Asia's 50 Best Bars 2019: Rankings and Analysis

Operating from Aberdeen Street in Hong Kong's Soho since 2017, The Old Man is a Hemingway-themed cocktail bar that reached #9 in the World's 50 Best Bars global rankings in 2019 and held Asia's #1 position that same year. The I-shaped counter, literary-inspired menu, and technically precise drinks program have kept it a reference point in the region's bar scene across multiple ranking cycles.

Manhattan Singapore has spent a decade as one of Asia's most-awarded cocktail bars, reaching #1 in Asia's 50 Best Bars twice and climbing as high as #3 globally. Located on Level 2 of 1 Cuscaden Road, it trades in American whiskey-forward programming within a format that prizes depth over novelty. A Google rating of 4.7 across more than 1,000 reviews confirms the bar's consistency beyond its trophy shelf.

Grace Tsai's innovative tea-based cocktails and Aki Wang's cultural vision define Indulge Experimental Bistro in Taipei, where Taiwan's multicultural heritage transforms into award-winning mixology. This Asia's 50 Best Bars mainstay reinvents its entire menu every 15 months, creating an ever-evolving luxury cocktail experience that serves as Taiwan's liquid cultural ambassador.

Native on Amoy Street has held a place in the World's 50 Best Bars global list every year since 2017, reaching as high as #12 worldwide and #4 in Asia. The bar operates Tuesday to Saturday from 6pm, anchored in a forage-and-ferment philosophy that draws directly from Southeast Asian ingredients and traditions. It sits among Singapore's most recognised bars and is a reference point for the region's bar scene.

Among Singapore's most decorated bars, Atlas has held a World's 50 Best Bars ranking every year since 2017, peaking at #4 globally in 2020. Set inside the Parkview Square lobby on North Bridge Road, it operates at the intersection of grand Art Deco architecture and serious gin and spirits programming, placing it in a distinct tier above the city's cocktail-forward independents.

Among Tokyo's most decorated cocktail bars, Bar High Five has appeared in the World's 50 Best Bars rankings every year since 2011, peaking at number three globally in 2013. Situated in a basement space on Ginza's Chuo-dori, it represents a specific strain of Japanese bartending — classical technique, guest-led service, and an absence of theatrical gimmickry — that has given Ginza its international standing in bar culture.

Once ranked among the world's twenty best bars, Speak Low on Fu Xing Zhong Lu remains one of Shanghai's most decorated drinking addresses, with a track record in the World's 50 Best that few Chinese bars have matched. Its multi-floor format and sustained critical recognition place it firmly in the city's upper tier, alongside a food programme designed to hold pace with its drinks list.

One of Bangkok's most decorated bars, The Bamboo Bar at the Mandarin Oriental sits on the Chao Phraya riverfront in Bang Rak and carries a decade of continuous Asia's 50 Best recognition, including a peak ranking of #7 globally in 2020. With a 4.6 Google rating across more than 1,000 reviews, it holds a reference position in Bangkok's premium cocktail scene.

Ranked #3 in Asia and #5 globally on the World's 50 Best Bars list for 2025, Jigger & Pony has held a place in Asia's top tier of cocktail bars continuously since 2016. Operating from the lobby of the Amara Hotel in Tanjong Pagar, the bar is known for its annual 'menuzine' format and a drinks program that roots itself in classic technique while pushing contemporary presentation.

On Hollywood Road in Central, Quinary has held a place in the World's 50 Best Bars global list every year since 2013, making it one of Hong Kong's most consistently recognised cocktail bars. Its technically precise program sits at the serious end of the Central bar scene, attracting regulars who return for the craft rather than the occasion. A measured, research-driven approach to cocktails has kept it relevant across more than a decade of industry change.

Tippling Club has held a place on the World's 50 Best Bars global list every year since 2011, making it one of the most consistently recognised cocktail bars in Asia. Located on Tanjong Pagar Road in Singapore's former warehouse district, the bar operates at the intersection of technical precision and theatrical presentation. A 4.6 Google rating across nearly 740 reviews reflects sustained performance over more than a decade of competition.

Central's agave authority since 2017, Coa holds consistent placement in the World's 50 Best Bars list and has ranked as Asia's number one bar three consecutive years. Its forty-plus-page spirits list is catalogued by agave species and terroir, while a weekly-rotating cocktail programme draws on seasonal ingredients. The food menu, developed with award-winning Mexican restaurant Chicano, is built to sit alongside the drinks rather than beside them.

