Sugar is really the jewel of the eastern part of Hong Kong island. It is really the only upscale,…read moretrendy bar in this area. My five star rating is based on the following: Drinks and food: 4 stars View: 5 stars Atmosphere: 5 stars Uniqueness for the area: 5 stars The views are spectacular and is often listed on the best rooftop bars for a reason. Drinks here are pricey and in line with prices in Central. A cocktail will set you back about 120 hkd and a bottled beer is 65 hkd. The food items are more appetizer size bar food than entrees and will set you back about 100-150 hkd. The portion size is pretty substantial and you can definitely share with others. I would recommend the fried chicken lollipops & burger. The pizza isn't too bad here either.

I really like this bar. Really a lot. Like, lots. In fact, I had Christmas Eve drinks here last…read moreyear and have also taken several friends for their goodbye drinks (since expats fly in and out of HK faster than a monkey will steal your banana on the hike to Lion Rock.) The view is quite special, whether you're viewing it from the terrace or the magical bathrooms that remind me of the one Moaning Myrtle haunts in Harry Potter if Hogwarts was set in a sleek-as-fuck Hong Kong high-rise. Aside from the view, the cocktails are unique and there's one that just gets me every time: the Purple Cloud, made with taro and coconut milk and rosemary and vodka and who remembers what else? One of these is a mandatory part of any evening at Sugar. Other drinks have been well enjoyed too, such as the Passionate Dragon. I've had several food offerings: one of the pizzas, s'mores, panini, chicken skewers, and seen companions enjoying the cheese plate (I'm lactose intolerant so can't comment on that.) All were totally solid if on the pricy side. I'll be back. I've already been back.

Some people think it's dingy, but I call it homely. Staff here are friendly, owner Prashant is…read morealmost always here and if you talk to him the first time he will remember you the next time. If you can outdrink him anytime he will buy you drinks next time too. Come here often enough, and you might just earn a spot to have your personal playlist on the jukebox at the entrance. There are two floors, so you can choose to have a chill night, shisha-ing and relaxing in the cozy environment upstairs; or you can be downstairs when the night falls and the heavy hitters arrive. Speaking of heavy, Karma is the first place in HK to serve the Grenade, for the strong drinkers only, a crazy triple-layered shooter that will end your night quickly and leave you wondering where you were last nighsavafyuliov@#$&*

We just randomly stumbled upon this bar. Bartenders were foreigners, servers were foreigners, table…read morenext to us were foreigners, everyone were foreigners(this whole area is for foreigners btw). People get a little rowdy here and there's a juke box so it turns into karoke night (aka drunk people singing on top of their lungs yay). The drinks are the typical stuff you can get at any bar but just a little more expensive.

The Pontiac / Central (Hong Kong) -- This was such a great find for Jamie W and me. We decided to…read morestay in Central on Hong Kong Island because many of the trendier eateries are here. So are the gay bars. Although just a fifteen-minute walk from our hotel, the last block on Old Bailey Street was a bit of a climb. We started hearing Shania Twain, a far cry from the K-POP blaring everywhere else. When we saw the rainbow flag out front and the sea of brassieres hanging from the ceiling, we knew this must be the place. There were just three people at the bar and two behind it, both English speakers. Our particular barkeep was from Curaçao even though she sounded like a Texan. The vibe was casual and quite chill, and we were impressed by the manga menus. The name refers to the Native American tribe, not my dad's 1968 Pontiac Catalina. Wanting time to peruse the menu, we ordered our standby, a couple of HK$98 Espresso Martinis (photo; https://yelp.to/8pnmgyoiM6). Quite smooth with just a hush of sweetness that had us tapping our feet to classic Dolly Parton. We were ready to order their artisan signature cocktails for our second round. Jamie went for the HK$98 Killswitch, a particularly potent mix of tequila, Ribena Jamaica, lime, fenugreek tincture, and soda, it was a margarita with a third leg. I went more refined with the HK$98 London Calling, a clubby blend of Strawberry Pimm's, ruby port, petite verveine, basil, and soda (photo: https://yelp.to/8OhUsNESX4). What a lovely drink on a balmy night in Hong Kong. COCKTAILS - 5 stars...very thoughtful about their mixes AMBIANCE - 4 5 stars...just the right mood for two tired gay Americans SERVICE - 4.5 stars...very friendly TOTAL - 5 stars...great to find this boozy oasis in HK...oh and did I mention it's ranked #33 on the esteemed Asia's 5O Best Bars list? RELATED - Exploring Hong Kong? Here's my collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://bit.ly/3AGgadg

