Where to Drink: Hong Kong 🇭🇰

Hong Kong has a well-established cocktail culture and some of Asia's best bars so I was excited to check out the bar scene on a recent trip.

This was my first time in the city and it was such an interesting mix of cultures that is very evident in the bar scene.

Hong Kong cocktail bars feel very western, a little Chinese, with just a sprinkling of southeast Asia.

This isn't a bad thing, and it may even be an inevitable thing considering cocktails are pretty "western" in and of themselves. But it did mean that (with one exception) none of the bars I went to felt particularly "Hong Kong." They felt like they could exist in any other city.

That made me think a lot about my palette, the styles and flavors I enjoy, and whether that was a me thing... and I'm not totally sure. But I do think it's telling that the two highest-ranking bars in Hong Kong are an Italian-themed bar and Mexican-themed bar, respectively.

But regardless, Hong Kong has some great cocktails!

It's also the perfect place to do a bar crawl. 90% of the best bars are within a four-block radius so it's easy to try a drink somewhere and then keep it moving.

No one takes reservations either so my recommendation is to start early at the one you're most excited about and then wing it from there.

Great Cocktail Bars in Hong Kong

Bar Leone

For the best of the best

Bar Leone is #2 on the World’s Best Bar list (and #1 in Asia) for a reason. I don’t always agree with these lists, but I am in full-support of these particular rankings.

Everything at Leone is top-notch: the staff, the decor, the vibe, the food, and definitely the drinks. It's an Italian-inspired bar so the menu is full of aperitivos, spritzes, cocktails washed with olive oil, and other featured ingredients from the Mediterranean.

I had the King Kong Old Fashioned (with toasted coconut and banana) and Olive Oil Sour (with a whiskey base and notes of masala). They were both delicious. No notes!

Also, don’t skip their food menu. They’re known for their mortadella sandwich but I did not regret my skillet mac and cheese.

COA

For my fellow agave lovers

You know I’m a sucker for agave spirits like tequila and mezcal, and this is definitely the place for those in Hong Kong. In fact, it’s probably the best agave selection I’ve seen in Asia.

The drink menu is small, but well done. Their takes on classics like the margarita are not going to blow your socks off, but you’ll definitely enjoy them. (Especially if you're from outside of North America and haven't had much exposure to high-quality agave spirits.)

Also, the food is from Chicano, a Mexican-American owned restaurant owned by my friend Gabe. So, you know it’s good!

Kinsman

For drinks you will only find in Hong Kong

This stylish cocktail bar is focused on Cantonese spirits. So, if you’re coming from the west, you’ve likely never tried anything like these cocktails before. And I mean that in the best possible way!

I didn't recognize a single bottle on the back bar but I was thrilled by the drinks. They were rooted in tradition, but the execution was still very modern. And the menu itself was unintimidating, with extra context for those who wanted it. (Me! Always me! 🙋‍♀️)

It also helps that the staff is fun, friendly, and eager to make you feel like a regular, even just for a night. (I may or may not have ended the night eating fried chicken with them at a dive bar. 😎)

If you’re looking for a spot that could only exist in Hong Kong and/or want a place to try local spirits, this is the one!

Honky Tonks Tavern

For a good time

Don’t judge a book by its cover, or a bar by its name...

I have to say, I probably wouldn’t have made it to Honky Tonks (despite frequent recommendations) if a friend hadn’t taken me. And I’m glad he did! Because Honky Tonks is fun.

As the name suggests, it’s got a vague cowboy and ranch decor, but in a kitschy way. It’s not too over the top, nor is it an excuse to half-ass the drinks—which are surprisingly good.

I went on a Wednesday night and the place was full but not packed, and set up in a way that makes it easy to mingle.

This is not a place to quietly catch up with a friend, or enjoy a drink alone, but it is a great place to enjoy the hum of other people and maybe even make some new friends.

The Pontiac

For a queer time

This bar was recommended to me multiple times, always with a different description: a New York-themed dive bar, a lesbian bar, a late-night bar, a bar with good music...

All of those descriptors are correct but I'll go with, "the bar that made me realize this type of dive bar was a US-specific aesthetic." 😆

It really does feel like a dive bar you could pluck out of any city in the US... but queer. And bless it for that!

It's a fun place to start or end a night, or just get a beer on a hot day. I didn’t try the signature cocktails because I went on Easter (when they were short-staffed and running a limited menu) but I've heard good things and the vibe was good enough for me to take their word for it.

Looking for more recs?

I've included my annotated Google Maps below.

🍹 Hong Kong Bar Map — All the bars above, plus a dozen more.
🥟 Hong Kong Food Map — Food spots I enjoyed, and a few that were recommended to me for next time.