Riga

[johnmc]

Anyone been?

Off there on a stag do but has mixed reviews including a few scare stories.

 

[BlueBearBoots]

went in 2006 - remember it being awful bit of a shithole but it may well have improved. Sorry I have nothing nice to say about it at all!

 

[pee dubya]

Bar scams in Latvia
Latvia are home to a number of fraud/extortion scams in bars, run by the local mobs. A common scam, which targets men, begins by coaxing you into a bar, where most often a girl will strike up a conversation with you and convince you to buy her a drink. You will then be presented with a bill for several hundred Lats. Don't worry, the bar will take credit cards - or you might be forced to withdraw money from their handy ATM. If you ask, you will even be presented with a menu and the price listed. The trick to avoiding this scam is not to enter a bar recommended to you by someone on the street or, if you do, insist on seeing the price of a drink in writing. If not, leave immediately, although this may not be possible if the exit is being blocked by a large bouncer. Here is a list of bars/clubs in Riga the U.S. Embassy specifically warns against visiting (and bars all embassy personnel from visiting):
“Foxy Lounge” - Terbatas 2; located below the “Fashion Café” in the basement of the “Vegas” casino at the corner of Terbatas and Merkela streets near the flower market.
"Babylon" (formerly "Roxy Klub") - Kalku 24; located near the entrance to Old Town on Kalku street.
"Livu Krodzins Bar/Pizzeria" (formerly “Lord’s Pub”/“Groks Pub”/"Royal Pub")—Kalku 22; located next door to Babylon.
"Enigma" (formerly “Puzzle”/“Pink Panther”)—Kalku 22; also located next door to Livu Krodzins Bar/Pizzeria.
"A13" (formerly "Mary") - Audeju 13; located on the east side of Galleria “Centrs” Mall.
“DD Bars”
"Lion Pub" (Formerly “Saxon”) - Laipu 7; located near “Livu Square” in a small street to the right of restaurant “Steiku Haoss”.
“Doll House” a.k.a “Zig Zag” – Marstalu 12; located to the right of Reformed Church.
“Bar Fly” - Vagnera 8; located near “Livu Square” in a small street to the right of “Babylon”, “Livu Krodzins Bar/Pizzeria” and “Enigma”.
"Kapsula Bar" (formerly “Zephry Bar”) - located near Galleria Center in Old Town, near the youth hostel.
“Mademoiselle Cigar Club” – Valnu street; located in Old Town across from “Lounge 8”.
“Nobu Sushi” - Grecinieku 28; located in Old Town.
"Angels" - Elizabetes 22
"Blow Style" (formerly "Monroe's nightclub") - Skarnu Iela 7, behind Indian Raja.
"Hostel Pub" - Teatra street 12
"Sonali Pub" - Brivibas street 46

These shady establishments periodically change their names so as to escape lists like these and continue extorting unwitting travelers. The above list was derived from the official U.S. Embassy warnings[84] on this particular scam, which should be used before you travel rather than solely relying on the list above which may well be outdated.

For your own safety, you should not patronize any of these locations. Many are strip bars or locations of prostitution rings. Consider yourself warned.

<a class="postlink" href="http://wikitravel.org/en/Riga" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://wikitravel.org/en/Riga</a>

 

[Ding Dong]

went in 2006 - remember it being awful bit of a shithole but it may well have improved. Sorry I have nothing nice to say about it at all!

With all due respect , the OP is probably looking for something different than you was................. er maybe!

 

[johnmc]

Well I heard scare stories but the US embassy have a list of no go bars.

Nice

 

[BlueBearBoots]

just seemed really gloomy too

 

[TCIB]

Bar scams in Latvia
Latvia are home to a number of fraud/extortion scams in bars, run by the local mobs. A common scam, which targets men, begins by coaxing you into a bar, where most often a girl will strike up a conversation with you and convince you to buy her a drink. You will then be presented with a bill for several hundred Lats. Don't worry, the bar will take credit cards - or you might be forced to withdraw money from their handy ATM. If you ask, you will even be presented with a menu and the price listed. The trick to avoiding this scam is not to enter a bar recommended to you by someone on the street or, if you do, insist on seeing the price of a drink in writing. If not, leave immediately, although this may not be possible if the exit is being blocked by a large bouncer. Here is a list of bars/clubs in Riga the U.S. Embassy specifically warns against visiting (and bars all embassy personnel from visiting):
“Foxy Lounge” - Terbatas 2; located below the “Fashion Café” in the basement of the “Vegas” casino at the corner of Terbatas and Merkela streets near the flower market.
"Babylon" (formerly "Roxy Klub") - Kalku 24; located near the entrance to Old Town on Kalku street.
"Livu Krodzins Bar/Pizzeria" (formerly “Lord’s Pub”/“Groks Pub”/"Royal Pub")—Kalku 22; located next door to Babylon.
"Enigma" (formerly “Puzzle”/“Pink Panther”)—Kalku 22; also located next door to Livu Krodzins Bar/Pizzeria.
"A13" (formerly "Mary") - Audeju 13; located on the east side of Galleria “Centrs” Mall.
“DD Bars”
"Lion Pub" (Formerly “Saxon”) - Laipu 7; located near “Livu Square” in a small street to the right of restaurant “Steiku Haoss”.
“Doll House” a.k.a “Zig Zag” – Marstalu 12; located to the right of Reformed Church.
“Bar Fly” - Vagnera 8; located near “Livu Square” in a small street to the right of “Babylon”, “Livu Krodzins Bar/Pizzeria” and “Enigma”.
"Kapsula Bar" (formerly “Zephry Bar”) - located near Galleria Center in Old Town, near the youth hostel.
“Mademoiselle Cigar Club” – Valnu street; located in Old Town across from “Lounge 8”.
“Nobu Sushi” - Grecinieku 28; located in Old Town.
"Angels" - Elizabetes 22
"Blow Style" (formerly "Monroe's nightclub") - Skarnu Iela 7, behind Indian Raja.
"Hostel Pub" - Teatra street 12
"Sonali Pub" - Brivibas street 46

These shady establishments periodically change their names so as to escape lists like these and continue extorting unwitting travelers. The above list was derived from the official U.S. Embassy warnings[84] on this particular scam, which should be used before you travel rather than solely relying on the list above which may well be outdated.

For your own safety, you should not patronize any of these locations. Many are strip bars or locations of prostitution rings. Consider yourself warned.

<a class="postlink" href="http://wikitravel.org/en/Riga" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://wikitravel.org/en/Riga</a>

Lol that has pissed on his chips.

Best thing in such places is to find a "fixer", usually discrete hotel staff can point you.
Get the fixer to sort you some coke or something, if it is good then yet his advice on where to drink with the promise of a further tip if you come back in one piece and your wallet.
Make sure you test the coke there and then to.

 

[BlueBearBoots]

went in 2006 - remember it being awful bit of a shithole but it may well have improved. Sorry I have nothing nice to say about it at all!

With all due respect , the OP is probably looking for something different than you was................. er maybe!

Maybe but one of they guys in our party of about 30 had an err lady in his room and she wouldn't accept LATs he had to go to reception and change some money back into GBP - so if be warned take English money with you too! lol

 

[ell]

Scare stories for most piss up cities. Prague Amsterdam Krakow etc Never had any major problems bar one lad getting pick pocketed by a brass

 

[johnmc]

I agree Ell but do those places also have clubs on US/UK embassy blacklists

I booked it, its somewhat on my head