I was recently in Baku for two week at the beginning of January (started my 7 month trip through Caucasus and Russia) and just now finally getting around to putting together the data sheet which will be much more like an extended trip report that a comprehensive sheet.
Overview: Baku is a sprawling city, but as long as you stay in the center near the fountain square it is very walkable. Some clubs and upscale hotels are outside the city center, which will require a cab, but I never stepped to any of those because either their website didn't exist or their facebook page hadn't been updated since August. Amongst the bars I did go to the nightlife scene is very small and you start bumping into the same people. English is pretty common, especially in the service industry, but spotty in other areas (taxis, girls, bus drivers). Also, this was during January so it is possible that there is more nightlife going on during the spring/summer, so take this report with a grain of salt even though it wasn't terribly cold while I was there.
Transportation: My Airbnb host picked me up from the Airport for a nominal fee, but he told me that a taxi would probably run 20-30 Manat. I think I read there is a bus that goes from the airport to the center, but I didn't mess with it, with two big pieces of luggage. Buses and mini buses are numerous, but I never found a place or website that had a map or listing of the routes, mostly trial and error. Additionally, most if not all, of the signs were in Azeri (which apparently is very similar to Turkish as are Azeris ethnically) Supposedly is a subway with two limited lines, but appears that there is construction ongoing for a massive expansion. But metro and buses are pretty cheap (20 kopecks) and you pay when you get off of the bus, not on. At the train station there is one kiosk (#21 or #22, I think) that has an English translator to help book your tickets at one of the other kiosks, unless you know Russian, Azeri or Turkish. The one time I went to the Bus Terminal (way out of the center) to buy a bus ticket it was a ghost town and almost no one was around except for a few people waiting on a bus, then again this was at 4:30pm on a Sunday.
Safety: No issue. Baku is the model for the police state, uniformed personnel and cameras on pretty much every corner, especially in the center. Though they were pretty professional, I was stopped once for jaywalking across the most random alleyway, but was left off with a warning once I told him I was a tourist, you might have less leeway if you were an expat.
Girls: A wide range of girls from darker looking arabs to lighter looking turks. A few head turners, but equal number of trolls. Some speak English very well and other not at all, but if you want to get with a local girl that day game is probably going to be your best bet as they pickings at night are pretty slim. A couple of issues I had with the girls were: horrible teeth, thick eyebrows, and white/lighter make-up on a darker/medium skin. But generally they were well dressed with few hipster types. I'd probably rate Azerbaijan girls the most conservative of the three Caucasus countries.
Day Game: Like I mentioned, probably your best option and there are several malls and other locals to troll for girls. Some Azeri girls will be very friendly and eager to chat with a foreigner, especially a bit out from the center, however, some will completely ignore you or not understand.
28 May Shopping Mall - located next to the train station
Boardwalk Shopping Mall - I forgot what it is called, but it is a big mall that is located on the seaside boulevard.
Nizimi St. - small shopping center on fountain square, also a pedestrian avenue with many shops going from fountain square east.
Fountain Square - A common meeting place for groups and people are usually hanging out there until 10pm.
Seaside Boulevard - Another common place for groups to go and mill about, much larger, but not as popular as fountain square.
Restaurants: A wide selection of restaurants in the center. Reservations are recommended (especially at weekend dinner) as sometimes you get the stink eye if you show up without one, and most are open fairly late 11-midnight.
La Casa - Tapas spot. Better for a date or dinner as there isn't much of a bar to post up at.
Bah-Bah - Azeri Cuisine
Beyrut - Lebanese Cuisine, come hungry if you are getting the big "Masa" sampling dish.
Chinar - Sushi, Cocktails, Date spot. Many well-heeled types here, but mostly with someone. They had a DJ spinning on Friday night and supposedly it turns into dance club at night, but there was nothing going on the one night I was there or walking past on other occasions, so who knows.
Tuscana: Bottom floor of the Sahil/Pasicifico/Tuscana complex. Italian food.
There are many other good restaurants that I never had a chance to go to, so this is not a complete list by any stretch.
Nightlife: Pretty tame compared to Tbilisi and Yerevan in my opinion, maybe I just didn't find the right spots or have the right connects (which is very possible). My main gripe with Baku Nightlife is that it tries to angle itself as top-tier world city with heavy door policies/face control, etc yet without the main requirement that makes that possible....single girls, but then again maybe I just didn't see it, but its to like I ever saw a huge queue of girls at any of these places. If I had to do over, I'd probably troll upscale hotel bars heavily for foreign girls/groups/connections to gain access to clubs, etc and use daygame to spit game at local girls.
Phoenix Bar Ended up here most night, a lot of expats mostly focused on heavy drinking, but on weeknights locals would come and play pool.
Eleven - Hotel bar/club at Park Inn Hotel. The one night I went, I got denied entry because some special event was going on.
Pasicifico - Got face controlled both times I tried to come, which probably could have been avoided by making a reservation, however, the second time I was told that they don't allow solo guys to come in regardless of reservation or not.
Dark Room - Decent on a Wednesday night, completely empty every other time I went by (including weekends).
Bottom line, this was my least favorite city of Baku, Tbilisi, and Yerevan. Unless you have a lot of money time/money to throw around and make connections. Personally, I wouldn't come to this city unless I was trying to network/angle for some sort of oil job or I was an extremely good day gamer. Probably not a budget game spot either, but I supposed it is possible if you do heavy day game and cheap dates/food.
