Red House

The Red House definitely feels out of place in the once peaceful alley, but this doesn't get in the way of it being a decent enough watering hole.

With a more carefully considered air of sophistication than other bars on Nanluoguxiang, the Red House definitely feels out of place in the once peaceful alley, but this doesn't get in the way of it being a decent enough watering hole.

The decor is successfully minimalist, with a sunken bar surrounded by raised booths on either side. But, especially on Beijing's more polluted days, it could do with a little bit more light. Another drawback is the utterly abysmal euro-dance music that was playing when we visited - hopefully the inclusion of Aqua in the bar's soundscape was a one-off gaffe that won't be repeated. It also loses points for being one of the priciest bars in the area - standard mixers cost 40RMB and come in small glasses, while the 48RMB cocktails don't have nearly enough kick to them to justify their price tag. 

74 Nanluoguxiang, Dongcheng distrcit (tel 6407 2116/ 139 1105 1729). Open 2pm-2am daily.