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Gibson
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The best secret bars in Singapore

Hop around the city's top speakeasies, hidden cocktail bars and secret drinking dens

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Hidden away from view, these speakeasies are private enclaves only for those in the know. Cosy up with your date away from prying eyes or avoid bumping into an old match you ghosted at one of your regular haunts. 

We've got drinking dens tucked away in alleys, like Junior The Pocket Bar, and bars hiding in plain sights, like The Other Room and Barood. Here are the secret cocktail bars where you can unwind and disappear from the world.

RECOMMENDED The 50 best bars in Singapore and the best rooftop bars in Singapore

Hidden gems

  • Bars and pubs
  • Cocktail bars
  • Chinatown

Follow the music and draw the velvet curtains, there you'll uncover Parliament, a self-proclaim retro dive bar flooded with sultry red neon lights. The atmosphere is electric and drinks come with an American pour – for the uninitiated, this just means stronger drinks – so you can expect your night to get real dangerous around here. Bulletproof classics are usually priced from $18 but if you're wise enough to get a few in the system before 8pm, they will only set you back $15. This is a no-judgement zone, so spare the formality and let your hair down – there’s anything from new-age rock, oldies, funk, and hip-hop to groove to. And if you're nice, you'll get to pick your favourite song and perhaps even a shot.

  • Bars and pubs
  • Tanjong Pagar

Perched quietly above one-Michelin-starred French restaurant Restaurant Jag, Flow Bar is head bartender Ricky Paiva's cocktail sanctuary that is both open and inviting. And being neighbours with Restaurant Jag comes with its perks, too. The bar taps into the pantry of the kitchen to work in seasonal herbs from Savoie in the Garden-inspired section.  Cocktails ($24) are now divided into four different sections: Living Room, Garden, Playground, and Office. Even the bar bites menu, designed by chef Jeremy Gillion, comes infused with his signature touch and heavy play on textures. And if you're craving a dessert in a cup, try the addictive espresso martini, crowned with a torched dulce de leche foam for a sweet, creamy finish.

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  • Restaurants
  • Indian
  • Tanjong Pagar

Hidden away from prying eyes, Barood – which also translates to a series of explosions – is a hedonistic oasis channelling Paris in the 60s. Think dark alleyways, intimate lights, and plush red leather booth seats. Together with tantric beats and a luscious plum-licked room, the space is undeniably sexy. But the energy? Dangerous. Pick your poison from the 200-strong bottle selection calmly sitting behind the alluring crimson bar, or request a refreshing cocktail or two. And if you're feeling peckish, Saurabh Udinia – executive chef of Revolver – is ready to turn up the heat with lavishly bold ingredients and exotic spice for a Japanese–Indian izakaya experience unlike any other.

  • Bars and pubs
  • Orchard
  • price 1 of 4

Located in the depths of the Concorde Shopping Centre, Samsu Huay Kuan is very much a covert clan for dark spirit enthusiasts. From single-cask bottling to highly-sought after vintage releases, you're likely to savour exquisite craft whiskies from the likes of Shizuoka Distillery, Mars Distillery, and the single-cask Blackadder. Owner and whisky enthusiast, Jeremiah Kee understands that visiting a whisky bar can be a daunting task for most first-timers especially when faced with a sea of liquid gold. And gone are the bulky Chesterfield leather couches too. Here, the intimate 16-seater space and accessible pricing seek to encourage new explorers to be curious about what's in their dram.

The easier way to get started is with the monthly tasting menu of four different drams priced from $78 onwards. Otherwise, there's a happy hour programme that runs from 5pm to 8pm for beers and house pours. To enter, all you have to do is peek through the peephole, press the bell and pootle right in.

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  • Bars and pubs
  • Rochor

To get to this secret speakeasy, look out for a mama shop or old-school provision store. The entrance to Mama Diam comes hidden behind a shelf lined with vintage knick-knacks; pull aside rows of magazines and CDs reminiscent of the yesteryears, and step into a retro-inspired drinking hole. The menu is a celebration of familiar flavours: sip on Kopi Cino ($22), a boozy take on a cup of kopi; Childhood Delight ($20) made with rum, peppermint, and White Rabbit candy milk; Sng Muay Fizz ($18) mixed with vodka and sour plum; and more.

  • Bars and pubs
  • Raffles Place

Hidden behind Miss Fitz Kitchen and Bar is a tiny portal to 1970 New York City. To get to Roxy requires heading to the back of the restaurant, and venturing through an unmarked walkway. But those who make the journey will be treated to a blast from the past; a 20-seater speakeasy bar inspired by the rock ’n’ roll era. Vintage posters and motifs line the wall of the cosy space, and the red-hued lighting makes for a sultry, intimate setting.

 

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  • Bars and pubs
  • Cocktail bars
  • Outram

Climb up to the second floor of this 80-year-old heritage shophouse and enter Emerald Cty. The gorgeous green marble long bar is lit by the glow radiating through the stained glass. Behind it, bartenders dressed in bow ties and bermuda shorts are shaking up classic cocktails crafted with Asian ingredients. The bar's namesake, The Gibson ($25), is always a safe bet. Made with Roku gin and Ginjo sake-vermouth, the boozy drink pays homage to Japan in its elegant simplicity. Come hungry as the elevated bar snacks shed their hefty price tags and are now far more approachable.

  • Bars and pubs
  • Cocktail bars
  • Outram

You might get distracted on your way to Gibson with a swanky Japanese mid-century modern bar. Live Twice beckons with an alluring amber glow and luxurious furniture, and of course, spectacular rinks by Leow Yingying, a Diageo World Class winner. The Geisha-inspired drink names help embody the elegant charm of the cocktails; try Little Blossom, which brings to mind the tranquil setting of a Japanese zen garden with its sweet floral notes, balanced with a touch of smoke from the alluring edible perfume made with bergamot and Palo Santo essence.

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  • Bars and pubs
  • Raffles Place

Hidden in plain sight, The Secret Mermaid is the alter ego of Shinkansen, a design-your-own salad bar in the CBD. The shared space, outfitted with black grilles and brass piping, morphs into a hole-in-the-wall cocktail bar after five in the evening. Bottles of gin, rum, tequila, vodka, and whisky occupy every nook and cranny in this minuscule hideout, and the bar also has one of the largest collections of American craft spirits.

  • Bars and pubs
  • Cocktail bars
  • Tanjong Pagar

This tiny 10-seater bar first started in the hidden alleys of Tanjong Pagar, making a name for itself with its experimental ideas and ever-changing cocktail menu. It has now expanded to a bigger 25-seater, tucked behind Maxi Coffee Bar. Enter through a side door, and be greeted by the same intimate vibes that most know the bar for. The ever-changing menu keeps things fresh and exciting; the current theme spotlights the enigmatic 90s Saturday cartoons.

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