Best Bars in Taipei: Cafe Dalida
Introducing our all-time favourite bar in the city: Cafe Dalida. Located in Red House Square next to Ximen MRT, this bar offers one of the strongest cocktails in Taipei and the undisputed best outdoor terrace in the city (and perhaps even the country). The candle-lit seating area is sheltered by a massive canopy and enveloped in a cornucopia of dangling plants and lanterns. It’s a vibrant oasis that serves jungle sanctuary realness with undertones of seductive masculinity.
Yes, Cafe Dalida is primarily a gay bar, the stand-out among many other rainbow-flag-waving bars behind Red House. But don’t let that deter you: this bar transcends the LGBT scene, appealing to people of all genders and orientations. We personally know straight people who bring dates and friends on a regular basis.
The playful music selection is on point – loud enough to enjoy but usually not too much to drown out conversation. Chill vibes in the early evening surrender to a livelier energy later on. Though there’s no dancing, the crowd gets more spirited as the drinks pour, especially on drag nights on Fridays and Saturdays.
On weekends, Cafe Dalida stays busy until the early hours of the morning. They stop serving cocktails around 2:30am but the beer taps keep running until 4. Still, one morning we stayed past sunrise literally until 7am to hang out with the staff, who are always friendly and accommodating. Fridays and Saturdays are Drag Night, where you can enjoy lip-sync performances from the best of Taipei’s drag scene. These performances are extremely popular and the bar can be crowded and hectic, but they’re a lot of fun. They start at around 9:30 and end around 10:30PM, but we strongly recommend getting there early to snag yourself a table.
What’s the vibe?
Vibrant, welcoming bar with a beautiful outdoor terrace full of hanging plants and lanterns. A relaxed atmosphere in the early evening turns lively on weekend nights. The crowd is mostly gay men, both local and foreign, but Cafe Dalida has mass appeal and welcomes everyone – it’s popular with all genders and orientations.
Worth it?
Absolutely. The drinks are STRONG, the ambience is immaculate, the staff is hilarious, and the crowd is fun. Expect to make new friends!
Would you go back?
Duh – we do almost every weekend (yes, really).
Last updated: December 2017
| Cafe Dalida |
| Hours: Sun - Thurs: 7pm - 3am Fri & Sat: 6pm - 4am |
| Phone: 02 2370 7833 |
| English Address: No. 51, Lane 10, Chengdu Road, Wanhua District, Taipei City, 108 |
| Chinese Address: 108台灣台北市萬華區成都路10巷51號 |
