A great little spot in the zoo of the Central bar scene. A tiny tiny tiny sliver of a spot you…read moremight almost overlook, but they had acoustic music playing and a small gathering of patrons enjoying drinks and enjoying the cool, low key ambiance, so we stopped in. The bar guy indicated this spot had either been something else awhile back or simply the owner closed it down for a bit in the last year to renovate (I was not understanding his broken English), but either way I like it. Wood walls, open air, small space, music that is classic and performed live (they take requests!) and not too loud...it almost felt like a tiny, college bar. We only had beer, so I cannot speak to cocktail options. Probably most fun if you get a spot to sit (as we did), otherwise you are part of the patrons who stand and spill into the street. Either way, a good venue and a solid bar.

This is my go-to bar in Lan Kwai Fong. Forget your China Bar or Al's Diner with loud pop music and…read moreover-priced mixers. I love how it's hidden off to the side and it's mini live music band in the little corner. They've got a good jazzy vibe that's not too loud so people can still mingle. The servers are super nice.

One of Hong Kong's oldest speakeasies and it's notoriously hard to find, making the experience feel…read moreexclusive from the start. Once inside, the dim lighting, leather seating and vintage decor set the tone for a cozy and intimate night out. The Earl Grey Martini is an absolute must try - smooth, fragrant and perfectly balanced. Their signature drink that lives up to the hype. The staff are professional and attentive, offering great recommendations to its customers.

One of the coolest albeit hardest to find speakeasies I've encountered. We had a reservation, made…read moresure to leave on time, and even got off the subway station 10-15 minutes prior to our reservation time, but it took another 15 minutes to walk to Tai Kwun the prison looking courtyard, and then another 10 minutes to find the actual entrance, because many of the random doors look similar. Luckily someone showed us; it's somewhere on the first floor with a square design on the door. Once in, it was a very cool experience, dimly lit and cozy and intimate. They are known for the earl grey martini, which definitely did not disappoint; the alcohol taste is there but not overwhelming or bitter. Definitely worth coming back in the future now that I know where the entrance is!

As for caliber of hotel lounges, this one gets high marks for the view of Victoria harbour. It's a…read morevery small size lounge with a modest offering of food and beverages. Breakfast is basically a few hot items, baked goods and some fruit. They have a coffee machine and selection of juices. Service is good with a friendly staff.

Falling in love in Hong Kong will always play back in NEON RED for me. Fade in Ping Pong 129…read moreGintonería. One of my favorite bars in the world. Also locally known as Ping Pong City. It used to be a store selling ping pong stuff back in the 60s when ping pong was a big deal in Hong Kong. You will find it in the Sai Ying Pun neighborhood, beyond a red door, down a long flight of stairs, encased in exposed concrete, bathed in neon red light. I won't post a photo of the street door. It shouldn't be hard to find and you should want the adventure. We walked, but it's right at a taxi drop off. Delicious and cleverly crafted beverages, but especially or only if you enjoy gin, specifically gin & tonics. That's the menu: all G&Ts. Lots of Spanish gin. It's a Spanish influenced gin bar after all. Spanish tapas also to seal the theme. Fantastic service and music choices. This must be underground magic. Dreamy cement bunker city romance if it ever were a thing. It gets crowded and full with locals and expats alike and you might be told to come back another time. Do it, enjoy the scenes and trendy girls exemplifying HK's nightlife. Te amo!

After being around for a while, I finally made it out to trying Ping Pong. Hidden behind a single…read morered door, Ping Pong is an underground bar with high ceilings and a bright neon sign. It can feel spacious yet crowded at the same time. Although I'm not an expert on gin, I decided to go for the classic gin & tonic (Half Crown). I wish they had more seasonal flavors in their menu, maybe like a summery peach, lychee twist, or mangosteen punch, just something besides the classic citrus-flavor profiles. It was a solid G&T, but a bit pricy for HK$130. A few friends in the group ordered some food, but the verdict was just so-so. Someone in my group had accidentally knocked my half-empty glass over, causing it to spill and break into pieces on the floor. The staff were quick to react, clean up and carefully remove any glass residue on the floor.

