There’s something wonderfully alluring about a hard-to-find bar, particularly in a destination as saturated as Bali. Enter 40 Thieves. Hidden above a ramen restaurant on Jalan Petitenget, this New York-style speakeasy relies purely on word of mouth, making it that much sweeter when you finally stumble into its dark and moody interior.
With an industrial themed decor adorned with black and white photographs and plush brown chesterfield couches, the bar does away with umbrella-spiked daiquiris and the usual Balinese themes. 40 Thieves offers a selection of delicious crafted cocktails and artisanal spirits with quirky names like Corpse Reviver, Thai Whore Smashes and Tropical Tea Time. Once you’ve had a look around this hidden gem, choose your favoured libation and boogie down to the DJ set.
Byron Bay, the epicentre of Australia’s counter-culture where hippies and surfers share their idyllic coastal space with backpackers and other transients, has a hot new address where you can blow the froth off a few and watch the waves roll in.
The Rooftop is Byron’s newest and only rooftop bar, located right in the heart of town among the smoothie bars, yoga studios, crystal stores and designer swimwear shops that the coastal hamlet has become renowned for. Best of all though, it’s only a hundred metres from Main Beach.
It’s part of The Surf House, an affordable new boutique property that oozes cool vibes with its bright and breezy interiors and modern facilities. Upstairs, The Rooftop is full Byron surf chic with a little nod to old-school coastal California – think artisan rugs, whitewashed walls and vintage Aussie surf posters and photos, including one featuring a young Bob Hawke.
After a day of sun, sea and sand, it’s the ideal place to kick off a laid-back Byron evening by indulging in a pint from the local Stone & Wood Brewery or a Brookies G&T from Cape Byron Distillery. The menu’s chock-full of some pretty tasty bites, too.
For those who want to bunker down for the night there’s a range of accommodation options to suit every traveller’s needs, including private suites with balconies and shared rooms for up to eight people. The Surf House also offers complimentary boards to all guests, meaning you can hit the waves nice and early – provided you haven’t had a late one up at The Rooftop.
Ring the doorbell on the black door and a member of the waitstaff, in full face paint and enchanting costume, will transport you into a world of ‘drink me’ potions. Stepping into this dimly lit bar is a little bit like falling down Alice’s rabbit hole. Taking its inspiration from the Märchenbrunnen (fountain of fairytales) across the road in Volkspark Friedrichshain, this tiny establishment gets full marks for its air of mysticism.
Everywhere you peer there seems to be a secret door, cabinet of curiosities or mirror that contorts facial features so you may not recognise yourself. Or perhaps that’s thanks to the cocktails. Each is expertly crafted and perfectly presented. The Cinderella, for instance, is served in a glass slipper. The drinks lists are fairytale books and when you take a browse, you will be greeted with a special surprise…no spoilers!
You won’t find stereotypical tropical shirts and straw-roofed hats at the tiki-themed Wahtiki Island Lounge. Here, old-school reggae booms from the speakers, infusing a laid-back vibe to this tropical third-floor bar in Wyndham Street, Hong Kong. Wicker furniture borders timber-finished tables, and the walls are decorated with Polynesian motifs enhanced by scattered fronds of green foliage and subtle warm lighting.
It’s the cocktail list that really captures the tiki-imagination of party-goers, though. Created by resident mixologist, Shi Wah Lee, who has more than 40 years’ experience shaking things up in tiki-themed bars throughout London, Asia and the Middle East, the menu offers a selection of classic tiki cocktails, sharing drinks and tiki-style shots. While tropical fruits and rum play a heavy role in the drinks menu, seafood and Polynesian fusion takes the spotlight in the food department.
What do miniature golf and cocktails have in common? Nothing, until now. By combining the fun of whacking balls past obstacles with delicately crafted cocktails, Holey Moley Golf Club has transformed a former church in Brissy’s Fortitude Valley into an entertainment mecca.
