2016 World's 50 Best Bars: Asia Edition Rankings

One of Singapore's most decorated cocktail bars, 28 HongKong Street occupies a converted shophouse on 28 Hong Kong St and has appeared in the World's 50 Best Bars list every year since 2012. A sustained run of recognition — including a #1 Asia ranking in 2016 — places it among the bars that shaped the city's modern cocktail identity. Google reviewers rate it 4.4 across more than 1,100 scores.

Speak Low has placed on the World's 50 Best Bars list every year since 2016, reaching as high as #10 globally in 2017. Spread across three floors of a former French Concession shophouse on Fuxing Middle Road, it remains one of the most consistently recognised cocktail bars in Asia-Pacific, appearing on the Tatler Best Bars Asia-Pacific 2025 list and holding a 4.6 Google rating across 154 reviews.

Bar High Five has appeared on the World's 50 Best Bars list every year since 2011, reaching as high as #3 globally in 2013. Located in a basement in Ginza, it represents the classical Tokyo bar tradition — precise technique, minimal theatre, and drinks built around the guest rather than the menu. A 4.3 Google rating across 715 reviews reflects consistent execution over more than a decade.

Lobster Bar sits on Level 6 of Pacific Place in Central, and its awards record tells a pointed story: four consecutive Asia's Best Bars top-ten finishes between 2015 and 2018, including a global ranking of #18, mark it as one of Hong Kong's most consistently recognised cocktail programs. The bar holds a Google rating of 4.4 from 265 reviews and remains a reference point for the city's upscale hotel bar circuit.

Manhattan at Conrad Singapore Orchard holds one of the most decorated track records in Asian cocktail history, ranking as high as #1 in Asia's 50 Best Bars and #3 globally. Named the Tatler Best Bars Asia-Pacific 2025 Best Service winner, the bar frames Golden Age American cocktail culture through a Singaporean lens. It sits at the upper tier of Orchard Road hotel bars, with a Google rating of 4.7 across more than 1,000 reviews.

On Hollywood Road in Central, Quinary has anchored Hong Kong's serious cocktail scene since 2012. Named to the World's 50 Best Bars list every year from 2013 through 2021, and ranked among Asia's Best Bars consistently through 2025, it sits in a peer tier defined by technical precision and longevity rather than novelty. A Google rating of 4.6 across more than 900 reviews signals a floor of reliability that few bars at this level maintain.

Operation Dagger has earned consecutive placements on both the World's 50 Best Bars global list and Asia's 50 Best Bars since 2016, reaching as high as number 6 in Asia. Located on Neil Road in the Tanjong Pagar district, it operates as a serious craft cocktail bar with a technically driven program that has made it a reference point in Singapore's bar scene for nearly a decade.

Ranked #3 in Asia and #5 globally by World's 50 Best Bars in 2025, Jigger & Pony has tracked Singapore's rise as a serious cocktail city since 2012. Operating from the Amara Hotel in Tanjong Pagar, the bar publishes annual 'menuzines' — editorial-format drink menus that have become collector items — anchored in classic technique and contemporary execution.

Named to Tatler's Best Bars Asia-Pacific 2025 and a consistent presence on Asia's 50 Best Bars since 2016, Union Trading Company occupies a quiet stretch of Fen Yang Lu in Xuhui. The bar's track record across multiple editions of the World's 50 Best rankings places it among the most recognised cocktail addresses in mainland China. Plan ahead: demand consistently outpaces walk-in availability.

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 appeared on Asia's 50 Best Bars list every year since 2016, reaching #11 in 2016 and #13 in 2025, making it one of the most consistently recognised cocktail bars in the region. Located in the basement of a Cheongdam-dong address, the bar draws on an Alice in Wonderland concept that shapes both its spatial design and its drinks program. Open until 2am on weekdays and 3am on weekends, it runs deep into Seoul's night.

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.

D.Bespoke on Bukit Pasoh Road has appeared in Asia's 50 Best Bars every year from 2016 to 2021, reaching as high as #13 on the regional list. The bar's back bar depth and spirits-led approach place it among Singapore's most serious drinking destinations, drawing a crowd that comes to explore rather than simply order. Located in the Tanjong Pagar conservation district, it sits within walking distance of several other bars that define the city's cocktail identity.

ABV on 16th Street has been one of San Francisco's most consistently recognized bars since the mid-2010s, appearing on the World's 50 Best Bars list in both 2016 and 2017 and earning a Pearl Recommended Bar distinction in 2025. The Mission District address places it inside a neighborhood that runs serious on food and drink, and its sustained presence across multiple award cycles marks it as a reference point for the city's cocktail program.