The SG Club in Shibuya has held a place in the World's 50 Best Bars since 2019, peaking at #10 globally and #3 in Asia. Its address in Jinnan puts it at the edge of Shibuya's commercial density, and the bar's long awards record places it firmly in Tokyo's premier tier alongside a small group of internationally recognised programmes. Google reviewers rate it 4.5 from over 1,200 submissions.

Charles H in Seoul has held a place on Asia's 50 Best Bars list every year since 2016, reaching as high as number seven on the Asia ranking in 2022 and number 42 globally in 2021. Located in Jongno District, it represents the longer-running, internationally recognised tier of Seoul's cocktail scene, sitting well above entry-level hotel bars in both ambition and recognition.

Gibson has held a place on Asia's Best Bars rankings every year since 2016, reaching #14 in 2017, and its second-floor address on Bukit Pasoh Road keeps it anchored in one of Singapore's most concentrated bar corridors. The cocktail program leans toward the kind of technical precision that earns sustained critical attention rather than passing trend cycles. Google reviewers rate it 4.5 across 448 reviews, a consistency that tracks with its long award tenure.

One of Shanghai's most-awarded bars, Sober Company on Yandang Road operates across four distinct areas — café, kitchen, cocktail lounge, and a hidden bar — anchoring its program in Chinese ingredients and contemporary technique. Consistent appearances on the World's 50 Best Bars and Asia's 50 Best Bars lists since 2017 position it among the most recognised multi-format drinking destinations in Asia.

Bar Benfiddich occupies the ninth floor of a Nishishinjuku building, where Hiroyasu Kayama works a 17-seat walnut counter stocked with antique bottles, farm-grown botanicals, and homemade spirits including his own distilled absinthe. Ranked in the World's 50 Best Bars continuously since 2016 and placed ninth in Asia's Best Bars 2025, it operates nightly from 18:00 to 02:00.

A basement bar on Staunton Street in Soho, The Wise King has held a position inside Asia's 50 Best Bars since 2019, peaking at #18 in both 2019 and 2020. The programme sits at the serious end of Hong Kong's cocktail scene, with a back bar depth and curation that draws a consistent crowd of spirits enthusiasts. Rated 4.6 on Google across 163 reviews.

Le Chamber has held a position inside Asia's 50 Best Bars every year since 2016, making it one of Seoul's most consistently recognised cocktail addresses. Located one floor below street level on Dosan-daero 55-gil in Gangnam's Cheongdam neighbourhood, the bar operates within a scene that has redefined what premium cocktails look like in East Asia over the past decade.

Backstage Cocktail Club Bangkok was a legendary speakeasy where six award-winning bartenders created theatrical mixology magic through innovative Thai-inspired cocktails and immersive backstage dressing room design. Though closed since 2021, this Asia's 50 Best Bars honoree remains Bangkok's most influential cocktail destination.

28 HongKong Street has held a position in the World's 50 Best Bars global list every year since 2012, making it one of Singapore's most consistently recognised cocktail bars. Located at 28 Hongkong St in the CBD fringe, it operates as a serious spirits-forward programme in an understated space that prioritises the glass over the room. A 4.4 Google rating across more than 1,100 reviews suggests it delivers consistently at scale.

Operation Dagger at 76 Neil Rd has held consecutive placements in the World's 50 Best Bars list every year from 2016 to 2019, reaching #21 globally and #6 in Asia. The bar occupies a subterranean space in the Tanjong Pagar conservation shophouse belt, operating with a technical, ingredient-led cocktail program that sits at the serious end of Singapore's bar scene. Google reviews average 4.3 across 485 ratings.

Bar Trench in Tokyo's Ebisu district has held a place on Asia's 50 Best Bars list every year since 2016, reaching as high as #16 in 2018. The bar earned a spot on the global World's 50 Best Bars ranking in 2025 alongside a Pearl Recommended designation. With a 4.7 Google rating across 780 reviews, it sits among Tokyo's most consistently recognised cocktail destinations.

Aha Saloon has appeared in Asia's 50 Best Bars four consecutive years, reaching #10 in 2020, which places it among a small group of Taipei bars with sustained continental recognition. Located in Da'an District on Fuxing South Road, it operates in the tier of technically serious cocktail programmes that have shifted Taiwan's bar scene into the regional conversation.

On Bukit Pasoh Road, D.Bespoke has held a place in Asia's 50 Best Bars rankings every year since 2016, peaking at number 13 on the continent. The bar operates within Singapore's mature cocktail culture, where format discipline and technical precision define the upper tier. A Google rating of 4.4 across 351 reviews suggests consistent execution rather than occasional brilliance.

