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    2023 World's 50 Asia's Best Bars by World's 50 Best (2023)
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    2023 World's 50 Best Bars: Asia Edition Rankings

    An influential ranking honoring Asia’s premier bars of 2023, recognized for creative cocktails, quality service, vibrant atmospheres.

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    40 locationsWorld's 50 Best

    Venues on this list

    Coa, Hong Kong, Hong Kong
    #1

    Coa

    Hong Kong, Hong Kong

    Bar

    Ranked #17 in Asia's 50 Best Bars 2025 and a three-time holder of the #1 Asia title, Coa occupies a lower-ground space on Shin Hing Street in Central with a forty-page agave spirits list and a cocktail programme that rotates a new drink every week. The food menu, developed with award-winning Mexican restaurant Chicano, grounds the experience in the culinary culture that produced the spirits on the shelf.

    Jigger & Pony, Singapore, Singapore
    #2

    Jigger & Pony

    Singapore, Singapore

    Bar

    Jigger & Pony sits in Singapore’s serious cocktail tier: a Tanjong Pagar bar with long-running Asia’s 50 Best Bars momentum, an editorial-style drinks programme built around annual “menuzines.” The draw is not speakeasy concealment; it is polished hotel-lobby confidence, classic cocktail grammar, a team comfortable turning technique into readable, social drinking.

    Bar Benfiddich, Tokyo, Japan
    #4

    Bar Benfiddich

    Tokyo, Japan

    Bar

    Bar Benfiddich belongs to Tokyo’s serious cocktail tier: a 17-seat Nishishinjuku room where farm botanicals, old bottles and historical technique shape the programme. Its repeated Asia’s Best Bars and World’s 50 Best Bars placements make it a reference point for drinkers comparing Tokyo’s precision-led bars with more improvisational, ingredient-driven counters.

    Tropic City, Bangkok, Thailand
    #6

    Tropic City

    Bangkok, Thailand

    Bar

    Tropic City has held a position inside the World's 50 Best Asia's Best Bars list every year since 2019, making it one of Bangkok's most consistently recognised cocktail programmes. Located on Charoen Krung 28 in Bang Rak, the bar operates around the clock and draws a crowd that treats late hours as standard. Six consecutive years of ranking signal a programme built on more than novelty.

    Nutmeg & Clove, Singapore, Singapore
    #7

    Nutmeg & Clove

    Singapore, Singapore

    Bar

    Nutmeg & Clove has spent eleven years building one of Asia-Pacific's most recognised bar programs from an eight-table saloon on Purvis Street. Named in Asia's Best Bars Top 10 multiple times and ranked #24 in the 2025 edition, it turns Singapore's neighbourhood memory, kopitiam counters, mama shop shelves, itinerant ice cream carts, into formally structured cocktails that read as cultural argument as much as drink.

    Argo, Hong Kong, Hong Kong
    #8

    Argo

    Hong Kong, Hong Kong

    Bar

    Located on the ground floor of the Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong in Central, Argo has placed on the World's 50 Best Bars list every year since 2022, reaching as high as #34 globally and #3 in Asia. Named to Tatler's Best Bars Asia-Pacific 2025 list, it operates at the upper tier of Hong Kong's hotel bar circuit, where programme depth and regional recognition matter as much as the address.

    Darkside, Hong Kong, Hong Kong
    #9

    Darkside

    Hong Kong, Hong Kong

    Bar

    Positioned inside Rosewood Hong Kong on the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront, Darkside has ranked consistently inside both the World's 50 Best Bars global list and Asia's Best Bars top tier since 2021. The bar operates at a technical level that places it among Hong Kong's most decorated drinking rooms, drawing a crowd that treats the visit as an occasion rather than a stop.

    Sago House, Singapore, Singapore
    #10

    Sago House

    Singapore, Singapore

    Bar

    Sago House on Duxton Hill has earned consecutive placements in the World's 50 Best Asia's Best Bars rankings since 2021, reaching #10 in 2023 and appearing in the global list at #32 that same year. Set in one of Singapore's most characterful heritage streets, it operates at the intersection of place-rooted cocktail philosophy and tropical ingredient work that defines the city's premium bar tier.

