2016 World's 50 Best Bars: Asia Edition Rankings

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Omakase + Appreciate pioneered Kuala Lumpur's speakeasy culture through personalized cocktail experiences where bartenders crafted bespoke drinks based on individual preferences. Hidden behind unmarked doors, this intimate basement bar became Malaysia's first top-10 Asia's 50 Best Bars entry, transforming the city's cocktail landscape through Japanese-Western fusion mixology.

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.

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.

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.

ABV on 16th Street in the Mission has earned back-to-back placements on the World's 50 Best Bars list and a 2025 Pearl Recommended Bar nod, making it one of San Francisco's most consistently recognised cocktail programs. Open daily from 4pm until 2am, it sits at the serious end of the Mission's bar scene without sacrificing neighbourhood accessibility. Google reviewers rate it 4.5 across more than 1,000 responses.

Ranked 15th in Asia's 50 Best Bars in 2016, Alchemy occupies a second-floor address in Taipei's Xinyi District and sits at the more serious end of the city's cocktail spectrum. The bar's approach to curation and back-bar depth has placed it in a different competitive tier from most of the neighbourhood's late-night options. A Google rating of 4.4 across nearly 600 reviews points to consistent execution over time.

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.

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.

One of Beijing's most recognised cocktail bars, Janes & Hooch ranked in Asia's 50 Best Bars three consecutive years, peaking at No. 18 in 2016. Positioned in the Sanlitun embassy district, it operates in the upper tier of Beijing's bar scene, where technique and programme depth matter more than spectacle. A serious address for anyone tracking China's cocktail evolution.

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.

Woo Taipei ranked among Asia's 50 Best Bars in 2016, placing it in the upper tier of Taipei's cocktail scene. Located on the 10th floor of a Xinyi District address on Zhongxiao East Road Section 5, the bar draws a crowd serious about craft cocktails. A Google rating of 4.3 from nearly 800 reviews reflects consistent delivery over time.

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.

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.

TCRC on Xinmei Street is one of Tainan's most recognized bars by international standards, having ranked twice on Asia's 50 Best Bars — #23 in 2016 and #35 in 2018. It holds a 4.2 Google rating across more than 1,500 reviews. The bar's depth of spirits curation and its position within Taiwan's broader cocktail circuit make it the reference point for serious drinking in Tainan.

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.

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.

Vudi Somboonkulavudi's train carriage-inspired Q&A Bar transforms Bangkok cocktail culture through personalized "Cocktail Journey" experiences, where expert bartenders craft bespoke drinks from 52 revived classic recipes in an intimate speakeasy setting that celebrates heritage, storytelling, and technical mastery.

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.

Located on the first floor of Palace Hotel Tokyo in Marunouchi, Royal Bar earned a place on Asia's 50 Best Bars list in 2016, ranking 28th. Positioned within one of Tokyo's most considered hotel bar traditions, it sits at the intersection of Japanese bartending precision and the understated formality that defines Chiyoda's drinking culture.

Asia's pioneering tiki cocktail lounge, Honi Honi Hong Kong elevated Polynesian escapism through Max Traverse's masterful rum-focused mixology and Tim Shepherd's bamboo-lined sanctuary in Central. This award-winning venue transported discerning drinkers to a sophisticated tropical paradise, earning recognition as Hong Kong's definitive rum destination.

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.

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.

Loewy has held a place on Asia's Best Bars 50 list twice, ranking as high as #32 in 2016, which places it among Jakarta's most recognised cocktail programs. Located in the Kuningan district at Premier Cozmo, it draws a crowd that expects precise, considered drinks in a setting designed to hold attention well past the first round. A 4.5 Google rating across more than 3,000 reviews confirms its sustained reputation.

Few bars in Tokyo carry a ranking history as consistent as Star Bar Ginza, which appeared on the World's 50 Best Bars list across multiple years between 2010 and 2014, and on Asia's Best Bars through 2021. Set in a basement in Ginza's 1-chome, it operates as a reference point for the classic Japanese bar tradition — serious, unhurried, and built around technique rather than spectacle.

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.

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.

Codename Mixology Akasaka is a craft cocktail bar on the second floor of a Minato City building in Akasaka, Tokyo, recognised in the World's 50 Best Asia's Best Bars list in 2016 at number 36. With a Google rating of 4.6 across 266 reviews, it occupies the serious end of Tokyo's neighbourhood cocktail scene, away from the more tourist-facing circuits of Ginza and Roppongi.

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.