If you like witty puns (and who doesn’t?) you’ll froth over the drinks from the Caddyshack Bar, featuring concoctions with names like the Putty Professor, Tee-quila Mocking Birdie and Long Island Iced Tee. Juggle your putter in one hand and a beverage in the other as you make your way around the 18 holes, split into two different courses and each decorated with a unique theme. Book online to avoid missing out and remember to bring two pairs of pants (in case you get a hole in one – geddit?).
Munich’s beer halls meet Melbourne minimalism at homegrown venture Stomping Ground. The master brewers at this gargantuan warehouse are reliving the halcyon days of the late 1800s, when Collingwood was Australia’s brewing epicentre. While away a Sunday afternoon in the beer garden – complete with retractable roof – striving to swig your way through the 30 craft beers on tap.
There’s a traffic light system menu to help curious punters pick a lighter session ale (green) from a knockout (red). The most intense malt on offer is the Stave Breaker at a whopping 9.8 per cent, with notes of roasted chocolate and whisky, while Flower Power is more of a crowd-pleasing wet-hopped brew vaunted as juicy and herbaceous. Even the food menu here revolves around beer, with each dish (think porchetta, steamed mussels and beef cheek) featuring a suggested pairing.
With a tagline that reads ‘welcome to your cool uncle’s basement’, it’s pretty clear from the get-go that Jack and Fanny’s isn’t your typical Upper East Side bar. The 70s-inspired wood panels and brickwork that adorn the walls give off some serious retro vibes, while the cosy leather couches and bar stools invite patrons to grab a couple of beers, get comfortable and settle in for the night.
The Italian-style menu is full of delicious bites, including wings, calamari, burgers and an epic cheese and charcuterie board, ready to line your belly. Oh, Jack and Fanny’s also has an indoor bocce court, the only one in Manhattan. Games are free, and after one (or many) of the 14 draft cocktails, there’s bound to be a few laughs.
Tropicana meets goth meets Polynesian noir. These are the vibes we get from San Francisco’s Last Rites, a drinking den that takes the ‘more is more’ approach. No exaggeration – it’s like a plane crash in the jungle. The bar has been built using the body of an actual aircraft. Then there are the plane seats turned into bar stools, and a parachute dangling from the roof. Veering from the aeronautical theme are three-metre-tall stone skull statues and giant banyan tree roots.
The cocktails don’t stray from the dark jungle theme, with fruity, rum-based concoctions boasting names like Valley of the Shadow and Avian Evolution filling the list. It’s kind of like being in an episode of Lost, but with tastier drinks and a better plot twist.
As the world’s highest gin, vodka and caviar bar, Lebua No.3 is already one step ahead of its competition. But this impressive claim to fame hasn’t allowed the Bangkok site to rest on its laurels. Instead Lebua No.3 continues to push the boundaries. Not only is it the only venue in Thailand to stock Plymouth Gin, the bar also offers a first from the Absolut Company: a limited-edition Absolut Elyx vodka blend made exclusively for Lebua No.3.
Then there’s a world first: the P4 digital retina-display dance floor. To top it off, international music producer Andrew Murray was called in to create a Lebua No.3 album. It’s played nightly, of course, and is best enjoyed with a martini and side dish of caviar (served on a Himalayan salt spoon, no less).
At a glance you might not think much of the Chicago Athletic Hotel, but little do you know that hidden away on its second floor is Milk Room. What was once a speakeasy during America’s infamous Prohibition has now appropriately been transformed into an unsuspecting eight-seat micro bar. Specialising in hard-to-find ingredients, Milk Bar takes it back to classic cocktails featuring rare and vintage spirits.
Adorned with stained glass windows, candles and iron light fittings, the dimly lit interior sets an intimate ambience for your evening visit. The bar also offers a finely crafted menu of share plates, so you won’t go hungry. Milk Room, however, is not for the faint of wallet, although its rare spirits served in a piece of delicious history is worth the dosh if you’re splashing out.
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