When I first moved to Taipei in 2008, quality cocktails were hard to find. Today, this is far from the case.
Taipei’s cocktail scene is a blend of tradition and innovation, where world-class bartenders prepare creative takes on classic cocktails, adding a Taiwanese touch and local ingredients.
With so many to choose from, I’ve handpicked my personal favorite speakeasy and cocktail bars in Taipei. Each of these stands out from the rest in some way. At the end, I’ll include several more recommendations for serious cocktail aficionados to seek out.
If you’re also into beers, check out my similar guide to the best craft beer bars in Taipei. Besides drinking, also check out these other fun things to do in the evening in Taipei.
Alchemy Speakeasy Bar Taipei
Alchemy (here, follow on Instagram) is frequently cited as Taipei’s best speakeasy-style bar. It offers the quintessential speakeasy experience, starting with fact that you have to know how to find it.
The entrance to Alchemy is hidden inside another bar, called Marquee Taipei (MQ).
When I entered the doors to MQ, flying solo for the night, prior research had informed me to take a right, go up the flight of stairs, then proceed down a dimly lit hallway lined with prohibition-era black-and-white photos.
As expected, a door magically opened when I reached the end, concealed by large bookshelf on the other side. How’s that for an entrance?
Once inside the clandestine bar, I truly felt as though I’d been transported back to prohibition era.
The handsome interior exudes 1920s sophisticated charm. I caught them on a slow weeknight, with only a few couples in the room and a jazz band setting the vibe in the corner. This would be ideal for a date, though I hear it gets packed and noisy on weekends.
The menu features a page of classic prohibition era cocktails and another of more innovative signature creations, some of which make use of local ingredients like oolong tea, chrysanthemum flowers, and plum wine.
Taking the lead from reviewer recommendations, I christened the night with a “Beginning of Prohibition”, a blend of cognac, dark rum, peach and cherry liqueurs, lime, and bitters. True to the speakeasy theme, the glass came wrapped in newspapers.
I followed that with an Aloe No 12: jinxuan oolong-infused rum, white wine, aloe liqueur, honey, lime, egg white, and garnished with a Taiwanese sweet osmanthus flower (learn more about Taiwanese oolong teas here).
Cocktail prices range from 400 to 450.
The Taiwanese bartender was talented and professional, but not chatty.
Stepping outside with a healthy buzz, I was greeted with one of the best views of Taipei 101 in the city – the country’s tallest and most famous landmark is a mere 150 meters away.
Ounce Taipei
Just a few blocks west of Alchemy on Xinyi road, Ounce Taipei (follow on Facebook) is another of the city’s best speakeasies, but offering a different experience altogether.
For this one, GoogleMaps again got me close, but I still couldn’t find the door (it’s close to Taihodien, one of the best hot pot restaurants in the city).
A small streetside bar called BitterSweet mini (watch for the neon “BS Mini” sign) serves as a front for Ounce.
Upon my inquiry to the sole staff member, he got on the phone, assumedly calling for permission to send me in. Within a few minutes, an Eastern European hostess appeared from a door at the side to lead me in – it was all a bit VIP and fun.
Compared to Alchemy, Ounce feels more casual. My bartender, an American, was quick to inform me that the bar is American-style, so don’t come here looking for Taiwanese ingredients or twists.
This bar has no menu (and no reservations and no added service fees, but tips are still appreciated).
For each of my drinks, I told him in general terms what I wanted (for example, something herbal, not too sweet).
He would ponder for some time, even seriously discussing the matter with his Taiwanese colleague, before proceeding to concoct my beverage.
I sat at the bar, with a tray filled with bitters, fragrances, and other brightly colored liquids before me, to observe the crafting process.
The bartenders here were very open to conversation. This, combined with the Taiwanese bartender’s musical choices (offbeat 90s tracks) absolutely did it for me. This is the kind of place I’ll return to time and time again.
I believe I paid 300 to 400 per drink, but after four of those boozy cocktails between the two bars that night, I wouldn’t quote me on that.
