One of Hong Kong’s most dynamic dive bars is celebrating its tin anniversary! No introductions are needed for the one and only Pontiac, which will be happily ringing in a decade doing what it does best: slinging craft cocktails and making it look cool.
A lineup of new cocktails will be released under the ‘Talking Walls’ anniversary menu, which pays tribute to the meaningful messages, creative graffiti, and late-night musings that guests have scrawled onto The Pontiac’s walls over the last 10 years. Jen Queen, general manager and Mezcalier of The Pontiac, says, “We view all the nights we’ve ever had in this bar as a collaboration between the bar team and our guests, and these etched messages are the physical representation of the last 10 years of our history. For this landmark menu, we wanted to commemorate and celebrate them and give them back to our guests as a thank you for being a part of us for the last decade.”
A highlight drink on the menu is the First & Last ($98), a tequila-based cocktail made with Ribena and hibiscus syrup and fenugreek tincture to create a sweet and savoury experience. Inspiration struck when Queen’s team found a quote on the wall in a corner of the bar – “the first & last girl i’ll ever be with” – which led to the creation of the drink. I Post My Crimes for Likes ($88), with gin, rum, strawberry-oolong cordial, lemon, and Aér, and One Day My Sex Tape Will Matter ($118), made with cognac, rum, salted lemon cordial, and lime-leaf curaçao liqueur, are complex blends inspired by anonymous tags.
As a throwback, The Pontiac’s signature cocktail, The Hobnail, will benefit from a temporary price adjustment to $88 – how much the drink cost when it first launched – till the end of 2025.
With a distinctive no-nonsense attitude, larger-than-life personalities behind the bar, and unapologetically rowdy energy, The Pontiac was a breath of fresh air when it opened in 2015 and has drawn crowds to its Old Bailey Street haunt time and again. Beckaly Franks, the award-winning bartender who co-founded The Pontiac a decade ago, stepped back from the project in 2024, but her vision and impact have left an indelible mark, infusing the well-loved watering hole with its trademark rock n’ roll liveliness.
As The Pontiac enters a new era, the spirit of community, empowerment, collaboration, and inclusivity remains strong. Here’s to another decade of The Pontiac!
Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Hong Kong newsletter for the best of the city, straight to your inbox
Recommended stories:
MTR expands its Light Rail Voyager service with a new Yuen Long route
Hong Kong’s Hospital Authority is testing drone deliveries for medicine
La Petite Maison celebrates their seventh anniversary with an exclusive brunch menu