Tantric Bar ★ 4.2
$$tanjong-pagarDaily 5pm to late
Singapore's most established LGBTQ bar, open since 2004 as the first Neil Road business to fly a rainbow flag. The Blue Spin cocktail and May Wong's Cafe create a layered Chinatown-fringe queer space.
Tip: The best nights are Friday and Saturday from around 10pm. The heritage shophouse setting is the draw; the outdoor Neil Road pavement seating is pleasant for earlier evening drinks.
Taboo ★ 4.0
$$tanjong-pagarWednesday to Sunday; evening hours with occasional Men-Only nights
Singapore's longest-running gay dance venue since 1997, now on Duxton Road. Operating in a hybrid format with drag shows, party nights and a food collaboration with Peranakan dining concept f've.
Tip: Check Facebook for the weekly programme; drag shows and Men-Only nights are announced monthly. Entry S$10 to S$25 depending on the night.
Offtrack ★ 4.5
$$chinatownMonday to Thursday 6pm to midnight; Friday to Saturday 5pm to 1am; Sunday closed
Asia's 50 Best Bars 2025 No. 23. Klipsch La Scala speakers deliver vinyl-driven jazz, soul, funk and ambient in a Mid-Century wood and terrazzo interior. Serious Pan-Asian kitchen for dinner.
Tip: No reservations. The sound system is the centrepiece; arrive for the opening set on Friday for the best listening conditions before the room fills. The Pan-Asian kitchen is serious enough to constitute dinner.
RPM by D.Bespoke ★ 4.4
$$tanjong-pagarTuesday to Friday 6pm to midnight; Saturday to Sunday 4pm to midnight
Jazz Kissa-inspired listening bar on Duxton Road from the D.Bespoke team. Vintage JBL speakers, a floor-to-ceiling vinyl collection, Japanese shochu and specialty spirits in 30 intimate seats.
Tip: A quieter alternative to Offtrack; the vinyl collection leans toward Japanese jazz and 1970s soul. The shochu selection is among the most serious in Singapore's bar scene.
Lau Pa Sat Satay Street ★ 4.5
$chinatownInterior 24 hours; Satay Street 7pm to 3am daily
Boon Tat Street closes at 7pm for Singapore's best-known satay street: nine charcoal-fired stalls, cold beer, and the CBD skyline as backdrop. Interior 24-hour hawker centre handles the late shift.
Tip: Satay street peaks 8pm to 10pm. After midnight the interior stalls carry the nocturnal trade. The 24-hour format makes it the most reliable late-night option in the CBD.
Swee Choon Tim Sum ★ 4.3
$little-indiaDaily 7am to 2am; Fridays and Saturdays until 4am
Dim sum institution since 1962, serving until the small hours every night. Draws Singapore's chefs, hospitality workers, and night owls; quality consistent from opening through to last orders.
Tip: The 10pm to 2am window has no queues and full service. The liu sha bao and har gao are the orders regardless of the hour.