Description: Hyped up in the guides, we were looking forward to trying this bar. Kola has a reputation of being quite funky and alternative but turned out to be disappointing.
The decor is undoubtedly shabby chic; big old leather sofas falling apart, funky 1970s (style) coffee tables, big comfy armchairs. There are some nice art pieces on the wall, many of them for sale I believe although I didn't get the impression that many of the clientele were the art-buying kind.
There is a seating area at the front then you go to the bar along a passageway and there you'll find the bar itself with another seating area. We chose to sit here as (even though it was afternoon) the front part was quite noisy.
What we found disappointing was the lack of Finnish beers or some interesting international beers at the very least. I don't recall exactly what was on offer but I think it was Heineken - an acceptable beer if you really must but not what you'd expect to be served here. They also sell coffees and soft drinks and a small selection of sandwiches.
It's not that this place is bad - it's certainly comfortable and reasonably priced for Helsinki (expect to pay less for beers in Kallio than in the city centre of course) but it's a little disappointing. The staff were unfriendly and more interested in chatting with each other than in keeping us topped up and the beer choice is uninspiring to say the least.
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