Many of my favourite bars in Beijing are also my favourite bars in the world. Beijing is one of those cities where you really need a friendly local to show you the sights and sounds. Can’t find a neighbourhood guide? You’re in the right place. Read on for my own BJ favs.

I lived in Beijing from 2010-2015 and more recently over the summer of 2017. A lot has changed in the past seven years but I’m pleased to say that most of my favourite bars are still around, and many more have sprung up in the place of those closed down (R.I.P. Zajia – a favoured haunt of mine in a Daoist temple). Most of my favourite bars are in the hutongs, which, as a first-time visitor, you’ll need a trusty VPN and Google Maps to navigate (or Baidu maps).

What’s a hutong? Hutongs (alleys) are the life and soul of Beijing. Nowhere else in the world do 21 million people live in a major city with a centre completely made up of one-storey buildings. It would be comparable to only having bungalows in London’s Zone 1, from Earl’s Court to Liverpool Street, or having the entire of Manhattan’s centre built up with two-storey houses. As a result, authentic and colourful glimpses of Chinese life spill out into the alleys of Beijing, uncontainable by sterile high-rises and overdevelopment.

A stroll through the hutongs is a daily adventure. Grandparents shuffling mahjong tiles on tables, simultaneously juggling their grandchildren on their knees. Old people walking their little dogs, greeting every neighbour with familiarity. Little stalls where the smells of fresh baozi (steamed buns) and chuan’r (meat skewers) waft from dingy windows. The occasional domestic dispute mixed with the laughter of children playing on the streets. The narrow and maze-like streets are so interesting to wander down, but unfortunately, that means a lot of the coolest things to do are hidden away and inaccessible with insider knowledge.

So without further ado, I present to you the list of watering holes that would impress even the most picky of bar connoisseurs.

Cocktails

 

1) Mao Mao Chong

I only recently discovered this bar but the special Pimms No. 1 Guava cocktail quickly found its place in my heart as, dare I say it, my favourite cocktail in the whole world. I’ve never had a cocktail so delicious, nor have I ever seen such an exciting combo. You HAVE to try it. I’m not a fan of overly sweet cocktails but I don’t love the taste of pure alcohol either. The fresh, almost citrussy scent of the guava, paired with the ice-cold Pimms mixture in a tall glass is so unbelievably refreshing and delicious – dangerous because it goes down like juice. Their bar food is also tasty, serving handmade pizzas, nachos and other bar snacks. On top of all this, the owner of the bar, Eric Liu, is the main bartender, and that really reflects in the quality of each cocktail served up. His passion for mixology not only presents itself through the drinks themselves, but also through his attention to detail and to service – more than happy to think up a personalised cocktail to cater to your own particular set of tastebuds. The location, hidden away at the end of Banchang Hutong, is quiet and peaceful – the interior is cosy and comfortable, surprisingly remaining uncrowded despite all its plus points.

Find it here:

12 Banchang Hutong (east off Nanluogu Xiang), Dongcheng District

What would a visit to China’s capital be without a foray into the nation’s favourite spirit, baijiu, at the only bar in the world entirely dedicated to baijiu cocktails? It’s not meant to be a cocktail mixer, but somehow it works, although the aromatic, almost spicy strength of the alcohol itself overpowers anything it’s mixed with. What you should come here for, however, are the taster shots (they’re meant to be sipped though), of which they have a variety of combos to try. You also learn about the different flavours and types of baijiu and realise it’s more than just a beverage to get drunk quickly on. It’s in a tiny but cool space in the hutong – think exposed brick and concrete walls and a large wooden bar to sit at. You need to phone them to let you in as the entrance is very hidden away.

http://www.capitalspiritsbj.com/

3 Daju Hutong

3) Mai Bar

(“Mai” as in “I’ll take you to Mai Bar this evening”… “Wait, you own a bar?”)

