2016 World's 50 Best Bars: Asia Edition Rankings

28 HongKong Street is worth booking for a focused two-person cocktail night in Singapore, especially if bar pedigree matters more than skyline views or a full dinner format. It is less suitable for spontaneous groups, bargain-led happy hour plans, or guests who want food to drive the evening.

Speak Low is the Shanghai cocktail pick to prioritize when reputation matters: a small-occasion, drinks-led bar with World's 50 Best, Top 500 Bars, Tatler recognition. Choose it for a date or visitor night; pick a lounge-style alternative if the group is large or the plan needs easier logistics.

Book Bar High Five if the priority is a serious Ginza cocktail stop with global recognition, not a food-led night or casual group drinks. It works best as a focused pre- or post-dinner plan, with food handled elsewhere and a backup bar kept in mind.

Lobster Bar is a strong Central pick for a polished two-person drinks night, especially if you value proven bar recognition and a hotel-adjacent setting. It is less useful as a last-minute fallback, so plan ahead and treat it as a focused cocktail stop rather than a casual group gathering.

A serious Singapore cocktail booking for guests who want a polished, award-recognised hotel-bar experience rather than a casual drink. Go for the cocktails and service, not as a substitute for a full restaurant dinner; smaller parties and planned nights are the better fit.

Quinary is worth prioritizing for a first Hong Kong cocktail night if drinks are the main event and the group is small. Do not make it the core dinner plan: the safer move is to eat elsewhere, then treat this Central address as a focused bar stop with serious awards credibility and high demand.

Jigger & Pony is worth prioritizing when the brief is a serious Singapore cocktail night with a lively room and strong awards credibility. It is less useful for rooftop views, outdoor space, or an easy last-minute plan, so book early and use it as the anchor rather than a backup stop.

Alice Cheongdam is the Seoul bar to prioritize for a polished Gangnam date night, especially if cocktail credibility matters more than a food-led evening. Its awards record makes it a safer special-occasion pick than a casual neighborhood stop, but plan ahead and go earlier if conversation is the point.

D.Bespoke is a serious Singapore cocktail booking for small groups, dates, special-occasion drinks, backed by Asia's Best Bars recognition. It is less practical for four-plus guests who need flexibility, food-led pacing, or an easy backup plan; cross-shop Gibson, Live Twice, Humpback, Gaston, or Big Wine Freaks depending on the night.

ABV is the Mission pick for a drink-led date or small celebration when cocktail credibility matters more than a full dinner plan. The late hours help, but the smarter move is early evening if conversation matters; choose Little Star Pizza or Poc-Chuc Restaurant instead when food value is the priority.

Alchemy is a late-night cocktail bar in Xinyi District that doesn't require advance booking. Counter seating offers the closest view of bartenders at work, though noise levels rise after 10 PM. Open until 2 AM most nights and 3 AM on weekends, it's a solid post-dinner option when you want drinks without reservation pressure.

The Curator is the Manila cocktail pick to prioritize when drink quality matters more than skyline views or hotel-lounge comfort. Its awards history gives it a stronger credibility signal than many casual Makati night-out options, but it is better for small, focused drinks plans than terrace-seeking groups.

Vesper is worth prioritizing when the night is about cocktails rather than a loose group hang. Its recognition includes Top 500 Bars Best Bars #172 in 2025 and World's 50 Best Bars #55 in 2023, which puts it in Bangkok's serious-drinks set. Best fit: dates, two-person crawls, visitors staying around Si Lom.

Janes & Hooch is worth planning for when the night calls for a cocktail-first date or celebration in Beijing's Chaoyang bar circuit. Its Asia's Best Bars #30 ranking in 2018 gives it real credibility, but treat it as a drinks booking rather than a dinner plan, do not leave arrangements late.

The Pontiac is worth targeting for a high-energy Central cocktail night, especially for a date or after-dinner stop where drinks matter more than quiet service. It is less suited to groups, dinner-led occasions, or anyone who needs predictable logistics. Recognition from major bar lists gives it credibility, but the smarter move is to build in a backup.

Woo Taipei works when an award-recognised Taipei cocktail bar is the point of the night, but it is not the easiest value call. The Asia's Best Bars #20 placement gives it credibility; the lack of visible pricing, hours, booking detail makes it better for flexible dates than group planning.

Book Bar Benfiddich if the night is about a serious, bartender-led cocktail experience rather than dinner or a loose group hang. The recognition is strong, the format is intimate, the value makes sense when drinks are the main event, not a pre-meal add-on.

Book Gibson if you want a serious cocktail stop in Singapore and can plan ahead; availability is tough enough that it should anchor the night, not sit as a backup. Choose Big Wine Freaks or Gaston instead if the priority is a wine-by-the-glass evening rather than cocktails.

TCRC is the Tainan pick to prioritize when the night is drinks-first and occasion-driven, not when you need dinner or a confirmed wine-bar format. Its strongest public credential is World's 50 Best Asia's Best Bars #23 in 2016, which makes it a more serious cocktail choice than a casual fallback.

