Few places do nightlife quite like the vibrant city of Hong Kong. As dusk falls and the neon skyline flickers into life, Hong Kong shifts from a high-powered business hub to the perfect spot for cocktail hour.
Every evening in Hong Kong is an invitation to explore something extraordinary. Rooftop bars gaze out over Victoria Harbour, hidden speakeasies sit behind SoHo doors with secret codes, and award-winning mixologists turn cocktail-making into an art form.
I recently visited Hong Kong with a group of journalists, traveling as guests of the Hong Kong tourism board in partnership with Cathay Pacific. We spent time in a number of cocktail bars, where I discovered an exciting blend of innovation and tradition, classic elegance and innovative design.
With so many different bars to choose from, it’s hard to know the best place to start. So this guide to the best bars in Hong Kong will help you plan the perfect night out. I’ve selected my favorite Hong Kong bars along with a few extra spots that I’d love to check out on my next visit.
Bar Leone
- Vibe: Casual-chic Italian dive bar
- Highlights: The iconic Filthy Martini and smoked olives
Bar Leone is famous for its exceptional cocktails. In fact, it was named #1 in the Best Bars of the World 2025, making it a must-visit spot while we were in Hong Kong.
Our group’s visit wasn’t sponsored by Bar Leone, so they had no idea we were turning up that evening. The bar is quite small, incredibly popular, and doesn’t take reservations, so when we arrived, there was a long line of people waiting to get in. People wait as much as two hours to get into Bar Leone, so arrive early if you can.
The staff did their best to get us in, but it’s just so popular that there was no chance. Bar Leone’s founder, Lorenzo Antinori was hanging out and chatting with patrons, and he suggested that we head around the corner to wait in the sister bar, Montana. You can read more about that bar a little further down.
Inside Bar Leone
When we did get in, it was easy to see why Bar Leone is so popular.
The stylish bar feels very calm and relaxed with dim lighting and soft music. Vintage Italian posters and other nostalgic items on the walls add to a welcoming atmosphere that feels almost like you’re spending time at a friend’s place.
Bar Leone is world-famous for classic cocktails and smoked olives. The bar’s iconic Filthy Martini features their own smoked olive brine for a smoky, savory taste. The Olive Oil Sour, created by Lorenzo Antimori himself, is a classic whisky sour with extra-virgin olive oil.
I tried the Filthy Martini, and it was very good, but really smoky – a bit too much for my taste. The bar’s famous smoked olives feature as a garnish, and you can also buy them to eat as a bar snack or to take away.
The food menu at Bar Leone features simple Italian food – think focaccia sandwiches, beef tartare, and tiramisu. We shared one of the mortadella sandwiches on focaccia, and it was excellent. The soft focaccia was generously stuffed with mortadella and whipped ricotta. Absolutely the perfect late-night bite. In case you’re wondering, no, the mortadella sandwich wasn’t gluten free and yes I’m generally avoiding gluten. I made an exception here but I wrote up all my favorite gluten free restaurants in Hong Kong to keep you on track!
We had a lovely time at Bar Leone, and it’s a great spot for a relaxed drink with friends. Would I describe it as the best bar in the world?
Well, it’s hard to pin that down, but I’m not totally sure. I think the best bar in the world is the one where you make memories, share time with friends, and eat and drink well. Though I loved the journalists I was traveling with, it was a different vibe than some of my cherished bar-hopping memories!
Montana
- Vibe: 1950s Miami-meets-Cuba atmosphere
- Highlights: Refined Cuban daiquiris
Montana and Bar Leone share the same owner and are only a 2-3 minute walk from each other. So, when we couldn’t get straight into Bar Leone, we headed over to Montana for an hour.
I seriously liked Montana, in fact I think I preferred it to Bar Leone.
We were welcomed with a frozen strawberry daiquiri, and there were plenty of other classic Cuban cocktails on the menu.
They also serve the famous Bar Leone smoked olives here. So if you can’t get into the more famous venue, you still have a chance of sampling their olives.
Montana has a lively vibe with a lot of bold, ’90s artwork and photographs on the wall. The bar has two levels, and sitting on the upper level gives you a great view of the fun on the lower level.
I actually enjoyed Montana more than Bar Leone, partly due to the fun and lively atmosphere that complemented the Latin-style cocktails.
It seems like there are a lot of regulars at Montana, because they know when to start singing and clapping when certain songs come on. Everyone shouts “Ritmo!” to greet you when you enter the bar, and then they call out “Hasta Luego!” when you leave.
Montana doesn’t take reservations, and there’s often a long line outside. It’s worth the wait to get in, though, as Montana is a lot of fun and highly recommended!
DarkSide
- Vibe: Sultry live jazz club
- Highlights: Rare aged spirits and vintage cigars
Another club that I liked a lot was DarkSide, which you’ll find inside the Rosewood Hong Kong. This luxury hotel currently holds the top ranking in the World’s 50 Best Hotels list. Our group of journalists visited DarkSide as guests of the Rosewood Hotel and the Hong Kong tourist board.
Darkside has been a feature of Asia’s 50 Best Bars for four years, and it also made the World’s 50 Best Bars 2021. Online reservations are available through the Rosewood Hong Kong website.
The decor at DarkSide is really beautiful, with a dramatic installation of glass beads and hourglasses on the ceiling and striking black-and-white photography on the walls.
The DarkSide mixologists work their magic from a U-shaped bar in the middle of the room. As well as the classic cocktail menu, DarkSide offers a range of rare spirits which it pairs with specially selected chocolates.
You could also opt to try a cigar from their vintage collection.
DarkSide’s food menu includes a tempting range of small plates. Although I didn’t try the food, I was very impressed by both the drinks and the standard of service.
