Tatler Best 20 bars in Malaysia for 2025

Speakeasy Backdoor Bodega is hidden inside what looks like a pin shop, but inside, guests are welcome to an ever-changing menu of specialty cocktails featuring ingredients unique to Penang. From nutmeg and belacan to Penang-made soy sauce, the team here keeps things fun and interesting, ensuring guests are engaged and involved. The bar is helmed by self-taught bartender Koh Yung Shen, who is also the organiser of Penang Cocktail Week. Don’t leave without trying the Kelapa Hotak, the first-ever cocktail on the menu since Backdoor Bodega’s debut in 2016. This clarified concoction blends coconut, white rum, kaya, and pandan for a smooth, aromatic sip that perfectly captures the essence of Penang.

Situated within Taman Paramount, Bar Terumi is a beacon of warmth and inclusivity. Also known as “the tender bar”, it celebrates the details in everyday life through thoughtfully designed interiors and meticulously crafted drinks. Shirmy Chan leads an all-female team at the bar and aims to inspire through harmony. Don’t miss the Hakanai, a playful twist on the classic gin & tonic featuring salted plum foam and guava, or the Miwaku, a vibrant cocktail that balances the unexpected pairing of wasabi and green apple.

Known for its imaginative cocktail programme, the team at Bar Trigona crafts drinks using locally sourced and sustainable ingredients. Helmed by head bartender Rohan Matmary, who originally hails from Mumbai, drinks here are creative and fun—the current Colour Me Curious 2.0 menu encompasses 25 different cocktails divided into five distinct sections, ensuring something for everyone. For instance, The Wagyu is a rich creation made with A5 Wagyu tallow and kulim bitters, resulting in a luxurious and full-bodied drink with layers of umami and spice. The Elysian combines vodka and Chablis wine, which is crowned with Trigona Oscietra caviar, creating an indulgent cocktail.

Shawn Chong runs the 10-seater Bar Mizukami as a one-man-show, with no menu, inspired by Netflix’s series Midnight Diner. With no set menu, guests are invited to share their preferences, allowing Chong—who boasts over 15 years of bartending expertise—to craft a bespoke cocktail tailored to their tastes. Try the FloWari, a drink made with umeshu, coconut water, and Hinoki bitters, that works with any spirit of choice. On Saturdays, the bar transforms into the Midday Diner, serving up hearty and nourishing dishes like Nasi Banjir Nyonya, prepared by Chong himself.

A beloved staple since 2016, Coley is helmed by Kho Chee Kheong and his team of passionate bartenders, who blend traditional cocktail techniques with modern creativity. The food programme here is also exceptional, and the bar offers a laid-back, unpretentious setting perfect for unwinding. Local ingredients take centre stage in the “Koktel” menu, featuring ingredients like coconut water, air mata kucing, pandan, and asam boi. A must-try is the Gin & Coconut, a refreshingly smooth favourite that’s perfect for beating the heat.

A space with something for everyone, Dissolved Solids is a hybrid bar that caters to every palate, offering everything from cocktails and mocktails to expertly brewed coffee and tea. With a deep understanding of flavours and balance, the bar team—led by co-founder Tracia Chan—crafts drinks that can be fully customised to suit individual preferences. For something spirit forward, try the Tesseract, a classic on the menu that combines floral, botanical, smoky, and fruity flavours.

Within a pre-war shophouse lies Good Friends Club, offering a local drinking experience infused with Penang kopitiam culture. Here, guests experience Penang’s hospitality through refined cocktails and a fun and engaging menu reminiscent of the Snakes and Ladders board game. From the Laksa Negroni inspired by the assam laksa to the Penang White Dai-Curry, which draws flavours from white curry mee, drinks here are never boring.

Modern tropical cocktail bar Here & Now is decorated with doodles reminiscent of modern cavemen drawings, with its pastel interior resembling caves and sand. Led by founder and head bartender Affie Adut, the bar’s latest menu draws inspiration from ancient traditions of turning fruit and roots into cocktails. For instance, Guava is a fruity and tropical milk punch-style cocktail made with clarified pink guava juice and gin, while the creamy and rice Yam combines sake and shochu with purple yam, pandan, and coconut cream.

Blending Japanese elegance with minimalist design, Ikiya 2.0 delivers quality cocktails with heart, showcasing ingredients that are close to nature. The bar offers a relaxed and comfortable atmosphere, led by head bartender Lucas Chee. Order the Tonyu Mudslide, a bittersweet drink featuring rum infused with oolong tea, soy milk, and creme de cacao. For those that prefer savoury cocktails, ask for the Bolognese, made with frozen vodka, Chardonnay, and Bolognese milk-washed cordial. 

Located in the heart of Chinatown, Jann combines modern elegance with a nostalgic touch, bringing to life the spirit of Petaling Street and the surrounding history. Cocktails are named after iconic locations or food, paying homage to traditional trades popularised in the area. Try the Tau Foo Fah, a spin on the traditional dessert made with spiced rum and homemade soy curd. For a savoury concoction, the Bak Kwa is a highball with a whisky base that draws inspiration from a local meat jerky artisan located along Jalan Hang Lekir.