Vesper has held a place on Asia's 50 Best Bars list every year since 2016, making it one of Bangkok's most consistently recognised cocktail programmes. Located on Soi Convent in Silom, it operates in the upper tier of a city that has built a serious regional reputation for bar culture. With a 4.5 Google rating across more than 1,100 reviews, the consensus among repeat visitors is clear.

Coley in Bangsar has held a place on Asia's 50 Best Bars list every year since 2018, peaking at #27 in 2019. Positioned on Jalan Abdullah in one of Kuala Lumpur's most established bar neighbourhoods, it operates as a serious spirits-led program with the kind of award consistency that places it among the city's most recognised bars. Rated 4.5 across 473 Google reviews.

Bar Orchard Ginza has held a consistent position in Asia's 50 Best Bars rankings every year from 2016 through 2020, peaking at number 25 in 2017. Located on the seventh floor of a Ginza building, the bar operates in the upper tier of Tokyo's fruit-forward cocktail scene. The 2025 Pearl Recommended Bar award confirms its continued standing among the city's serious drinking establishments.

Alice Cheongdam has held a place on Asia's 50 Best Bars list every year since 2016, climbing to #13 in 2025. Located one floor below street level on Dosan-daero 55-gil in Gangnam, it operates as one of Seoul's most consistently recognised cocktail programmes, drawing a clientele that spans the neighbourhood's fashion-industry crowd and serious bar travellers from across the region.

Union Trading Company on Fen Yang Lu has held a place in the World's 50 Best Asia's Best Bars rankings every year from 2016 through 2022, peaking at #9 in both 2016 and 2017. That sustained recognition positions it among Shanghai's most consistently decorated cocktail programs. The bar sits in the French Concession, a neighbourhood whose leafy streets and colonial-era architecture set the tone before you've ordered a drink.

Tropic City has placed on Asia's Best Bars every year since 2019, peaking at #6 in 2023, and operates around the clock from its Charoen Krung address in Bangkok's Bang Rak district. The bar's sustained recognition across multiple ranking cycles positions it among the most consistently awarded cocktail programs in Southeast Asia — a useful reference point for anyone planning a milestone evening in the city.

The Pontiac has held a position in Asia's Best Bars rankings every year from 2016 through 2022, reaching as high as #16 in 2017. Located on Old Bailey Street in Central, it occupies a niche distinct from Hong Kong's hotel bar circuit: casual in format, consistent in recognition, and built around a crowd that treats it as a neighbourhood local rather than a destination trophy. A 4.6 Google rating across 256 reviews reflects that sustained goodwill.

Lobster Bar at Pacific Place has held a position inside Asia's 50 Best Bars every year from 2015 through 2020, peaking at number four in Asia and number 18 globally. Situated on Level 6 of Pacific Place in Central, it sits within Hong Kong's most consistently ranked cocktail tier, drawing a crowd that expects serious programme depth alongside the harbour-adjacent address.

Rabbit Hole sits on Thong Lo's main strip in Bangkok's Watthana district, holding back-to-back placements on Asia's 50 Best Bars in 2019 and 2020. The bar's interior design sets a deliberate tone — dim, considered, and architecturally composed — that separates it from the neighbourhood's louder drinking options. A Google rating of 4.4 across more than a thousand reviews confirms its standing as a consistent draw for serious cocktail drinkers.

Behind a refrigerator door in Guangzhou's Dongshankou district, Hope & Sesame has been shaping Southern China's cocktail scene since 2016. Ranked #7 on Asia's 50 Best Bars 2025 and making its debut on the World's 50 Best Bars list the same year, it pairs ultrasonic infusion and rotary distillation with regional Cantonese ingredients across menus that shift seasonally and thematically.

Literary mystique defines Stockton Hong Kong, where Victorian gentlemen's club opulence meets Hunter S. Thompson's rebellious spirit in a hidden speakeasy setting. Suraj Gurung's narrative-driven cocktails and century-old antique furnishings create an immersive experience that has earned recognition among Asia's 50 Best Bars.

One of Manila's most recognised bars, The Curator on Legazpi Street in Makati has appeared in Asia's 50 Best Bars every year since 2016 — peaking at number 16 in the region. Open from early morning through late night most days, it occupies a specific position in Makati's drinking culture: part coffee bar, part serious cocktail programme, operating across a longer daily arc than almost any comparable room in the city.