Overview: Baku is a sprawling city, but as long as you stay in the center near the fountain square it is very walkable. Some clubs and upscale hotels are outside the city center, which will require a cab, but I never stepped to any of those because either their website didn't exist or their facebook page hadn't been updated since August. Amongst the bars I did go to the nightlife scene is very small and you start bumping into the same people. English is pretty common, especially in the service industry, but spotty in other areas (taxis, girls, bus drivers). Also, this was during January so it is possible that there is more nightlife going on during the spring/summer, so take this report with a grain of salt even though it wasn't terribly cold while I was there.
Transportation: My Airbnb host picked me up from the Airport for a nominal fee, but he told me that a taxi would probably run 20-30 Manat. I think I read there is a bus that goes from the airport to the center, but I didn't mess with it, with two big pieces of luggage. Buses and mini buses are numerous, but I never found a place or website that had a map or listing of the routes, mostly trial and error. Additionally, most if not all, of the signs were in Azeri (which apparently is very similar to Turkish as are Azeris ethnically) Supposedly is a subway with two limited lines, but appears that there is construction ongoing for a massive expansion. But metro and buses are pretty cheap (20 kopecks) and you pay when you get off of the bus, not on. At the train station there is one kiosk (#21 or #22, I think) that has an English translator to help book your tickets at one of the other kiosks, unless you know Russian, Azeri or Turkish. The one time I went to the Bus Terminal (way out of the center) to buy a bus ticket it was a ghost town and almost no one was around except for a few people waiting on a bus, then again this was at 4:30pm on a Sunday.
Safety: No issue. Baku is the model for the police state, uniformed personnel and cameras on pretty much every corner, especially in the center. Though they were pretty professional, I was stopped once for jaywalking across the most random alleyway, but was left off with a warning once I told him I was a tourist, you might have less leeway if you were an expat.
Girls: A wide range of girls from darker looking arabs to lighter looking turks. A few head turners, but equal number of trolls. Some speak English very well and other not at all, but if you want to get with a local girl that day game is probably going to be your best bet as they pickings at night are pretty slim. A couple of issues I had with the girls were: horrible teeth, thick eyebrows, and white/lighter make-up on a darker/medium skin. But generally they were well dressed with few hipster types. I'd probably rate Azerbaijan girls the most conservative of the three Caucasus countries.
Day Game: Like I mentioned, probably your best option and there are several malls and other locals to troll for girls. Some Azeri girls will be very friendly and eager to chat with a foreigner, especially a bit out from the center, however, some will completely ignore you or not understand.
28 May Shopping Mall - located next to the train station
Boardwalk Shopping Mall - I forgot what it is called, but it is a big mall that is located on the seaside boulevard.
Nizimi St. - small shopping center on fountain square, also a pedestrian avenue with many shops going from fountain square east.
Fountain Square - A common meeting place for groups and people are usually hanging out there until 10pm.
Seaside Boulevard - Another common place for groups to go and mill about, much larger, but not as popular as fountain square.
Restaurants: A wide selection of restaurants in the center. Reservations are recommended (especially at weekend dinner) as sometimes you get the stink eye if you show up without one, and most are open fairly late 11-midnight.
La Casa - Tapas spot. Better for a date or dinner as there isn't much of a bar to post up at.
Bah-Bah - Azeri Cuisine
Beyrut - Lebanese Cuisine, come hungry if you are getting the big "Masa" sampling dish.
Chinar - Sushi, Cocktails, Date spot. Many well-heeled types here, but mostly with someone. They had a DJ spinning on Friday night and supposedly it turns into dance club at night, but there was nothing going on the one night I was there or walking past on other occasions, so who knows.
Tuscana: Bottom floor of the Sahil/Pasicifico/Tuscana complex. Italian food.
There are many other good restaurants that I never had a chance to go to, so this is not a complete list by any stretch.
Nightlife: Pretty tame compared to Tbilisi and Yerevan in my opinion, maybe I just didn't find the right spots or have the right connects (which is very possible). My main gripe with Baku Nightlife is that it tries to angle itself as top-tier world city with heavy door policies/face control, etc yet without the main requirement that makes that possible....single girls, but then again maybe I just didn't see it, but its to like I ever saw a huge queue of girls at any of these places. If I had to do over, I'd probably troll upscale hotel bars heavily for foreign girls/groups/connections to gain access to clubs, etc and use daygame to spit game at local girls.
Phoenix Bar Ended up here most night, a lot of expats mostly focused on heavy drinking, but on weeknights locals would come and play pool.
Eleven - Hotel bar/club at Park Inn Hotel. The one night I went, I got denied entry because some special event was going on.
Pasicifico - Got face controlled both times I tried to come, which probably could have been avoided by making a reservation, however, the second time I was told that they don't allow solo guys to come in regardless of reservation or not.
Dark Room - Decent on a Wednesday night, completely empty every other time I went by (including weekends).
Bottom line, this was my least favorite city of Baku, Tbilisi, and Yerevan. Unless you have a lot of money time/money to throw around and make connections. Personally, I wouldn't come to this city unless I was trying to network/angle for some sort of oil job or I was an extremely good day gamer. Probably not a budget game spot either, but I supposed it is possible if you do heavy day game and cheap dates/food.
