Bar culture in Malaysia is alive and well, as indicated by a flourishing scene populated by tipple visionaries who have come to redefine what it means to enjoy a good night out. And much of that has been bolstered by a bevy of innovative experiences ranging from cocktail laboratories to hidden speakeasy bars in KL and Selangor that require an inquisitive soul to uncover.
The latter has proven to be especially popular, with the Klang Valley playing host to a string of treasure-map-worthy watering holes that are sure to delight tipple adventurers who want to trek off the beaten path. Of course, the raison d’etre of hidden speakeasy bars stems from a courageous spirit to begin with, given the context from which these once clandestine establishments were born.
Historical records point to the American Prohibition Era, which began in 1922, as the flashpoint moment for the advent of the speakeasy. As its name would suggest, this period was characterised by the prohibition of the manufacture, distribution, and sale of liquid courage after the 18th Amendment was passed by Congress in 1917. Support for the ban was especially motivated by the temperance movement promoted within American Protestant circles at the time.
Of course, that did little to curb alcohol’s inherent appeal despite how the industry was effectively driven underground. Against the fear of prosecution, boldly enterprising businesspeople dubbed ‘bootleggers’ maintained their alcohol operations in secret to cater to demand, served in covert bars known as ‘speakeasies’. Necessity is the mother of all invention, clearly. The etymology of the phrase on the other hand, remains rather muddied but some sources claim that patrons who longed for a sip of gogo juice once had to whisper the words ‘speak easy’ at the door to be granted entry into these premises.
There is no fear of prosecution when visiting a modern speakeasy bar today, but the enduring appeal of its inherent novelty continues to be the niche’s most vital asset. In the dauntless spirit of tracking down some of Kuala Lumpur and Selangor’s most hidden speakeasy bars, here are 12 of our top recommendations to get your fix of tipples and adventure.
Feature and hero image credit: Three X Co/Instagram
12 hidden speakeasy bars in KL and Selangor to uncover this weekend
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61 Monarchy
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If you enjoy your speakeasy experience with a regal provenance, then 61 Monarchy is the place to be. Hidden away on the second floor of a shoplot in Damansara Uptown, this plush establishment caters to whiskey aficionados of all levels and creeds, boasting a stunning collection of over 400 different drams hailing from traditional to contemporary distilleries alike. If you consider yourself fresh to the world of amber liquors, simply speak to the bar staff and try any of their recommended whiskey flights to discover your penchant.
Operating hours: 5pm – 12am (Monday to Thursday), 5pm – 2am (Friday to Saturday, closed on Sunday).
Getting there: Alight from the TTDI MRT Station and take the free Starling Mall Shuttle to Starling Mall. Then proceed to walk 10 minutes to 61 Monarchy.
What we liked:
- A stunning collection of 400 different drams of whiskey will cater to enthusiasts of all levels.
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Skullduggery
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Every city plays host to a few highly coveted bars that have minted their reputation off an impressive drinks menu and an inspired ambiance, coupled with a sense of elusive exclusivity. Plaza Damansara’s Skullduggery is one such establishment in Kuala Lumpur, serving as a great imitation of Paris’ famed Catacombs with its rows of ominous copper skulls that greet visitors at first glance. Brave their hollow stares however, and you’ll be rewarded in kind with drinks that border on alchemy, with a bartending team led by French-born globetrotter Viji Thomas. Expect unconventional ingredients such as truffle-infused vodka and seaweed agave in every sip.
Operating hours: 4pm – 1am (Tuesday to Thursday), 4pm – 3am (Friday), 5pm – 3am (Saturday, closed on Sunday)
Getting there: Board the T818 or T852 bus and alight at the KL1170 Plaza Damansara stop, before walking 4 minutes to Skullduggery.
What we liked:
- A deliciously profane drink can be found in 'Deez Nutz & Jam', which essentially is a deconstructed PB&J sandwich led with Campari.
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Suzie Wong
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While she may be fictitious, one can’t help but wonder if Suzie Wong has any relation with famed director Wong Kar Wai, given how her namesake bar appears to have been lifted off the set of his films. If you are successful in sussing out which nondescript door leads into this palatial palace of the East, you will find yourself amid the rich opulence of what appears to be an opium den from 19th-century Hong Kong. The scene is replete with private salons and even a raised pavilion for special guests, while the drinks menu boasts recipes with an Asian suggestion.
Operating hours: 6pm – 1am (Wednesday to Saturday, closed from Sunday to Tuesday)
Getting there: Board the 02 GOKL bus and alight at the Wisma Foo Yoong stop, before walking 2 minutes to reach Suzie Wong.
What we liked:
- A classic Malaysian dessert receives a boozy take in 'Uncle Wong Cendol', which uses pandan-infused vodka and coconut liquor to great effect.
