Raven and Cannonball in Sofia, Bulgaria

Raven and Cannonball, known in Bulgarian as “Garvanat i Gyuletо,” is a central Sofia bar at 3 Pozitano Street, close to Serdika and the city’s historic core. It suits groups who want beer, casual food, bar games and televised sport rather than a polished cocktail lounge or dance club. The venue has a long record of quizzes, community events, themed nights and informal gatherings, and current 2026 evidence still shows it operating at the same address. A live TabL menu listing, a recent Restaurant Guru update, 2026 review activity and a March 2026 Untappd check-in all support continued operation. The main uncertainty is opening hours: one current directory claims 24-hour opening, but that unusual schedule is not independently confirmed, so travelers should check directly before planning a very late or early visit.

The location is one of the bar’s strongest assets. Pozitano Street runs just west of Sofia’s central judicial and commercial area, and current listings give the address as number 3, with the entrance toward the passage or “bezisten.” Tripadvisor places the venue only a few minutes on foot from Serdika metro, making it easy to reach without a taxi. It also fits naturally into a walk around the Largo, Vitosha Boulevard and the Court House. Because the entrance is associated with the inner passage rather than a large standalone frontage, first-time visitors should navigate to the exact street number instead of expecting a prominent street-facing pub façade.

Raven and Cannonball has historically been defined by an informal interior and activities that give groups something to do beyond sitting at a table. Tripadvisor’s older visitor material repeatedly mentions pool, foosball, darts and football shown on large screens. Those accounts date from 2018 and 2019, so they do not prove that every game or screen remains unchanged, but they match the bar’s established identity as a social venue rather than a quiet drinking room. More recent Bulgarian aggregation pages continue to describe sport viewing, quizzes, karaoke and special events. The useful expectation is therefore a casual group bar with entertainment elements, not a specialist sports facility or nightclub.

The bar also has a documented history as a meeting place for organized events. Sofia Development Association named Raven and Cannonball as the gathering point for Hardcore Game Jam in February 2023, while Geograf.bg recorded a geography quiz there in April 2024 with 19 teams and about 90 participants. A Guinness promotion organized by Kamenitza and McCann included the bar on Pozitano 3 in October 2024 and identified it as a venue serving draught Guinness. These dated examples show the space being used for real public events well beyond the older review period and help explain why it works well for larger groups.

Current operating evidence is stronger than during the earlier retry pass. TabL currently lists “Бар Гарванът и Гюлето - София” at Pozitano 3 with an active digital-menu link. Restaurant Guru updated its venue page in August 2026 and publishes the same address and a current telephone number. Zlatna Firma scanned the business in March 2026 and shows review-count activity continuing through 2026, while Untappd records a drink check-in at the venue on 13 March 2026. None of these is a complete substitute for a maintained operator website, but together they provide a coherent current footprint that is sufficient to treat the bar as active.

The drinks side appears broad rather than narrowly specialized. Current and historical sources repeatedly associate the bar with beer, including craft beer, and the 2024 Guinness promotion confirms that draught Guinness was available during that campaign. Restaurant Guru currently categorizes the venue with beer and craft beer, while Zlatna Firma’s aggregated descriptions also emphasize a wide beer and drinks selection. Exact brands, tap counts and current prices can change, so they should be checked on the menu rather than inferred from old photos or promotions. Food is also available according to current directory listings and the active menu platform, but the evidence reviewed here is not strong enough to publish a detailed 2026 dish list.

A visit can be short, but the venue makes more sense when a group has time to stay. Tripadvisor suggests roughly two to three hours, which is reasonable when people combine drinks with pool, darts, sport or a quiz. For a quick beer, an hour may be enough; for a match, event or game night, the stay can naturally run longer. The central location also makes the bar practical as a second stop after dinner or an evening activity rather than something that requires a dedicated trip across Sofia. Travelers interested in a specific quiz, karaoke night or sports screening should check current event information before arrival because past programming does not establish a fixed weekly schedule.

Opening hours require the most caution. Restaurant Guru currently displays the bar as open 24 hours every day, but no independent 2026 operator source reviewed in this cycle confirms continuous round-the-clock service. Older event listings show activity concentrated in normal evening hours, and the venue’s social-bar format makes it unwise to repeat the 24-hour claim without corroboration. The practical approach is to use the current phone number or active menu/contact channels to confirm opening time on the day of the visit, especially for very late, early-morning or holiday visits. The lack of independently confirmed hours does not undermine the evidence that the venue itself is active.

Accessibility is not sufficiently documented. Current sources identify the entrance and address but do not reliably confirm step-free access, adapted toilets or the route from the street into the passage and bar interior. Older descriptions suggest an underground or lower-level feel, but those visitor comments are not enough to establish the present physical access route. Anyone who needs step-free entry or other specific arrangements should contact the bar directly before visiting. The same caution applies to game equipment and seating layouts: pool, foosball and darts are part of the venue’s established identity, but exact current availability should be checked if one activity is the main reason for going.

Raven and Cannonball is most useful for travelers who prefer relaxed, local-feeling group bars to formal nightlife. It can combine easily with central Sofia sightseeing, a meal nearby or an evening around Serdika and Vitosha Boulevard. Its strengths are the central address, a long record of social events, games and sport viewing, and enough recent evidence to show that the venue remains part of Sofia’s bar scene in 2026. The main things to verify are the day’s opening hours, any special event and the exact current menu. With those checks made, it is a practical choice for an unpretentious beer, a match or a group evening in the centre.