a very friendly queer lesbian bar it feels welcoming the…read moremoment you sit down the bras hanging from the ceiling adds a touch of whimsy the signature drinks are delicious

A must for music lovers in Hong Kong…read more I was able to secure a same-day reservation by shooting them a quick email for my flight from Thailand to Hong Kong took off. By the time I landed, I received a confirmation from the venue as well as a few important details and instructions. At my request, they even sent the information via WhatsApp since I was having a hard time getting it via SMS. The venue was also really responsive on WhatsApp, answering all of my questions very quickly. The place was a little hard to find. My cab dropped me off nearby and a passerby was able to help me find the exact building. The venue is absolutely gorgeous. It's classy, sexy, shrouded in a bit of mystery... something like a speakeasy. The evening's performances were fantastic! The musicians played a range of hits that appealed to a broad audience (which was great because there was a little of everyone in the room that evening). The servers were attentive and kind, and their service had a personalized touch which I really appreciated, especially since I had just landed in the country barely 2 hours prior and didn't know a soul there. The staff really made me feel welcome and helped set the tone for the rest of my visit to Hong Kong. I saw lots of gorgeous cocktails adorning tables around me, but I was there for the prosecco. Glass after glass of ice cold bubbles... And the staff made sure I never had an empty glass. I had an absolutely wonderful time here. I highly recommend this place to any music lovers or cocktail enthusiasts that happen to find themselves in Hong Kong. You will not be disappointed.

This place might be in HK, but I think it could compete with some LA Speakeasies! The vibe is so…read morecool and relaxes, but you still have a nice classy feel as well. Prices are pretty standard if you're comparing it to LA--but definitely on the expensive side for HK. They have a live band, so you'll be thoroughly entertained. Not to mention that their drinks are also fun and delicious! The - The Northside - Pretty sweet, masks the alcohol if you like fruity cocktails. - New York Sour - Very cool light up presentation. If you're looking for a night out (or even a great way to spend your last night in the city), this is a must-see spot!

This place has the ambience and appeal for folks who are nostalgic about Hong Kong culture -- the…read moreneon lights are cute, and spells things like "foreigner medicinal tea" (back-handed way of saying beer). Plus the Chinese name of the place alludes to the phrase "so fucking good". Turns out, the food and the beer selection is pretty damn decent too! The menu is actually quite big, and represents the east-meets-west vibe of Hong Kong. For example, you'll find Iberico ham here in the form of char siu atop a bowl of rice and adorned by Japanese onsen egg; or braised Napa cabbage in a creamy French-style sauce with local fried shrimp. I came here with my mum, who prefers more traditional Chinese food as she's lactose intolerant, and we still had a great time. On top of that, they have a decent selection of draft and bottled beer, with a lot of local brews represented. They also have very interesting non-alcoholic choices -- again, great for non-drinking parents or friends. The lighting can be a little bit dark for some folks, but as long as anyone needed visual support has a phone with a flashlight, or a friend, reading the menu should be ok. This is absolutely the kind of place I'd chill at with a bunch of good friends.

