The Old Man knocks Manhattan from first place, as 2019 welcomes nine new bars to the list.

The Old Man from Hong Kong, has been dubbed the Best Bar in Asia on the 2019 Asia’s 50 Best Bars ranking, taking the top spot from Manhattan, who placed first in 2017 and 2018.

At the glitzy ceremony and industry shindig at Singapore’s Capitol Theatre, The Old Man reigned supreme as voting industry peers ensured the bar took the top spot, and there was a huge roar for owner Agung Prabowo and his team as they took the stage.

“It was always the dream, but we never thought we’d make it,” said Prabowo. “We are so happy – not only for our bar, but for the Hong Kong scene overall.”

Following in second place was Manhattan, then Taipei’s Indulge Experimental Bistro in third – both dropping one place from 2018. Read the full list below.

Overall China (including Hong Kong, Shanghai and Guangzhou) boasted the most bars on the ranking, with 12, followed by Singapore with 11, Thailand with seven and Japan with six.

Asia’s 50 Best Bars, now in its fourth year, was once again the kick off to Singapore Cocktail Festival and no doubt an exciting taster before Singapore plays host to the World’s 50 Best Restaurants ceremony later in June.

Special mention must also go to Hong Kong’s Coa, winning Highest New Entry at 12, and Jigger & Pony, the highest climber at 9 – rising a massive 33 places from last year! Among the other individual awards were Manhattan in Singapore, which was named Legend of the List, and Shingo Gokan who was named Bartenders’ Bartender. Gokan has no fewer than three bars on the 2019 ranking: Speak Low (7), Sober Company (16), and The SG Club (13).

Pussyfoot Saloon in Seoul was tipped with the One to Watch Award, and saving the world one drink at a time is Bar Trigona (40), Kuala Lumpur, winner of the Sustainable Bar Award.

The full ranking of 2019’s 50 Best Bars in Asia:

  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 at the 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) – New Entry
  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) – New Entry
  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) – New Entry
  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) – New Entry
  32. The Pontiac (Hong Kong)
  33. Lobster Bar & Grill (Hong Kong)
  34. Rabbit Hole (Bangkok)
  35. Hope & Sesame (Guangzhou) – New Entry
  36. Stockton (Hong Kong)
  37. Curator (Manila) – Best Bar in the Philippines
  38. 8 ½ Otto e Mezzo Bombana (Hong Kong)
  39. Union Brassiere, Bakery & Bar (Jakarta) – Best Bar in Indonesia
  40. Bar Trigona (Kuala Lumpur) – New Entry
  41. Employees Only (Singapore)
  42. Smalls (Bangkok)
  43. Bar Mood (Taipei) – New Entry
  44. JungleBird (Kuala Lumpur)
  45. Draft Land (Taipei) – New Entry
  46. The Other Room (Singapore)
  47. OTO (Manila) – New Entry
  48. Teens of Thailand (Bangkok)
  49. Mixology Salon (Tokyo)
  50. The Back Room (Manila) – New Entry