In a city where gay clubs seem to come and go faster than you can say "drag queen," Moscow’s Three Monkeys has done quite well. What’s more, with a recent remodeling this omnipresent club has become a surprisingly fun place to spend a late night of dancing, drinking and flirting.
The club’s new design removes the pool table and chill-out room to expand the dance floor and create a small labyrinth. The bar has been expanded and VIP rooms were converted into a cozy dining area at the back of the club. Another major element of the new design is an expanded stage where, on a nightly basis, you can enjoy the best dancers, gay-cabaret, and live music in Moscow. My favorite part of the evening was listening to the live jazz saxophonist accompanied by techno and house beats.
At the bar, beer goes for 90 rubles, hard liquor for 150 rubles, and cocktails from 250 rubles. Also offered is an adequate selection of cognac and whiskey for the more refined connoisseurs. The restaurant menu was impressive and reasonably priced, although I didn’t see anybody taking advantage of it.
Monday is wrestling night at Three Monkeys when the club promises you will "feel like a resident of ancient Rome" as you watch muscle-bound guys battle it out in the ring. On Thursdays the stars come out for "Gay Broadway" and on Sundays resident DJ Sasha rules the Disco-Pop party.
One other point worth mentioning is the "Drag" or "Travesty" shows that go on almost nightly. I wasn’t too excited for this part of the night, but I quickly changed my mind a few minutes into the performance. The show was excellent with great costumes and music, and it was entertaining and funny, as well.
Three Monkeys is located near Metro Paveletskaya at 71 Sadovnicheskaya Ul. and is open daily from 9 p.m. to 9 a.m. Cover for men is 250 rubles weekdays and 350 rubles on weekends. Ladies pay 450 rubles and are only admitted on certain days. Paid entrance also includes a free drink of your choice. If you are lucky enough to be considered "young" by the club’s face-control, you will get in for free before midnight.