The best speakeasy-style and hidden bars in Hong Kong

A.P.E. (A Perfect Escape) is an intimate whisky bar hidden inside Esc coffeeshop in Tin Hau. The venue is brought to you by the same people behind InterContinental Grand Stanford's 1920s-style Tiffany's New York Bar, so you can expect the same quality curation of whiskies with a focus on Scotch from independent whisky bottlers. But compared to its older sibling, A.P.E.'s atmosphere is more relaxed, plus the price point is on the affordable side. Discover various bottles of Scotch from Speyside, Highland, Islay, and Lowland regions from independent bottlers Douglas Laing, Thompson Bros, Elixir Distillers, and Asta Morris, among others, as well as original bottling from Ardbeg, Clynelish, Lagavulin, and Bruichladdich distilleries. 

Artifact Bar (2024 Time Out Hong Kong Bar Awards's Best Transportative Bar) is the hidden bar inside food hall Basehall 2. The bar's design is inspired by surreal geometry and the serene atmospheres found in underground water reservoirs, creating a transportative atmosphere that evokes dystopian sci-fi movies like the 1997 American film Gattaca. The establishment boasts an all-star F&B team, including Michael Larkin, Beckaly Franks, and Ezra Star, so patrons can expect offerings that are nothing short of excellent. The menu features seasonal cocktails highlighting aged spirits. If you come by without reservation, expect to wait as it tends to get very crowded, especially on weekends. 

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If you're new to the city and have not been to Dr Fern's, you'll easily miss the bar hiding behind a door dressed as a doctor's clinic. But an appointment with the doctor is not required; just open the door and walk in. Dr Fern's Gin Parlour came from the same team behind Foxglove. The bar houses over 200 gins showcasing premium bottles from all around the world which you can enjoy neat or as a G&T. They also shake up an array of creative cocktails depending on the season, so be sure to ask the bartender what's on the chalkboard. 

Hidden within the multi-venue space, The Trilogy, Ella is the city's latest jazz haven. The new bar pays homage to the revered 'Queen of Jazz,' Ella Fitzgerald, and is steeped in the essence of New Orleans, the birthplace of jazz. Enjoy craft cocktails inspired by American classics, paired with quintessential New Orleans fare, from juicy Rockefeller oysters to savoury Boudin arancini balls. Be serenaded by live performances from Wednesday to Saturday, starting at 8pm, as the space comes alive with the soulful reverberations of live jazz.

Click the link below for a sneak peek video of the new jazz bar.  

Tucked away in Tai Kwun, Gishiki Lounge is the bar of the Japanese restaurant Sushi Zo. Swing by for a cool way to cap off your omakase meal. The joint's packed with Japanese flair in both its vibe and top-notch bartending. World Class 2023 Hong Kong & Macau Champion Birstacla Wong is now heading the bar as its bar manager and has revamped the menu with a variety of tea-infused creations.

For a no-fuss sake drinking experience, make your way to Wan Chai and knock on the hidden bar Heya. Heya, which means room in Japanese, is a cosy little nook tucked on the fourth floor of Winner Commercial Building on Lockhart Road. This 18-seater sake bar serves over 30 labels of sake – which you can order per glass (around $50 to $100 per glass; $230/flight of three) or bottle for dine-in or takeaway. Light bites and their ever-changing Cantonese-style soup are available on the menu, but you can also bring your own food at no extra fee. Owner Billy Au will even help you pair your food with the right bottle of sake.  

The place is located on the second floor of the Welley Building, and if you are not 'in the know', it's likely that you will not have even seen the place on your usual bar crawl. Created by three whisky lovers, Vincent Leung, Eric Ho, and Jason Ngai, the trio aims to give whisky the attention it deserves. House Welley has an excellent collection of whiskies from Japan, Scotland, Ireland, Australia, and other world whiskies. Veering away from the usual gentleman's club style, this bar exudes a more modern vibe that appeals to both whisky noobs and enthusiasts. Browse their collection of 350 bottles which includes regular labels, single cask, limited edition, hard-to-find independent bottlings (IB), and distillery exclusive original bottlings (OB) from the likes of Yamazaki, Macallan, and vintage expressions from Bunnahabhain, Clynelish, Bowmore, and more.

Chef Olivier Elzer's contemporary French restaurant, Clarence, has transformed its wine bar into La Suite, a speakeasy-style cocktail bar with an outdoor lounge that offers a stunning view of Hong Kong's skyline. They present a lineup of classic cocktails and signature tipples jazzed up with French herb and spice combos. Be sure to try their bestseller, Saffron Negroni

Click the link below for a sneak peek video of the cocktail bar.  

Situated just across from its sibling bar, Penicillin, Lockdown welcomes guests with a cheeky entrance: a toilet, which sets it apart from the city's more traditionally hidden speakeasy-style bars. It's one of Central's most inviting hotspots, thanks to its convivial and lively atmosphere. A significant part of its charm comes from the cheerful bar staff, who instantly brighten your arrival with welcoming smiles and greetings as soon as you enter the door. Conceived by the award-winning duo Agung and Laura Prabowo, the creatives behind Penicillin and Dead &. Guests can enjoy signature drinks like the floral Left Bank, the milk punch-style Silk Stocking Cocktail, and a deconstructed Clover Club. The bar also delights aficionados with vintage cocktails crafted from antique and rare spirits, including a 1950s Martini Cocktail made with London dry gin from the 50s, and The 1970s Sazerac featuring 1970 Remy Martin VSOP Cognac. 

