Tsim Sha Tsui Bar Guide: From The Peninsula's Secret Bar to Old-School Street Pubs
From The Peninsula's century-old dimly-lit bar to Ned Kelly's Last Stand, the fifty-year-old fixture on the streets of Kowloon Park Drive, Tsim Sha Tsui's nightlife splits into two distinct personalities: vertical views of Victoria Harbour, and horizontal street-level pub energy.
Tsim Sha Tsui's bar landscape can be summed up with two numbers: The Peninsula Hong Kong's oak-panelled secret bar on the ground floor has held the same spot for over a hundred years; Ned Kelly's Last Stand, on the streets near Kowloon Park Drive, has spent fifty years pouring British and Continental draft beer down the throats of countless tourists and locals alike. Starting from these two extremes, Tsim Sha Tsui's drinking scene broadly divides into two personalities—the vertical hotel high-rise bars overlooking Victoria Harbour, and the horizontal, bustling pubs tucked into street corners. Local dining media outlet Foodie Hong Kong ranks Tsim Sha Tsui among Hong Kong's top three drinking districts, alongside Wan Chai and Lan Kwai Fong in Central.
On Foodie Hong Kong's list, these two personalities are almost evenly split, making Tsim Sha Tsui one of the few districts that can satisfy both cocktail connoisseurs and those simply looking to get a little tipsy.
Hotel Bars Along the Victoria Harbour Skyline
DarkSide, on the second floor of Rosewood Hong Kong, is the most highly rated name on this route, with a menu that rotates regularly around different themes—this time built around Hong Kong's history and culture across different eras. Higher up in the same building, the newly opened Mondrian Hong Kong has turned Avoca on the 38th floor into a bar that tells stories through Hong Kong ingredients, with the Yuenyang Martini and Claypot Negroni on the menu bringing the flavor memories of cha chaan tengs straight into the glass. Qura Bar on the ground floor of Regent Hong Kong takes a different route entirely—smart casual dress code, cigars and wine, cocktails mixed with rare spirits, paired with harbour views, reserved for those willing to sit down for a full dinner.
Chin Chin Bar on the third floor of Hyatt Regency Hong Kong goes against the grain, ditching the dark tones typical of Tsim Sha Tsui hotel bars in favor of bright red accents and oak interiors housing over 300 whiskies. The bar that truly earned the title "secret bar" through a century of history is The Bar on the ground floor of The Peninsula—oak panelling, amber lighting, a wine and champagne list co-curated by bartenders and sommeliers, and a grand piano playing continuously in the corner. For those after pure views, Eyebar on the 30th floor of iSQUARE, open for over a decade, is known for its Instagram-worthy cocktails with Asian fruit notes; it takes no reservations, but the indoor dining area offers shelter from the wind up top.
Kowloon Park Drive and the Pub Atmosphere of Backstreet Corners
Ned Kelly's Last Stand on Ashley Road is the veteran on this route—its rough-hewn décor and fifty years of accumulated warmth keep the queues coming for its British and Continental drafts. Castro's, on the same street, takes the Cuban route, with daiquiris, mojitos, margaritas, and martinis forming the backbone of its menu; its second-floor location offers a perfect view of the foot traffic below.
Knutsford Terrace is another buzzing strip. The China Bar, relocated from Lan Kwai Fong, has recreated the same nostalgic vibe here, with spacious interiors, a six-hour happy hour, and live music as its main draws; MOOO! Grill & Outdoor Garden Bar on the ground floor of Mira Place takes the opposite approach, injecting a bit of calm into the street with its open-air terrace. The latest addition to the scene is Niwas on the ninth floor, a Nepal-themed bar incorporating masala chai, yak cheese, lard, and millet beer into its cocktails; the soft opening phase features three signature cocktails, alongside a 12-dish menu perfect for a slightly tipsy dinner.
Beer lovers can head over to Kimberley Road, where Taiwan's Zhang Men Craft Brewery has opened a Tsim Sha Tsui outpost, with 20 taps rotating through flavors like red guava, mango, lychee, roasted oolong tea, and green plum, paired with a menu of Taiwanese savory snacks. For whisky and Japanese-style cocktails, head into Mody House—Bar Buonasera on the seventh floor stocks whiskies from Ireland, Canada, Taiwan, the US, and Japan, with Japanese-technique gin tonics and highballs as its signature pours; Bar Butler on the fifth floor has built up a loyal following since opening in 2011, specializing in Ginza-style bartending that handles fruit-forward cocktails with finesse—with only 18 seats in the whole place, it fills up fast on weekdays, so calling ahead is recommended.
