Over the years, Kennedy Town has undergone a transformation evolving from a sleepy town into one of Hong Kong’s trendiest neighbourhoods full of casual eateries and restobars. Adding to the array of drinking establishments in this waterfront town is Blotto, a laid-back drinking den that prides itself on making sure you have a good time while drinking to your heart’s (and liver’s) content. The bar’s name was inspired from a 15th century term that means ‘to be extremely drunk’ - now, you’ll know what to expect when you swing by. The philosophy of Blotto is simple: ‘if it ain’t fun, don’t do it’, and the bar certainly follows that motto with gusto.
Blotto exudes a no-fuss, unpretentious divey vibe. It is simple yet honest, inviting you to unwind and have a great time. The bar's signage, painted in bold grey letters, almost gives the impression that the painter made an amusing mistake on the letters. Inside, the bar's interior is adorned with colourful metal stools and steel drum chairs. The walls are a cheerful mix of yellow, pink, and blue, decorated with cheeky murals portraying animals joyfully sharing pints or raising wine glasses. It's the kind of joint where you can kick back and gleefully gulp down a few libations without feeling like you're under a microscope. They also offer a modest collection of card and board games to keep you and your friends entertained throughout the night.
The brainchild behind the bar is local mixologist Austen Lendrum, who is also the co-founder of Apothecary in Central. Blotto’s menu offers 12 no-frills straightforward cocktails, mostly fizzy and sour, and categorised based on the strength: Slightly, Deffo, Proper, and Am Blotto I?. Their wallet-friendly cocktail prices range from $75 to $105. You can knock back several drinks without breaking the bank. Tapping into the bar’s playful nature, the cocktails are given names that are synonymous with being drunk, such as Fuddled, Three Sheets To The Wind, and Drunk as a Skunk. They also offer a small selection of house spirits – gin, vodka, whisky, and tequila, which come out from the ecoTotes dispensers built into the bar's setup. Additionally Blotto also offers two brews from Young Master Brewery served on tap. If you’re not in the mood for a tipple, you can order freshly-made smoothies (which can be spiked if desired), or alcohol-free cocktails.
After Lendrum gave us a quick rundown of the bar’s menu, we decided to sample one drink from each category to try out how strong Blotto’s cocktails would get as you ordered further down the menu. We started with Elevated ($75), a gin-based cocktail with a refreshing cucumber flavour complemented by the subtle elderflower aroma of St-Germain liqueur. Next, we ordered Blitzed ($85), a fiery concoction made with Los Arcos tequila, Ancho Reyes Chile liqueur, Drambuie whisky, and lime. Despite being a fan of spicy flavours, I find Blitzed was a bit too potent to be placed in the second category of the menu, as it combines three relatively strong spirits.
Continuing down the list, we sipped on vodka-based Foxed ($95), another cocktail that delivered a spicy kick from Thai chilies, balanced with the rice vinegar’s acidity and rich sweetness from the mangoes. They served it with a rice cracker garnish that acts as a snack which paired well with the tart flavours of the drink. We capped off our evening of drinks with a tropical rum based Outta One’s Skull ($105). Despite being one of the more potent drinks on the menu – made with a blend of two white rums – this cocktail was surprisingly easy to drink and not excessively strong.
Blotto offers a modest food selection where you can order barbites like tater tots, or more filling options like hotdogs. One of the weird hotdog options is recommended to be slathered with Japanese curry, so we decided to opt for the safer Ay Paw-Pi ($65). It was a beef hotdog stuffed between a fluffy brioche bun with guacamole, topped with jalapeño, crispy shallots, and bacon bits. The guacamole didn’t work quite well with the bun but it's enough to stave off a morning hangover.
As an all-new drinking venue in Kennedy Town, Blotto certainly stands out as an approachable neighbourhood bar where you can wear flip-flops and won’t be denied entry. This spot is the ideal location to kick back with your friends as you enjoy affordable yet well-crafted drinks on a casual night out, and it’s sure to keep customers coming back for more.
Here’s what our star ratings mean:
★: Not recommended
★★: A disappointing experience
★★★: A good experience
★★★★: A very good to great experience
★★★★★: An outstanding experience
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