    Indulge Experimental Bistro, Taipei, Taiwan
    #11

    Indulge Experimental Bistro

    Taipei, Taiwan

    Bar

    Experimental Bistro has held a position inside the World's 50 Best Bars global ranking for seven consecutive years, reaching Asia's Best Bars #2 in 2018 and #3 in 2019. Located in Taipei's Da'an District, it represents the sharper edge of Taiwan's bar scene, where international technique meets local produce. Few bars in Asia have sustained this level of recognition across as many consecutive cycles.

    Vesper, Bangkok, Thailand
    #12

    Vesper

    Bangkok, Thailand

    Bar

    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., the consensus among repeat visitors is clear.

    Bar Cham, Seoul, South Korea
    #13

    Bar Cham

    Seoul, South Korea

    Bar

    Bar Cham has climbed from #50 in Asia's Best Bars in 2020 to #6 in 2025, placing it among the most consistently recognised cocktail bars on the continent. Situated in the Jongno District neighbourhood of Bukchon, the bar frames Korean aesthetics through classically grounded technique. It opens Wednesday through Monday from 18:00 to 01:00.

    The SG Club, Tokyo, Japan
    #14

    The SG Club

    Tokyo, Japan

    Bar

    Ranked #65 in the World's 50 Best Bars 2025 and a fixture on the Asia's Best Bars list since 2019, The SG Club in Shibuya operates across two distinct floors with a program rooted in Japanese ingredient logic and international technique. Located in Jinnan, a quieter pocket above the Shibuya crossing noise, it draws a consistent crowd of serious drinkers and has held a place in the global top 25 as recently as 2021.

    Analogue, Singapore, Singapore
    #15

    Analogue

    Singapore, Singapore

    Bar

    Ranked #47 on the World's 50 Best Bars list in 2024 and #15 in Asia the previous year, Analogue at CHIJMES in Singapore has moved steadily up the global cocktail rankings since 2022. Set within a 19th-century Gothic chapel complex in the civic district, the bar operates in a tier of serious program bars that compete on technical depth and concept clarity rather than volume or spectacle.

    Republic, Singapore, Singapore
    #16

    Republic

    Singapore, Singapore

    Bar

    Republic has climbed from #57 to #12 on Asia's Best Bars in three years, placing it among Singapore's most tracked cocktail programs. Positioned at 7 Raffles Ave against the Marina Bay waterfront, it draws a crowd that returns for the bar's technical consistency rather than novelty. It holds its ground in a city where bar competition is genuinely fierce.

    The Aubrey, Hong Kong, Hong Kong
    #17

    The Aubrey

    Hong Kong, Hong Kong

    Restaurant

    On the 25th floor of Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong, The Aubrey occupies the space left by Pierre with a Japanese izakaya format built around rare spirits, an omakase cocktail bar, a menu drawing on Ginza izakaya tradition. The room divides into distinct zones, main bar, Curio Lounge, Drawing Room, each calibrated for a different hour and mood, with Central's harbour panorama framing all of it.

    Sidecar, New Delhi, India
    #18

    Sidecar

    New Delhi, India

    Bar

    Sidecar in New Delhi's Greater Kailash II has earned a position among Asia's most consistently recognised bars, appearing on Asia's 50 Best Bars every year since 2020 and reaching #14 on the Asia list in 2022. Described by Tatler Asia as a bartender's bar, it draws on classic cocktail technique and literary reference points, holding.

    The Cocktail Club, Charleston, United States
    #19

    The Cocktail Club

    Charleston, United States

    Bar

    On King Street's bar-dense corridor, The Cocktail Club has earned a position that most Charleston venues have not: consecutive appearances in the World's 50 Best Asia's Best Bars rankings, climbing from #32 in 2022 to #12 in 2024. That trajectory, combined with a Pearl recommendation and a Top 500 Bars placement in 2025, makes it a reference point for the city's serious drinking scene.

