14 Best Bars in Macau, China

Housed in a bright pink building with pine-green shutters, this lively wine bar is just steps away from the Ruins of St. Paul’s Cathedral. The retired British couple who manage the place have assembled a wine list that includes more than 430 Portuguese varieties—many you will only find here—plus a fine selection of whiskey. Pair your port or vinho verde with British cheese plates, charcuterie boards, and homemade desserts. Live after-dinner music plays on select dates, particularly Friday, depending on the season. Be warned: it’s cash-only and closes periodically at the owners’ whims.

Macau’s only entry on Asia’s 50 Best Bars list, the St. Regis Bar sets a high standard for cocktails and live entertainment. Inspired by the hotel’s New York heritage, the signature drinks mostly nod to Big Apple history. The Cotton Club, for example, is a whiskey sour that pays tribute to Harlem’s prohibition era jazz. But don’t miss the Macau-inspired Maria do Leste, a bold reimagining of the Bloody Mary with cinnamon, piri piri, and a lobster tart on the side, or the Macao Egg Tart, a boozy ode to the city’s favorite pastry. Both are great drinks to sip as you enjoy the live jazz.

The Altira’s 38 Lounge stands among the best alfresco rooftops bar in the city, literally and figuratively. Sip cocktails or a glass of champagne under the stars on the outdoor terrace 38 floors above Taipa. Trade high-floor breeze for entertainment inside, where a live band plays until the wee hours most evenings. There’s a large selection of single malt whiskeys to choose from, as well as 45-plus labels of wine from Altira’s sizable cellar—a reason why 38 Lounge is one of the city’s few rated on the Star Wine list.

Hidden within the W Hotel’s ground-floor Living Room lounge, A.P.D. is a speakeasy-style haven for mezcal lovers. The smoky, earthy agave spirit is the sole focus here, with a curated selection that includes more than a dozen artisanal labels, from Derrumbes, made from wild agave grown in the San Luis Potosi plateaus, to George Clooney’s new premium brand Casamigos. The space is small and intimate. Go behind the open bar to examine the labels up close and chat with the friendly bartenders.

At this plush but friendly lounge you can play a game of pool or simply sip a cocktail, while listening to music from Africa, Portugal, Spain, and beyond.

This hideaway lounge inside the Legend Palace evokes the glamour of Monte Carlo. A sleek mahogany bar, checkerboard floors, and vintage photos give the bar an air of timelessness, while light green leather booths add a cozy touch. Most come for the collection of Japanese whiskey and Scotch, including the hotel’s own blend, distilled at Ardmore in the Scottish Highlands and released in limited batches each year, but the cocktail program shakes things up. Using high-tech kitchen gadgetry, the bar team creates unique redistillations, infusions, and clarified drinks that showcase Chinese flavors, from Sichuan pepper to bitter melon and guava.

A modest collection of bars lines a small stretch of street in NAPE, within sight of the huge golden Guan Yin statue in Macau's Outer Harbour. Although it takes its name from the legendary bar area in Hong Kong, don't expect the wild times and thumping music you might find in the original LKF. In reality, this is a bunch of quiet watering holes where you can meet with friends or watch sports on a big-screen TV. A large number of expats come to relax and drink in the evenings.

A staple of Taipa’s expat scene, this lively pub is a long-standing go-to for craft beers on tap, wines by the glass, and affordable mixed spirits paired with comfort food like Aussie-style pies and juicy burgers. Big-screen TVs display live sports while weeknight bar games up the excitement. For example, beat your bartender in a dice roll, and your next round is free. This pub is the perfect place to meet old friends and make new ones.

On the 51st floor of the Ritz-Carlton, this sophisticated lounge offers an upscale drinking experience, boasting lofty views of Cotai’s skyline over a long, Italian marble bar. Gin enthusiasts will appreciate the bar’s impressive selection, which includes several high-end options and rarities. For a more indulgent evening, the Ritz Hour (6 to 9 pm) offers a selection of cocktails, beers, wines, gin and tonics, and spirits for less than MOP$300. Swing by earlier for an indulgent afternoon tea from 2 pm to 5:30 pm.

It’s all booze and blues at this lively brick-walled bar in Broadway’s food street. The Roadhouse is one of few pubs in Cotai, if not all of Macau, serving draft beer and spirits by the glass at affordable prices. Every night from Tuesday to Sunday, rock and blues bands play on stage while sports stream on TVs in the background. If you’re hungry, order a pub burger, a pizza, or appetizers like chicken wings and fried calamari rings.

Coffee shop by day, whiskey bar by night, this stylish spot across from the Portuguese consulate is a haven for whiskey lovers. The selection leans heavily on small, independent producers, primarily from Scotland and Ireland. There are loads of rare bottles to discover here, including hand-filled expressions from Highlands makers Clynelish and Glendronach and Isle of Skye’s Talisker. Two Moons also hosts periodic takeovers from top bartenders across Asia, promising variety whenever you visit.

This Mandarin Oriental bar-restaurant serves Cantonese during the day and Italian at night, and it merits a visit whatever the occasion, be it a business lunch, pizza dinner, or glass of champagne. It shines brightest at “The Counter,” a semi-private, 10-seat bar overlooking Nam Van Lake that can be closed off to the rest of the venue. Here, bartenders serve Mandarin Oriental signatures using interesting local ingredients, like salted plum-infused gin. They are also more than happy to tailor drinks to customers, who sit in tufted leather chairs propped up against a sturdy dark wood bar.

Hiding in plain sight behind jade velvet curtains inside the Wynn Palace, in the entryway to the wildly popular Lakeview Palace, Wing Lei Bar exudes an air of exclusivity. This intimate lounge, with its gilded bamboo rafters, glittering chandelier, and discreet bar seating, offers a deeply personalized drinking experience (meaning, there’s no menu). The expert bartenders craft cocktails tailored to your tastes, using whichever spirits or flavor profiles you prefer.

Tucked away on Rua Central near St. Augustine’s Square, Wood House epitomizes the independent cocktail bar scene slowly growing outside the confines of Macau’s casinos. Founded by a local who cut his teeth in Taiwan, this cozy bar fills up fast, especially on weekends, when guests often have to find space on the second floor. The menu features around 20 original cocktails, many made with homemade infusions. Not sure what to order? The bartenders will gladly craft something to suit your taste.