). Every now and then, the bartender might even burst into song to end the night.

Time Out tip: Be sure to visit Velour, the owners’ pop-up bar on Pengerkatu, set in a former theatre. Behind the red velvet curtains you half expect the giant from Twin Peaks to appear. It’s open until the end of the year.

Fleminginkatu 13, Kallio. Open Tuesday to Saturday.

What is it? One of Helsinki’s most atmospheric wine bars, housed in a beautifully preserved art nouveau pharmacy.

Why we love it? Above the door, a stained-glass swan recalls the building’s history as the Joutsen (Swan) Pharmacy, which operated here for over a century. The art nouveau interior is protected by law, with solid wooden shelves lined with old apothecary jars – a perfect match for a wine bar, since wine itself is a kind of elixir of (good) life. There’s an old cash register and a set of pharmacy scales too. The wine list is impressive, and alongside top bottles you’ll find small, seasonal plates made with care and offered at reasonable prices. They’re ideal for sharing. The family behind Apotek also runs beloved Helsinki classics like café Tin Tin Tango and restaurants Carelia, Kuukuu and Kuu – and Apotek is clearly on its way to joining that list.

Time Out tip: The bar is on Lapinlahdenkatu, which is also home to the excellent Tacoya Birreria. If you’re after a livelier vibe than a wine bar, this is the place to knock back margaritas and munch on a few-euro tacos.

Lapinlahdenkatu 1, Kamppi. Open Tuesday to Saturday. Expect to pay €8–€16 for dishes.

What is it? A Frida Kahlo–inspired bar filled with Mexican décor – complete with a Day of the Dead altar.

Why we love it? Bar Llamas stands out among the many bars on Iso Roba pedestrian street thanks to its striking interior. The Mexico theme is done with such good taste that it never feels kitschy. Alongside beers there’s a wide selection of tequilas and rums. Mojitos are served not only by the glass but by the jug. And if you’re in the mood for Bollywood instead, the same owners run Bar Bhangra in Töölö.

Time Out tip: Iso Roba is home to the liveliest bar scene in southern Helsinki, perfect for an all-nighter. Beer lovers should head to Black Door or Tommyknocker, rock fans to The Riff, and partygoers to Jackie. At Swengi you can belt out karaoke and at Camping Helsinki even play a round of minigolf.

Iso Roobertinkatu 14, Punavuori. Open daily 16:00–04:00.

What is it? A laid-back new cocktail bar in Kallio, opened in October by three hospitality pros who also know their food.

Why we love it? Twenty Four Social Club was a hit from its very first night. The name comes from its 24 seats (well, 25 actually as they got an extra one after the opening) and its friendly, sociable spirit. The founders – Kim Päivästö, Mika Koivula and Kenneth Löfström – opened the bar with the right attitude: when the perfect venue appeared, they simply went for it. The furniture from the previous dumpling restaurant was kept, and the décor has slowly been adapted to their own style. The food, blending Asian and European influences, is inventive, though the portions are on the small side for the price – if you arrive hungry, you might leave that way too, even after sharing the whole menu. This is definitely a drinks-first kind of place.

Time Out tip: We love the €15 ‘staff meal’, which is exactly what the name suggests: the same dish the team themselves are eating.

Kolmas linja 6, Kallio. Open Wednesday to Saturday. Expect to pay €5–€24 for dishes.

What is it? A streetwise brewery bar in Vallila’s Konepaja area.

Why we love it? Worn-in furniture, graffiti, skate art and a view of the brewing tanks through the window set the tone for this hip hop–soundtracked taproom. You could come just for the vibe – but the beer is the star. Olarin Panimo is known for its fruity NEIPAs, though everything on tap is top-notch. And the beer couldn’t be fresher, it’s brewed right here on site. There’s pizza too, because of course there is.

Time Out tip: Continue the night across Teollisuuskatu at Ääniwalli – the club has the best sound system in town and one of Helsinki’s most diverse line-ups. Alongside electronic music, expect plenty of experimental and genre-bending nights.

Bruno Granholmin kuja 1–3, Vallilan Konepaja. Open Wednesday to Saturday.

What is it? A bar inside the House of Text, a hub for writers, where young authors, art students and hipsters mingle – but everyone’s welcome.

Why we love it? A wall mural inspired by the legendary Finnish artist Hugo Simberg replaces his famous garden of death with a bar run by skeletons. The atmosphere is hipsterish in the best possible way, with no hint of pretension. There’s a DJ spinning records, candles glowing and a wonderfully mixed crowd. On busier nights, the back room turns into a dance floor.

Time Out tip: Bar Tÿpo sits on the same old factory site that houses the city’s top clubs – Siltanen, Kaiku and Post Bar – so it’s easy to continue the night from here. Especially in the last two, the house beats keep dancers going well into the morning.

Lintulahdenkatu 3, Tekstin talo, Sörnäinen. Closed on Sundays.

What is it? Quite possibly Helsinki’s smallest bar.

Why we love it? Eclectically decorated and visually striking, this pocket-sized bar is so tiny you’ll end up chatting with strangers – especially since a large velvet sofa takes up most of the space. Meeting new people here tends to pay off; the crowd is always interesting as you don’t just stumble upon Kuuttila by accident. Everybody has a story to tell.

Time Out tip: Kuuttila is famous for its chilli shots, which people travel to try. They’re so fiery that the person who ordered one often can’t finish it – and ends up passing it around for everyone else to taste.

Vilhovuorenkatu 7, Sörnäinen. Open Thursday to Saturday.

What is it? A discreet cocktail bar with fantastic drinks – and a strict no-phone policy.

Why we love it? Erottaja has Helsinki’s densest cluster of cocktail bars. Right next to Chihuahua Julep are Liberty or Death and Moss, with Grotesk and Bar Mate just around the corner. Each of the five has its devotees, but our pick is the most low-key of them all. The door bears only a small sign, and entry is by buzzer. Inside, the tiny and charming bar enforces a full phone ban – mobiles are sealed in pouches upon entry. The reason isn’t an A-list clientele hiding inside, but the owners, Minna Kettunen and Jami Järvinen, wanting guests to be fully present in the moment. That same sense of conviction extends to the drinks: all spirits come from the Americas – tequila, mezcal, rum and bourbon. There’s no vodka, gin or Scotch here. Each cocktail comes with a small ‘drink tapas’, a bite designed to complement the flavours of the drink.

Time Out tip: Come early – or very late – especially on weekends, as the bar is small and popular, and there’s not always room. And bring cash or a card: you really can’t use your phone here, not even to pay.

Erottajankatu 9, Kaartinkaupunki. Open Tuesday to Sunday.