Zanzibar is Pristina's most famous jazz bar — a basement venue just off Mother Teresa Street that has become something of an institution in a city that has grown its nightlife scene rapidly since independence. Dark, small, and slightly smoky, it is not the place for a quiet drink, but it is exactly the place to find good live music in an unpretentious setting.
The Zanziband plays here regularly, drawing an audience that ranges from university students to the international development workers and journalists who make up part of Pristina's cosmopolitan layer. The space fills quickly on weekends, and the sound is good for a basement — the acoustics are helped by the low ceiling and stone walls.
The bar is one block south of the Iliria Hotel. Go at ten in the evening or later for the best atmosphere; earlier in the week you may find quieter sessions with acoustic acts. Drinks are cheap by any European standard.