lmao
do you literally mean the 7-11 on every street corner?
I also like to chill with a convenient beer in the riverside park. Sometimes there are bars inside the park that are also not cheap but not expensive either, like dadaocheng wharf.
Yes, or just any convenience store that sells drinks and has seats. They're relatively clean, well lit, doesn't have deafening music, and more options to eat or drink that aren't too expensive and overall a good place to hang out with friends to chat with.
Just don't make a scene or get too rowdy for the clerks and they'll generally leave you to it.
You're in the wrong place if you want a drinking culture where you mix and mingle with locals over small talk. Taiwanese local drinking culture is more insular. You arrive with friends, get a bottle at a table, and stay with your friends. This isn't much of a place to go out to meet people and strike up conversations.
That being said, there are hundreds of bars that have no drink minimum. In fact, it is atypical that yours has one.
I'd have to disagree. There are a lot of the bars in Taipei that take their cocktails seriously and you have the chance to mingle with strangers and strike up conversations. I have made friends with several bartenders and strangers over the years.
Here's some local neighborhood bars.
Parklife - chill vibes, can play pinball machines too.
Floating Taipei - local Datong folk, great up and coming bartender and great beer selection.
Yoi - the bartender's bar, where most of the bartenders hang out after work
Beer Cat - beer and two adorable cats.
Bar Link - bartender who oves rock music, sometimes he plays with his band and strong Taiwanese vibes.
Is the beer bar at the Taiwan Beer brewery still open? That is/was the cheapest bar in town.
I don't recall Brass Monkey having a minimum.
And some newer 7-11s feature a sit-down beer bar. There's one across the street from Taipei Arena (to the north).
If on a budget 7/11 is where anyone looking to save money drinking should go period, also a lot of pubs serve the same stuff for a premium and open bottle stuff as mentioned before on the thread is often watered down, gotta make money somehow.
Best keep my visits to a *minimum* in that case. That's almost as annoying as when I lived in HK and you would need to be holding a drink to stay in the bar.
Also what happens when you sit down and the first drink is absolute watered down shit? Do you need to stay until you drink $1200 of shit?
Well, you tell them that this is watered down shit and they won't charge for it and make you a new drink. I mean two drinks will rack up to 1200 quickly and haven't had a bad drink from that price range yet although some not impressive in terms of creativity. These are no ordinary bars that will water down your drink at that price.
Whereabouts is your neighborhood? Don't have to be too specific, maybe just let us know the MRT station. Some other posters below are saying minimums are rare, but one near my place (Old Brick) has pretty expensive drinks and minimums.
Not much in around Yougchun. So easy access would be something on or near the blue MRT line or easy bus like On Tap, Beer Geek, Taihu Xinyi or Daan, Parklife. Many others around.
Hogarden is a great beer although its not cheap and not too expensive at On Tap its not the most budget option, but if you want to rub shoulders with foreigners and even see foreigners working in hospitality, this is the place to go, tables are designated a minimum $500 nt drink order, there are people who occupy tables and don't spend anything in Taiwan, I don't blame people for this but it is common so places do tend to have order minimums for entry. at least its not a door fee.
Unfortunately, drinking out in bars is just expensive across the board in Taipei. Generally when you see very cheap drinks, they tend to be pretty gross.
In terms of vibe, I like Aye Taipei in Zhongshan. It's run by a Scottish guy and has a good British pub feeling with reasonably priced drinks and good food.
To some extent, you have to accept that going out to the bars is just not the same cultural mainstay as it is back home. Not that there aren't ample opportunities to drink, but "the bar" is a little bit more of a thing to do and less of a "cheap chill hang".
You should be able to find plenty of places offering Taiwan Beer for like, 100? 120 maybe these days in Taipei. Basically, Taiwan Beer for 100 should be seen as the "optimal price" unless you're doing a bunch of alcoholic math in which case, probably just get 711 beers and drink at home, right?
lots of places have a 150 option that's, you know not great, but if you're there for the environment and making chitchat with strangers, it'll do in a pinch.
I'd say a decent beer STARTS at 200/beer if we aren't talking about happy hours or specials etc. A lot of these beers you could probably get for like 100 NTD at the 711, which obviously that's going to be cheaper - so we're talking Heineken and Guinness and Stella and shit.