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HYDE at 53M
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Founded by the same folks behind 61 Monarchy, HYDE at 53M adopts the same tried-and-tested speakeasy formula, as expressed through a similarly lush approach to interior appointments here that are shared by its sister establishment. But its drinks menu is decidedly more playful and bold, willingly incorporating less conventional methods and ingredients with great verve. Better yet, if you don’t find anything you like on the menu, all you’ll have to do is describe your whims to the bartender and leave the rest up to chance. Consider this the more mischevious Mr Hyde to 61 Monarchy’s debonair Dr Jekyll.
Operating hours: 5pm – 12am (Sunday to Thursday, closed on Monday), 5pm – 2am (Friday and Saturday)
Getting there: Take the T813 bus and alight at Kommersial SS21/1A, before walking 2 minutes to HYDE at 53M.
What we liked:
- A taste of the Far East, 'JAPONISM’24' combines a wealth of Japanese components ranging from yuzu bitters to Junmai Ginjo sake for a refreshing concoction.
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The Attic Bar
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If you find yourself wandering amid the many streets and alleyways in Chinatown, as one often does, then do yourself the favour of taking some time out to drop by The Attic Bar. In true Prohibition fashion, this speakeasy is hidden away on the topmost floor of an otherwise modest but popular tourist lodge, accessible by a characteristic wooden spiral staircase. As you step foot into the bar, expect a visual feast by way of exposed brick walls and Chinese lanterns. But it is the al fresco seating area that takes the cake here, where an ensemble cast of Kuala Lumpur’s most prominent skyline protagonists dazzle spectators, ranging from the latest Menara 118 to the adjacent Twin Towers.
Operating hours: 5pm – 1am (Sunday to Thursday), 5pm – 3am (Friday and Saturday)
Getting there: Take the Kelana Jaya LRT line and alight at the Pasar Seni LRT Station. Then walk 5 minutes to arrive at The Attic Bar.
What we liked:
- Find rich redolence in 'Aunt Beru's Spiked Blue Milk', an otherworldly concoction laden with coconut milk and pandan, doused with spiced rum and Blue Curacao.
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PS 150
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Another noteworthy entrant to this list located in Chinatown is PS150. With that said, you will have to put on a bold front as you trust the process and wander through a dark and musty hall housed in a pre-war shoplot next to Sin Chew Daily’s Kuala Lumpur bureau, before finally emerging in a gallery of Indochine history. Sprawled out across three sections, customers have the option of unwinding in the main bar area, or adjourn into more private salons dubbed the Opium Den, Larger gatherings will likely favour the Post-War space. Similarly, their cocktails are sectioned into different eras, ranging from Vintage, to Prohibition, Tiki, Disco, and finally, Contemporary.
Operating hours: 6pm – 2am (opens daily)
Getting there: Take the Kelana Jaya LRT line and alight at the Pasar Seni LRT Station. Then walk 5 minutes to arrive at PS150.
What we liked:
- Spend an evening in the company of 'PS AMOI', who tantalises with peach and jasmine soda, with a sprightly zest of lemon.
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The First Chapter
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Beloved by locals living in the thriving F&B hub of TTDI since its inception, The First Chapter has now moved its operations to a new base in Plaza Damansara. While the space may offer a completely fresh take on ambiance, rest assured that the drinks menu continues to remain relatively unchanged, save for some new additions to the fray. Two doors greet you upon your arrival, one leading into a wall and another leading into the bar proper in a coy game of guesswork. The interior takes after its name, fashioned after a gentleman’s study with its Chesterfield couches and bookcase facades.
Operating hours: 6pm – 3am (Tuesday to Saturday, closed on Sunday and Monday)
Geting there: Getting there: Board the T818 or T852 bus and alight at the KL1170 Plaza Damansara stop, before walking 5 minutes to The First Chapter.
What we liked:
- A brunch beverage now made suitably boozy for the evening, the vodka-spiked 'Matcha Latte That You Can’t Bring Home' is a treat for those who enjoy their cocktails smooth.
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Tickets
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As children, tickets promise access to exciting thrills, whether it be amusement parks or movies. That very same premise applies to adults as well, especially when you decide to visit Tickets Bar in Bukit Damansara. Of course, the assumption here is that you manage to find it on first try without help, as the facade of the bar’s entrance has been done up to masquerade as a parking ticket office, not unlike those typically found in most commercial buildings, complete with ticket rates printed on an acrylic board. But venture ahead and find the hidden switch that swings the concealed door open, and you are ushered into a cocktail bar whose menu spans an eclectic selection of wonders inspired by some of the world’s most renowned artists, from M.C Escher to Salvador Dali.
Operating hours: 6pm – 2am (closed on Mondays)
Getting there: Board the T818 or T852 bus and alight at the KL1170 Plaza Damansara (Barat) stop, before walking 4 minutes to Tickets.
