Planning a night-out with a friend group that is larger than three can sometimes feel harder than winning an Olympic gold—so when you do succeed in bringing the gang together, you have to make it a night to remember. If your criteria for a bar for your next barkada night out includes good food in shareable servings, buzzy drinks that don't taste like alcohol, and a relaxed ambiance for a long night of chitchat and catch-up, then we've got you covered.
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6 Bars In Manila Where You Can Grab Drinks With Your Friends
Southbank Cafe + Lounge
Location: Central Plaza, Westgate Center, Alabang, Muntinlupa City; and East Wing, Estancia Mall, Pasig City
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For a classy hangout, head on over to Southbank. Their space features broody interiors with long tables and cozy couches. The Southbank Snack Pack has Chicken Nibbles served with honey sriracha, hickory BBQ sauce, and crema, plus mozzarella and shoestring fries, perfect for sharing. Or you can go luxe with the Bonemarrow Toast, rich bone marrow that also comes with bacon jam, a side salad, and Italian flatbread. Skipping the cocktails here should be a crime—after all, Southbank is ranked #82 on Asia's 50 Best Bars 2024. Indulge your sweet tooth with the P Buttah & Jams, with peanut Butter bourbon, blueberry jam, dry vermouth, Crème de Myrtille, and salt. You can also ask the bartender for their mix you a custom drink!
Boudica
Location: City Golf,Doña Julia Vargas Avenue, Pasig City
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If you want a venue that's relatively accessible to everyone, then Ortigas is a pretty great option—especially with Boudica in the area. Start the night off with The Boudica with four kinds of cheese, four kinds of charcuterie plus chicken pate, mixed nuts, and more. There's also a variety of shareable mains like Crispy Pata and Pinoy Sisig. For buzzy drinks, Boudica carries both classic cocktails and their own mixes like the Kiss Me which has Johnny Walker Black, Cointreau passionfruit, and raspberry. Their gin-and-tonic selection is extensive, too!
Izakaya Geronimo
Location: G/F Asian Century Center, 27th Street corner 3rd Avenue, Bonifacio Global City
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Izakaya Geronimo is more spacious than the traditional izakaya, which means more people you can invite to a fun hang over Japanese bites. You can share small plates like the Crispy Shirauo or fried Japanese iced fish (think dilis but with a lighter batter) served with sesame seed-topped mayonnaise or yakitori. Their cocktail selection is just as varied, ranging from highballs to tap cocktails, and even Tea-Hi which combines cold brew tea with vodka. Izakaya Geronimo's massive space also hosts a ramen bar and a lounge, which transforms into a dancefloor with a DJ playing every weekend.
Seltsam
Location: Rooftop, Xanland Building, 152 Amorsolo Street, Legaspi Village, Makati City
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Seltsam, named after the German word for strange, sure is eclectic. With glass walls and ceilings plus lush greenery, and mismatched couches and tables, it feels like you're hanging out in a greenhouse. The bar chow go from Japanese inspired from their Gyoza to Agedashi Tofu and Chicken Karaage Bites to classic Pinoy pulutan like Chicharon, and Dad's Sisig. Try out something unique from their cocktail list with the Brown Butter Bourbon Old Fashioned. Also, their adorable Seltsam cat named Boba may also grant you the honor of their presence.
Cheech & Chang HK Roasts
Location: 75 West Capitol Drive, Kapitolyo, Pasig City
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This unassuming al-fresco joint for HK roasts is always packed for good reason. Aside from the no-frills ambiance, Cheech & Chang serves up excellent Cantonese fare. The price range of their compact menu goes from P160 to P300, which makes it super easy to order lots of plates to share. You can't go wrong with baos, the spicy-and-nutty Dan Dan noodles, and the Salt and Pepper Squid. Their partner bar Lotus Gin Room offers Tanqueray gin-and-tonics as well as signature cocktails like the Spicy Mango Diwata which has gin, spicy mango, lemon, and chili. Their friendly bartenders are generous with free shots, too, so be ready for a fun night ahead!
Talabar Kitchen & Cafe
Location: G/F Grandia Place, Mother Ignacia Street, Quezon City
As their name suggests (talaba + bar, get it?) there's oysters a-plenty at Talabar. Aside from the usual Baked with a creamy non-dairy sauce, Grilled or Rockefeller with Pecorino and cream cheese, Talabar also has more creative oyster offerings like the Oyster Okonomiyaki with sriracha mayo and bonito flakes. Not fond of oysters? Talabar also has a wide selection of non-oyster dishes like Talabar's Crispy Pata or Jack Daniel's Bulaklaque—chicharon bulaklak glazed in Talabar's signature whiskey-bourbon sauce. The cocktail selection is broad, too: Try something new from their signatures like a Popcorn Swirl. P.S. Talabar also has DJ nights from 10 p.m. 'til late on some weekends of the month that can get pretty wild. (Take it from us!)
