Silly Name, Succulent Burgers: Laowai's Lounge Opens in Wudaokou

This campus-style café-bar suffers from a surprisingly unimaginative approach to design. The long bar area is pleasing enough, but seating is arranged in unnecessarily rigid lines, and Mao posters are haphazardly thrown about to cover bare red walls.

Prices are a little above the usual Wudaokou rates, with a limited menu of shots (RMB 20) and cocktails (RMB 30-45). Still, Tsingtaos are only RMB 5, so grab a cold beer and play for free at any of the three pool tables, the dartboard or table shuffleboard. Hookah and snacks like succulent burgers and tasty sandwiches (RMB 35-45) are also available.

Laowai’s Lounge lacks the energy that has made some of its neighbors into local institutions, but that’s not something that couldn’t be put right with a few tweaks. Losing the silly name might also help.

Good for: Game nights, students

Also try: Lush, Pyro

Daily 11am-3am. 2/F, Bldg 12, Huaqing Jiayuan, Wudaokou, Haidian District (8286 3517) 海淀区五道口华清嘉园12号楼2层