Ranked #15 on Asia's 50 Best Bars in 2016, Alchemy operates from the second floor of a Xinyi District address that rewards those who seek it out. The bar sits in the tier of Taipei cocktail programs that have drawn international recognition, holding a 4.4 Google rating across nearly 600 reviews. It remains a reference point for the city's serious cocktail scene.

On Legazpi Street in Makati, The Curator has held a place in Asia's Best Bars rankings every year since 2016, peaking at #16 and sitting at #78 in 2025. Open from early morning through the small hours most nights, it operates as both a serious coffee address and a recognised cocktail bar — a dual identity that reflects its role in the neighbourhood rather than a single-category pitch.

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.

Janes & Hooch earned three consecutive placements on Asia's 50 Best Bars list between 2016 and 2018, peaking at number 18, and remains one of Beijing's most credentialed cocktail addresses. Set in Chaoyang's embassy district near Workers' Stadium, it operates in a city where the craft bar scene has historically lagged behind Shanghai and Guangzhou, making its sustained regional recognition all the more telling.

One of Central's most decorated bars, The Pontiac on Old Bailey Street has appeared in the World's 50 Best Asia's Best Bars rankings every year from 2016 through 2022, peaking at #16 in 2017. Its address on the SoHo edge of the Central district places it in a cluster of serious drinking venues, with a Google rating of 4.6 from 256 reviews underlining sustained crowd approval alongside critical recognition.

Woo Taipei holds a place on Asia's 50 Best Bars list, ranking 20th in 2016, and occupies the tenth floor of a Xinyi District tower on Zhongxiao East Road. The bar draws comparison to Taipei's more technically driven cocktail programs, with a back bar oriented around rare spirits curation. Google reviewers rate it 4.3 from 794 reviews.

Bar Benfiddich occupies the ninth floor of a Nishishinjuku building, operating nightly from 18:00 as one of Asia's most consistently recognised cocktail bars — ranked #9 in Asia's Best Bars 2025 and #25 globally in 2024. Its 17-seat walnut counter frames a program built around farm-grown botanicals, antique tools, and a working distillery in Chichibu, producing drinks that shift with each harvest.

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 decorated bars, ranked #23 in Asia's 50 Best Bars in 2016 and #35 in 2018. The program has earned its standing through deep spirits curation and a back bar that positions it firmly within Taiwan's serious cocktail tier. Google reviewers score it 4.2 across more than 1,550 ratings.

Charles H has ranked on Asia's Best Bars every year since 2016, reaching as high as #7 in the region in 2022. Situated within the Four Seasons Seoul in Jongno District, the bar pairs an American-inflected 1930s aesthetic with a technically precise cocktail programme. A Google rating of 4.6 across 545 reviews points to consistent delivery at the upper end of Seoul's bar scene.

Le Chamber has appeared on Asia's 50 Best Bars list every year since 2016, reaching as high as #17 in 2018 and holding a place in the 2025 ranking at #50. Located one floor below street level on Dosan-daero 55-gil in Gangnam's Cheongdam corridor, it operates in the tier of Seoul bars that shaped the city's international cocktail reputation. Google reviewers rate it 4.4 across 602 submissions.

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.

A Nana alleyway bar that has ranked on Asia's 50 Best Bars every year since 2016, Teens of Thailand operates at the intersection of gin-focused cocktails and the stripped-back, container-scale interiors that define Bangkok's most credible drinking rooms. Its 2016 peak at #27 on the Asia list signals a bar that helped shape the region's craft cocktail conversation, not one that arrived after it.

Positioned among Asia's recognized hotel bars, Royal Bar occupies the ground floor of Palace Hotel Tokyo in Marunouchi, drawing a loyal after-work and post-dinner crowd that returns for its precise, understated service rather than spectacle. Ranked 28th on Asia's 50 Best Bars list in 2016, it operates in a tier where restraint and consistency matter more than novelty.

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 Ebisu has held a place on Asia's 50 Best Bars list continuously since 2016, reaching as high as #16 in 2018 and appearing on the World's 50 Best Bars in 2025. The bar draws a devoted following for its spirits-forward approach and the depth of its back bar. A Google rating of 4.7 across 780 reviews reflects consistent execution over a long run.

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 in Kuningan, South Jakarta, earned back-to-back placements on Asia's 50 Best Bars in 2016 (#32) and 2018 (#39), cementing its position as one of the neighbourhood's most consistent cocktail addresses. With a Google rating of 4.5 across more than 3,200 reviews, it functions as both a serious bar program and a community anchor for the Mega Kuningan professional crowd.

