While Malaysia is predominantly a Muslim country, there are a number of top bars in KL (Kuala Lumpur), the cosmopolitan capital. If you love watering holes, there are a number of bars in Kuala Lumpur – Private Room, BOTAK’s, Omakase+Appreciate, Jack Rose, Opium, Skullduggery, barAtas@Bangsar, Suzie Wong, Shelley Yu’s, and Heli Lounge.
Private Room
Private Room is one of the speakeasy top bars in KL and also the city’s first speakeasy wine bar. This bar is owned by a team of seven wine enthusiasts, and owns more than 200 global labels. Less common labels such as Porcupine Ridge, Barista and The Guilty also feature among these labels, and there is more number of red wine labels than white wine labels here.
There are some excellent signature cocktails here such as the ‘Mocking Mistress’. The wine bar is located in Taman Tur Dr Ismail and look for the yellow door to enter this discreet joint.
BOTAK Liquor
BOTAK’s is the first and only bar in Kuala Lumpur which serves cocktails from the tap.
BOTAK Liquor prides of using a botanical concept. As you climb up the spiral stairs, there are plants everywhere that you look, and in every corner. Drinks here are brought on a ‘farmto-glass’ approach, either obtained from organic sellers, or directly sourced from the bar’s owned farm, and therefore, it is one of the top bars in KL.
Omkase+
Though the name sounds like a Japanese restaurant, Omkase+Appreciate is actually a speakeasy cocktail establishment, hidden in the basement of an office building, behind a locked entrance with no admittance mentioned and no signboard for customer guidance.
Patrons of this small bar – Shawn and Karl whip up excellent cocktails, and therefore this is amongst the top bars in kl. Beach Bum, Elderflower Martini, Breakfast Martini, Jalisco Espresso, Sidecar, Vodca Collins, Johnnie Nut Crusta are amongst the are some of the great cocktails that Shawn and Karl prepare in this bar.
Jack Rose
Jack Rose, located in the basement of a building is a new bar that is not a speakeasy bar. The bar is a brainchild of Callan, James and Mishkat, and most of the drinks are creations of mixologist – Callan. Among the cocktails are Ophelia (RM25), Jack Rose ( a brandy based cocktail), Give Peas a chance ( a vodka based cocktail), etc and this bar is impressively rated among top bars in KL.
Opium KL
The Opium, KL is one of the best Asian restaurants in changkat bukit bintang, KL. The restaurant features oriental food or cuisine such as Dim Sum, Crispy Duck Noodles, Fern Leaf Salad, Angus Beef Rendang, and the signature Beef Brisket and Tendon Stew.
The assortment of Chinese, Malaysian and Thai foods is rounded off by a cocktail bar that converts classic recipes to their own creations. Therefore, the Opium is not only a restaurant, but among the top bars in KL.
Skullduggery
Skullduggery is one more secret bar among the top bars in kl and is located at Plaza Damansara. The cocktails here such as Black Waters based on blanco tequila, Don’t Do Shrooms, based on vodka, Peer Pressure are extraordinary. The bar also has a unique selection of rare spirits and other offerings obtained of small-batch distillers.
BarAtas
BarAtas which means bar on atas (upstairs) is a laid-back joint on the first floor of one of the busy buildings at Jalan Telawi. This bar is decorated with red lanterns, bricks that are exposed, a mural showing a girl flying a Kelantanese wau. It has a great photogenic appearance and the bar offers a variety of localized food such as spaghetti wantan mee, fettuccine chilli pan mee, as well as signature cocktails such as Cendol Altas and Cold Fire Ice lollies.
Suzie Wong
Suzie Wong is a one of the top bars in kl, a unique “underground” speakeasy of 1950s Shanghai / Hong Kong décor. While the drinks have a higher price, the signature cocktails such as Ron Jeremy, Roberto Lomax, and The Erik are of great flavor. There are live stage performances every night at Suzie Wong. The bar is oriental inspired, with classy antique ornaments.
Shelley Yu’s
Shelley Yu’s is Telawi’s restaurant and is named after the wife of one of its co-founders and the restaurant attempts to do something different – combining Peranakan food with Nyona inspired cocktails, in a setting with artistic flourishes. The cocktails are served cool – the bar offers tonics and gins, combining West wind gins with home-made tonics.
Heli Lounge Bar
Customers can spend sipping cocktails during the evenings on the 36th floor helicopter landing of Menara KL tower and this Heli Lounge Bar is just not one of the top bars in kl, it also offers unhindered view of KL’s skyline. The helicopter launch pad of the morning transforms into a rooftop bar with DJ’s and killer views during the evening and therefore, the Heli lounge Bar is definitely among the top bars in KL.
