Happy Birthday Gypsies!

The early days of Gipsy Bar was small and intimate with a group of regulars that partied every night.

Gipsy started on a whim, with the help of friends and a passing idea that slowly grew until it became reality. We realised pretty early on, that there was a huge need for stand alone independent venues that provided a social gathering with the right mix of drink, music and food. Previously bars of a certain caliber were found only in large hotels that lacked the easy and informal relaxed atmosphere and personality.

It all started with a strong Spanish theme… the drinks, music and tapas created the right recipe with a promise of a party that often went late into the night and then early morning as traffic was beginning to build up. The poem Auspicious Rose, found on the back of the menu, captures the flavour of the early days. It was written by Mary Anne Robertson, a friend, in 1998. Mary Anne spent many evenings there and was inspired by an extraordinary new experience that was to be the start of bar culture as we know it in Nairobi.

The design was a simple process of rough sketches, imagination, intuition and personal taste all done in-house, that created faults and aesthetics that uniquely identified the special character and atmosphere.

Art plays a big part in the décor, further accentuating the personality of Gipsy and going deeper than merely the provision of a bar. It is a reflection of the owner’s own imagination and was realised by the talented artist Xhuuma Masseti, who went on to create our graphic novel ‘Head Shot’. Other art was provided by the renowned Malindi based artist, Armando Tanzini and some pieces are by the owner himself.

Gipsy Bar has expanded across its original location to a total of five bars, each unique in character and clientele. The creation of the popular weekend Club disco nights was an inevitable progression and house DJ Che, creates an energy that can rarely be found elsewhere. DJ Lucky fills in the early Saturday night crowd, and Terry’s Wednesday 70s vinyl request night has a large following. Local bands and Dj Sumo often fill in the Thursday evenings to complete the week.

Gipsy Bar has seen twenty tears of pure pleasure and one big party! We’re looking forward to the next twenty!