It’s no secret that we enjoy imbibing, so it’s a good thing that Beijing is home to a really great bar scene. We recently highlighted some of the capital’s best craft beer spots. This time around we’re turning our attention to Beijing’s best cocktail bars – and there are a bunch. If you don’t have any plans this weekend, perhaps this will inspire you to get out of the house and relish one of the excellent cocktails that are served up in Beijing.
1. Palms L.A. Kitchen & Bar
Few places blur the lines between restaurant and party spot as well as Palms L.A. Kitchen & Bar. But then again, few places blur the lines between being a dining and drinking destination as well as the city of L.A. Yes, Palms offers all the Korean-Mexican classics you love – miso hot dogs, cheese fries with dried seaweed. But, most importantly, they mix up dope-ass cocktails. Think tamarind margaritas, coconut margaritas and El Imigrantes (or as they put it, “house vodka Red Bull”).
Read our full review here. See a listing for Palms L.A. Kitchen & Bar.
2. Janes + Hooch
Janes + Hooch marries the concept of a favorite dive bar with a chic urban hangout. It's an institution in Sanlitun and is known for mixing up Asian-inspired beverages accentuated with local ingredients – a touch that we love. Seasonal ingredients help dictate their monthly rotating menu, which always serves to innovate.
See a listing for Janes + Hooch.
3. Mao Mao Chong
The cocktails at Mao’s – such as their sublime ‘Mala’ Mule, a Sichuan peppercorn-infused vodka drink that’s a long way from Moscow – are unique infusions using local ingredients and know-how. Grungey without being grimey, Mao’s eschews flash while still keeping it real. And those pizzas...
See a listing for Mao Mao Chong.
4. Mai Bar
The folks over at Mai Bar are dedicated to making the best cocktails in Gulou. And they do a damn fine job if you ask us. Notice that their name sounds like “My Bar.” Well, that’s exactly how they want their guests to feel: at home. There is a fridge full of beer outside, so you can grab your own drinks. There is also an extensive whisky menu. It's the stuff dreams are made of.
See a listing for Mai Bar.
5. The Tiki Bungalow
It’s always island time at The Tiki Bungalow. Their expert bartenders mix up some killer cocktails by combining all manner of unlikely ingredients to create delicious, fruity and rum-infused treats. Make sure to try one of our favorites, the Jet Pilot (click here for the full recipe).
See a listing for The Tiki Bungalow.
6. Bottle, Boot & Cigar (BBC)
BBC is all about providing premium cocktails to the most discerning and refined of drinkers. Within the teeny tiny – yet impeccably decorated – space, patrons will find an impressive selection of premium spirits, homemade bitters and rare vermouths. Drinks are served up in the front room by BBC’s seriously talented bartenders.
See a listing for Bottle, Boot & Cigar.
7. Parlor
As the name might suggest, it’s a slick-backed, pinstriped, brogue-wearing cat of a 1920s cocktail lounge. The spot-lit entrance is tucked away on a shadowy alley, well-hidden and the perfect spot for roughing up a stinking rat. There isn’t a door policy, but if there were, it would read: “no riffraff”. We recommend the Mala Old Fashioned, the classic whisky cocktail with added Sichuan spice, and the sugary sweet Rose Tango, mixing creamy egg white with a floral zest.
Read our full review here. See a listing for Parlor.
8. Infusion Room
Infusion Room’s keypad-lock-and-no-sign combo either ensures that IR is the coolest bar IRL, or that its customers have to flail their arms at the window to get someone to let them in. We fell into the latter camp, but once inside, no matter – the osmanthus-infused Aged Negroni (get it? Infusion Room) is one of the city’s few RMB100 cocktails that’s genuinely worth the price.
See a listing for Infusion Room.
9. Fang Bar
Fang Bar offers “serious cocktails for not so serious people” says owner Zak, and yeah, we just copy-and-pasted that description from his WeChat because that sums it up so well. Fang is surrounded by the budget bottle shops of its Fangjia Hutong neighbors, but has serious cocktail clout: the Journey West blends Xinjiang grapes, dark rum and sugar for a caramelly sweet, yet highly drinkable effect.
See a listing for Fang Bar.
10. The Distillery
Nestled in a quiet hutong and decorated elegantly, The Distillery epitomizes craft. Everything is dripping with the piney, bearded essence of that word, from the beautiful hardwood surfaces, to the old-timey framed artwork and the shelves upon shelves of fine liquors.
See a listing for The Distillery.
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