Sanlitun Bar Hop

As brutal winter finally hits Beijing, you have a perfect excuse to get yourself warmed up by grabbing some drinks at Sanlitun, the city’s hub for all bars and pubs.

Start your night in solid style at Union Bar & Grille (S6-31, 3/F, Sanlitun Village South | 优年美式餐厅 三里屯Village南区6号楼3层S6-31) during its bustling happy hour, between 4 to 8pm daily and all night on Tuesdays. If a glass of draft Guinness at RMB 30 (Happy Hour, RMB 55 at regular hours) doesn’t make you jump for joy, then I don’t know what else would.

Bottoms up your drinks and cross over to The Stumble Inn (S3-31, 3/F, Sanlitun Village South | 三里屯Village南区3号楼3层S3-31) where you can catch the latest scores of whatever sports match is on, or start a pool or dart game with your friends – always a great drinking opportunity. Known for its extensive, international beer selection; from Singha (Thai) to Sagres (Portugal) and everything in between, there’s a beer of choice for everyone at The Stumble Inn.

Take a couple of flights down The Village and hit the heart of Sanlitun, 1F (1/F Tongli Studio | 三里屯后街同里1层). Consider your Sanlitun night out not nearly complete without paying homage to the neighborhood’s gem. Many delicious drinks await you at 1F, and by that we mean don’t leave the bar without sampling a glass of lychee sangria! If you like to nibble while drinking, friendly 1F staff are always happy to refill the peanut bowls for you. To top it off, you’re very likely to run into a familiar face or two at 1F, clearly a win-win situation.

Meet 1F’s partner in crime, head one story up to the 2F (2/F Tongli Studio | 三里屯后街同里2层) where you can enjoy cocktails perfected by Ah Jian – a contender for Beijing’s top bartender in the Beijinger’s 2010 Bar and Club Awards. Better yet, claim one at half price between 6-9pm every night.

If the sophisticated side of Sanlitun is what you prefer, head to Apothecary (3/F Nali Patio | 那里花园3层) and you won’t be disappointed. The bar is known for its extensive drink menu so bring your reading glasses. Overwhelmed by the detailed descriptions of each drink? Just look up and ask one of the many smiley staff and bartenders for explanation or customization. But know that you could never go wrong with Apothecary’s heavenly eggnog – just perfect for the season.

Continue your drinking debauchery at Mesh (1/F The Opposite House | 三里屯Village 1号楼瑜舍1层) the Apple of Beijing’s cocktail bars. There’s no better place to sip a delicious martini while people watching through the glass windows onto the streets of Sanlitun. And it gets even better if you are a fan of electronic/house music.

If your heart’s calling for a serious dancing session, join the rest of the beautiful crowd on Punk’s dance floor (B1/F The Opposite House | 三里屯Village 1号楼瑜舍B1层). People keep going back to Punk for various reasons – to drink, dance, and simply to freshen up in the bar’s beautiful bathroom, to name a few. It is not a surprise to bump into someone you know since the place draws a loyal, consistent crowd. Punk also has plenty of special DJ events to heat up the dance floor.

After burning some calories on the dance floor, it’s time to earn some more from the famous pizza (and possibly more drinks) at Nearby the Tree (Xingfu Sancun 3 Xiang – behind Yashow, west of Tongli | 幸福三村三巷三里屯南33号院内 - 雅秀后边同里西边). At this point you would have completed all the drinking, dancing, and dining activities essential for the Sanlitun bar hop. Now it’s time to congratulate yourself on the success of your legendary night.