Shuzo Nagumo's groundbreaking Mixology Laboratory Tokyo revolutionizes Japanese cocktail culture through molecular mixology and scientific innovation. Hidden near Tokyo Station, this avant-garde speakeasy creates impossible cocktails using rotary evaporators and centrifuges, from foie gras vodka martinis to smoke-filled presentations that challenge every convention.

One of Dubai's most decorated bar and dining addresses, Zuma at DIFC has held a position in the World's 50 Best Bars multiple times since 2011 and continues to collect Star Wine List awards across multiple categories. The izakaya-style format — Japanese sharing plates, serious sake, and a wine program with genuine depth — sits at the premium end of the DIFC dining circuit and draws a crowd that treats it as a default reference point for the neighbourhood.

Ounce is a second-floor cocktail bar on Xinyi Road in Taipei's Da'an District, recognised in Asia's 50 Best Bars with a #40 ranking in 2016. With a 4.5 Google rating across 665 reviews, it occupies a clear position within Taipei's serious cocktail tier. The bar sits alongside peers such as Bar Mood and Alchemy as part of the city's mature, technically focused bar scene.

Maggie Choo's occupies a vaulted basement beneath the Novotel on Silom, where Shanghai Art Deco aesthetics and low lighting set the stage for Bangkok's more theatrical end of cocktail culture. Ranked 41st on Asia's 50 Best Bars in 2016, it holds a 4.4 rating across more than 1,200 Google reviews. The bar draws a consistent late-night crowd and remains one of the Silom corridor's most-referenced drinking addresses.

Constellation is a late-night bar on Xinle Road in Shanghai's Xuhui district, open nightly until 2am and recognised with a #42 ranking on Asia's 50 Best Bars in 2016. Its reputation rests on a back bar built for depth rather than novelty, drawing a crowd that treats spirits seriously. Arrive after nine on a weekday if you prefer conversation over noise.

Eduardo Zamora's emotionally-driven mixology defines Anti:Dote Singapore at Fairmont Singapore, where the revolutionary CURE:ALL menu organizes premium cocktails by mood—from color-changing Curious Chameleon to peanut butter-washed vodka creations—within a contemporary apothecary setting that transforms cocktail selection into personalized therapy.

Antonio Lai's Ori:gin revolutionized Hong Kong's cocktail scene as the city's first dedicated gin bar, where over 15 house-distilled gins infused with Asian botanicals like shiso and lemongrass create innovative cocktails including the signature Earl Grey Martini in a sophisticated, internationally-inspired setting.

Antonio Lai's award-winning colonial alchemy defines The Envoy Hong Kong, where literary-inspired cocktails infused with tea and exotic spices are served in theatrical vessels within The Pottinger's elegant indoor lounge and tranquil outdoor terrace.

R&D Cocktail Lab occupies a precise position in Taipei's bar scene: a technically rigorous program in Da'an District that earned a place on Asia's 50 Best Bars in 2016. With a 4.5 rating across more than a thousand Google reviews, the lab format signals a commitment to method-driven drinks over decorative theatrics, placing it among the city's most credible cocktail addresses.

Mahalo Tiki Lounge Hong Kong elevated Polynesian cocktail culture 29 floors above Wan Chai, where Max Traverse's expert mixology and authentic tiki atmosphere created an upmarket tropical escape with panoramic city views and sophisticated rum-forward cocktails.

Sugarhall Singapore elevates the cocktail pub concept through its sophisticated rum-forward program and convivial English pub atmosphere. Located above Cecil Street in a heritage art deco building, this Jigger & Pony Group venue offers expertly crafted cocktails like their signature Dark & Stormy and Mulata Daiquiri, alongside curated rum flights that make the spirit accessible to all.

Bar D.Still operates out of Mapo-gu's Hongdae corridor, a neighbourhood that has shaped Seoul's independent bar culture more than any other. Twice ranked inside Asia's 50 Best Bars, in 2016 and 2017, it sits in the tier of Seoul cocktail bars that competed on the regional stage before the city's programme became as internationally dense as it is today.

Hyde & Seek Gastro Bar on Thanon Witthayu earned its place at number 50 on Asia's 50 Best Bars list in 2016, a marker that positioned it within Bangkok's serious cocktail tier at a time when the city was establishing its regional credentials. With a Google rating of 4.3 across 318 reviews, it draws a consistent crowd to the Lumphini corridor for drinks that reward attention. This is a bar where the ritual of ordering matters as much as what arrives in the glass.