Charles H. at the Four Seasons Seoul offers seasonally rotating craft cocktails in a quiet, hotel-lounge setting. Keith Motsi's program earned a 2026 OAD Asia Recommended nod for its technical execution and ingredient-focused approach. Best for travelers seeking a calm, conversational cocktail before or after dinner in Gwanghwamun; not Seoul's most experimental bar, but reliably polished and easy to book.

Le Chamber is a strong Seoul pick for cocktail-focused dates or small groups who want a polished indoor room in Gangnam. Its awards history gives it real destination-bar credibility, but it is not the right choice if the night depends on outdoor seating, a food-led plan, or easy last-minute flexibility.

Teens of Thailand works when drinks, not dinner, are the main event in Bangkok. Treat it as a flexible date-night or post-meal bar stop rather than a full special-occasion restaurant; for a more structured food plan nearby, compare it with Jok's Kitchen, Delia, or Nai Mong Hoi Thod.

Palace Hotel Tokyo's ground-floor bar restores the 1960s counter from founding bartender Kiyoshi Imai, delivering Tabelog 100-recognized cocktails at JPY 3,000–5,999 before the 15% service charge. The nine-seat counter suits solo drinkers watching technique; 16 lounge seats handle groups. Smart casual dress code applies, walk-ins work afternoons, Otemachi Station connects underground.

Bar Trench is a strong Ebisu pick when cocktails are the reason for the night, not when food needs to carry the booking. Go as a pair or on a date, plan dinner separately, treat the reservation as difficult enough to require a backup. The value is in a focused, internationally recognised bar experience rather than a full evening meal.

Loewy works when the brief is a polished Jakarta bar night in Mega Kuningan rather than a wine-led dinner plan. Its strongest proof point is Asia's Best Bars recognition from 2018, making it a safer first-timer choice than a speculative new opening, especially for pairs, client drinks, or small groups.

A strong Ginza pick when cocktails are the point, not dinner. STAR BAR GINZA is priced for a serious bar stop and carries a Tabelog 100 signal, making it better for dates, solo drinkers, or two-person after-dinner plans than casual groups chasing a low-cost night out.

Book The Bamboo Bar if you want a polished Bangkok hotel-bar experience with serious cocktail recognition, not a bargain round. It is strongest for first-timers, dates, one focused drink in Bang Rak; groups and deal-seekers should compare other Bangkok bars first.

Union Brasserie, Bakery and Bar is worth booking when drinks and food need to carry equal weight in central Jakarta. The Plaza Senayan setting makes it practical, while its Asia bar recognition gives it more credibility than a generic mall stop. Choose it for a polished all-purpose night; pick a specialist cocktail bar if drinks are the only priority.

Akasaka's Codename Mixology Akasaka is the right pick for a cocktail-focused date or small celebration, not an easy group bar. Its Asia's Best Bars recognition gives it real credibility, but parties of four or more should weigh the tighter format against hotel-bar alternatives with more space and predictability.

Bar Orchard Ginza is worth prioritizing for a cocktail-led night in Tokyo, especially if the goal is a serious Ginza bar with international recognition rather than a casual drop-in. It suits couples, solo cocktail travelers, small groups better than large parties or discount-driven drinkers.

Zuma in Dubai's DIFC is a high-energy, sharing-format contemporary Japanese restaurant with a Michelin Plate, a MENA 50 Best ranking of #19, a booking difficulty that demands three to four weeks' lead time for weekend dinners. Best suited to groups of three or more who want robata grill, sashimi, a room that runs late; not for intimate or solo dining.

Ounce is worth targeting for a focused Taipei cocktail night, especially as a date or second-drink stop in Da'an. The appeal is atmosphere and Asia's Best Bars credibility, not a full dinner setup or large-group flexibility, so book it when cocktails are the point of the evening.

Constellation is worth prioritizing if a Shanghai night is built around cocktails rather than dinner, with late hours and Asia's 50 Best Bars recognition giving it real destination-bar credibility. It is less useful for groups that need published pricing, food-led planning, or an easy reservation path, so keep a backup from Shanghai's bar circuit ready.

Book Anti:Dote when you want a polished Singapore hotel-bar round with a serious cocktail reputation, not when you need the cheapest drink in the area. It works best for early-evening conversation, dates, compact groups. If the room matters less than experimentation, cross-shop Analogue; if heritage is the goal, Long Bar is the clearer choice.

Historical profile: R&D Cocktail Lab at No. 36號, Jiaxing St, Da’an District, Taipei City, Taiwan 106 is listed as closed or replaced after a June 22, 2026 audit. Active booking, hours, contact details have been removed.

Book Bar D.Still when the plan is a serious cocktail stop in Seoul's Mapo area, not a casual group fallback. Its Asia's Best Bars recognition gives it credibility, but the smarter play is a small-party visit planned ahead rather than an improvised late-night stop.

Hyde & Seek Gastro Bar is a sensible Bangkok pick for a polished date, celebration, or business-drinks setting in Lumphini. Its strongest trust signal is past placement at #50 on World's 50 Best Asia's Best Bars in 2016, but do not book it expecting a clearly documented wine-by-the-glass destination.