JungleBird, Malaysia’s first dedicated rum bar, has been a cornerstone of the local cocktail scene since 2017. Home to an impressive collection of over 300 rums from more than 40 countries, it’s a haven for rum enthusiasts and curious drinkers alike. Naturally, the must-order is the Jungle Bird, Malaysia’s iconic cocktail—an elegantly balanced mix of Caribbean rums, Campari, fresh lime, and pineapple juice. For something unique, try the KLKL, a milk-clarified jackfruit caipirinha featuring local jackfruit, fresh lime juice, and Brazil’s Thoquino Cachaça.

No Bar Here celebrates good old disco-era cocktails from the '80s and '90s, of course, while basking in tunes from the likes of Madonna and Culture Club. Order the Megumi Highball, a twist on the Pornstar Martini in Japanese highball fashion, as well as the Pink Hawaiian, a slushie version of Malaysia's national cocktail, the Jungle Bird. 

Housed in a charming Jalan Sin Chew Kee building, Pahit showcases an extensive selection of more than 150 gins worldwide. With a rustic yet welcoming ambience, the community hub offers creative cocktails, best paired with bites from the kitchen inspired by nostalgic flavours. Order the Gin Pahit #2, a timeless cocktail pairing spice and citrus that is bitter, tart, and subtly sweet. For those looking for a twist on the classic Negroni, the Kopi Negroni is an indulgent drink that evokes the comfort of a well-brewed cup.

Since it opened its doors in 2022, Penrose has become one of Kuala Lumpur’s most celebrated cocktail bars. Its menu is guided by functionality, minimalism, and modernity, breaking drinks down into five core elements—alcohol, taste, dilution, body, and flavour. Elevated classics are brought centre stage here, with its signature Penrose Gibson supplanting dry vermouth with sake vinegar and savoury inclusions with leek and shio kombu. Other signatures spotlight unconventional additions from fuji apple and rhubarb in its Ume Fuji to banana, tamarind, and pimento berries in its Rum Musa.

Rakh, translating into ash in Urdu and Hindi, prides itself on showcasing the culinary aspect of crafted beverages. With sustainability in mind, the bar uses minimal edible garnishes and often incorporates kitchen scraps for fermentation and distillation to operate with a gentle footprint. Order the Strawberry Cheesecake & Tequila, which has a lacto-fermented strawberry and tequila base, as well as the classic Rasam & Tomato, which turns the spice mix from the traditional Indian soup into a sorbet. For those looking to try something adventurous, try the Smoked Salmon & Herbs, featuring Norwegian salmon that is smoked and infused in flavoured gin. 

Inspired by the Malay term for creation, reka, and the Greek word for the joy of discovery, Eureka, Reka:Bar delivers a fun and memorable journey through flavours and sensory pleasures. Drinks here are innovative and futuristic, showcased through the signature Domino Effect Menu, which uses the main ingredient in one drink for the garnish in the following, interlinking flavours playfully while maximising sustainability. Order the Dusun, a durian-based drink made with lacto-fermented durian, jackfruit, and housemade non-spicy chili padi gin. Try the Liquid Ambra, which also sees kedondong juice reimagined in a savoury and refreshing concoction with an umami vodka infusion and tomato cordial. 

From alcohol-infused desserts like the Tau Fu Fah paired with spiced rum and Guilinggao, Soma Cocktail Bar evokes nostalgia with playful and modern drinks focusing on local flavours. Besides the alcohol-laden sweets, the cocktail programme is also excellent, from the Earl De Grey, which sees Earl Grey-infused gin paired with elderflower liqueur, to the Yuzu Sour, a refreshing cocktail made with lemon and orange peel-infused gin. 

From hosting masterclasses and guest shifts, Three X Co prides itself on propagating a drinking culture that is adventurous and welcoming, bringing excitement to the local bar scene. Helmed by head bartender Amanda Wan, the drinks here are unified by an ethos of community and self-expression, featuring a range of classic cocktails with a twist as well as creative signatures. Try the Tea-riffic Twins, served stacked like a bamboo shoot with two components—one warm, and the other shaved with ice, a nod to the fact that no two people are exactly alike—even twins! An airy salted cheese foam made with Hokkaido milk finishes the drink, which has a base of Oolong-infused cane spirit and clarified pineapple shrub. The Whimsy Wabbit, on the other hand, is a playful lychee martini served as a milk punch in a frozen glass bottle, poured over a wobbly rabbit made of aloe vera, pandan, and lychee. 

Food and beverage collective Triptyk is located in one of the last pre-war shophouses in Kampung Attap, with a cocktail program focused on sustainability with low ABV and zero-proof cocktails. The people-first business supports local talent and is designed with salvaged material, preserving the historical charm. Try the Kopi Kaw Kaw Kaw if you are looking for an after-meal pick-me-up, which has a base of shochu combined with espresso, macadamia syrup, and kaffir lime leaf. The Burung Hutan is a twist on the iconic Jungle Bird and can be ordered as a zero-proof beverage or made with spiced rum.