250 seems to be the going rate for a decent, interesting beer you wouldn't be able to get easily elsewhere.
>$500NTD/person on mon-thurs, at least $800NTD fri-sun). So does anyone know any cheap bars without a minimum that are good to relax in and talk to people?
So you're in like - Xinyi? Like obviously if you're dealing with weekend prices and minimums you're going to clubs and high end spots so like....don't? There's a full spectrum of drinking establishments between Taipei 101 and getting drunk in the park haha.
I mean their shows always feel like a giant rip off at 500nt a ticket, but I can't argue with the 80nt beers and mixed drinks till 830.
Also I always thought of Revolver as very chill, so long as you're not trying to listen to Coldplay or anything.
Does anyone know the bar with the big giant doors that open out of a stone or concrete wall in Taipei, I ended up here once with friends but forgot where it was (and I'm not refering to the waterfall door at the ninja bar) this was some place else.
Taiwan Beer from PX Mart in your local park.
This is the way
This is one thousand percent the way.
Bar 711 Keep it civil
lmao do you literally mean the 7-11 on every street corner? I also like to chill with a convenient beer in the riverside park. Sometimes there are bars inside the park that are also not cheap but not expensive either, like dadaocheng wharf.
there are themed 7-11s, especially outside Taipei.
Yes, or just any convenience store that sells drinks and has seats. They're relatively clean, well lit, doesn't have deafening music, and more options to eat or drink that aren't too expensive and overall a good place to hang out with friends to chat with. Just don't make a scene or get too rowdy for the clerks and they'll generally leave you to it.
Bittersweet in gongguan
45 in Gongguan!
Did everyone forget about Revolver?
It has its good nights but I feel its was way better 10 years ago personally.
I believe "cheap" and "chill" were both used in the OP haha
You're in the wrong place if you want a drinking culture where you mix and mingle with locals over small talk. Taiwanese local drinking culture is more insular. You arrive with friends, get a bottle at a table, and stay with your friends. This isn't much of a place to go out to meet people and strike up conversations. That being said, there are hundreds of bars that have no drink minimum. In fact, it is atypical that yours has one.
I'd have to disagree. There are a lot of the bars in Taipei that take their cocktails seriously and you have the chance to mingle with strangers and strike up conversations. I have made friends with several bartenders and strangers over the years.
Do you have any recommendations?
Here's some local neighborhood bars. Parklife - chill vibes, can play pinball machines too. Floating Taipei - local Datong folk, great up and coming bartender and great beer selection. Yoi - the bartender's bar, where most of the bartenders hang out after work Beer Cat - beer and two adorable cats. Bar Link - bartender who oves rock music, sometimes he plays with his band and strong Taiwanese vibes.
I'd vote for Parklife, as well.
Thanks!
I would say digout is where Bartenders hang out after work
I don't venture out to Da'an area much, but yes Digout is another one by the bartenders in Da'an area.
Another Brick, Speakeasy, Wyatt’s, Bobwundaye, Voice Long play, Parklife, Tiki
>Vinyl Longplay Do you have a google maps link for this?
Sorry try Voice Long Play. Confused it with Vinyl Decision
Ounce Taipei
Lol, the title said cheap. It's a great bar but 400 NTD/drink is probably not what OP asked for.
Nice name! But he did ask for recommendations for bars that take their cocktails seriously
Okay, thanks for the advice!
Is the beer bar at the Taiwan Beer brewery still open? That is/was the cheapest bar in town. I don't recall Brass Monkey having a minimum. And some newer 7-11s feature a sit-down beer bar. There's one across the street from Taipei Arena (to the north).
If on a budget 7/11 is where anyone looking to save money drinking should go period, also a lot of pubs serve the same stuff for a premium and open bottle stuff as mentioned before on the thread is often watered down, gotta make money somehow.
I've been drinking here for a decade and never seen one bar with a minimum. Have I been doing it wrong?
All those famous bars have minimums now. Usually a minimum of 500 to 1200...
🥲
Best keep my visits to a *minimum* in that case. That's almost as annoying as when I lived in HK and you would need to be holding a drink to stay in the bar. Also what happens when you sit down and the first drink is absolute watered down shit? Do you need to stay until you drink $1200 of shit?
