Highballers Bar: Casual Drinks in a Moody Setting

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One of our favourite bars in Taipei to bring visitors to is Hanko 60, a moody speakeasy in Ximen that is known for their unique Asian-inspired cocktails and vintage Taiwanese aesthetic. We’ve loved this bar for years and will continue to love it, but we can’t deny that its popularity is also its downfall: getting a reservation can be hell, and turning up without one is seriously risky. So, when we discovered Highballer’s Bar —  similarly moody, yet much more relaxed than Hanko 60 — we couldn’t believe our luck. Tucked away in the basement of a residential building near Shuanglian and Zhongshan Elementary School, Highballers Bar almost feels like a speakeasy, just with a punky twist and a heavy dose of East-meets-West. With a cool, casual aesthetic, it’s the sort of bar that appeals to locals and foreigners alike by providing a comfortable atmosphere with its own unique style.

One of the things that had originally gotten us so excited for Highballer’s Bar is the fact that it advertises itself as a dive bar. There’s no dress code, and it was easy enough for us to make a reservation for 5 people on a weekend night, something we’d never be able to do at one of the “nicer” cocktail bars. Still, we probably wouldn’t describe it as a dive bar ourselves — at least not like the ones back home — as it’s still gorgeous and popular, with a strong focus on their cocktails menu. We would agree that it didn’t feel pretentious at all, and had a laid-back atmosphere that was easy to relax in. The 90’s/2000’s alternative rock throwbacks playing in the background were a nice touch.

Highballer’s Bar isn’t strictly a cocktail bar, but they have an entire page of their menu dedicated to some of their own concoctions. We do love a good cocktail or two, so the first one we got was the Sweet Osmanthus Dream ($350), made with rum, osmanthus, passionfruit liqueur and pineapple puree. This was fruity and delicious, with a slight floral twist from the osmanthus that we loved. It was more sweet than strong, though they weren’t stingy on the rum — we felt it later.

Next, we got the Aladdin Wants a Divorce ($350), made with gin, Biluochun tea, Scotch whiskey, dry vermouth, and elderflower liqueur. This was strong, and we were glad to be sipping it from the tiny sake cup. It was quite interesting with the elderflower liqueur, but we would caution against ordering it if you like your drinks to be on the weaker side.

After that, we got the Bad Hombres ($320), made with tequila, rouge vermouth, dry vermouth, Campari, grapefruit peel, and dried roses as a garnish. This tasted quite similar to a Negroni, and it felt like they had put their own twist on the classic.

We also got the Sleepless in Taipei ($350), made with bourbon whiskey, Cynar and coffee. This cocktail was strong and bitter, with a slightly medicinal aftertaste from the Cynar that was not loved by everyone. We quite enjoyed it, though.

Last, we got the El Chapo in Paris ($350), made with tequila, cognac, homemade roselle syrup, and blood orange puree. This was strong, sour, and very easy to drink despite packing a punch. It was a great choice if you like fruity cocktails but don’t like them too sweet.

In addition to drinks, we also got some food. The Dumplings That will Haunt your Dreams ($230, spicy hot pot flavour) and chicken nuggets ($200) were particularly good and made for a great snack while we sipped on our cocktails.

Although we stuck to cocktails that night, you don’t have to if that’s not your jam. Highballer’s Bar also has normal drinks, punch (for six or more people) and some really neat looking highballs that we didn’t even see until we were looking back at the menu the next day. In particular, we were very interested in the osmanthus Earl Grey gin & tonic and the Guanyin tea with Scotch, both of which are only $200. They also have a happy hour deal every day except for Friday and Saturday, where you can get 3 highballs for $500/four for $650/five for $800 between the hours of 8-11PM, which is a pretty decent deal.

Check out their English menu down below:

Overall, we loved the vibe and concept of Highballer’s Bar. It was moody yet still welcoming, and we loved the fact that it was hidden underground in an area of Taipei that we rarely go out in. The interior and cocktail list was also epic, with strong Taiwanese influences that made for a unique and highly-Instagrammable experience. This is definitely a place we’d take someone from out of town, and it would be really fun to return to with friends sometime too.

What’s the vibe?

Grungy underground bar near Shuanglian with punky, modern Taiwanese decor. It’s very popular with young Taiwanese people and can get crowded on weekends.

Worth it?

We thought so. It was somewhere between a cocktail bar and a regular bar, and unpretentious, which we really liked. We also really appreciated that we made a reservation so easily on a weekend night, something that’s practically impossible at most nice cocktail bars.

Would you go back?

Sure. It’s a cool place to bring friends and visitors, and we really want to try their highballs.

Last updated June 2020

Highballer's Bart

Chinese Name:桂公子酒館

Hours: 8pm – 5am

Phone: 0225373649

English Address: B1, No. 37號, Section 1, Minsheng East Road, Zhongshan District, Taipei City

Chinese Address: B1, No. 37號民生東路一段中山區台北市