65 Peel is great place to go for craft beer and Cantonese style gastropub food. They have about ten…read morebeers on tap and offer bottled beer both from international brewers and local craft brewers. I enjoyed the food and the beer was also pretty good. Food: 3.75 stars Beer: 3.5 stars Environment: 4 stars Service: 3 stars Overall: 3.5 stars Recommendations: crab rice ball, signature ipa I ordered the char Shui rice with spa, crab rice ball, and the fried chicken and washed it down with a flight of beers. The flight of beers costs 140 hkd and you get a choice of 200ml servings of four beers. The char siu is sous vide and was really tender. The taste was a bit on the light side and wish it had a bit more of the bbq flavor. The rice was also really nice. However not a fan of the spa egg and the canard liver which seemed a bit out of place. The fried chicken and crab rice balls were both good. I liked the crab balls better and they had a nice crispness and the crab flavor shines through. Fried chicken is a substantial portion and this could be a main if that is all you are eating. The chicken is tender and has a nice crunchy exterior.

Was looking for a little break for the hustle and bustle so found Bar Butler which is in a building…read moreup a few floors (5th). It feels like the Japanese bars I've seen on tv with the bartenders wearing dress shirts and vests. They also practice a few Japanese traditions like greeting you when you arrive and leave. The menu itself has a lot of common cocktails. I decided on some standards ones like a paper plane and then an old fashioned. I liked the paper plane more maybe because it was sweeter and tangy-er due to the actual make up of the drink. The old fashioned used several different bitters which was unique but didn't necessarily transform the drink too much. Snacks are provided as you sip your drink. I feel the bartenders are pretty solid though and can make drinks just by highlighting what you like. Would give it a visit. Very local and off the touristy track.

One of our favorite nights in Hong Kong was visiting Bar Butler, a classic Japanese whiskey bar…read more The people working here (3 men all dolled up, including suspenders) were super expert in their selection and recommendations, making the experience very illuminating and interesting. The space is definitely small. It can get crowded, so try to hit it early or on the later side. We got to try some excellent whiskies, many of which are not available in the States. You could tell there were some regulars who were visiting, too, as they had very deep conversations with the bartenders about their latest supply. Higher end but not bonkers prices. There was a minimum, but it wasn't hard to hit. Swanky and beautiful interior. All around elegance with jazz in the background. We were immediately transported!

Cosy, chill and hip bar, secretly tucked away bar on Peel Street. Specializes in Craft beer but has…read morea pretty decent selection of cocktails and recently, whiskey. Great place to come for a chat with friends on weekday nights, and gets pretty happening come weekends, so come earlier. The drinks are cheap, they have $50 drink deals Mon- Weds and the crowd is pretty fun and friendly. Good go-to place for pre-drinks or the actual party when your crew all arrives.

We needed a place to chill while waiting for a table at nearby Ho Lee Fook and Bobby's was the…read moreperfect spot. It doesn't take itself seriously (I mean, their craft beer list on the wall includes a height chart that has both world leaders and dictators' heights) and the bartender that evening knew how to chat us up and keep us off our phones. Cocktails are strong and they all cost $100HK, which makes everything easy peasy lemon squeezy. Since our table became available 50 minutes earlier than expected, we were unfortunately forced to down our drinks quickly so we could get our spot. What a way to get a buzz ASAP! Next time, we'll stay a little longer and perhaps try their beer selection!

The interior transports you to another world of magic and whimsy. The stained glass and dragonfly…read moremotifs everywhere are definitely noticed and well placed. The drinks were alright tbh haha but would definitely come back for the vibes if it's not crowded, which it wasn't at 6 pm on a Sunday lol

Inspired by Art Nouveau and specifically the styling of Louis Comfort Tiffany of Tiffany and Co…read morefame, the interior transports you to another time and era and somehow feels right at home in nostalgic HK. It's located in Central right next to the old prison and though we had no reservations we were still seated in the cool private rooms with the same attention to interior as the main room. They offer lunch and afternoon tea, there are also night with live music which we missed this time but what brought us here were cocktails in a nice environment. Favrile Cocktail: inspired by Favrile art glass, local gin, yuzu, seaweed, and a touch of wasabi. A surprising drink that was quite refreshing on a hot and humid HK night. My friend and his GF got a non alcoholic cocktail and a green tea based one which I had a sip of, both were also great!