On a great day, the bars in Hong Kong are packed, teeming with energy and lacking space for you to join the fun. Unlucky for you, the drinks are hard to find and your arms are getting squashed in the crowd.
Are you down to drink in secret and find respite from the busy spots? Check out our guide to head back in time (or stay in the 2020s) to explore the best speakeasy bars and secret drinking spots in Hong Kong for your next tipple.
The best speakeasy bars in Hong Kong
001 Bar
Born in 2010, 001 is Hong Kong’s original speakeasy, first serving guests at its exclusive and highly secretive Graham Street address, hidden in a fruit and vegetable market. Now residing inside former police headquarters Tai Kwun, 001 embraces a secretive aura in its new shell with a near-impossible-to-find entrance. The bar has a classic New York feel, with a menu packed with both classic drinks and modern takes.
001 Bar, Tai Kwun, 10 Hollywood Road, Central, 2810 6969
Foxglove
Disguised as a colonial umbrella shop, Foxglove is accessible via a secret doorway that leads you to a regal dining hall, inspired by the 1900s drinking haunts of English gentlemen. The interior takes on the style of vintage cars and British townhouses with a rich blue and silver theme. Live music plays every night from Wednesday through Saturday, with a cool selection of gin, rum, wine, and cocktails on offer.
Foxglove, 2/F, Printing House, 6 Duddell Street, Central, 2116 8949, book here
Stockton
Stockton bar in Soho embraces the spirit of Hunter S Thompson with whisky-forward drinks promising strength, smokiness, and out-of-the-box ideas. The elusive speakeasy has a charming 19th-century London theme, with the artwork and furniture sourced from the Les Puces flea market in Paris. Evenings begin at Stockton with pours of champagne, gin, and whisky, along with a strong food menu to hold you for hours in secret.
Stockton, 32 Wyndham Street, Central, 2565 5268, book here
Ping Pong 129
Blink and you’ll miss the entrance of Ping Pong 129, located at the edge of Sai Ying Pun with a door that could be mistaken for a storage facility. Inside, the vibe is cool and cosy, featuring a powerful menu of Spanish, European, Asian, and Western gin brands spiriting you away with tonic-powered, tangy tipples. Tapas are a must when enjoying the Ping Pong 129 experience; after all, you might be hungry from searching for the place.
Ping Pong 129, LG/F, Nam Cheong House, 129 Second Street, Sai Ying Pun, 9835 5061, book here
Tiffany’s New York Bar
Emulating New York’s famed whisky houses, Tiffany’s New York Bar is located in the elegant InterContinental Grand Stanford hotel, offering some of the city’s finest imported whisky bottles. About 250 labels are stocked on the menu, perfect for cocktail mixes and straight pours over ice. You can order signature cocktails, wine, beer, and champagne too, alongside a succinct snack menu.
Tiffany’s New York Bar, G/F, InterContinental Grand Stanford Hong Kong, 70 Mody Road, Tsim Sha Tsui East, 2721 5161, book here
Uncle Ming’s
Gracing the top floor of the chic AKI – MGallery hotel, Uncle Ming’s is a concealed drinking haunt professing its love for whisky from the USA, UK, Japan, Taiwan, China, and Korea. Classic cocktails come into play with smoky infusions of whisky, with Uncle Ming’s holding a menu dedicated to whisky cocktails. The bar is a small and intimate space, ensuring privacy on our speakeasy adventures.
Uncle Ming’s, 25/F, AKI Hong Kong – MGallery, 239 Jaffe Road, Wan Chai, 2121 5023, WhatsApp 9816 1110
Gishiki
Hiding behind a curtained-off room in the concrete jungle of Tai Kwun, Gishiki Lounge leads a mysterious tale of mixology. The cocktail programme at the bar narrates through top Asian and Hong Kong flavours and textural elements, most importantly the teas and herbs of the region. We recommend stationing yourself at the bar for an intimate experience with the bar team.
Gishiki Lounge, LG1/F, Block 01, Tai Kwun, 10 Hollywood Road, Central, 2884 0114
25:00
Twenty Fifth Hour, also known as 25:00, beckons you to explore the extra hour a day we have to whisk ourselves into a world that is timeless. The bar team goes the extra length to create drinks that suit your personal tastes and a lineup of Japanese-inspired fruity cocktails that play with depth on the palate.
25:00, 13/F, 24-26 Stanley Street, Central, 5546 8540 WhatsApp
Ella
Ella styles itself as a New Orleans-themed speakeasy bar shrouded in secrecy from the outside. Once you are past the guard and the red curtains, a world of strong whiskey, gin, and vodka-based cocktails from the jazz-heavy 1930s are available to sip. The cocktail bar is inspired by the leading lady of jazz herself, Ella Fitzgerald. Head there when live music is playing for the ultimate experience.
Ella, 26/F, H Code, 45 Pottinger Street, Central, 6086 9045
The Poet
Opening in 2020, The Poet stands behind a royal blue wall and a black door that shoots open to reveal its bubbly and cosy insides. The signature cocktails on offer explore Japanese flavours and liquors, such as yuzu, umeshu, shin sake, jasmine, and salted plum. Hosting only a few seats inside, the bar counter lends itself to a closer encounter with the bartenders to educate and converse over their fruity cocktail craft.
The Poet, G/F, 13 Staunton Street, Central, book here
Mizunara: The Library
Mizunara: The Library Tokyo’s mysterious and sleek Ginza bar culture to Wan Chai. Housed on the edge of the Lockhart Road drinking strip, up a featureless grey building, the bar is zen getaway beyond the bustling Wan Chai streets. Make sure to indulge yourself in the bar’s large selection of Scotch single malts, artisanal cocktails, and sake imported from Hyogo Prefecture.
Mizunara: The Library, 4/F, Kiu Yin Commercial Building, 361–363 Lockhart Road, Wan Chai, 3571 9797
The Holywell’s
To enter, one must knock the thick yellow door of The Holywell’s to begin a night of sipping the stories and notes of old England. The speakeasy cocktail bar is hidden by Mrs. H Coffee House, a British-style cafe selling artisanal pastries and coffee. Once inside, the cocktails explore the flavours of the British breakfast, Irish coffees, and banoffee pudding.
The Holywell’s, G/F, 140 Hollywood Road, 6848 5291
