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Singapore’s late-night options have expanded in recent years to include more highbrow lounges with million-dollar views, mixologists shaking up the trendiest ingredients, and bars tapping into some of the beers from all over. After work, professionals and expats typically congregate at watering holes on Club Street and pubs in Boat Quay, as well as at some of the cocktail bars that have been popping up around Chinatown and Haji Lane.
Nightclubs featuring electronic dance music have a massive following here, and that's been true since the opening of Zouk, back in 1996. Additional clubs can be found around Clarke Quay and throughout the CBD.
First-time visitors should be prepared for the exorbitantly expensive prices that clubs charge. Beer guzzlers on a budget are best off sipping on a few at the hawker centers, one of the only places to find reasonable rates.
Be aware that although the once-bawdy Bugis Street has been sanitized, a seedy underworld still exists elsewhere in town. Red-light districts, which are mostly found in parts of Geylang, have buildings that really are lit by red lanterns. Soliciting for prostitution is illegal, but the deed itself isn't; it's actually tolerated, monitored, and contained, with most prostitutes registered and subject to regular medical checks. If karaoke is what you seek, keep in mind that it is common for "KTV" lounges to be a cover for prostitution.
If the only Singapore beer you’re acquainted with is Tiger, you’re in luck—quite literally—at this bar offering nine different local brews on tap. The offerings range from pilsners to IPAs and even a stout; ask the bar staff to decode each to match your preferred beer profile. Their menu of local bites like XO Carrot Cake and a ramly burger with all the trimmings does a good job of lining your stomach so you can drink well into the night.
Occupying a space on Level 2 of the Chinatown Complex Food Centre, this tiny bar is a hidden gem. It would be easy to mistake it as just one of the hundreds of food vendors that occupy the center if it weren't for the number of people drinking the excellent craft drafts at the tables that surround it. The friendly, knowledgeable staff will happily talk you through the tasting notes of each beer, many of which are brewed in Singapore. Grab some food from one of the many excellent hawker stalls around the bar and spend an evening watching the crowds throng through Chinatown below.
Home to an expansive range of English ale and cider, this casual bar is run by a British owner passionate about his brew. The music tends to linger a few decades behind the times. There's also a menu of typical pub grub.
This always-lively Irish pub is well known for its revelry, especially during the sports-games screenings that take place throughout the week. Though it serves good food, the quintessentially Irish drinking atmosphere is the real draw, especially after dark. The kitchen serves filling pub grub until 2 am most nights.
Inspired by the Himalayas, Going Om is a bit of a spiritual haven for the hippie community. Live music is often performed in front of the bar by buskers who show up most nights around 9 pm; small tables are set up for people to soak up the easy-going surroundings. You can tuck into standard bar staples like popcorn chicken and Parmesan fries, but even more interesting are the in-house services like card readings, holistic healing, and yoga or meditation classes.
Join the post-work throng at this long-standing bar by the water to watch sports and drink ice-cold beer. There's an eclectic menu of Asian and Western favorites served throughout the day, with fish and chips always a popular choice. Expats and business executives make up most of the crowd, which spills out onto the sidewalk on weekends.
Set in a 1910 townhouse noted for its Straits-Chinese architecture, this bustling pub attracts expats and locals alike and serves some 60 beers on tap or in bottles (they're "ice cold" from being in vast ice tanks). At the back of the bar, you can play darts; upstairs, you can play pool and arcade games. If you get peckish, the range of international bar snacks includes hot dogs, chicken wings, and mini-burgers.
This Caribbean-inspired bar and bistro aims at bringing the laid-back rhythms and flavors of those far-away islands to Singapore's equally slow-paced Katong district. Rum and lime are the lifeblood of signature drinks such as Lime House Punch (spiked with sorrel, spices, honey, and fresh lime juice) and the tropical and refreshing Morris (with coconut water and cane sugar). A menu of Caribbean staples, from tapas to goat curry and sweet plantain lasagne, can be ordered for dinner or even brunch on weekends.
Classic fish-and-chips join the beers, cocktails, and whiskeys at this friendly Irish bar, which was originally built in Ireland before being transported in full to Singapore in 1995. The bar is full of interesting characters and is the closest you'll come to a local joint in the area. There's also live music most nights, TVs screening live sports, and a full menu of pub classics.
Inside Claymore Connect is this Irish pub famed for its wine-and-cheese promotions; Sunday Roast lunches; live Irish-Celtic bands; and beverage selection that includes whiskeys, draft Kilkenny Ale, and Guinness Stout. The bar was actually built in Dublin in 1996 before being reassembled in Singapore. It's one of the most popular spots on Orchard Road to catch live sports, with huge TVs showing rugby, football, boxing, tennis, and more. It also has live-music performances on weekends and Thursday quiz nights.
Holland Village has seen many bars open and close, but this wildly popular watering hole has stayed the same for decades, pairing its jugs of cocktails and other drinks with Western favorites like pizza and steak. Live music often plays upstairs, and there's a bustling bar downstairs that has a welcoming outdoor sitting area, which occasionally spills out onto the street on a Saturday night.
