Treat yourself!
At the end of a long day – or a long week – you damn well deserve a drink. The few hours between leaving the office and giving in to the siren call of your bed are all too precious so you ought to make the most of them. What you need is a quick, easy, and reliable drink.
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Sometimes called “the comfortable T-shirt of drinks,” the Whiskey Sour is simple and straightforward – a combination of whiskey, fresh lemon juice, sugar and optionally, a dash of egg white. With plenty of great places around the Metro offering this classic cocktail, we’ve drawn up a collection of our favorites. While you still have some energy left, head in to one of these watering holes after work for a drink (or three).
Bugsy’s Bar and Bistro – Forbeswood
Bugsy’s is a full-service bar and bistro serving drinks and comfort food. They offer lunch specials and a monthly specials menu with a rotating roster of meals like Grilled Tenderloin, Salmon Belly, and Stuffed Porkchop.
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View their Instagram account
Forbes Town Center, Burgos Circle, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig
(02) 946-3797
Thirsty Barber – San Juan
Thirsty Barber is a neighborhood barbershop and speakeasy bar that serves bar chow, rice meals, specialty cocktails, beer, and more. Read our full feature here.
Reservations are accepted
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View their Instagram account
G/F Promenade Building, Wilson St., cor P. Guevarra St., Addition Hills, San Juan
(0977) 360-8130
Mandalay Whisky & Cigars – Legaspi Village
There is more to The Belle & Dragon than meets the eye. Make your way to the back of the pub and through the ornate wardrobe doors – you’ll find yourself at Mandalay Whisky & Cigars, an Indochine-inspired speakeasy.
No reservations accepted
View their Instagram account
100 Don Palanca St., Legaspi Village, Makati
ABV Cocktail and Absinthe Bar – Jupiter St.
ABV or Alcohol by Volume is an underground speakeasy-style bar that’s reminiscent of the secret lounges of the 1920’s. They serve classic and signature craft cocktails using local and imported – some centuries old – premium alcohol. It is located behind the large wooden door inside Lazy Bastard which looks like an old school elevator.
Fun fact: ABV has the largest absinthe collection in town – over 30 bottles, from classic French-style absinthe pours to an absinthe fountain
Reservations are accepted
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View their Instagram account
Basement Level, Jupiter St. cor. Galaxy, Bel-Air, Makati
+63 917 520-1608
The Curator – Legaspi Village
The Curator is a backdoor cafe and drinking lounge hidden inside Cyrano Wine Bar that serves handcrafted coffee all day and cocktails by night. The expert team behind the bar views coffee and cocktails as an art, science and a craft – it’s no wonder they secured the 16th spot in Asia’s Best Bars back in 2016!
Insider tip: Every drink is customizable and if you like your designer drink, they'll even give you the recipe and log it down for when you come back!
Reservations are accepted
View the full menu
View their Instagram account
194 Legazpi Street cor. Palanca Street, Legaspi Village, Makati
+63 917 585-9005
OTO – Poblacion
Enjoy booze, brew, and beats in this hip new hangout spot in Poblacion. Oto is a craft cocktail room, specialty coffee shop, and listening room, all in one.
Insider tip: Music geeks will go crazy for their Hi-Fi set up! We also love the fact that their music is played on vinyl.
No reservations accepted
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View their Instagram account
5880 Enriquez Street, Poblacion, Makati
(0917) 836-1516
78-53-86
78-53-86 is a jazz cafe filled with more than 10,000 vinyl records. If you couldn’t already tell from their no-frills, streamlined menu, they don’t mess around with the classics. This is the place to go if you want traditional drinks, done right. On display amidst the records is owner Jay Amante’s vast collection of Japanese whisky.
Reservations are accepted
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2/F West, 42 Katipunan Ave, White Plains, Quezon City
(02) 819-9297
LIT Manila – BGC
LIT Manila is a small and upscale specialty bar offering the largest and most extensive collection of fine Japanese whisky and spirits, including Nikka Whisky, Suntory and Kirin among others. The attention to details, cultured bartenders and attentive waitstaff make this the perfect man-cave. They’re open 5pm-2am.
Reservations are accepted
View their Instagram account
G/F Serendra, 26th St., Fort Bonifacio,Taguig
+63 917 510-0014
Raging Bull Chophouse & Bar – ShangriLa at The Fort
Raging Bull is an American steakhouse and bar that offers a large selection of dry-aged beef or grain and grass-fed beef, customized to your preference. They also serve other grilled items including seafood and gourmet comfort food but the real reason you should visit is for their amazing bar. Their signature Whisky “Bull” Sour has a lovely pink tint and is made with Four Roses bourbon, Leyenda amontillado sherry, fresh lemon juice, homemade rosemary syrup, egg white and garnished with rosemary & cherry shrub.
Reservations are recommended
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View their website
Level 3 Shangri-La at the Fort, 30th Street cor 5th Ave, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig
(02) 820-0888
If you like the Whiskey Sour taste but with a slight change…
12/10 – Makati
12/10 is a popular Japanese izakaya-inspired restaurant owned by Thea de Rivera and Gab Bustos of The Girl + The Bull. Their second baby – a tribute to their anniversary – is a customize-your own degustation concept. The small plates pair perfectly with cocktails and theirs are some of the best in the Metro with interesting like “Dear Morningwood” and “Fuck You, Daisy.” They don’t have a standard whisky sour on the menu yet but their Pisco Sour is a great alternative.
Reservations are accepted
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View their Instagram account
7635 Guijo St, San Antonio Village,Makati
(0915) 663-2823
Chotto Matte – BGC
Fans of the whisky sour are sure to enjoy Chotto Matte. The Japanese whisky joint offer fresh beats, cool cocktails, artisan Sake & the best Kakubin Highballs in town. Try their Kyoto highball – a blend of Suntory Special Blended whisky, homemade green tea syrup, ginger ale, fresh lemon/ginger, and soda water.
No reservations are accepted
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View their Instagram account
Net Park Building, 5th Ave, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig
(02) 752-5678
Did we miss your favorite? Tell us in the comments in below and we’ll be sure to update the list!
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