Antique Bar 1900
Another of my most memorable Taipei cocktail bar experiences was had at Antique Bar 1900 (here, follow on Facebook).
The bar is on the third floor of a heritage building, AS Watson & Co, on historic Dihua Street, often called the “oldest street in Taipei”.
The building once housed the first Western pharmacy in Taipei. The bar is above ASW Tea House, which does British-style afternoon tea – take the entrance to the Tea House but continue up one more flight of stairs to find the bar.
To enter Antique Bar is to be whisked away to turn-of-the-century, “la Belle Époque” in Europe.
Before sitting, my friends and I took a few moments to admire the setting, with Vienna art nouveau paintings, time-appropriate decorations, and a tremendous bookshelf hovering above the bar.
The staff were dressed to match and even used an old-time cash register to ring up our bill at the end.
Besides cocktails, the menu at Antique Bar 1900 suitably offers a selection of Irish whiskeys and absinthes.
My two friends and I went for the Hemingway-approved special: three glasses of Death in the Afternoon (absinthe + champagne) for 1500. There’s a cheaper version made with prosecco.
Although we didn’t meet the owner on our visit, many reviews speak highly of him, and the passion is evident in this business.
As charming and well-executed as it is, you’re less likely to hear about Antique Bar 1900 than the previous two entries, and few of my expat friends in Taipei (mostly living there 10+ years) had even heard of it.
Coffee Space Coftail
Coffee Space Coftail (here, follow on Instagram) is a coffee- and tea-infused cocktail bar near Yuanshan MRT and Maji Square open air food court.
Full disclosure: this cocktail bar is run by my sister-in-law Jamie and her husband Ray. After running Coffee Space coffee shop here near Zhongxiao Fuxing for years, the couple now apply their coffee expertise to making craft cocktails at their new second location, Coftail.
Jamie and Ray are incredibly passionate about coffee, tea, and now cocktails, too.
You may be able to tell from the large coffee flower tattoo on Ray’s forearm, or from the intense focus and precision they put into every drink they make.
Coftail’s vibe is more zen-inspired cafe than cocktail bar. Its bright and sun-lit interior has a huge bar counter with espresso machine, slow drip coffee vials, tea brewing equipment, and space for multiple customers.
The cafe-bar is open all afternoon, several hours before any other cocktail bar on my list. But do check their opening days and times before you go.
Locals come here for an afternoon pick-me-up, to socialize with other regulars, or to pore over their work with a stiff and/or caffeinated drink.
Besides the booze-infused tea and coffee concoctions, guests can also choose from a range of high quality-single-origin coffees and homemade desserts, including the best tiramisu I’ve ever had.
Jamie and Ray are always experimenting with new coffee and tea infusions and interesting liquors they’ve acquired from Japan and beyond.
The whole menu is seasonal, with new cocktails for each season. That season’s Mandarin character is displayed above the bar.
Related: here are my recommended traditional teahouses in Taipei.
Hankou 60
For fun speakeasy experience in Taipei, Hanko 60 (如醉如夢, here, follow on Facebook) is a cinema-themed hidden cocktail bar on Cinema Street in Ximeding.
The street is named for its multiple movie theaters and is right in the heart of the always-busy and ever-fashionable Ximending pedestrian shopping district.
On the exterior, I spotted the vintage movie posters and box-office-like entrance which give it away. The address is #60, Hankou Street (漢口街), hence the name.
Despite the fun movie theater theme, Hankou 60 is quite fashionable. The crowd was young and dressed to impress when my friend and I paid our visit (at 40-ish, we felt a little old, but I’d like to think we still managed to fit in undetected).
The interior is likewise flashy and disco-esque, with the four Mandarin characters of the bar’s name in neon lights above the bar.
The cocktail menu here is playful, with creative twists on classic cocktails and fun presentation.
The true-to-theme popcorn cocktail comes concealed in a bag of real popcorn. The drink itself is creamy and goes down nicely with the salty snack.
Other unusual examples you can look forward to include Jade Cabbage (which comes in a receptacle resembling the famous artifact from the National Palace Museum), an almond tofu cocktail, a tiramisu cocktail, and a longan negroni.
