Brace yourself for this long masterlist if the best cocktail bars in Singapore. Two of them (28 Hong Kong Street and Manhattan) recently made the 50 World's Best Bars list, while the others have some pretty cool offerings, if you know where to find them. Here they are:
A fixture on the World’s 50 Best Bars list, this dark and moody speakeasy-style place recently underwent a renovation to expand its bar seating. The big draw, of course, is the lengthy list of signature cocktails, each with the alcohol strength helpfully indicated. They do mean classics, too, like barrel-aged Negroni and Vieux Carre.
28 Hongkong St., 6533-2001. Open Mon-Wed 5:30pm-1am; Thu 5:30pm-2am; Fri-Sat 1:42pm-3am.
Simple IKEA-style furniture and mismatched couches lend a house party feel to this hush-hush drinking hole. No menu—just go up to the bar and tell them what you feel like having. Classics like Old Fashioneds and Manhattans are tasty and strong. Sip them alongside traditional eats like Hokkien mee and char kway teow.
60A Boat Quay, 6535-0838. Open Mon-Thu 6pm-midnight; Fri-Sat 6pm-3am.
One of the cool new crop of hotel bars, this airy space with bulbous light fixtures do classic cocktails with a nod to Asia. Whether it's a sour with spices like nutmeg or a bright pink beetroot concoction, the bar team lead by head bartender Tom Hogan and Bannie Kang push out consistently solid drinks. Oh, and don't miss out on their East-meets-West tapas by Chef Carlos Montobbio with creations like truffle veal cheek baos.
1/F Fairmont Singapore, 80 Bras Basah Rd., 6431-5315. Open daily 5pm-2am.
Hidden behind casual eatery Shoebox Canteen is this cocktail bar that makes tons of locally-inspired drinks, including the Kaya Toast cocktail. The dedicated bar team are a fun group of people who'll shake up a cocktail to your liking with lots of fresh fruits. We personally love the atmosphere right before sunset when the light filters through their skylight. Don't miss their addictive bar bites like truffle fries, too.
118 Telok Ayer St., 6438-1836, Mon-Thu 6pm-midnight; Fri-Sat 6pm-2am.
Crowned as one of the best high volume bars in the world, this joint has got a pedigree of its own. Known for their cheekily-named cocktails and efficient service, this bar's got solid drinks presented in collegiate Solo cups or with toy soldiers frozen in ice blocks. It's often busy with the after-work crowd and has a bathroom soundtrack that recite verses of British show Alan Partridge.
6 Jiak Chuan Rd., 9694-9623, Mon-Fri 5pm-1am; Sat 6pm-1am
Bukit Pasoh’s new-ish cocktail bar has got Ginza celeb bartender Daiki Kanetaka, who struts about in white double-breasted suits and deploys surgically precise techniques while underlings hand him towels. If not for the theater, come for the focus on sherry, Armagnac and calvados and the bespoke cocktail service. There’s not much food at this 28-seater space, but who needs bar bites when you’re hip enough to be spotted here.
2 Bukit Pasoh Rd., 8141-5741. Open Mon-Sat 6pm-1am.
Veteran bartender Shawn Kishore’s new cocktail bar is a throwback to everything ‘90s and early 2000s. Taking the space formerly occupied by Wonderbar, this place is unpretentious and evokes lots of nostalgia. Everything from the playlist to the decor and cocktails are inspired by the 90’s and the playlist features tons of boybands and R&B/hip hop artists.
#02-01 The Sultan, 101 Jalan Sultan, 8828-7084. Open Mon-Wed 7pm-midnight; Thu-Sat 7pm-2am.
This underground bar is known for their Japanese-style drinks. Whether it's using sake or other Japanese ingredients, the muted space is a backdrop for inventive concoctions. Splashes of color come from the origami-like cascades by the wall and you can order food from upstairs Uma Uma Ramen to fulfill that midnight craving.
#B1-39 Forum The Shopping Mall, 583 Orchard Rd., 6235-1088, Mon-Thu 6pm-midnight; Fri-Sat 6pm-1am.
This 65-seater watering hole has colorful red booths, vintage liquor posters and a centerpiece communal table made from an unfinished Indonesian Suar wood log. Slightly updated old-school cocktails come courtesy of bartender Aki Eguchi and Stuart Danker. Get the Southside—with Tanqueray Gin, lime, simple syrup, mint, Angostura Bitters.