A live band was playing when we visited, which added to the cool vibe, and the bar also has stunning views of Victoria Harbour.
XX
- Vibe: ultra-exclusive, quiet luxury
- Highlights: High-end classics and conceptual cocktails
XX is another Rosewood Hong Kong hotel bar. This ultra-exclusive bar used to be a women-only speakeasy, but it’s now open to all visitors. I didn’t visit XX for a drink, but I had a chance to tour the club during the day.
XX is sophisticated, chilled-out, and intimate. Online reservations are a must, and you’ll need a special code to enter, adding to the impression of a luxurious private club.
Once inside the club, the elegant decor features art deco elements, luxe velvet sofas, and dramatic chandeliers. Live jazz or acoustic music plays gently in the background, adding to the sophisticated ambiance.
Guests at XX can choose from an impressive range of fine wines and handcrafted cocktails or sample the high-end whiskies and cigars.
Swim Club
- Vibe: Retro So-Cal poolside glamour
- Highlights: Whimsical, innovative cocktails featuring local flavors
Swim Club is a retro-style cocktail bar in the Kimpton Tsim Sha Tsui hotel, on Hong Kong’s iconic Kowloon waterfront. I visited Swim Club as a guest of the Kimpton hotel, and my visit was organized through the Hong Kong tourist bureau.
This is a very funky 50th-floor rooftop bar with cool retro styling. Think Wes Anderson movie aesthetic, complete with pastel colors and 70s-style red-and-white umbrellas.
You arrive at Swim Club through a lobby area that looks like a fancy swimming pool locker room. Our visit was hosted in the Speakeasy room, which could probably seat 8-10 people and has its own U-shaped bar.
The bar’s signature cocktails feature swimming-related names like the vodka-based “Twist” and the savory “Pike”.
I tried a strawberry-flavored fruity cocktail, which was absolutely delicious.
Swim Club’s location in Tsim Sha Tsui offers sweeping views of Victoria Harbour, making it a perfect spot for sunset drinks. Online reservations are available.
Through the Grape Vine
- Vibe: Cozy, laid-back, intimate
- Highlights: Check out the Grape Vine’s unique twist on a Martini
I didn’t have a chance to go into this venue, but I peeked in through the windows. It’s a cute little wine bar decorated in shades of grape and purple, and it’s pretty close to Montana and Bar Leone. It’s tiny, on a corner, and looked like the perfect place to try a new drink with friends…if you can find a seat!
Through the Grape Vine is a wine bar located in the Soho district. As the name suggests, it focuses on natural wines with over 40 different varieties available by the glass. This includes a selection of both conventional wines and natural, unfiltered wines.
They also offer a curated list of wine-based cocktails along with more classic options and a selection of local draft brews.
Penicillin
- Vibe: Modern, lab-style bar
- Highlights: Tour the bar’s in-house fermentation enclosure
Penicillin takes its name from the antibiotic discovered by Alexander Fleming, and its decor continues the science lab theme. Technical gadgets and scientific equipment line the bar, while concoctions bubble away in ‘The Stinky Room’, the bar’s climate-controlled fermentation enclosure. The bar’s staff will take you on a tour if you want to learn more.
Not only is Penicillin a high-tech bar, but it’s also an eco-friendly bar. The owners’ aim is for Penicillin to be Hong Kong’s first “scrap-less” bar, creating minimal waste by the end of each evening.
The drinks may have strange names, but they are designed to taste delicious, and the lively atmosphere makes Penicillin a fun venue for cocktail hour.
The Old Man
- Vibe: Hemingway-inspired old-school charm
- Highlights: Try one of the flaming cocktails
From high tech to a hidden bar inspired by author and lover of sophisticated spirits, Ernest Hemingway.
The Old Man is a tiny Hong Kong speakeasy with an old-school vibe, tucked away on Aberdeen Street. It was named Best Bar in Asia 2019 and made the World’s 50 Best Bars list in the same year.
The T-shaped bar makes The Old Man a great place for conversation, but there are also smaller tables if you just want a quiet drink at the end of a long day. The inventive cocktail menu takes inspiration from Hemingway’s novels and features some of the most exciting cocktails in Hong Kong.
Quinary
- Vibe: Lively and innovative
- Highlights: Fun cocktails with innovative tastes and textures
Hong Kong’s SoHo neighborhood lies south of Hollywood Road, and it’s a buzzing district filled with trendy shops, bars, and restaurants. Quinary is one of the district’s exciting bars, with an enthusiastic team of mixologists serving imaginative and delicious cocktails.
Expect to see Earl Grey Caviar Martinis that look like ice cream cones, mini soda bottles filled with marshmallow adult milkshakes, and gin drinks topped with Campari and absinthe gummies.
Visiting Quinary is a multisensory experience with a deep house music beat. With no reservations needed, it’s the perfect place to start a bar crawl in SoHo.
COA
- Vibe: Warm, welcoming, and inspired by Mexico
- Highlights: The classic Jalisco highball, frozen to be even more refreshing
Of course, Hong Kong has a great selection of bars serving whisky and gin-based drinks. If you’d like to try something different, COA is a Mexico City-style bar offering an excellent range of agave spirits.
COA opened in 2017, and it has won the accolade of being #1 in Asia’s 50 Best Bars on three occasions. As well as a wide selection of top-notch tequilas and mezcals, the bar serves other Mexican spirits such as Raicilla and Charanda.
COA’s cocktail menu features classic drinks like margheritas, Jalisco highballs, and the Batanga alongside adventurous agave twists on drinks like the Negroni and Collins.
This Hong Kong bar doesn’t take reservations. If the bar is full when you get there, you can sign up to be added to a virtual waitlist.
That wraps up my guide to the best bars in Hong Kong. As you can see, there’s an amazing range to choose from – where will you start cocktail hour?
