Continuing on from the Kreis 2 reviews, here's an attempt to describe/review *all* the bars/restaurants on the Niederdorf, in direction from Centrale --> Bellevue. The area is very general, and includes a street either side. I won't cover "nightclubs", or kebab stands... and apologies if I get the names or order mixed up.
Opinions and feedback are welcome, especially anywhere I've missed. Please remember that we are trying to find out something about every place, rather than simply which ones are best. For example, we've heard many people say that eg Beyond is a great place... what are other places like?
Here we go:
Centrale - Piano bar - generally has a piano/midi player most nights. The bar tends to be full of bored hotel guests; show them a good time! Specialises in champagne.
King's Cave - the grill restaurant below the Hotel Centrale. Has hotel prices but the standard is pretty good. If someone visiting town wants a good steak then this is a good place to take them. No change from CHF 50-60 for such a main though.
Café Verte(?) - vege. No information, sorry.
Dada bar - unknown
Chopsticks - Malaysian takeaway. Cheap-ish and reliable. A good place for that Nasi Lemak / Rendang / Laksa fix. The cook does go home fairly early on a quiet night though - just like everyone else, really...
Bierhalle Wolf - Surreal. One litre beers, grab a granny, and a cover band with mullets. Also a chance to clap along to mimed family favourites, and perhaps even some yodelling. Comfort bratwursts too.
Forecast - next door to Bierhalle Wolf, and a good place to chill after visiting that rather interesting place. Can be very young downstairs.
Jakobs...(halle? keller? I can't remember the name...) - Good, reliable swiss food. Open all hours.
Graebli - another local place that never seems to be particularly busy. No English spoken. It's an ok place, with little carvings everywhere. Don't alienate the locals.
Bonnie Prince Charlie - horrible décor. Doesn't attract the expat crowd.
Big Ben - a very average English-themed bar, with Murphy's on tap. Nothing positive, to say, really.
Cana - vaguely caribbean bar. The DJ is in a world of his own, or rather, off the planet. When was the last time you heard the birdie dance?
Havanna - this used to be a "nightclub", but it moved upstairs and the bar moved downstairs.
Zuri Bar - fairly downmarket, but even so, they'll always serve you
UU bar - has a large outdoors section, but that's the only redeeming feature and a lot of people have been unimpressed. Never seems to be busy inside. Shabby loos.
Corazon - sister premises to the Andorra, right down to the same propeller in the roof. Seats are a problem, unless you are into beanbags, but they do have good wine.
Cantina - Italian restaurant. Has a huge outdoors section, so you can indulge in people watching. Tina Bar is upstairs.
Rosenhof in general - it's a nice place in Summer. It always seems to be going off, with heaps of people hanging around. On Thursdays and Saturdays is the hippy market, where it's rumoured to be possible to buy that "special" hemp filling for your pillow. In the evenings there are sometimes bands busking. Be aware that it is a residential area, and they stop selling alcohol at midnight.
Blue monkey - expensive, small portions, but very good indeed. The food is cheaper downstairs. Has tables on Rosenhof.
Pigalle - it's hard to figure out what this place is. It's got a Paris red light district name, and the staff are useless at serving drinks, but unlike similar establishments they have tables outside...
Nachtflug - Just an ok bar that is very central. Opens out onto Rosenhof. Also has sort-of tapas.
Barrique - Spanish place. Dunno much apart from that.
Twist - Zurich's Rugby pub. Full of expats, especially when there's a game on. The garden bar is rather cold outside of mid Summer. Food is very average, except for crisps passing as fries/chips on the meals. Always seems to be busy.
Oepfel Chammer - restaurant and wine bar. No beer. The place where people try to climb over the rafter. Has a list of regulations as long as your arm... http://www.oepfelchammer.ch/Dokumente/Oeli_Reglement.pdf
Zic Zac - hard to quantify. It's almost like a local version of Hard Rock Café, but without the merchandise or the music videos. Has a huge bar. Food is an unknown but always seems to be busy. Girl ratio is quite high. Khans is upstairs.
Santa Lucia - pizza restaurant chain. Make very good pizzas.
Khans - "Indian" restaurant. Ok, I guess. Been there a few times. I went there midday once, with an Indian friend. The place seemed closed, but my friend heard some people in the kitchen speaking Hindi, his mother tongue. So he pokes his head through the door to the kitchen, and asks in perfect Hindi if the place opens for lunch. They reply to him in English that it is closed...
Andorra - Nice place. Good beer selection. Staff can be a bit poncy. Not a place to bring someone in a wheelchair, as you'll end up having to carry them down the stairs, as we did.
Splendid bar - another piano bar. Upstairs bar is nice but is closed until fairly late.
Safari - unknown
Velvet - unknown
Wings - A bar seemingly founded by former Swissair staff. There is a token nod to the occasional food trolley in the décor, but apart from that it's actually quite hard to tell. Quite popular with locals.
Le Dezaley - a good Swiss/French restaurant. Good place for fondues. You may need to reserve.
Casa bar - has live jazz, and no cover charge - because it's built into the drink prices. Don't come here for a night on the turps, because the prices will start to bite.
Casa Romero - a nice tapas selection, but everything is pre-prepared - all hot dishes are via the microwave.
Zax-Bar - unknown.
Wüste Bar - unknown
Weiss Rose - a nice little local Swiss place, with friendly staff. English not spoken. Tables outside in Summer. It's lovely - don't ruin it.
Odeon - a Zurich stalwart. Has been here for decades.
There's also a few bars that we visited on the Pub Quiz night on 12th January this year, but I can't remember their names...
Feedback and more reviews/comments are welcome.
cheers
Sam