A year after placing #5 for the first time, the bar has now knocked Singapore's Manhattan off the top spot on the list

The Old Man, a tiny bar in Soho serving some of the most inventive and intriguing cocktails in Hong Kong today, has made it to the top of the Asia's 50 Best Bars list—not a bad showing for its second appearance since it debuted at #5 in 2018. It's been a stratospheric rise for the bar, which was opened by Agung Prabowo, Roman Ghale and James Tamang in the summer of 2017 and quickly received our Best Cocktails award less than half a year later. Since then, the establishment has only gone from strength to strength—this year, they expanded with a follow-up bar, The Sea, completing their tribute to Ernest Hemingway. The Singapore branch of The Old Man opened earlier this year also, bringing the trio's distinctive brand of esoteric cocktails to the Lion City.

"I have never dreamed about being the best in Asia," Prabowo told us. "I’m super honoured to received the crown last night—I still don’t believe we did it! Thanks so much for always the support." 

The Old Man was not the only Hong Kong triumph on this year's list. Jay Khan's COA debuted on the list at #12 as this year's highest new entry, while Quinary climbs five spots to claim a spot at #10. The Wise King, which won the Reader's Choice award for Best New Bar in the T.Dining Hong Kong Best Restaurants Awards last year, has entered the list at an impressive #18. Lobster Bar, Stockton, Otto e Mezzo and The Pontiac all fell further down the list but maintained their spot within the 50.

Asia's 50 Best Bars 2019
* denotes new entry

  1. The Old Man (Hong Kong) Best Bar in China
  2. Manhattan (Singapore) Best Bar in Singapore
  3. Indulge Experimental Bistro (Taipei) Best Bar in Taiwan
  4. Native (Singapore)
  5. Atlas (Singapore)
  6. Bar High Five (Tokyo) Best Bar in Japan
  7. Speak Low (Shanghai)
  8. The Bamboo Bar, Mandarin Oriental (Bangkok) Best Bar in Thailand
  9. Jigger & Pony (Singapore) Highest Climber 
  10. Quinary (Hong Kong)
  11. Tippling Club (Singapore)
  12. COA (Hong Kong)* Highest New Entry
  13. The SG Club (Tokyo)*
  14. Charles H (Seoul) Best Bar in Korea
  15. Gibson (Singapore)
  16. Sober Company (Shanghai)
  17. Bar Benfiddich (Tokyo)
  18. The Wise King (Hong Kong)*
  19. Le Chamber (Seoul)
  20. Backstage Cocktail Bar (Bangkok)
  21. 28 Hongkong Street (Singapore)
  22. Operation Dagger (Singapore)
  23. Bar Trench (Tokyo)
  24. Aha Saloon (Taipei)*
  25. D.Bespoke (Singapore)
  26. Vesper (Bangkok)
  27. Coley (Kuala Lumpur) Best Bar in Malaysia
  28. Bar Orchard Ginza (Tokyo)
  29. Alice Cheongdam (Seoul)
  30. Union Trading Company (Shanghai)
  31. Tropic City (Bangkok)* 
  32. The Pontiac (Hong Kong)
  33. Lobster Bar & Grill (Hong Kong)
  34. Rabbit Hole (Bangkok)
  35. Hope & Sesame (Guangzhou)*
  36. Stockton (Hong Kong)
  37. Curator (Manila) Best Bar in the Philippines
  38. Otto e Mezzo (Hong Kong)
  39. Union Brassiere, Bakery & Bar (Jakarta) Best Bar in Indonesia
  40. Trigona (Kuala Lumpur)*
  41. Employees Only (Singapore)
  42. Smalls (Bangkok)
  43. Bar Mood (Taipei)*
  44. Junglebird (Kuala Lumpur)
  45. Draft Land (Taipei)
  46. The Other Room (Singapore)
  47. Oto (Manila)*
  48. Teens of Thailand (Bangkok)
  49. Mixology Salon (Tokyo)
  50. The Back Room (Manila)*