Thanks to the renaissance of the speakeasy bar concept, inspired by the American prohibition era back in the early 1920s, such speakeasies have been sprouting up all over the globe, sporting polished looks and serving up drinks that embrace technique, sensibility and creativity above all things.
This emerging trend comes as a result of people’s refined tastes and preferences. Nowadays, many prefer to enjoy a tipple in a space that’s relatively private where craft cocktails, company and conversation are the main focus.
As we enter a new era of drinking as a collective of modernists, so are places like Taipei. Fancy yourself a perfectly hand-crafted tipple that’ll leave an impression, pay a visit to any one of the 9 bars we have listed here.
1. AHA Saloon
Spinning easy listening lo-fi music, with old vinyl records and vintage cassettes sitting alongside an arsenal of glass beakers containing exotic spices, berries, seeds and liquor infusions, this music-themed hostelry was recently listed in the Asia’s 50 Best Bars—and for good reason.
The bar team here builds sophisticated tipples that are Taiwanese to the core, relying on local flavours a lot in their cocktails including the likes of oolong tea. Playful drinks such as their Acid Party Girl—a blend of cachaça, pandan leaf, fermented pineapple and coconut—have swooned the likes of many.
Address: No. 138, Section 2, Fuxing South Road, Da’an District, Taipei City, Taiwan 106
Opening Hours: 8PM – 2AM (Daily)
Contact: +886 2 2706 5206
2. Alchemy Speakeasy Bar Taipei
Enter through a secret passage that doubles as a bookcase and be treated to a prohibition era-style speakeasy that comes fully fitted with dark wood and leather furniture. Take your curiosity to the bar and allow the talented bartenders at Alchemy Speakeasy Bar Taipei fashion something to your liking.
As with Alchemy’s decor, much attention has gone into both the presentation of cocktails and how they are made. Enjoy a diverse array of old-school cocktails (off their vintage menu) as well as contemporary ones.
Address: 110, Taiwan, Taipei City, Xinyi District, Section 5, Xinyi Road, 16-1號
Opening Hours: 8PM – 2AM (Daily)
Contact: +886 2 2720 0080
3. Bar Mood
Offering splendour in the form of a drinks arsenal stocked with some of the world’s finest and rarest spirits and house-made bitters, infusions and syrups made using local seasonal produce, Bar Mood is as close as it gets to luxury in a cocktail bar setting. At the helm of this snazzy speakeasy is mixology icon, Nick Wu, one of the most influential bartenders in Asia.
For the curious tipplers, simply sit back, make known your likes and allow their skilled team to shake up an array of exquisite cocktails that’ll definitely impress.
Address: No. 53號, Lane 160, Section 1, Dunhua South Road, Da’an District, Taipei City, Taiwan 106
Opening Hours: 6PM – 1AM (Daily)
Contact: +886 905 773 621
4. Draft Land
The brainchild of Taiwanese cocktail maestro, Angus Zou, Draft Land takes on a modernist approach to serving cocktails, getting rid of actual bartenders and emphasising on the style rather than the actual drinks. You’ll find plenty of taps here, but not a bottle in sight nor a shaker to be heard.
Here, everything is carefully measured out and engineered to better suit the palates of customers. Similar to the way modern bubble tea brands do it, their drinks rely on precision and satisfy all the criteria of sweetness, sourness, bitterness and fruitiness to more accurately zero in on people’s drink preferences.
Address: 106, Taiwan, Taipei City, Da’an District, Lane 248, Section 4, Zhongxiao East Road, 2號1樓
Opening Hours: 6PM – 1AM (Daily)
5. Hanko 60
Considered one of Taipei’s more popular hangouts, Hanko 60 is hardly a secret anymore save for its elusive entrance that’s disguised as a somewhat shady-looking cinema. To enter, you’d have to press a tiny button located at the right-hand side of the door. When it opens, you’re greeted by a dimly-lit, underground-type speakeasy oozing with moody vibes.
Hanko 60 is known for their innovative and downright crazy cocktail creations. Meddling with Taiwanese as well as other Asian ingredients and a wide selection of spirits and quirky infusions, expect the unexpected—like asparagus juice.
Address: No. 60, Section 2, Hankou St, Wanhua District, Taipei City, Taiwan 108
Opening Hours: 8PM – 2AM (Sun to Thu), 8PM – 3AM (Fri & Sat)
Contact: +886 2 2381 0808
6. Indulge Experimental Bistro
Armed with a mean reputation and three-time champion mixologist Aki Wang at the helm of all their drinks and operations, Indulge Experimental Bistro is all about serving up modern abbreviations of popular tipples marked by a distinct Taiwanese flair to it. Tea plays quite a big role in many of their drinks such as their Mar-Tea-Ni, a drink which features their signature oolong-tea infused vermouth.
Indulge is an awesome bar, but don’t just take our word for it. With accolades such as the Michelin Guide and 50 Best Bars under its belt, you’d be hard bent on wanting to paying a visit too.
Address: No. 11, Lane 219, Section 1, Fuxing South Road, Da’an District, Taipei City, Taiwan 106
Opening Hours: 11.30AM – 5PM, 6PM – 2AM (Sun to Thu), 11.30AM – 5PM, 6PM – 3AM (Fri & Sat)
Contact: +886 2 2773 0080
7. MQ [Marquee Taipei]
Outfitted with lavish antiques and high-end modern chairs singing of the victorian era, Marquee is one of the trendiest hangouts in Taipei, popular among the country’s high flyers, socialites and even celebrities.
Marquee Taipei houses an American-Italian restaurant, trendy nightclub, and a lavish bar run by a stellar team of award-winning world-class bartenders.
Address: No. 16-1, Section 5, Xinyi Road, Xinyi District, Taipei City, Taiwan 110
Opening Hours: 8PM – 2AM (Sun to Thu), 8PM – 3AM (Fri & Sat)
Contact: +886 2 2729 5409
8. Ounce Taipei
Signal any of the staff at Ounce for a menu and chances are you won’t find one at this Hemingway-centric speakeasy.
Here, they don’t rely on a menu, let alone a consistent recipe. Instead, have a drink specially crafted for you solely based on your preferences and their bartenders’ vast knowledge of liquors and ingredients. After sorting out your likes and dislikes, they’ll retreat behind the bar and return shortly after with your bespoke drink.
Address: No. 309號, Section 4, Xinyi Road, Da’an District, Taipei City, Taiwan 106
Opening Hours: 6PM – 2AM (Sun to Thu), 6PM – 3AM (Fri & Sat)
Contact: +886 2 2703 7761
9. 榕 RON Xinyi
It’s hard to go wrong with a bar that exudes cool vibes, serves exceptional drinks and renders impeccable service. But what separates RON Xinyi apart from its competitors is their inclination toward using popular local Kaoliang wine in their drinks.
A high ABV, sorghum-based liquor, Kaoliang isn’t a drink that’s easy to love. But through the careful use of native ingredients and certain botanicals, they showcase this spirit in an enticing and more approachable way.
Address: No. 12, Section 2, Keelung Rd, Xinyi District, Taipei City, Taiwan 110
Opening Hours: 12PM – 3AM (Daily)
Contact: +886 2 2720 0026
Read our guide to nightlife in Taiwan.
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