Star Bar Ginza has appeared on the World's 50 Best Bars list eight times since 2010, placing it among the most consistently recognised bars in Asia. Located in a basement on Ginza's main strip, it operates with the quiet precision Tokyo's top-tier bar culture demands. Weekday hours close earlier than the weekend, making evening timing worth planning around.

Operating from within the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok since 1953, The Bamboo Bar holds a position few hotel bars in Asia can match on longevity or awards consistency. Ranked #7 in Asia's Best Bars in 2020 and still listed in the Tatler Best Bars Asia-Pacific 2025, it has anchored Bangkok's live jazz and cocktail culture across seven decades while the city's bar scene has shifted dramatically around it.

Union Brasserie, Bakery and Bar has appeared on Asia's 50 Best Bars list every year between 2016 and 2021, reaching as high as #33 on the regional ranking. Positioned at Plaza Senayan in central Jakarta, it operates across an all-day format that moves from bakery and brasserie service through to a full bar program. A Google score of 4.6 across more than 4,400 reviews signals sustained, cross-audience approval rather than niche enthusiasm.

Codename Mixology Akasaka earned a place on Asia's 50 Best Bars list in 2016, ranking 36th, and holds a 4.6 Google rating across 266 reviews. Positioned on the second floor of the Torin Akasaka Building in Minato City, it operates within a Tokyo bar scene known for technical precision and creative ambition. The address puts it within reach of Akasaka's business district crowd and the broader Minato cocktail circuit.

Bar Orchard Ginza occupies the seventh floor of a Ginza building and has held a consistent position in Asia's 50 Best Bars rankings since 2016, reaching as high as #25 in 2017. The bar's fruit-forward cocktail program places it within a distinctive niche of Japanese bar culture. EP Club rates it Pearl Recommended for 2025.

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.

Zuma at DIFC has held a place inside the World's 50 Best Bars global ranking across multiple years, peaking at #17 in 2021, with consecutive Star Wine List recognitions through 2026. The bar program sits above the restaurant floor in Gate Village and operates at the serious end of Dubai's cocktail and spirits market. Regulars come for Japanese-inspired drinking as much as dining.

Ounce occupies a second-floor address on Xinyi Road in Da'an District, earning a place on Asia's 50 Best Bars list in 2016 at number 40. With a 4.5 Google rating across 665 reviews, it holds a consistent position inside Taipei's serious cocktail tier. The bar draws visitors looking for measured, craft-focused drinking in one of the city's more considered neighbourhoods.

Maggie Choo's is a Bangkok bar set in a vaulted underground space beneath the Novotel on Silom Road, known for its theatrical 1930s Shanghai aesthetic and live entertainment. It ranked #41 on Asia's 50 Best Bars in 2016 and holds a 4.4 Google rating across more than 1,200 reviews. The bar sits in the Bang Rak district, close to several of the city's most recognised cocktail addresses.

Constellation on Xinle Lu earned a place at #42 on Asia's 50 Best Bars in 2016, making it one of Shanghai's more decorated cocktail addresses. Open nightly from 19:00 until 02:00, it sits in the French Concession, a neighbourhood that has shaped much of the city's independent bar culture. The recognition positions it alongside a small tier of Shanghai venues that trade on craft rather than spectacle.

Anti:Dote occupies the ground level of the Fairmont Singapore on Bras Basah Road, holding a place in Asia's 50 Best Bars list since 2016. The bar operates within Singapore's hotel cocktail tier, where botanical-led programs and ingredient-conscious menus have become a defining format. With a 4.2 Google rating across 675 reviews, it draws a consistent crowd from both the hotel and the wider Civic District.

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 sits on Jiaxing Street in Taipei's Da'an District and earned a place on Asia's 50 Best Bars list in 2016, ranking 46th. The bar operates within Taiwan's technically rigorous cocktail scene, drawing a crowd that comes for precision-driven work rather than spectacle. It holds a 4.5 Google rating across more than a thousand reviews.

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.

A Hongdae institution that earned back-to-back spots on Asia's 50 Best Bars in 2016 and 2017, Bar D.Still operates as a genuine neighbourhood bar in one of Seoul's most creatively charged districts. Its 4.9 Google rating across 108 reviews reflects consistent local loyalty rather than passing tourist traffic. The address on Wausan-ro 15-gil puts it deep in the residential-commercial grid that gives Hongdae its character.

Hyde & Seek Gastro Bar on Thanon Witthayu earned its place on Asia's Best Bars 50 list in 2016, signalling Bangkok's arrival in the region's serious cocktail conversation. The bar occupies a distinct position in the Lumphini district, pairing a considered drinks program with a setting that rewards guests who take their time. A Google rating of 4.3 from over 300 reviews reflects sustained regard rather than opening-year noise.