6 post-work drinking places that hit the spot
No matter the post-work agenda, everyone looks forward to the same thing: leaving the office and reclaiming time for themselves. So for those looking for a post-work spot to unwind and relax, these drinking spots are the ticket to a good evening.
Think cocktails, stiff drinks, laid-back beers, or even mocktails… the possibilities are endless. And the drinks? Free-flowing.
Malagihay Cocktail Club
It all starts with a feeling at Malagihay Cocktail Club, the upstairs neighbor of San Juan’s Mabini Street corner spot Mabuhay Craft Coffee.
Their cocktails come categorized into three—crafted based on what they call mood, moment, or memory. Whether you’re looking to drink something you’re craving, relive some nostalgia, or tap into a sense of heritage, there’s a cocktail here for you.
And honestly, with such fun concepts like Peach Mango P (Suntory Kakubin with clarified butter, peaches, mango, and a bite of actual pie) and drinks that go down cool and easy like Burnham Park (strawberry, Haku vodka, soju, fino sherry, sampaguita, lemon, prosecco, and rosemary), it’s easy to let loose after a long day here.
While you’re here, fuel up with some pulutan. New additions to the menu include the truffle tuna ding-dong and kropek. For a bit more heft, the sisig and lumpia are reliable pairs for your cocktails. (And yes, you can order rice, too.) — Pauline Ysabel Miranda
Malagihay Cocktail Club is located at 2/F 193 A. Mabini, San Juan. Open 6 p.m. to 4 a.m., except Tuesdays
Fogo de Chao
From Brazil to the Philippines, Fogo de Chao now serves curated cocktails to go with their brand of churrasco in Bar Fogo. While food and drink cross both floors with ease, the ground floor is where the drinking’s at.
Must-try drinks include the limited-edition “World Caip” cocktail, which rolls out during FIFA World Cup watch parties. This twist on Brazil’s national caipirinha is made with strawberry, passionfruit, a touch of heat on the side of the glass—finished off with a dragonfruit soccer ball. Another personal favorite is the strawberry hibiscus caipirinha, and of course, the classics: a raspberry margarita and a cucumber mint smash.
But what’s a drink without some bar chow? Fogo de Chao offers happy hour bites in the form of shareable plates, such as the lamb lollipops with mintchurri sauce and the BPO churrasco board with Brazilian sausages, pork ribs, and barbecue sauce. — Diane Nicole Go
Fogo de Chao is located at Glorietta 4, Ayala Center, East St, Makati, Metro Manila. For inquiries and reservations, call 09202579262 or follow @Fogodechaophlippines on Instagram and Facebook
Engkanto Taps
Engkanto Brewery is known for its unique take on beer: utilizing ube, honey, mango, and even chocolate in its concoctions. But for a brand that’s made its name through bottled offerings you could enjoy straight out of the fridge—they understand that nothing beats the experience of a pint fresh off the tap.
“We thought to try and see how it would be if we could control the experience and also incorporate beer into everything—the food, the cocktails, everything,” shares Ian Paradies, founder of Engkanto Brewery. Hence came the idea for Engkanto Taps, with locations in Sta. Rosa, Mandaluyong, Bonifacio Global City, and their newest in Bridgetowne, Quezon City.
But what differentiates bottled from draft—and does it really make such a difference? According to Paradies, the latter is beer at its most complete state. “You don’t pasteurize kegs, so you’re getting it unfiltered and in its freshest form.”
While local craft beers take center stage at Engkanto Taps, their menu also features cocktails incorporating their signature brews. These include a jackfruit-infused white rum with ube cream and ube beer, aptly named Ube Rum-Com, as well as a limoncello mixed with apple soju, vodka, and honey ale, called Bee’s Knees Spritz. — Carl Martin Agustin
Engkanto Taps Bridgetowne is located on the Ground Floor of GBF Center 1, Bridgetowne, C-5 Road, and is open daily from 3 p.m. to 2 a.m.
The Whisky Bar: World Kitchens
How do you like your whisky? Neat? On the rocks? Or perhaps mixed in a cocktail?
According to Kendrick Andrew L. Tan, the executive director for Emperador Inc., and also the menu curator for World Kitchens’ newly unveiled Whisky Bar, “there’s a right way to taste, but there’s no wrong way to enjoy.”
The Whisky Bar offers an expansive selection of whisky brands, served neat, on the rocks, or through classic whisky cocktails—from celebrated names such as Tamnavulin, Jura, and The Dalmore.
But at the center of the Whisky Bar experience is its signature highball menu. The popular mix is given a flavorful twist through unique combinations suited for every taste: from a tropical Salted Caramel Pineapple to a light Butter Beer. — Carl Martin Agustin
The Whisky Bar is located in World Kitchens, Gateway Mall 2, Level 4, Araneta City, Quezon City
The Spirits Library
While you go to some bars for a simple drink, you go to Spirits Library to step into another world: the iconic towering shelves, lined with bottles stretching toward the ceiling; leather-bound books and vintage typewriters that make the space feel like a forgotten library, true to its name.
The real escape begins with the music. Depending on the night, guests can settle in to live jazz, blues, or even burlesque performances, making weeknights a little more cinematic.
“To some degree, the bar is escapism,” co-owner Lee Watson previously told Lifestyle.INQ. “You work your nine-to-five, and then they get out. They don’t want to think about work. It’s an opportunity to get away from all that. Alice in Wonderland, down the rabbit hole, go in here, and it’s a whole new world.”
Beyond an impressive collection of spirits—including rare bottles that have aged for decades—the bar’s cocktail program continues to evolve with recent creations like the Librarian’s Julep, a playful mix of Johnnie Walker Black Ruby, spiced raspberry shrub, Creole bitters, and strawberry popping boba, balancing the classics with a touch of whimsy. — Lala Singian-Serzo
The Spirits Library is located at 4963 Guerrero Street, Makati City
Kinki
Perched above Tetsuo in Poblacion, Kinki is Transit Records’ newest venture: an intimate underground club built around a custom hand-built soundsystem and a carefully curated music program. Conceived as a six-month residency, the space has quickly become a fixture for many crowds.
Thursdays spotlight queer and underground collectives, with the beloved party collective Elephant recently holding a 10-week residency to celebrate its 10th anniversary. Fridays belong to Provider, Kinki’s resident night led by the Transit Records crew. Saturdays hand the decks over to guest collectives and visiting international DJs.
The atmosphere is playful, welcoming, and refreshingly unpretentious, from themed nights like Elephant’s “GAY.I. vs A.I.” or “Sirenas in Siargao,” a party with a touch of activism mixed in, raising voices against the altercations of Israelis on the island.
While music is the draw, the beverage program is simple but stacked, with beers, cocktails, highballs, and non-alcoholic options alongside signature five-shot sets that can also be turned into cocktails, like The Little Mermaid, Pony Boy, or Purple Haze. Special nights have special drinks too, like the previous “head-kendi” party where the best look won a bottle of Infanta Lambanog, an organic palm liquor made in the Philippines. — Lala Singian-Serzo
Kinki is located at 2/F, 8483 Kalayaan Avenue, corner Matilde Street, Poblacion, Makati City
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