This held the position of my favourite Beijing bar for quite a while after my old-favourite, Zajia, shut its doors forever. Mai Bar is on Beiluoguxiang, sister to the overcrowded and over-touristy Nanluoguxiang, but thankfully the crowds haven’t discovered it yet. You have to walk quite a way up north from Nanluoguxiang to get to it, and once you step through the little traditional door, an extensive menu of creative cocktails awaits. The bar staff are really passionate about their art and the music is good – soft jazz and soul. It’s tastefully decorated with vintage posters and there’s a tiny outdoor area, lit up with candles. Plus, cocktails are mostly 50 RMB a pop, only about $8.

40 Beiluogu Xiang, Dongcheng District

4) Migas 

Rooftop bar in Sanlitun that does tapas and other Spanish food during the day. Good beats and funky decor (I still have a Migas playlist from 2012). A very decent al-fresco bar to observe Beijing from and a personal fav.

6/F of Nali Patio, 81 Sanlitun Lu

5) The Opposite House

The hotel-cum-art gallery that Beyonce graced with her stay a few years back. There are a couple of bars and restaurants in the basement of the hotel that are worth checking out. Mostly just come for the aesthetics and for the artwork – there are some interesting and unique pieces on display.

11 Sanlitun Road

6) I’m not sure what this place is called but it’s behind a little red door on your left hand side at 46 Fangjia Hutong

Ok, so technically more of a cafe than a bar. This place is so hidden away but when you enter, it’s surprisingly large and airy, the ultimate hutong chic that attracted me to modern hutong architecture in the first place. It’s a really good place to work during the day as it’s usually pretty empty (despite it being designed beautifully and in a really peaceful spot) and each table has its own charge point. They do cocktails too so if you have time, try and make it here. One of my favourite oases of calm in the middle of busy Beijing.

46 Fangjia Hutong, the first red door on your left

7) Mex Max

This place used to have such cool decor before the current restaurant took over. Some of it’s still there, the red exposed brick, the high ceilings in the centre, the beautiful Japanese-style mural on the wall directly in front. Don’t bother coming for the food, although it’s perfectly edible pseudo-Mexican stuff, come for the interior instead. And maybe a margarita or two. See featured image at the top of this post.

60 Wudaoying Hutong

Beer

There are so many microbreweries in Beijing, it’s getting a little out of hand. Below are some of my tried and tested favs.

8) Great Leap Brewing

Aside from their extensive homebrew selection, two of the three locations are also top choices for some tasty Western food. No. 45 does tasty American-style pizzas and No. 12 does great burgers. Don’t eat meat? No problem. Try the General Tso’s Cauliflower Sandwich (yes, a sandwich in which the ‘burger’ is entirely cauliflower… don’t slate it before you taste it) and a pint of Iron Buddha Blonde. Plus, if you buy one of their custom-designed graphic t-shirts and wear it on a Thursday, you get a pint free.

http://www.greatleapbrewing.com

9) Beiping Brewery & Taproom 

Located on the famed Fangjia Hutong. This is a nice place to grab a drink before or after dinner at Aimo Town (Yunnanese food in a nicely decorated setting). They do their own craft beers as well as a collection of beers from other microbreweries both close to home and from further afield (Brooklyn Lager).

46 Fangjia Hutong

Live Music

 

10) Modernista

Great live music venue that’s surprisingly bigger than you’d imagine upon first entering. The performance area has two levels, and you can sit on the balcony overlooking the band with a beer, local or imported.

44 Baochao Hutong

11) Yugong Yishan

I saw Tokimonsta perform here earlier this year, a DJ whose chilled beats I enjoyed listening to a few years ago. It’s regularly got various gigs on, and a large upstairs area with sofas and chairs for when the going gets tough, so it’s overall a pretty good place to grab a drink, kick back and relax to some live music.

http://www.yugongyishan.com/?lang=en

12) Dada

More electronic and techno than live music but there are some good DJs who swing by through town by way of Dada, so make sure to check the listings if you’re looking for a night out.

206 Gulou East Street

 

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