Zhigulovskiy Pivo-Byezalkogolniy Kombinat/U Vakano
Recent ratings and reviews.
Reviewed by Globetrotter from Virginia
3/5 rDev 0%
vibe: 4 | quality: 2.5 | service: 3 | selection: 3 | food: 3.5
3/5 rDev 0%
vibe: 4 | quality: 2.5 | service: 3 | selection: 3 | food: 3.5
U Vakano is the brewery pub associated with the Zhigulovskiy mega-brewery along the banks of the Volga River in the city of Samara, somewhere about halfway between Moscow and Volgograd (aka Stalingrad). The name means "At Vakano's", and refers to Alfred von Vakano, the Volga-German (actually of Austrian decent) who founded the brewery in 1881. The pub underwent a major renovation in 2002, and the results are impressive.
The pub consists of one room measuring about 10 by 10 meters (30 x 30 feet), with a balcony running around three sides and a very high ceiling. Everything here consists of quite fancy woodwork, with nice carved trim. The decorations feature a hunting theme, with paintings and the stuffed heads of a moose, wild boar, deer, an eagle, and a falcon. The whole place seats about one hundred. Clearly a lot of money went into the renovation, and they have succeeded in creating a very comfortable drinking environment.
The menu is extensive, albeit not particularly imaginative. The focus is on European and Russian cuisine. My companion and I ate well, if not spectacularly.
There were five beers available on tap: Zhigulovskoye filtered and unfiltered, Don Vakano filtered and unfiltered, and Samarskoye filtered. All were pale. While Zhigulovskoye is the brewery's trademark product, I thought the Samarskoye was the best. None were great. The Zhigulovskoye was served ice cold - too cold.
There is better beer to be had in Samara, but if you are downtown, there is no better place to go for a session of beer quaffing than U Vakano.
Aug 17, 2003The pub consists of one room measuring about 10 by 10 meters (30 x 30 feet), with a balcony running around three sides and a very high ceiling. Everything here consists of quite fancy woodwork, with nice carved trim. The decorations feature a hunting theme, with paintings and the stuffed heads of a moose, wild boar, deer, an eagle, and a falcon. The whole place seats about one hundred. Clearly a lot of money went into the renovation, and they have succeeded in creating a very comfortable drinking environment.
The menu is extensive, albeit not particularly imaginative. The focus is on European and Russian cuisine. My companion and I ate well, if not spectacularly.
There were five beers available on tap: Zhigulovskoye filtered and unfiltered, Don Vakano filtered and unfiltered, and Samarskoye filtered. All were pale. While Zhigulovskoye is the brewery's trademark product, I thought the Samarskoye was the best. None were great. The Zhigulovskoye was served ice cold - too cold.
There is better beer to be had in Samara, but if you are downtown, there is no better place to go for a session of beer quaffing than U Vakano.
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