What we liked:
- Chocolate redolence is abound in every sip of 'The Persistence of Memory', a Salvador Dali-inspired cocktail recipe that will delight those with a sweet-tooth.
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Brooklyn
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East Coast purists will argue that there is nothing remotely New York about sweltering equatorial afternoons and muggy evenings, but if you traipse up along the metal fire escape leading into Brooklyn Bar and squint just enough, you can almost picture yellow cabs chugging past as irate locals meander their way on the sidewalk. Taking many obvious cues from the Big Apple picture book, this speakeasy’s swanky, jazz lounge informed interior offers velvet comfort and bay windows that overlook virdian greens, accented by choice photographs of the Brooklyn neighbourhood after which it is named after. As predicted, the cocktail menu here offers many metropolitan staples executed in excellent aplomb, but hides a few novel surprises up its sleeve too. Just be sure to get the right access code at the door.
Operating hours: 5pm – 1am (Sunday to Wednesday), 5pm – 3am (Thursday to Saturday)
Getting there: Board the T818 or T852 bus and alight at the KL1170 Plaza Damansara (Barat) stop, before walking 3 minutes to Brooklyn Bar.
What we liked:
- If texture ranks high on your cocktail requirements, then you're sure to enjoy the velvet-smooth 'Flea Season', suffused with elderflower liqueur and lemon juice with a splash of gin, carried on egg whites.
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Te Amo
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Before Bukit Damansara and TREC could run, Changkat had to pave the way and open doors as Kuala Lumpur’s de-facto bar scene. While its popularity may have waned with newer contemporaries offering more interesting options that go beyond affordable watering holes, hidden (literally) gems such as Te Amo still make it worth the visit. When arriving at the door, be sure to first check their socials for the passcode (which changes daily), to be granted entry into its take in Spanish flair. Deep red couches and dangling chandelliers complete the effect when laid against dark wood floors for an impassioned take on Latin decor. The drinks menu here meshes a fusion of East-West influences, which results in a novel spectrum of flavours.
Operating hours: 6pm – 3am (Wednesday to Sunday, closed on Monday and Tuesday)
Getting there: Board the Kelana Jaya LRT line and alight at the KL Sentral Station, before changing on to the Monorail. Take the Monorail and alight at the Bukit Bintang station before walking 6 minutes to Te Amo.
What we liked:
- A boozy 'Mango Lassi' made with a blend of mangoes, passionfruit, coconut cream, and gin, will keep you asking for seconds.
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Three X Co
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If you’re the type who likes to impress with theatrical flair, then a game of cloaks and daggers at Three X Co will surely do the trick. Locate what appears to be a barber’s pop-up store in Bangsar Shopping Centre, and let the detective work begin as you suss out the right way to open up a passage into one of the city’s most decorated cocktail establishments. But once you do, be prepared to find yourself whisked away into the Roaring Twenties, with a spellbinding combination of gold metalwork and emerald-green velvet furnishings lending an exceedingly distinguished air to the bar. But it’s menu is far from stodgy, in spite of its more regal setting, as Three X Co has earned itself multiple accolades from the people at The World’s Best Bars for pushing the mixology envelope. Better still, it is also a popular spot for the cocktail community for organising guest shifts with bartenders across the globe, so check back often.
Operating hours: 5pm – 12am (Monday to Thursday), 5pm – 1am (Friday to Saturday, closed on Sunday)
Getting there: Take the T817 bus and alight at the Bangsar Shopping Centre stop, before walking 3 minutes to Three X Co.
What we liked:
- Tell yourself that you're doing your health a favour by sipping on the 'Morning After', a cocktail replete with lemons and strawberries galore.
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We’ve mentioned that Kuala Lumpur plays host to some of the most exciting bar districts in Southeast Asia, but the ageing Wisma Cosway commercial complex is decidedly not one of them. Situated across from Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, the building is now host to many legacy businesses and restaurants, the latter of which attract nearby office workers for offering generous lunch portions at affordable prices. But come evening, head back after the crowd dissipates and locate The Rebel Penguin of Funkytown. Founded by Alvin Au Yong, this speakeasy is a vibrant, neon-splashed homage to the 1980s, well-hidden from view behind its convincingly drab storefront that doesn’t look out of place among its other cohorts. The same cannot be said of the interior, which boasts a dazzlingly eclectic choice of decorative appointments, in addition to a drinks menu that yields curiosities such as the nacho tequila driven Grand Theft Nacho.
Operating hours: 7pm – 12am (Wednesday and Thursday), 7pm – 1am (Friday and Saturday, closed on Sunday to Tuesday)
Getting there: Take the 02 GOKL bus and alight at the Wisma Cosway stop, before walking 2 minutes to The Rebel Penguin of Funkytown.
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