    Virtù, Tokyo, Japan
    #20

    Virtù

    Tokyo, Japan

    Bar

    Perched on the upper floors of the Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Otemachi, Virtù has accumulated a consistent run of World's 50 Best recognition, including Asia's Best Bars positions in 2023, 2024, 2025, alongside the 2024 Michter's Art of Hospitality Award. The bar pairs skyline views across eastern Tokyo with a drinks program that maps Japanese produce onto a French spirits framework, served by a multilingual team with evident warmth.

    Manhattan, Singapore, Singapore
    #21

    Manhattan

    Singapore, Singapore

    Bar

    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.

    Mahaniyom Cocktail Bar, Bangkok, Thailand
    #22

    Mahaniyom Cocktail Bar

    Bangkok, Thailand

    Bar

    Mahaniyom Cocktail Bar occupied Bangkok's top tier of cocktail recognition through 2023 and 2024, reaching #19 and #57 respectively in the World's 50 Best Bars global ranking. Positioned on the second floor of a Bang Rak address, it represents the precision-led, concept-driven school of Thai bartending that has placed Bangkok alongside Singapore and Tokyo as a credible force in Asian cocktail culture.

    Lamp Bar, Nara, Japan
    #23

    Lamp Bar

    Nara, Japan

    Bar

    Six appearances on Asia's 50 Best Bars list place Lamp Bar among the most consistently recognised cocktail programmes in Japan, operating not from Tokyo or Osaka but from Nara, a city better known for its deer and ancient temples than its bar scene. The sits at 4.6 across 549 reviews, signalling a reputation that extends well beyond specialist circles.

    28 HongKong Street, Singapore, Singapore
    #24

    28 HongKong Street

    Singapore, Singapore

    Bar

    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.

    Le Chamber, Seoul, South Korea
    #25

    Le Chamber

    Seoul, South Korea

    Bar

    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.

    Alice Cheongdam, Seoul, South Korea
    #28

    Alice Cheongdam

    Seoul, South Korea

    Bar

    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.

    Employees Only Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
    #30

    Employees Only Singapore

    Singapore, Singapore

    Bar

    A New York cocktail institution transplanted to Singapore's Amoy Street conservation district, Employees Only has accumulated consistent Asia's 50 Best Bars recognition since 2017 — peaking at #17 — while maintaining the after-hours energy that defined the original. The bar occupies a shophouse format that channels the same low-lit, high-craft atmosphere the brand built its reputation on, placing it squarely in Singapore's upper tier of serious cocktail programs.

    Quinary, Hong Kong, Hong Kong
    #31

    Quinary

    Hong Kong, Hong Kong

    Bar

    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, ranked among Asia's Best Bars consistently through 2025, it sits in a peer tier defined by technical precision and longevity rather than novelty. signals a floor of reliability that few bars at this level maintain.

    Stay Gold Flamingo, Singapore, Singapore
    #32

    Stay Gold Flamingo

    Singapore, Singapore

    Bar

    On Amoy Street in Singapore's Tanjong Pagar conservation district, Stay Gold Flamingo runs an American- and Japanese-inspired cocktail program that has earned Asia's Best Bars recognition in consecutive years, including a #32 ranking in 2023 and #63 in 2024. The bar occupies a shophouse format that divides neatly between early-evening approachability and late-night intensity, making its award trajectory one of the more closely watched in the regional scene.

    Mostly Harmless, Hong Kong, Hong Kong
    #33

    Mostly Harmless

    Hong Kong, Hong Kong

    Bar

    Mostly Harmless is a cocktail bar on Hong Kong's Queen's Road West in Sai Ying Pun, ranked #33 on Asia's 50 Best Bars in 2023 before settling at #88 in 2025. Its trajectory through the Asia's 50 Best rankings over three consecutive years signals sustained peer recognition in a city with one of the most competitive bar scenes in the region.

    The Curator, Manila, Philippines
    #34

    The Curator

    Manila, Philippines

    Bar

    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.

    Bar Trigona, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
    #36

    Bar Trigona

    Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

    Bar

    Named in Tatler's Best 20 Bars Asia-Pacific and ranked among Asia's 50 Best Bars every year since 2019, Bar Trigona operates from the Four Seasons Kuala Lumpur with a drink programme built around indigenous Malaysian ingredients. Its food menu is designed to work alongside the cocktails, not merely accompany them. For anyone tracking the evolution of Southeast Asian bar culture, this is a reference point.

