Hong Kong Living Bar Awards 2020: Readers’ Choice

Earlier this June, we asked you to nominate your favourite nightlife venues for our first-ever Hong Kong Living Bar Awards. After sorting through your submissions, we came up with a shortlist of candidates and opened up the floor for voting. Now after more than 14,000 votes, we are excited to announce the results as voted by you.

Read more: Hong Kong Living Bar Awards Editors’ Pick winners

Bar of the Year: The Old Man

The Old Man needs no introduction. A stylish, intimate, Ernest Hemingway–inspired bar tucked away in Soho, with a reputable scholarly devotion to liqueurs paired with a steely focus on service has led them to a series of accolades under their belt since the opening in 2017 by Agung Prabowo, Roman Ghale and James Tamang in the summer of 2017. It is no wonder our readers chose The Old Man as their favourite bar of the year.

The Old Man, Lower G/F, 37-39 Aberdeen Street, Soho, Central, 2703 1899

Bartender of the Year: Jay Khan

Industry veteran Jay Khan has some serious pedigree behind him. Khan’s accoladed Mexican-inspired cocktail bar opened in 2017 as part of his mission to bring agave spirits to the forefront of Hong Kong’s cocktail scene. COA boasts an agave menu of 41 pages alongside a craft cocktail list inspired by the bold flavours of Oaxaca. Our Bartender of the Year took home some heavyweight titles earlier this year such as third place in Asia’s 50 Best Bars and Altos Bartenders’ Bartender Award.

COA, Shop A, LG/F Wah Shin House, 6-10 Shin Hing Street, Central, 2813 5787

Best Hotel Bar: Darkside, Rosewood Hong Kong

Having voted Rosewood Hong Kong’s Darkside as the Best Hotel Bar, our readers have a taste for the finer things in life. Complete with sultry live jazz performances and glimpses of the stunning Victoria Harbour, the crowning jewel of the glitzy five-star hotel offers a bar experience a cut above the rest.

Darkside, Rosewood Hong Kong, Victoria Dockside, 18 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, 3891 8732

Newcomer of the Year: The Blind Pig

Sports is all about the buzzy atmosphere, the camaraderie, and of course, the beauty of the game it. That’s why it’s so important for many to find the right venue to watch their favourite sporting events. Sibling to popular gastropub The Salted Pig, this neighbourhood pub favourite offers cool, chill-out vibes in a relaxed waterfront setting, making it the ideal location to catch your next game.

The Blind Pig, Shop No. GB12-14A Site B Lei King Wan, 45 Tai Hong Street, Sai Wan Ho, 2707 0002

Nightclub of the Year: Dragon-i

Arguably Hong Kong’s most iconic and long-standing nightclub, Dragon-i is the place to see and to be seen rubbing elbows with socialites, models and the glitterati alike. A number of A-list celebrities have graced the clubbing hot spot including Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre and Paris Hilton.

Dragon-i, UG/F, The Centrium, 60 Wyndham Street, Central, 3110 1222

Best Rooftop Bar: Sevva

A Hong Kong institution in its own right, Sevva offers panoramic views of Victoria Harbour and a front row seat to the city’s many firework displays. Founder and creative visionary Bonnae Gokson curated the venue with her inimitable style. While the view may take first place, the lounge’s robust cocktail menu will keep you coming back for more.

Sevva, 25/F, Landmark Prince’s, 10 Chater Road, Central, 2537 1388

Best Interior Design: Iron Fairies

Straight out of a storybook, designer Ashley Sutton’s joint venture with local hospitality group Dining Concepts transports us to a fantastical world. Inside Iron Fairies, 10,000 butterflies swing from copper rods hung delicately from the ceiling and thousands of small iron fairies are scattered around the tables. Expect live jazz and swing bands served alongside creative cocktails by mixologist Joseph Boroski. This is truly a place where the magic happens.

Iron Fairies, LG, Chinachem Hollywood Centre, 1 Hollywood Road, Central, 2603 6992

Hidden Gem Award: Stockton

Stockton has consistently made the list of Asia’s 50 Best Bars since its inception. Tucked away on Wyndham Street, the watering hole is a ‘secret’ whisky bar inspired by the halcyon days of late 19th century London. The decor matches that of a gentleman’s club with hunting trophies displayed proudly on the walls and a menu consisting of over 150 different whiskies.

Stockton, 32 Wyndham Street, Central, 2565 5268

Best Concept Bar: Quinary

Helmed by industry veteran Antonio Lai, Quinary offers an innovative beverage programme with multi-sensory, experimental cocktails at the core of it. The bar is more like Lai’s science lab, showcasing a rotary evaporator and heavy duty equipment used for redistilling and slow-cooking flavoured spirits in-house. The accoladed cocktail bar has appeared in the Asia’s 50 Best Bar list for five years in a row and came in at No.16 this year.

Quinary, 56-58 Hollywood Road, Central, 2851 3223

Best Beach Bar: Momentai

While not strictly a beach bar, our readers love Sai Kung’s Momentai for offering a sense of escape from the hustle and bustle of big-city life. With an array of colourful chairs, a pool table and a vast craft beer collection, it’s the perfect place to enjoy an afternoon overlooking the waterfront promenade. The bar also operates a sister cafe, Joe-San, next door.

Momentai, Kiosk 1 Waterfront, Wai Man Road, Sai Kung, 2792 8991

Best Craft Beer Bar: Second Draft

Second Draft is Tai Hang’s neighbourhood gastropub brought to you by the team behind leading local brewery Young Master Ales. With interiors that resemble old Hong Kong and the iconic Star Ferry Pier, the bar and restaurant offers east-west fusion flavours curated by chef May Chow alongside an impressive list of Hong Kong craft beers.

Second Draft,  G/F, 98 Tung Lo Wan Road, Tai Hang, 2656 0232

Best Pub: The Globe

Taking the Best Pub award for its great service and value for buck, The Globe is a definite crowd pleaser and neighbourhood favourite. With a welcoming environment, a hearty pub grub menu and a wide rotating selection of ales and lagers from around the world, this watering hole is Hong Kong’s answer to London’s pub culture.

The Globe, Garley Building, 45-53 Graham Street, Central, 2543 1941