Soho Almaty
Soho Almaty bridges the gap between the casual Arbat beer bars and the dressed-up Dostyk corridor. The venue spans two levels: a ground-floor restaurant and bar with a terrace facing the pedestrian street, and a first-floor lounge with DJs on weekend nights. The interior blends exposed brick with modern furniture and ambient lighting. The menu covers international basics: steaks, salads, pasta, and sushi alongside a cocktail list that's more ambitious than most Arbat venues. Hookah is available on both levels. Capacity sits around 150 across indoor and outdoor seating.
What to Expect
A polished but accessible venue where you can start with dinner, move to cocktails, and end up on the dance floor upstairs. The terrace provides a front-row seat to the Arbat's evening foot traffic.
Versatile. Relaxed restaurant by day, social bar by evening, mini-club by late night.
Chill-out and deep house during dinner, building to commercial dance and R&B upstairs on weekends
Smart casual. More effort than Pivnaya, less than Chocolate Room. Jeans with a nice shirt work.
Groups who want dinner and drinks in one location, travelers seeking a middle ground between dive bars and premium clubs.
Cards and cash accepted
Price Range
Cocktails 2,000-4,000 KZT, beer 800-1,500 KZT, mains 2,500-5,000 KZT, hookah 3,000-4,500 KZT
Cocktails ~USD 4-8/~EUR 3.70-7.40, mains ~USD 5-10/~EUR 4.65-9.30
Hours
12:00-02:00 daily, until 04:00 on weekends
Insider Tip
The terrace is the prime spot in summer; arrive early on weekends to claim a table. The second floor becomes a separate venue after 10 PM with a cover charge on some nights. The sushi is surprisingly decent for a bar.
Full Review
Soho Almaty succeeds by being multiple things at once without failing at any of them. The ground floor works as a legitimate restaurant during the day and early evening, with a menu that covers enough ground to satisfy varied groups. The steaks are properly cooked, the sushi uses fresh fish (sourced from Almaty's surprisingly good fish market), and the cocktails are competently mixed.
The terrace is the venue's best asset. Facing the pedestrian zone, it offers prime people-watching during the evening promenade. Tables fill from about 7 PM in summer, and by 9 PM the available seats are taken. The atmosphere here is social and relaxed, with conversations flowing between tables as the evening progresses.
Upstairs transitions to a lounge-club format on weekends. The DJ starts around 10 PM with low-key selections and builds toward something more danceable by midnight. The space is smaller than dedicated clubs, which keeps it intimate. The crowd is younger and more energetic than the dinner crowd downstairs.
Hookah is popular on both levels and adds a communal element. Sharing a hookah with friends at a terrace table while watching the street life is a distinctly Almaty experience that Soho facilitates well.
The main weakness is service inconsistency. During peak hours, the staff is stretched thin across two levels, and wait times for drinks and food can extend beyond what the prices justify. Flag down staff proactively rather than waiting.
The Neighborhood
On the edge of the Arbat pedestrian zone, connecting the casual bar area to the broader Almaty restaurant scene. Walking distance to both the budget beer bars and the more upscale options on nearby streets.
Getting There
Directly on the Arbat pedestrian zone, visible and accessible on foot. Almaly metro station is a 10-minute walk. Yandex Go from elsewhere in the city costs 300-700 KZT.
Other Venues in Arbat
Gakku Bar
Live music venue showcasing local Kazakh and Russian rock, folk, and indie bands. Affordable beer, standing-room stage area, and a crowd that actually listens to the music.
Pivnaya No.1
No-frills beer hall with a rotating tap list of local and Russian beers. Long communal tables, cheap prices, and a loyal local following.
Engels Pub
British-style pub with dark wood interiors, pub quizzes, and a solid whisky selection. Popular with expats and English-speaking locals.
Che Guevara Bar
Latin-themed bar with Cuban cocktails, salsa nights on Thursdays, and a kitschy revolutionary decor that somehow works. Cheap mojitos draw a young crowd.
Republic
Mid-range nightclub at the edge of the Arbat zone playing commercial dance music and Russian pop. Gets packed after midnight on weekends with a local crowd.