    Copitas, Bangalore, India
    #38

    Copitas

    Bangalore, India

    Bar

    Ranked #38 on Asia's Best Bars 2023, Copitas is one of Bangalore's most decorated cocktail addresses, operating evenings Tuesday through Sunday from a venue on Bellary Road in Ganganagar. The bar, placing it among the city's most consistently rated drinking destinations. For the India bar circuit, it is a reference point.

    Hope & Sesame, Guangzhou, China
    #39

    Hope & Sesame

    Guangzhou, China

    Bar

    Ranked #7 in Asia's Best Bars 2025 and making its World's 50 Best Bars debut that same year, Hope & Sesame has operated from Guangzhou's Dongshankou district since 2016. Entry is through a concealed refrigerator door; the programme inside runs on ultrasonic infusion, rotary distillation, seasonal menus built around regional flavour and cultural narrative.

    Smoke & Bitters, Hiriketiya, Sri Lanka
    #40

    Smoke & Bitters

    Hiriketiya, Sri Lanka

    Bar

    Ranked #14 in Asia's Best Bars 2025 and #67 globally by World's 50 Best, Smoke & Bitters operates from an unlikely address on Sri Lanka's south coast, turning Hiriketiya's surf-village setting into one of the region's most credentialed cocktail programs. confirms the bar's hold on visitors who rarely expect to find this level of craft this far from a major city.

    Vender, Taichung, Taiwan
    #41

    Vender

    Taichung, Taiwan

    Bar

    Ranked #20 in Asia and #74 globally by World's 50 Best Bars in 2025, Vender has become the reference point for serious cocktail craft in Taichung. Located in the West District, it has climbed steadily through Asia's rankings over three consecutive years, placing Taiwan's second city firmly on the international bar circuit. For anyone tracing the arc of Taiwan's cocktail scene beyond Taipei, this is a necessary stop.

    Native, Singapore, Singapore
    #42

    Native

    Singapore, Singapore

    Bar

    Native sits in Singapore’s serious cocktail tier, with repeat appearances on World’s 50 Best Bars, Asia’s 50 Best Bars, Top 500 Bars. Its value is not spectacle; it is a drink programme that helped make regional ingredients, technical prep, local reference points part of the city’s premium bar conversation.

    The Public House, Taipei, Taiwan
    #43

    The Public House

    Taipei, Taiwan

    Bar

    Ranked #40 in Asia's Best Bars 2025 and a consistent presence on the World's 50 Best Asia shortlist since 2023, The Public House on Xinyi Road structures each night into three distinct atmospheric chapters.

    Bee's Knees, Kyoto, Japan
    #44

    Bee's Knees

    Kyoto, Japan

    Bar

    Bee's Knees has held a position in Asia's Best Bars top 80 every year since 2020, peaking at #18 in 2021, a sustained record that places it among the most consistently recognised cocktail bars in the region. Operating from Nakagyo Ward in central Kyoto, it runs Tuesday through Saturday from 6pm until 3am, making it one of the city's more serious late-night drinking destinations.

    Bar High Five, Tokyo, Japan
    #45

    Bar High Five

    Tokyo, Japan

    Bar

    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, drinks built around the guest rather than the menu. reflects consistent execution over more than a decade.

    The Old Man, Hong Kong, Hong Kong
    #47

    The Old Man

    Hong Kong, Hong Kong

    Bar

    The Old Man on Aberdeen Street has held a place inside the World's 50 Best Bars top ten and led Asia's 50 Best Bars rankings, making it one of the most decorated cocktail addresses in Hong Kong. The bar draws a steady crowd to Soho's lower slope with a literary-themed program and a commitment to technical precision over theatrical flourish. Booking ahead is advisable.

    The Living Room, Mumbai, India
    #48

    The Living Room

    Mumbai, India

    Bar

    Ranked 48th on Asia's Best Bars 2023, The Living Room in Mahim West has become one of Mumbai's most closely watched cocktail addresses. The bar sits in the quieter western residential fringe of the city, drawing a crowd that treats it as a serious drinks destination rather than a night-out stopover. Limited public data makes advance planning worthwhile.

