Lovely little bar with a great history. The patrons here are exceptionally friendly, which is good…read morein a place that's so tiny (even by Helsinki standards). The jukebox is legendary and you can even ask to hear a song written about the bar itself. A must-go for lovers of Helsinki history and kitsch, and a big shout out to the wonderful bar owner who is committed to retaining the charm of days gone by.

The atmosphere here is one of the unbeatable spots in all of Helsinki…read more Good jams. Anywhere from electronica from 2008 to black metal classics. Reasonable prices. Some folks from spotless and "safe" countries might think this is in a seedy part of town, which isn't completely untrue given all the massage parlors, but it's absolutely safe. At least from an Angelino's perspective

I had a couple beers here with friends to start a Kallio run. The place is small and it was…read moreunderstandably packed and loud on this Friday night, but with sufficient elbow use we managed to squeeze into seats. No doorman or coat check, so pretty laid back in that respect. Molotow is charming and I can see why it attracts its clientele. It's got a bohemian vibe -- I hesitate to throw the term hipster out there for fear of negative undertones, but the shoe fits rather well. I had a Magic Stone Dog Ale and a Shipyard Pumpkinhead Ale, both bottled. The former was solid but the latter tasted like Christmas exploded in my mouth. I was disappointed with the prices -- admittedly due to my Kallio prejudice. I just don't expect to pay upwards of 8 EUR for bottles in this neighborhood. Good selection yet on the pricey side, so it kind of averages out for me. Nevertheless, it's certainly worth making Molotow a stop on your Kallio visit. I'll be back :)

A dive bar with a unique atmosphere for Helsinki. People actually say hello to each other here :).read more

From the owner: Jo vuodesta 1986 perinteitä kunnioittaen!read more

Viva Corona! This Mexican pool hall is muy bueno! It's…read moreowned by the famous Finnish filmmakers, Aki and Mika Kaurismäki- you've almost certainly seen their stuff. The dark, contemplative place is a perfect embodiment of their films, brought to life as a Mexican bar. Apparently, this is the Finnish movie director's view of a NYC pub, with a Mexican twist. The bar tenders don't speak Spanish, but they do have their namesake beer in bottles! They offer a brand of tequila I'd never heard of, and I like to think I know about tequila. But the beers were cold- the best option seemed to be the stuff on draft. There were plenty of pool tables open when I went, so if you wanna rack 'em up, this is a good place to do so. They offer free wifi too! Out front, be sure to bask in the warming glow of the space heaters! The place was clean, and the service was nice. They looked confused when I tried to hablo mi Espanol, and I looked even more confused when they replied in Finnish. But we settled on English and cervezas, and everything worked out just fine. Parking looks like it could be a challenge, as there is only street parking along here. There are also plenty of other pubs in the general vicinity if you get bored and want to move on.

The number one place to play billiard in Helsinki is unaccountably Corona Bar. Several billiard…read moretables are available here - one for snookers nine for pool. On the weekend you should be early or otherwise got to wait a bit. Once you have a table you can play as long as you like and pay by time later. And this place has an interesting history too. 20 years ago it was founded by the world famous Finnish directors Aki and Mika Kaurismäki in the style of a laid back New York street bar. Prices for drinks are very reasonable here.