Try to come early and/or avoid weekends, as they are typically packed.
Find other cool places to eat and drink in Ximending here.
Zao Ka Bar & Bistro
For the most local cocktail bar experience on my list, I recommend Zao Ka (灶咖, here, follow on Instagram) near Nanjing Sanmin MRT station on the Green Line and not far from Raohe Night Market.
When I say local, I mean that all staff and most clientele are Taiwanese and the menu is mostly in Mandarin. The drinks all have Mandarin names, but the main ingredients for each are included in English.
The staff were very welcoming to our group and even poured us free shots when we left.
Between myself and the group of friends I visited with, we managed to try all 10 or so of the cocktails on the menu.
Interesting ingredients featured include the likes of cumin, elderflower, green tea-infused gin, perilla, truffle, and Calpis (a Japanese carbonated yogurt drink).
The cocktails are innovative and amusingly presented but still delicious. For example, the 我在洗澡的時候我唱著情歌 (“I sing romantic songs while in the shower”) comes in a tiny bathtub with foam and rose petals on top.
The most dramatic creation we had, which I believe was called 梅女茶室 (“Plum tea room”), came out in a traditional tea with dry ice fog spilling out onto our table. Others come with little pairing snacks on side, like bacon or cinnamon cookies.
Prices are pretty standard for a Taipei cocktail bar, at 350 to 380 a piece.
For smokers, this is the only bar on my list which includes a cozy smoking room at the front.
Draft Land
To round out my list, Draft Land represents a growing trend of bars with cocktails on tap.
This is a chain with two locations in Taipei (here in Xinyi and here on Zhongxiao East Road), with a third one coming soon in Zhongshan and another in Taichung.
Draft Land has more of a party vibe, especially on but not limited to weekend nights. There are standing bars and tables, a side room with flashy vibes, and a more private basement lounge.
Come here not for super high-quality cocktails but rather for the novelty of ordering draft cocktails.
When I visited, there were 16 taps on the menu, like sangria, gin fizz with dill, lychee cobbler, afternoon tea punch, and a beer cocktail.
The cocktails come in real glasses or plastic cups, depending on the drink, and go down like liquid candy.
Naturally, they are cheaper (TWD 200 to 250) than the other cocktail bars I’ve introduced above. But if you don’t pace yourself, it’s VERY easy for them to add up (and for your inhibitions to go down).
Other Taipei Cocktail Bars to Consider
While I’ve narrow it down to my personal favorite cocktail bars above, there are many other excellent cocktail bars in Taipei which deserve mention.
If I didn’t include your favorite cocktail bar in Taipei, please share it in the comments below!
- Drizzle by Fourplay: I introduced this bar years ago in a CNN article, and they are still killing it with their creative and outlandish cocktails (smoked ones, crazy props, cocktail injections, etc). Despite the gimmicks, the cocktail quality remains high and they make use of tons of fresh herbs, fruits, traditional liquors, etc. behind the bar.
- Woo Bar at W Hotel: Poolside cocktail bar next to the 10th floor lobby of Taipei’s flashiest hotel.
- Geography Bar: Hidden-gem creative cocktail bar in Ximending with drinks representing different parts of Taiwan, heavy on teas and fruits.
- The Public House: Made the Asia’s top 50 bars list, but the subsequent fame means they are very busy and bookings come with very limited time.
- Bar Mood Taipei: Truly innovative cocktails with heavy use of local ingredients, also made Asia’s top 50
- Indulge Experimental Bistro: Artistic fine dining with creative cocktails to match, yet another top 50 winner in past years.
- M.O. Bar: Ultra swanky bar in Mandarin Oriental (the best of the best luxurious hotels in Taipei). It’s not cheap, but they have some really fun signature Taiwan cocktails (TWD 480) like pineapple cake cocktail, beef noodles cocktail, and Hakka leicha (pounded tea cocktail). Or you can order a class of Louis XII cognac for a mere 15,000 TWD. Peruse the full menu here.
