I spent several days in Baku during the Formula 1 Grand Prix and I partied for a couple of nights only. Obviously, I didn't visit every nightclub and bar in the city, but I think I got a pretty good idea of how the nightlife is here. Note: I was in Baku during the busiest weekend of the year, so it is likely that most venues were much more crowded than usual.
Best bar: Madrid Bar or Room expat crowd. Best pubs: Shakespeare , Finnegan's or O'Malley. Best nightclub: Fomo Baku and The Vortex. From what I've seen, Baku nightlife is not the best, especially if you are traveling as a single guy and if you are on a budget. The main problem is that most nightclubs and bars have much more men than women, except for a few elite places.
Azeri women often live in conservative families that do not allow them to party or even to hang out with friends late at night. So the only women who go out are either from rich, open-minded families, foreign girls often from ex-USSR countries or Turkey , or prostitutes. As a result, many nightlife venues, even regular bars and restaurants, will make it difficult for men to enter if they are not accompanied by women. Or they will ask them to spend a ton of money on bottle service. Some clubs near the city center specifically target and welcome foreign male tourists.
Many can be found in the basements of old buildings. They are dark, poorly designed and dodgy, with rarely more than just a few customers.
If there are girls inside, they are almost always prostitutes. That's not the kind of experience I want when I'm out partying. In the end, the best way to enjoy a night out in Baku for a single guy is probably just to go to a simple expat bar. Most of them are located within walking distance from each other near Fountains Square.
