Hong Kong and Macau_ City Guide (Lonely Planet, 14th Edition) - Andrew Stone [153]
This long, narrow watering hole is a great place for a libation anytime, but try to make it on Thursday after 9pm or Friday or Saturday after 10pm when live jazz kicks in.
CAVERN Map Live Music
2121 8969; Shop 1, Lower Ground fl, Lan Kwai Fong Tower, 33 Wyndham St, Central; 6pm-late Mon-Sat; MTR Central (exit D2)
Hong Kong’s first (and only) supper club, the Cavern is effectively a showcase for two tribute bands: Sixties Mania Showband, done up in mop-top haircuts and bell-bottoms, and the Rolling Bones, a great Filipino band. Music starts at 9pm Monday to Saturday. There’s food and the cover charge is $100. Enter from D’Aguilar St.
FRINGE GALLERY Map Live Music
2521 7251; www.hkfringe.com.hk; Ground fl, Fringe Club, 2 Lower Albert Rd, Central; noon-midnight Mon-Thu, noon-3am Fri & Sat, happy hour 3-9pm Mon-Thu, 3-8pm Fri & Sat; MTR Central (exit D1)
The Fringe, a friendly and eclectic venue on the border of the Lan Kwai Fong quadrant, has original music in its gallery-bar from 10.30pm on Friday and Saturday, with jazz, rock and world music getting the most airplay. There’s a pleasant rooftop bar open in the warmer months.
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Admiralty & Wan Chai
1/5 Map Club
2520 2515; 1st fl, Starcrest Bldg, 9 Star St, Wan Chai; 5pm-3am Mon-Thu, 5pm-4am Fri & Sat, 6pm-2am Sun, happy hour 6-9pm Mon-Fri; MTR Admiralty (exit F)
Pronounced ‘one-fifth’, this sophisticated lounge bar and club has a broad bar backed by a two-storey drinks selection from which bar staff concoct some of Hong Kong’s best cocktails. It gets packed on the weekend with a dressy professional crowd, but it’s still a good place to chill.
JOE BANANAS Map Club
2529 1811; Ground fl, Shiu Lam Bldg, 23 Luard Rd, Wan Chai; noon-5am Mon-Thu, noon-6am Fri & Sat, 4pm-5am Sun, happy hour 11am-10pm; MTR Wan Chai (exit C)
JB’s, in Wan Chai forever it seems, has dropped its long-standing wet T-shirt/boxers aesthetic and gone for more of a bamboo-bar feel. Unaccompanied females should expect a good sampler of bad pick-up lines; go with friends and have some un-PC fun. There are free drinks for women from 6pm to 3am on Wednesday, and ‘Crazy Hour’ (6pm to 8pm daily) is even more generous than happy hour.
NEW MAKATI PUB & DISCO Map Club
2866 3928; 1st fl, 94-100 Lockhart Rd; 4pm-5am, happy hour 4-9pm; MTR Wan Chai (exit C)
It has to be said: you can’t go lower than this sleazy pick-up joint, named after a Manila neighbourhood. Imagine dimly lit booths, Filipino amahs and middle-aged white male booze-hounds, who all just wanna have fun. In fact it is less wretched than this description might make it sound and it’s a friendly, unpretentious place to dance the morning away.
CARNEGIE’S Map Live Music
2866 6289; Ground fl, 53-55 Lockhart Rd, Wan Chai; 11am-late Mon-Sat, 5pm-late Sun, happy hour 11am-9pm Mon-Sat; MTR Wan Chai (exit C)
The rock memorabilia festooning the walls makes it all seem a bit Hard Rock Café-ish, but this place is worth a look all the same. From 9pm on Friday and Saturday, Car-negie’s fills up with revellers, many of whom will end up dancing on the bar. All good clean fun.
DUSK TILL DAWN Map Live Music
2528 4689; Ground fl, 76-84 Jaffe Rd, Wan Chai; noon-5am Mon-Fri, 3pm-7am Sat & Sun, happy hour 5-9pm; MTR Wan Chai (exit C)
There’s live music from 10.30pm, with an emphasis on beats and vibes that will get your booty shaking. The dance floor can get packed but the atmosphere is more friendly than sleazy. The food here sticks to easy fillers, such as meat pies and burgers.
WANCH Map Live Music
2861 1621; 54 Jaffe Rd, Wan Chai; noon-2am Sun-Thu, noon-4am Fri & Sat, happy hour noon-10pm Mon-Thu, noon-8pm Fri-Sun; MTR Wan Chai (exit C)
This place, which derives its name from what everyone calls the district, has live music (mostly rock and folk with the occasional solo guitarist thrown in) seven nights a week from 9pm. Jam night is Monday from 8pm. If you’re not here for the music, it can be a dubious scene – the Wanch can be