    Overview

    The 2023 Asia's 50 Best Bars ranked 49 venues across 13 countries and 18 cities. Coa in Hong Kong took the top spot, replacing Sips from the previous year. The list saw major turnover with 25 new entrants and 24 returning venues, while 76 bars from the previous edition dropped out.

    This edition reshuffled Asia's cocktail hierarchy significantly. Hong Kong claimed three spots in the top 10 (Coa at #1, Argo at #8, Darkside at #9), while Singapore matched that with Jigger & Pony (#2), Nutmeg & Clove (#7), and Sago House (#10). Bangkok landed two bars in the upper ranks: BKK Social Club at #3 and Tropic City at #6. Tokyo's Bar Benfiddich took #4, and Seoul's Zest rounded out the top five. The 51% turnover rate—25 new bars replacing 76 that dropped out—marked one of the more dramatic reshuffles in the awards' history, suggesting either significant judging panel changes or a genuine shift in Asia's bar scene quality.

    The 2023 Asia's 50 Best Bars list delivered a shake-up, with Coa in Hong Kong displacing the previous year's winner, Sips. Only 24 bars held their positions from the prior edition, while 25 newcomers entered the rankings—a complete refresh of half the list. Hong Kong and Singapore dominated the top 10 with three bars each, while Bangkok, Tokyo, and Seoul each secured one spot. The 49-bar list (despite the "50" name) covered 13 countries and 18 cities across the region.

    Quick Facts

    Total venues
    49
    Countries represented
    13
    Cities represented
    18
    Top-ranked bar
    Coa (Hong Kong)
    Returning venues
    24
    New entrants
    25
    Dropped from previous year
    76
    Top 10 cities
    Hong Kong (3), Singapore (3), Bangkok (2)

    About This Edition

    This edition's most notable shift was the wholesale replacement of half the list. With 76 bars from the previous year dropping out and 25 new entrants arriving, the 2023 rankings suggest either evolving judging criteria or rapid changes in Asia's cocktail landscape. Double Chicken Please and Handshake Speakeasy—both previously ranked—disappeared entirely, making room for newcomers like Indulge Experimental Bistro, Republic, and The Aubrey.

    Hong Kong's strong showing with three top-10 placements (including the #1 spot) contrasted with the previous edition where Sips had topped the list. Singapore maintained its position as a cocktail powerhouse, matching Hong Kong's three top-10 bars. Bangkok's two entries in the upper rankings (BKK Social Club at #3 and Tropic City at #6) reinforced Thailand's growing reputation in the regional bar scene.

    The geographic spread across 13 countries and 18 cities indicates the awards reached beyond the usual suspects of Hong Kong, Singapore, and Tokyo, though these three cities still commanded significant representation. Seoul's presence with Zest at #5 marked South Korea's continued relevance in premium cocktail culture. The list format itself—49 venues despite the "50" branding—has been a consistent quirk of this awards program.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Which bar won Asia's 50 Best Bars in 2023?
    Coa in Hong Kong took the #1 position in 2023, replacing Sips from the previous year's rankings.
    How many bars returned from the previous Asia's 50 Best Bars list?
    Only 24 bars retained their positions from the previous edition, while 25 new bars entered the rankings and 76 dropped out—a turnover of more than half the list.
    Which cities dominated the 2023 Asia's 50 Best Bars top 10?
    Hong Kong and Singapore each placed three bars in the top 10: Coa (#1), Argo (#8), and Darkside (#9) for Hong Kong; Jigger & Pony (#2), Nutmeg & Clove (#7), and Sago House (#10) for Singapore. Bangkok had two entries with BKK Social Club (#3) and Tropic City (#6).
    How many countries were represented in the 2023 Asia's 50 Best Bars?
    The 2023 list included bars from 13 countries across 18 cities in Asia.
    What happened to the previous year's top bar?
    Sips, which topped the previous edition, was among the 76 bars that dropped out of the 2023 rankings entirely.
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