Stemming from its colonial past and mind-boggling political history, the city of Yangon (formerly referred to as Rangoon) is a melting pot of cultures and cuisine. The city attracts a slew of foreign travellers annually and a good handful of investors and entrepreneurs as well.
The result? A bustling city that’s full of tippling options. Think, snazzy whisky lounges, speakeasy cocktail bars, experimental cocktail labs (yes, labs) and even a microbrewery that’s really taking beer-drinking in Myanmar to the next level.
Curious about what the city has to offer besides its plethora of historical marvels? Here is our list of 9 bars in Yangon.
1. ATLAS Rooftop Bar & Lounge – Cool rooftop bar on the 12th level
Perched on the 12th floor of the Uniteam building in Sanchaung Township, multi-award-winning Atlas Rooftop Bar and Lounge is where guests can enjoy an impressive, panoramic view of beautiful Yangon including the city’s most famous landmark, the Shwedagon Pagoda.
It’s not just the view that wins this rooftop bar enormous praise though. Their drinks are well crafted and elegantly presented—built using fresh native ingredients and quality spirits.
Address: 84, Pan Hlaing Street, San Chaung Tsp, ရန်ကုန် 11111, Myanmar (Burma)
Opening Hours: 5PM – 11PM (Daily)
Contact: +95 9 784 151250
2. Babett Eatery & Bar – Situated on Hotel G’s ground floor
Fashionable but affordable, laid-back yet sophisticated, Babett Eatery & Bar—located on the ground floor of Hotel G Yangon—is a contemporary restaurant that’s perfect for gatherings.
Their kitchen does French and Mediterranean-inspired small plates and sharing platters and the bar offers a good variety of wine and summer cocktails perfect for beating the oppressive heat.
Address: Hotel G Yangon, 5 Alan Pya Pagoda St, ရန်ကုန်, Myanmar (Burma)
Opening Hours: 6.30AM – 1AM (Daily)
Contact: +95 1 243 639
3. Blind Tiger – Hailed as Yangon’s best cocktail bar
Hidden from plain sight, Blind Tiger is a charming little speakeasy bar that focuses on quality service and a creative drinks menu that harness the best of Myanmar’s produce as possible.
The cocktail scene in Yangon is still in its early stages but safe to say, Blind Tiger is easily at the forefront of it all. They build their cocktails using a wide range of local spirits and home infusions. Feeling adventurous? Go for their Pet Pomelo. Or if you’d prefer settling for a classic, their bar staff will be just as happy to whip one up for you.
Address: No. 93/95, Ground Floor, Seik Kan Thar Road, Lower Block, ရန်ကုန်, Myanmar (Burma)
Opening Hours: 4PM – 12AM (Mon to Sat), Closed on Sundays
Contact: +95 9 786 833847
4. Burbrit Brewery – Grab a cold one at Yangon’s first microbrewery
Located conveniently at the heart of Yangon’s diplomatic enclave, Burbrit Brewery is a hotspot for beer enthusiasts hailing from abroad as well as Yangon locals. The Taproom serves all varieties and flavours of craft beer brewed by Burbrit brewery—the first microbrewery to open up in Myanmar.
A great place to stopover for some quality grub and a decent beer, the taproom is conveniently located within 3 kilometres (at most) from major tourist attractions of Yangon such as the Shwedagon Pagoda, Bogyoke Aung San Market, National Museum and Kandawgyi Lake.
Address: 74 Ma Naw Hari St, Yangon, Dagon Township, Myanmar (Burma)
Opening Hours: 11AM – 11PM (Daily)
Contact: +95 9 788 089287
5. Cask 81 (CLOSED) – Yangon’s first & only whisky-dedicated bar
Hidden off the beaten track, behind an obscure entrance along Kabar Aye Pagoda Road, Cask 81 is a swanky, whisky-focused bar in Yangon where one can seek solace accompanied by a dram (or ten) of pure liquid gold and a cigar.
Being the only specialised whisky bar in Yangon, the bar boasts over a multitude of single malt brands, covering a wide base of single malt expressions and blended whisky varieties from whisky distilleries around the world—all proudly displayed behind the bar like trophies.
Update: Cask 81’s lease is up & they are currently looking for a new location.
Read Uncover Asia’s guide to whisky.
Address: No. 81 Kabar Aye Pagoda Rd, ရန်ကုန်, Myanmar (Burma)
Opening Hours: 6PM – 2AM (Daily)
Contact: +95 9 254 083 981
6. Escape Gastro Bar – One of the most popular bars in Yangon
Escape Gastro Bar offers a multi-sensory experience in the form of unique interpretations of Thai cuisine paired with an array of exciting cocktails. The bar is all about theatrics and presenting their drinks as elegantly as possible so expect smoke (lots of it). To get the most from the experience, sit outside and enjoy your drinks under the moonlit sky coupled with an abundance of fairy lights.
Address: 31D, Kan Yeiktha Street, Kabaray Road, Ma Yan Gone Tsp, ရန်ကုန်, Myanmar (Burma)
Opening Hours: 11AM – 1AM (Sun to Tue), 11AM – 2AM (Wed & Thu), 11AM – 3AM (Fri & Sat)
Contact: +95 9 42444 4230
7. Roof Alchemy – Cocktails are too gorgeous to be drunk
Located on the rooftop of a luxury international hotel in Yangon, this classy and hugely popular nightspot is less of a bar and more of a science lab where experimental cocktails are tried, tested and served. If you’d rather photograph your drinks than actually drink them, this is the place for you. Trust us when we say that you probably won’t find a single drink on their menu that doesn’t involve smoke, homemade infusions, ice baking and other molecular mumbo jumbos.
Despite its ultra-fun appeal, the dress code here is sharp and smart, regardless of whether you’re intending to hit up the main bar or the dance floor downstairs—yes, there’s even a dance floor.
Address: Ma Naw Hari St, ရန်ကုန်, Myanmar (Burma)
Opening Hours: 5PM – 2AM (Daily)
Contact: +95 9 254 272 460
8. The Toddy Bar – Located right inside Rangoon Tea House
Rangoon Tea House is a contemporary cafe that resides in a fully-restored, colonial-era restaurant set in the heart of downtown Yangon. The cuisine is largely inspired by old-Burma, an old British India-owned migration port, so guests can expect a good variety of food from Mohinga (a Burmese rice noodle soup dish) to briyani.
Located within the cafe is speakeasy-type bar, The Toddy Bar. A classic, prohibition era-type bar that boasts a repertoire of signatures as well as staples. The bar attracts a combination of visitors, local business people and Yangon’s local hip crowd which is a good sign.
Address: Ground Floor, 77-79, Pansodan Street, Lower Middle Block, ရန်ကုန်, Myanmar (Burma)
Opening Hours: 7AM – 10PM (Daily)
Contact: +95 9 979 078681
9. White Cottage – Yangon’s newest high-end bar & restaurant
A high-end restaurant and bar with interiors that’ll blow your mind, White Cottage & Nüde Bar is designed for both casual hangouts and fine dining in the heart of Yangon. The restaurant serves up amazing food, complimented only by a repertoire of signature cocktails. For entertainment, the bar hosts an acoustic band. During the day, take a dip in their onsite pool.
Address: No. 6 Kanbawza Road, Yangon 11201, Myanmar (Burma)
Opening Hours: 11AM – 11PM (Daily)
Contact: +95 9 44643 2977
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