On my recent trip to Hong Kong, my friend who traveled with me said her friend who studied in HK as…read morean exchange student highly recommended coming here for Wednesday night, which is Ladies night - free champagne for all ladies after 9PM. We obviously arrived much too early - 7:30PM. It was filled with older people just chilling after work. Drinks were cheaper at that time (before 9PM) - only 50 HK for a draft Guinness beer. We ordered some fries on the side and it came on a cute dim sum brown plate. The "fun" really begins after around 11PM. This is when people decide they want to dance on the bar and I guess it's accepted by the bartenders/owners/whatnot. Beware - guys start stripping off their shirts, girls try to jump onto the bars with heels (many failing and falling to their near deaths), and popping American styled music loud in the air. Like other reviewers have mentioned, be wary of your belongings here. Located in the Wan Chai district, it is filled with more locals and not quite as "safe" as the touristy clubbing district Lan Kwai Fong. Being super packed, your cell phone/wallet can be easily stolen. Overall I had a fun night but didn't quite love the atmosphere as much as I did at the Lan Kwai Fong district - which reminded me of a better Vegas ;)

This is a fun expat bar that has a rock/metal theme. There's a live cover band that really gets…read morethe crowd on the dance floor.

Cool bar in HK with live music. Drinks are tasty and the crowd was cool. Would definitely come…read moreback when I'm back in HK

For the longest time, the place was listed as closed and I swore it was open after passing by from…read moretime to time during my burger exploits (ahem: https://www.yelp.com/biz/burger-joys-香港). One night I noticed it was open and completely dead but the Filipino cover band was jamming hard and there were signs for happy hour plastered all along the outside. Music and discounted drink prices are an easy way to sucker me in. But what I got was so much more. Maybe more than I would've asked for. You see, Amazonia isn't just any bar, but one of the many Filipino girly bars within the seedy Wanchai scene. I only realized this after noticing that while bopping my head to some Aerosmith / Journey covers that I was the only dude sitting alone and then after 8pm, a swarm of pinays came in and with that a steady crowd of middle aged white guys came creeping in. It's a scene that's been played out throughout Asian bars throughout the Southeast, but I was staring at it right in the face. From a bystander's point of view, the place is big enough to merit all sorts of gatherings. There is a legitimate stage for serious band action and lots of comfy seats that create a loungey presence much more so than a dive bar one. Colors here are primarily red and black, which perfectly mimics any sort of red light district vibe. The bartenders enjoyed my company. My drinks stayed at regular prices where I noticed a slight uptick for some of the other patrons looking to buy gals everything from beer to mildly potent cocktails, emphasis on the mild. Amazonia stays open late every night, just beware of the calm before the storm which tends to occur right around 7-8pm. Come for the drinks and stay for the music. Beyond that, everything else is suspect.

Well, it turns out that pubs are pretty expensive in Hong Kong, especially since they have only…read morepints, and a single pint can cost up to $100HK, and that is usually inclusive of the service charge (which is generally not included on the menu, so that can be a bit of a catch). Well, this pub really wasn't all that great, and can become rather packed, and this was a Sunday, but I suspect it might have had something to do with the Grandprix on. In a way it is a typical Wan Chai pub.

Ah, Dusk 'til Dawn. We've all been there -- it's 2 a.m. You could call it a night at the bar with…read moreyour friends, or you could head to Duskies at this prime hour for the best damn band in Wan Chai, the absolutely worst drunk brit/moms on holiday dancing this fine island has to offer, and drinks (albeit pricey) delivered directly to you on the dance floor so you don't have to miss the second chorus to "Wonderwall" by Oasis. Because no one wants that. You're belting it out. You're living for it. LIVING FOR IT!!! YOU'RE MY WONDERWALLLLLL. I am a shameless Dusk til Dawn fan. If you go in before midnight it'll be absolutely empty, but the band plays like there's a packed house anyway. I like to go there around midnight to easily get a seat (though let's be honest after a few cold ones I'll have inevitably abandoned it to go join the hoards of drunk people gyrating to "Sex is on Fire" by Kings of Leon). It gets absolutely PACKED starting about 1 a.m. By 2:30 you can hardly move. By 3:30 you're wasted and you don't care. by 4:30 you're dripping in sweat and full-out dancing with either a 60-year-old Aussie on holiday, a Navy man on shore leave, or a commercial airline pilot to "I'm so Excited"... .and you just can't hide it. You can't. Don't even try. Give in to Dusk til Dawn. Do it. Dusk til Dawn is an amazing experience for expats and those on holiday alike. Expensive? Sure. 75 bucks a drink, probably, but that's why you go at 2 a.m.; when you clearly don't need four more beers, but god damn it you'll probably have them anyway because you make brilliant decisions in your life when Bohemian Rhapsody is involved. Stumble home past Big Pizza and/or Ebeneezer Kebab on Luard Rd and feast on the street before hopefully finding your way home, humming a little tune all the way.

I heard about this live music venue from a bunch of people throughout my stay in Hong Kong. This…read morespot in Wan Chai is well known. Very nice inside and the band was excellent, best in the area for sure. The problem is the drinks were rather expensive versus other spots in the area. The staff was nice, but rather cold in general.