Click the link below for a first look video

Tucked away inside a nondescript commercial building in Wan Chai, Mizunara is not the easiest bar to spot. But if you do, you'll find over 600 bottles of whiskies from Japanese, Scottish, American, and Irish distilleries, and you can enjoy various whisky cocktails on the menu. The bar can create a custom cocktail for you with your preferred whisky. The drinks here aren't exactly on the wallet-friendly end of the scale, but they are crafted with care, and you're unlikely to find similar drinks elsewhere in town. Their head mixologist, Masahiko Endo, has recently departed Hong Kong to expand their business in Japan. Be sure to check out their new branch in Tokyo on your next holiday.

Turning an old ping pong hall on the unassuming streets of Sai Ying Pun into a stylish Spanish gin bar has proven to be a stroke of genius. There's nothing more appealing to a crowd of hipsters and creatives than a reprocessed space that still features touches of the original and adequately combines grit with taste. The bar does a decent job of giving a stage to Spain's excellent gin scene by featuring some of the country's best variations of the spirit and cocktails that appropriately complement the unique characteristics of each gin.

Another addition to the ever-growing collection of Prohibition-era-inspired hangouts in Hong Kong is the recently opened Red Room within K11 Musea. This bar is concealed behind a wall of lockers, featuring an oriental-themed decor complete with plush velvet sofas and a striking red interior. Here, guests can savour a wide array of spirits, including vintage whiskies, Cognac wines, handcrafted cocktails, and gourmet bar snacks. The breezy balcony offers an escape for those looking to enjoy a fine cigar while taking in the stunning city skyline. Guests can sip on classic favourites with a Hong Kong-inspired twist, such as the Tea Fist, a whisky sour made with whisky-aged tangerine puer tea, lemon, honey, and egg white, and the Hong Kong Island Iced Tea with vodka, rum, gin, tequila, and umeshu. 

Nestled discreetly on the third floor of the Cubus building in Causeway Bay, Takumi Mixology Salon offers a hidden sanctuary of refined libations, situated alongside its culinary sibling, Teppanyaki Mihara Goten from the Pong Group (proprietors of Jiangsu Club and Trattoria Kagawa). Guided by bartender Rayven Leung, formerly of Carlyle & Co and Mizunara: The Library, this secluded lounge specialises in the art of crafting cocktails, serving up seasonal creations and custom concoctions meticulously crafted to suit the discerning palates of their customers.

Situated in the bustling H Code, The Diplomat is the perfect watering hole for people hankering for after-work drinks. Though its location is not so hidden, the bar does have a secret pink V.I.P. room that you can only enter through a referral from regular patrons. Inside you can order the same cocktail menu from the main bar, but press a special button on the table, and servers will instantly serve you a glass of Champagne. 

The Green Door is a cocktail bar in Central co-owned by F&B industry veterans Arlene Wong (formerly of Awamori bar Awa-Awa) and Dabi Chin (from OBP). The bar is located on Graham Street, hidden amongst the busy wet market stalls, and has taken over the former location of hidden bar 001. Inside, the dimly lit decor, designed by Design Eight Five Two design studio, evokes the feeling of an underground cistern, with arches and pillars complete with booth seats and dining tables featuring custom leather armchairs that can accommodate up to 36 guests. The cocktail programme offers playful twists on classic cocktails and guests can also enjoy American bar snacks serve until late night. 

Click the link below for a sneak peek video of the bar.  

Located down an alley off Aberdeen Street, The Old Man Hong Kong has become an essential part of Asia’s cocktail scene since it opened in 2017. Just one year after its opening, it earned a spot in The World’s 50 Best Bars and took the top spot at Asia’s 50 Best Bars in 2019. Expect new takes on the bar’s Ernest Hemingway-themed menu and catch seasonal cocktails that run for a limited time. 

When you see the striking blue wall with a golden elevator-looking door on Staunton Street, you'll know you are in the right place. Flick the small switch next to the door to gain entry into The Poet – a hidden cocktail haven serious about its tipples. Inside, the interior has a look and feel of a classic cocktail bar with backlit mirrors on cerulean walls, marble tables, gold finishes, and cosy corners. The drink menu is extensive, with selections of whiskies, gins, wines by the bottle, and signature cocktails inspired by the classics.  

Located on the second floor of Amber Lodge on Hollywood Road is a hidden oasis called Zzura. Inspired by the Sahara desert, the bar's design features clean, minimal, and polished earthy hues with contrasting pops of green and orange on the furnishings – a far cry from the intimate and dimly lit speakeasy-style bars in the city. The bar serves signature cocktails with Middle-Eastern flavours. 

Hong Kong’s very first hidden bar, 001, has reopened inside the historic Tai Kwun. Once you can find the entrance to the bar, you'll be greeted with a blue, green, and gold motif to their interior; soft suede booth seats; and Jazz Age geometric patterns on the ceiling and walls. Their menu features cocktails that change according to the season, as well as their signature Earl Grey Marteani. Additionally, 001 boasts an impressive collection of whiskies, including Pappy Van Winkle, one of the most elusive and sought-after bourbons.

Click the link below for a sneak peek video of the bar.    

Twenty Fifth Hour (25:00) is a speakeasy-style cocktail bar tucked above one of Hong Kong's oldest restaurants, Luk Yu Tea House on Stanley Street. Headed by passionate mixologist Kenzo Lee (formerly of W Hotel's Woobar and East Hong Kong's Sugar), the bar serves well-thought-of cocktails inspired by the concept of time. Twenty Fifth Hour is a perfect place if you're looking for a one-of-a-kind cocktail experience or a place to bring someone for a first romantic date. Along with an inventive drink selection, the bar presents a seasonal cocktail-tasting menu that is unlike anything you'll try in the city. This season, explore their new summer menu in collaboration with Hong Kong's award-winning Two Moons Distillery, showcasing four drinks inspired by the passage of time and the ebb and flow of emotions in romance.