Four consecutive appearances on Asia's 50 Best Bars list — peaking at #24 in 2018 — position 8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo Bombana as one of Central's most consistently recognised bar programmes. The bar sits within the celebrated Italian restaurant of the same name on Chater Road, where the cocktail offering draws on the kitchen's European sensibility and a drinks culture shaped by Hong Kong's most competitive fine-dining corridor.

Union Brasserie, Bakery and Bar has held a position inside Asia's 50 Best Bars every year since 2016, ranking as high as #33 in 2021. Located on the ground floor of Plaza Senayan in central Jakarta, it operates daily from 10:00 to 22:00 and carries a Google rating of 4.6 across more than 4,400 reviews — a consistency that places it among the most-visited serious bar programs in the Indonesian capital.

Bar Trigona has held a consecutive position on Asia's 50 Best Bars list since 2019, reaching as high as #12 in the region. Located on Jalan Ampang in Kuala Lumpur, the bar has built its reputation on a cocktail programme anchored in Malaysian botanical ingredients, particularly Tualang honey. A serious address for anyone tracing the arc of Southeast Asian cocktail culture.

A Singapore outpost of the New York original, Employees Only has held a place on Asia's 50 Best Bars list every year since 2017, peaking at #17 in its debut year and maintaining consistent recognition through 2025. Set on Amoy Street in the Tanjong Pagar conservation district, it brings a prohibition-era cocktail sensibility to one of Singapore's most concentrated bar streets, earning a Google rating of 4.2 across nearly 1,000 reviews.

Smalls occupies a quiet soi off Sathorn and has twice ranked among Asia's 50 Best Bars, peaking at #29 in 2018. The bar operates in the serious end of Bangkok's cocktail conversation, where programme depth and consistency matter more than theatrics. Rated 4.6 across nearly a thousand Google reviews, it holds a clear position in the city's upper tier of independent cocktail destinations.

Bar Mood has been a fixture on Asia's Best Bars list since 2019, peaking at #13 in 2020 before settling into a consistently ranked position through 2025. Located on a lane off Dunhua South Road in Da'an, it represents the quieter, design-conscious side of Taipei cocktail culture. A Google rating of 4.4 across more than 1,600 reviews places it firmly in the city's upper tier of serious bars.

Junglebird has held a place on Asia's Best Bars list every year since 2018, making it one of the most consistently recognised cocktail bars in Southeast Asia. Located in Bukit Damansara, the bar has built its reputation around tropical-leaning cocktail craft with genuine regional depth. A 4.5 Google rating across 464 reviews signals broad appeal without sacrificing the focus that keeps it on the awards circuit.

Angus Zou's revolutionary Draft Land Taipei serves Asia's first premium cocktails on tap, delivering mixologist-quality drinks like English Milk Punch and Oolong Tea Collins in seconds. This innovative concept transforms luxury cocktail culture through accessible elegance and rapid service.

A cocktail bar inside the Marriott Tang Plaza Hotel on Orchard Road that has placed on Asia's 50 Best Bars three consecutive years, peaking at number 35 in 2017. The Other Room operates in the more intimate, hotel-bar tier of Singapore's cocktail scene, where the drinks program and format carry the weight of the experience rather than neighbourhood theatre.

Ranked 47th on Asia's 50 Best Bars in 2019, Oto operates from a ground-floor address in Makati's Poblacion district, one of Manila's most concentrated bar neighbourhoods. The program sits within a regional cocktail movement that has steadily drawn international recognition to Southeast Asian craft bars over the past decade. Google reviewers rate it 4.6 across 268 responses.

Teens of Thailand has ranked on Asia's 50 Best Bars list every year from 2016 through 2021, peaking at #27 in its debut year. Tucked into the Nana district of Bangkok's Pom Prap neighbourhood, the bar has built a sustained reputation on cocktails that draw from Thai botanicals and local produce without losing technical rigour. A Google rating of 4.4 across 769 reviews confirms the consistency that awards alone cannot capture.

On the 13th floor of a Ginza tower, Mixology Salon holds two consecutive Asia's 50 Best Bars rankings — #40 in 2018 and #49 in 2019 — and a Google score of 4.5 across more than 500 reviews. The bar operates in the upper tier of Tokyo's serious cocktail circuit, where precision technique and considered spatial design define the experience as much as what's in the glass.

Located within The Fort in BGC, The Back Room has held a position in Asia's Best Bars since 2019 and entered the Top 500 Bars global ranking at #399 in 2025. The bar's back-bar depth and spirits curation place it in Manila's upper tier of serious cocktail programs, alongside The Curator and Oto.