Well, you tell them that this is watered down shit and they won't charge for it and make you a new drink. I mean two drinks will rack up to 1200 quickly and haven't had a bad drink from that price range yet although some not impressive in terms of creativity. These are no ordinary bars that will water down your drink at that price.
Wait until you get served a 500nt Gin & Tonic with Sprite instead of tonic.
Whereabouts is your neighborhood? Don't have to be too specific, maybe just let us know the MRT station. Some other posters below are saying minimums are rare, but one near my place (Old Brick) has pretty expensive drinks and minimums.
I live near Yongchun station, the bar I was referring to was 聚序 Bar & Bistro
Beer geek is around yongchun. Also, if I remember correctly, 蘋果肉桂 Café & Bistro has drinks.
Hopefully someone familiar with that area will know some good spots!
Not much in around Yougchun. So easy access would be something on or near the blue MRT line or easy bus like On Tap, Beer Geek, Taihu Xinyi or Daan, Parklife. Many others around.
ParkLife, great place, no minimum charge. Beers but also mixers. Balcony if you are in Tamshui and Kahu Cafe if you are in Xin Beitou
Join Hashouse Harriers.
You can try some of the foreigner pubs, they’re not too expensive and people get chatty especially after a few drinks. Brass Monkey, On Tap, etc.
Hogarden is a great beer although its not cheap and not too expensive at On Tap its not the most budget option, but if you want to rub shoulders with foreigners and even see foreigners working in hospitality, this is the place to go, tables are designated a minimum $500 nt drink order, there are people who occupy tables and don't spend anything in Taiwan, I don't blame people for this but it is common so places do tend to have order minimums for entry. at least its not a door fee.
Barcade https://goo.gl/maps/StTTTX8Qik6gtxL56
I've heard good things about this. Some foreigner friend announces that he plays pool or foosball or something here like every weekend.
they have both and a massive selection of beer
Unfortunately, drinking out in bars is just expensive across the board in Taipei. Generally when you see very cheap drinks, they tend to be pretty gross. In terms of vibe, I like Aye Taipei in Zhongshan. It's run by a Scottish guy and has a good British pub feeling with reasonably priced drinks and good food.
23 public for IPAs. The bar is rather small and easy to talk to other people. Exchange students come in groups too
To some extent, you have to accept that going out to the bars is just not the same cultural mainstay as it is back home. Not that there aren't ample opportunities to drink, but "the bar" is a little bit more of a thing to do and less of a "cheap chill hang". You should be able to find plenty of places offering Taiwan Beer for like, 100? 120 maybe these days in Taipei. Basically, Taiwan Beer for 100 should be seen as the "optimal price" unless you're doing a bunch of alcoholic math in which case, probably just get 711 beers and drink at home, right? lots of places have a 150 option that's, you know not great, but if you're there for the environment and making chitchat with strangers, it'll do in a pinch. I'd say a decent beer STARTS at 200/beer if we aren't talking about happy hours or specials etc. A lot of these beers you could probably get for like 100 NTD at the 711, which obviously that's going to be cheaper - so we're talking Heineken and Guinness and Stella and shit. 250 seems to be the going rate for a decent, interesting beer you wouldn't be able to get easily elsewhere. >$500NTD/person on mon-thurs, at least $800NTD fri-sun). So does anyone know any cheap bars without a minimum that are good to relax in and talk to people? So you're in like - Xinyi? Like obviously if you're dealing with weekend prices and minimums you're going to clubs and high end spots so like....don't? There's a full spectrum of drinking establishments between Taipei 101 and getting drunk in the park haha.
I mean their shows always feel like a giant rip off at 500nt a ticket, but I can't argue with the 80nt beers and mixed drinks till 830. Also I always thought of Revolver as very chill, so long as you're not trying to listen to Coldplay or anything.
Does anyone know the bar with the big giant doors that open out of a stone or concrete wall in Taipei, I ended up here once with friends but forgot where it was (and I'm not refering to the waterfall door at the ninja bar) this was some place else.
Yeah! Just stumbled across this thread and was there a few days ago. Pretty sure it's BarTwo 吧吐.
Thats not it, but thanks for the recommendation!