101 Amoy St., 6223-9101. Open Mon-Thu 6pm-1am; Fri-Sat 6pm-3am.
This upscale, Parisian chic cocktail bar features chinoiserie touches and a solid food menu of slow-cooked beef cheek, potato and onion frittata and lamb samosas. Drinks-wise, expect mostly premium tipples with hefty price tags. There’s also a range of signature cocktails, crafted by mixologist Louis Tan, like the Sloe Comfortable Wallbanger, comprising of sloe gin, whisky peach liqueur, orange syrup, lemon, egg white and soda.
69 Neil Rd., 6220-0369. Open Mon-Thu 6pm-1am; Fri-Sat 6pm-2am.
Right next to Jason Atherton’s The Study is this password-only bar. You can get the secret phrase off their Facebook page or from the eager servers at the restaurant. Armed with it, you’ll be able to enter through a mirrored door to find serious drinks.
47 Keong Saik Rd., 6221-8338. Open daily 6pm-1am.
This corridor-like vinyl cocktail bar by the Unlisted Collection adds some old school charm and tunes to Kampong Glam. There’s a serious vinyl collection and turntable set-up here, and they pull out 50 or so records each night. Cocktails play with infused spirits, each with kitschy names like the cognac-based Marlon Brando. The food from the open kitchen is surprisingly good, too, with stuff like the togarashi squid with harissa dip and the mac & cheese.
4 Haji Lane, 6291-3323. Open Tue-Thu 6pm-midnight; Fri-Sat 6pm-1am; Sun 4pm-midnight.
The other Singapore bar on the World’s 50 Best Bars list, Manhattan may have lost beloved bartender Ricky Paiva, but there are still plenty of reasons to keep going back: Chesterfield sofas, marble tables, boozy brunches and an ever-changing cocktail list inspired by the neighborhoods of New York City. Get the Nouveau American classic bar bites like street-style hot dogs, mini burgers and the Maine lobster roll.
2/F The Regent Singapore, 1 Cuscaden Rd., 6725-3377. Open daily 5pm-1am. www.regenthotels.com
Modelled after a traditional Chinese medicine hall complete with plenty of drawers and antique wooden touches, it is reminiscent of an opium den. The cocktails are inspired by the various eras of colonial trade. There’s the Golden Elixir, a gin mixed with homemade chrysanthemum syrup, fernet branca, and lemon juice not forgetting and the Hot Butter Rum, with gin, ginger wine cordial and Chinese hawthorne.
17 Ann Siang Rd., 6423-9885. Open Mon-Fri 5pm-midnight; Sat 6pm-midnight.
Unlike other speakeasies in town, Oxwell and Co.’s hush-hush basement cocktail bar is serious about its secrecy. Their website is decidedly minimalist, and their Facebook page has no pictures or updates. All the more reason to feel extra cool when you’re down at the bare-walled, concrete-floored space, knocking back kooky cocktails from their omakase flight. Don’t miss the Egg, made with salted egg, vanilla and caramel.
#B1-01 7 Ann Siang Hill, 6438-4057. Open Tue-Sat 6pm-late.
Orgo is located in the fresh, open air atop the Esplanade. This rooftop bar offers a breathtaking 360 degree view of Marina Bay, including a panorama of the business district and a phenomenal view of the upcoming Marina Bay Sands integrated resorts. Helming the bar is Japanese mixologist Tomoyuki Kitazoe whose creations include the soursop calamansi martini and premium green tea mojito.
Roof Terrace #04-01 Esplanade–Theatres on The Bay, 8 Raffles Ave., 6336-9366. Open daily 5pm-2am.
The infamous Boat Quay dive has moved to new digs. The larger space sports a more conventionally attractive look with lots of timber and handcrafted metal furniture. The music and crowd—a mixed bag of Yelpers, tech industry bros, handsy friends of the staff—remain. Entertainment is free, courtesy of the mustachioed owner, George, who’s quite a character. They have an impressive spirit collection, so ask for a taste, or a bespoke cocktail.
2/F 73A Amoy St., 8233-9810. Open Sun-Thu 6pm-1am; Fri-Sat 6pm-2am.
Head Bartender Kamil Foltan and his team serve up the most wacky concoctions here at Tippling Club’s new home, including Trigger A Smile, a mix of Gin, pineapple vermouth, thyme, basil and citrus, and the PB+J, which comes with peanut vodka, cassis, orange, marshmallow and granola.
38 Tanjong Pagar Rd., 6475-2217. Open Mon-Fri noon-midnight; Sat 6pm-midnight.
