Butler: My favorite cocktail bar in Hong Kong

In Hong Kong we met up with Fredrik, one of my best friends from when I lived in Beijing. Fred had planned the evening, so it came as no surprise that it turned out to be a very memorable treat.

We started the evening with what felt like a 20-course meal at Da Ping Huo Restaurant. Da Ping Huo serves excellent Sichuan food and by the time we were finished, we had a table filled with the remnants of delicious dishes. It filled us up and prepared us for what was to come.

When we finished dinner, we jumped in a cap and headed over to Butler Cocktail Bar in Tsim Sha Tsui. It quickly became apparent that this was no ordinary bar. Butler was The Japanese Cocktail Bar. Butler seats 20 people and when all seats are taken, no one else is allowed in. The cocktails are made by Japanese bartenders dressed in white dinner jackets.

They make all their cocktails exactly the way they were originally intended, with the original alcohol and mixers. To say that the cocktails were amazing isn’t even getting close to how good they were. They have finely honed every part of the experience and I was blown away by it. They’ve thought of everything: The ice is properly made, the glasses are historically accurate and the bartenders both know their craft and are friendly to talk to.

Kjersti had still not recovered from the Dengue Fever, so she tried an excellent non-alcoholic kiwi drink. Fred and I started out with an Old Fashioned that was simply astounding. Fred continued with a Japanese Post WW2 Manhattan, that he really enjoyed. The bartender understood that I enjoyed Malt Whiskey, so he made me an Islay Mule, which I believe is a variation of the Moscow mule, but with Laphroaig instead of vodka. It was nothing short of sensational (and one I look forward to making for my dad).

I feel like a total fan boy, because I loved this place and will definitely visit it the next time I’m in Hong Kong. I can total say: Butler: My favorite cocktail bar in Hong Kong!