Asia’s 50 Best Bars for 2023 revealed—4 Bangkok bars made the list

Asia’s 50 best bars for 2023 have been announced, and Coa from Hong Kong has taken the top spot. Bangkok’s highest-placed bar on the list is BKK  at No. 3– the highest a Bangkok bar has made on the list.  

The list was unveiled at the Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2023 event, which was hosted at the lavish Rosewood Hotel in Hong Kong. Attendees included barmen, industry insiders, and media from all over Asia, including Time Out Bangkok—it’s the first time we reported the results on location.  

There were a lot of surprises on this year’s roster. While Coa in Hong Kong and Jigger & Pony in Singapore maintain their first and second spots, awesome bars across Asia have thrived on taking top spots across the list. BKK Social Club made us Bangkokians proud for its jump to the third place. Tokyo's Bar Benfiddich has jumped to No. 4, while Zest in Seoul has risen to No. 5.

Bangkok, home to this year’s  No 1. in Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list, had a great showing with BKK Social Club at the 3rd place. The other bars from Bangkok on the list are Tropic City at No. 6, Vesper at No. 12, and Mahaniyom, which debuts on the list at No. 22.

Asia’s 50 Best Bars is an extension of the much-anticipated World’s 50 Best Bars list. For this regional roster, the results are taken from votes cast by Asia’s 50 Best Bars Academy, a committee composed of 260 journalists, bartenders, and connoisseurs.

There are special recognitions, too. The Campari One to Watch Award goes to Nightwatch in Singapore, while the Campari Sunsanable Bar Award lands on Anaalogue Initiative in Singapore. Altos Bartenders' Bartender prize is given to female bartender Beckaly Franks at Hong Kong's Pontiac. The prestigious Industry Icon prize sponsored by Roku gin goes to Hiroyasu Koyama. The award for the art of hospility has been given to Sago House.  

Here’s the complete list of Asia’s 50 Best Bars for 2023:

1. Coa, Hong Kong  (The best bar in Hong Kong)
2. Jigger & Pony, Singapore (The best bar in Singapore)
3. BKK Social Club, Bangkok (The best bar in Thailand)
4. Bar Benfiddich, Tokyo (The best bar in Japan)
5. Zest, Seoul (The best bar in South Korea)
6. Tropic City, Bangkok
7. Nutmeg & Clove, Singapore
8. Argo, Hong Kong
9. Darkside, Hong Kong
10. Sago House, Singapore
11. Indulge, Taipei (The best bar in Taiwan)
12. Vesper, Bangkok
13. Cham Bar, Seoul
14. The SG Club, Tokyo
15. Analogue Initiative, Singapore
16. Republic, Singapore
17. The Aubrey, Hong Kong
18. Sidecar, New Delhi (The best bar in India)
19. The Cocktail Club, Jakarta (The best bar in Indonesia)
20. Lamp Bar, Nara
21. Virtù, Tokyo (Highest new entry)
22. Mahaniyom, Bangkok
23. Lamp Bar, Nara
24. 28 Hong Kong Street, Singapore
25. Le Chamber, Seoul
26. Penicillin, Hong Kong
27. Atlas, Singapore
28. Alice, Seoul
29. Pantja, Jakarta
30. Employees Only, Singapore
31. Quinary, Hong Kong
32. Stay Gold Flamingo, Singapore
33. Mostly Harmless, Hong Kong
34. The Curator (The best bar in The Philippines)
35. The Bombay Canteen, Mumbai
36. Bat Trigona, Kuala Lumpur (Theest bar in Malaysia)
37. Southside Parlor, Seoul (new entry)
38. Copitas, Bengaluru
39. Hope & Sesame, Guangzhou (Best bar in Mainland China, down from No. 18 in 2022)
40. Smoke & Bitters, Hiriketiya (Best bar in Srilanka)
41. Vender, Taichung
42. Native, Singapore
43. The Public House (new entry)
44. Bee's Kees, Kyoto
45. High Five, Tokyo
46. Soko, Seoul 
47. The Old Man, Hong Kong (re-entry)
48. The Living Room, Mumbai
49. The Bellwood, Tokyo
50. Penrose, Kuala Lumpur

Congratulations to all the winners! 

SEE ALSO: All Bangkok bars on the Asia's 50 Best Bars 2023 list