Taipei is home to some of the best bars in Asia and the world. Most of them are small and intimate, with creative menus and uniquely Asian touches. There are also some of the most English-friendly spots in a country that generally isn’t. As a bonus, these bars are all located within a relatively small area in the upscale Da’an District, making bar hopping a breeze.
Thanks to recommendations from fellow Drinkstagrammers and the Asia’s Best Bars List, here are the 5 best cocktail bars in Taipei, Taiwan. Ganbei!
5 Best Cocktail Bars in Taipei, Taiwan
Bar Mood
Depending on which night you go, you might think Bar Mood was closed or you got the location wrong. The entrance is brightly lit and has several standing-only counters. When I arrived, there was no one there except for a few bartenders batching syrups and infusions. But I pressed on and asked the waitress for a seat. When they slid the back doors open to reveal the gorgeous and packed bar above, I knew I was at the right place.
This was the first bar I tried in Taiwan and it ended up as one of my favorites. Their quality and craftsmanship are inspired by Japanese bars like Tokyo’s famous Bar High Five, but their ingredients and aesthetics are distinctly Chinese. Their menu contains creative drinks that make use of various tea syrups, such as pu’er, and local herbs such as goji berries, Taiwanese basil, and lemongrass. And it doesn’t get more Chinese than the impressive serving vessel for the Tyrant’s Blessing, seen above.
AHA Saloon
AHA Saloon is my other pick as a must-try bar in Taipei (along with Bar Mood), and one of the most recommended ones when I asked on Instagram. This helps explain why I had to wait outside for over 30 minutes for a seat.
But the wait was well worth it. Their cocktails are surprising and delicious, such as the Welcome to the Jungle with black forest tea, tomato water, rose mulberry vinegar, and whisky. Or the even more unexpected Raw Power with gin, burdock, coffee, bee pollen, and “soil cake”. But first timers should try their famous “LSD” (Lakakia, Saffron, Dates) – trust me.
Their service was as amazing as their drinks. With each cocktail, the bartenders took the time to describe the inspirations, ingredients, and techniques used. You can learn a lot and it shows that these are not randomly thrown together.
Indulge Experimental Bistro
Many cocktail connoisseurs consider Indulge Experimental Bistro to be not only the best bar in Taiwan, but one of the best in the world. This is why reservations are highly recommended, as I learned the hard way when I was turned away on a fully booked Thursday night!
But I lucked out a few nights later and got in. A good one to start with is their fruity and earthy Ruby cocktail with whisky, black tea liqueur, ginger, beets, raspberry, and rose. But the fun one was their Tung Ting cocktail, due to its garnish of Japanese raindrop cake made from olive juice.
While their cocktails were delicious and creative, I didn’t feel the same wow factor I got from Bar Mood or attentive service from AHA Saloon. I also didn’t get a chance to try their cuisine which is supposedly quite good, so come both hungry and thirsty.
Fourplay Cuisine / Fourplay 2.0
There are two locations down the street from each other – the original Fourplay Cuisine and the newer Fourplay 2.0. As far as I know, they are nearly identical, so go to whichever one is less crowded.
The unique thing about Fourplay is that they have no menus. They’ll ask about your preferences such as favorite spirits, light or boozy, dry or sweet, etc. and craft a cocktail based on your answers.
When I first spoke with the bartender, I told him I like rum and drinks that are a little sweet. In my wild imagination, I pictured an elaborate 10-ingredient tropical drink inside a giant tiki mug, topped with crazy garnishes. What I received instead was a fine, if underwhelming, Brazilian Caipirinha. After quickly downing that out of the way, I realized you have to be brutally honest about what you want (an important lesson in life as a whole). I told them the first drink was too simple and I want the next one to be boozy, complex, and have an interesting garnish. This resulted in the much better drink above with cognac, bourbon, and fruit salad in an ice bowl. Concept redeemed.
If you’re there with a group, the must-order is their famous Drug Set – colorful and creative shots that are very Instagrammable (and increases the “fourplay drugsets” counter seen above).
Draft Land*
The pictures above are from Draft Land’s Hong Kong location (hence the asterisk), which I visited shortly after my Taiwan trip. But the original Draft Land is in Taipei, so I’m fairly confident it’s just as good. As the name suggests, all of their craft cocktails are pre-batched and served on tap. This means instant service without sacrificing quality. The best part is you can sample any of their drinks before committing to one (I’m guilty of sampling several here). All of this adds up to a casual and fun drinking experience that’s more akin to a wine bar than a speakeasy.
