If you’re looking for cheap Champagne, cocktails and beer with a view, these sky-high alfresco bars in Boat Quay, Telok Ayer, Orchard Road and Marina Bay will leave you breathless
Wanna get high? On heights, we mean! Chill out like a boss at these spectacular rooftop bars in Singapore, all boasting scenic views that will have you floating on cloud nine. And what pairs perfectly with such a picturesque sight from up above? Happy hours with the best drink deals for cocktails, Champagne, wine and beer, that’s what. We pick out some rooftop bars with happy hour promos that tower above the rest; it’s time to live it up and get swigging ’til you’re soaring.
Kinki
Situated on the second floor of Customs House is Kinki, a contemporary Japanese bar that serves izakaya bites like tempura and sushi. But superior nosh aside (please try the foie gras and scallop sushi for death by decadence), Kinki also caters to the thirsty with one-for-one beers and house pours, every day from 5pm to 8pm. And while not technically a happy hour, Kinki also gives extra love to aircrew (on Mondays) and marketing/creative/advertising hustlers (on Tuesdays) with 30% off selected drinks. We’re not complaining *wink*.
Kinki, #02-02 Customs House, 70 Collyer Quay, Singapore 049323, p. 6533 3471.
Empire
Be treated like royalty after a hard day’s work at this “high-end ultra lounge”. Catered to working sophisticated yuppies who feel the need to loosen that tie or slap on a killer set of heels, Empire is a ritzy bottle service establishment with a 45-storey panoramic view and enticing happy hour promos. Its current boozy perks include one-for-one house pours at $12, house wines at $10, and a bucket of five Tigers or craft beers at $42 and $60 respectively – from 5pm to 10pm.
Empire, Lvl 45 Singapore Land Tower, 50 Raffles Place, Singapore 048623, p. 9128 7001.
Southbridge
Oysters and alcohol: Best. Combo. Ever. Hit up Southbridge for a stunning view of the Singapore River, a marathon of umami flavours with creations like the Pearls (grilled oysters with white wine sauce and avruga caviar), lobster knuckle roll, and truffle and smoked pancetta sandwich. Toast to this indulgence with Southbridge’s happy hours: on weekdays ’til 8pm, Pinnacle vodka and Sauza Silver tequila go for as low as $8, Kakubin whisky and Bombay Sapphire gin at $10, and Fürstenberg beers at $8 as well.
Southbridge, 5/F (rooftop), 80 Boat Quay, Singapore 049868, p. 6536 5818.
Sum Yi Tai
Housed in a multi-storey shophouse, this restaurant-bar follows an old-school 1980s Hong Kong theme. Chinese tapas – like crispy roast pork and XO carrot cake – are served on the ground floor, while a dining club (there’s a private dining room as well) is located on the second floor. But head upstairs to the third storey, and you’ll find a happy hour promo from Mondays to Saturdays, 5pm-8pm. Draft beers, sakes and wines are available at $10, and an Asahi Dry bucket of five is just $40. But during 10pm-11pm, you can also purchase a whole bottle of Grey Goose vodka for $98++ if you’re gearing up for a long night (also available during 5pm-8pm).
Sum Yi Tai, 25 Boon Tat Street, Singapore 069622, p. 6221 3665.
CÉ LA VI
Taking the meaning of living the high life to a whole new level – 57 stories up, in fact! – is CÉ LA VI. Perched atop the boat-shaped structure of Marina Bay Sands, you not only get a picturesque view of the SG skyline, but also a luxe clubbing experience that combines swank with swagger. Every day from 12pm to 9pm, you can snap up “R” de Ruinart Champagne for $138++, and a beer bundle of five bottles for $68++ (choose from Heineken, Corona Extra, Asahi Super Dry or Tiger). It’s a bit on the pricier side, but for that killer view? Totally worth it.
CÉ LA VI, SkyPark, Marina Bay Sands Tower 3, 1 Bayfront Avenue, Singapore 018971, p. 6688 7688.
Bar Canary
If the prospect of happy hour makes you sing like a lark – or a canary, in this case – then this is one hotel bar you’d wanna coop up in. Perched atop Grand Park Orchard, Bar Canary’s happy hour invites you with its Beat The Clock concept, giving you and your colleagues the perfect excuse to leave work early. Available daily from 6pm to 9pm, the prices climb the later you reach. Choose from a bucket of eight bottled beers, or a set of bottled house wine and four signature cocktails; either can be plucked from the bar for $60++ (at 6pm), $70++ (at 7pm), $80++ (at 8pm), and $90++ (at 9pm). Pick wisely!
Bar Canary, Level 4 Grand Park Orchard, 270 Orchard Road, Singapore 238857, p. 6603 8854.
Terra
Helmed by Limited Edition Concepts, the head honchos behind kyō and Refuge, Terra is a South American-influenced abode offering botanically inspired cocktails. It’s also a rooftop bar, perched mightily atop Suntec City’s vibrant Sky Garden, so you can enjoy a bevvie while taking in the view of the CBD. Happy hour here is a gleefully long one: 3pm-8pm from Tuesdays to Fridays, and all day on Mondays, where you can snag full pints of beers, house pours, wine and spirits for $10 nett.
Terra, #03-308 Suntec City Sky Garden, 3 Temasek Boulevard, Singapore 038983, p. 6336 6009.