Cocktails drinks and liquor lounges are a dime a dozen in Manila, where the people love their drink as much as their food. It’s a city of hundreds of bars, with one to suit those who are out to enjoy a buzz on every budget. While the business of putting up a successful lounge is cutthroat nowadays to say the least, one in particular has caught the curiosity of both local and foreign drinkers – the Blind Pig in Makati (even featured in CNN).
Blind Pig boasts of being the very first speakeasy in the city, and it is literally a hole in the wall: you’ll really miss it if you’re blind. There is no sign, and the owners don’t do any marketing whatsoever; Blind Pig is simply recognized outside as a door with Braille lettering where one simply needs to ring the doorbell to enter. The bar is named after the term used during the prohibition era, where speakeasies were known as blind pigs, and where those who would secretly drink would gather around. Unlike other bars in the city where most people look for the cheapest happy hour and where you’ve got to exert effort to speak over the music, Blind Pig is the kind of place for those who don’t mind shelling out a little extra for first-rate cocktails and privacy.
Only top-shelf liquor is used in all of Blind Pig’s cocktail drinks, infused with fresh fruit and citrus for a refreshing taste and strong kick that is hard to find in Manila nowadays. One can be assured of a high quality drinking experience in Blind Pig, where even the bartenders are trained by no less than the Milk and Honey Member’s Club from London and New York. Guests at the Blind Pig aren’t allowed to be loud, and when you enter, you will be asked for your name, and your hostess will remember your name throughout the night. There are rules in Blind Pig; however, and these ensure that you as well as everyone else has a good time: no loud voices, no photos with flash, and to keep drinks and tempers down. Apart from premium cocktails, professional and customized service, and tasty pub chow, the speakeasy’s ice is also noteworthy: it’s only either hand-carved, finely crushed, or molded to match the shape of your glass and lasts longer to keep your drink cool even during warm summer nights.
The ambiance as well as the cocktail drinks at the Blind Pig is notable. The Gold Rush is one of the favorites; made out of bourbon, lemon, and honey, and although light and easy to drink will certainly leave you with a good buzz. The Mint Julep is loaded with freshly picked mint and tossed into a delicious mix of bourbon and sugar syrup. If you want something that isn’t on the menu, feel free to ask one of the bartenders to concoct or recommend something unique for you.
227 Salcedo St., Legaspi Village, Makati; +63 917 549 2264
Blind Pig boasts of being the very first speakeasy in the city, and it is literally a hole in the wall: you’ll really miss it if you’re blind. There is no sign, and the owners don’t do any marketing whatsoever; Blind Pig is simply recognized outside as a door with Braille lettering where one simply needs to ring the doorbell to enter. The bar is named after the term used during the prohibition era, where speakeasies were known as blind pigs, and where those who would secretly drink would gather around. Unlike other bars in the city where most people look for the cheapest happy hour and where you’ve got to exert effort to speak over the music, Blind Pig is the kind of place for those who don’t mind shelling out a little extra for first-rate cocktails and privacy.
Only top-shelf liquor is used in all of Blind Pig’s cocktail drinks, infused with fresh fruit and citrus for a refreshing taste and strong kick that is hard to find in Manila nowadays. One can be assured of a high quality drinking experience in Blind Pig, where even the bartenders are trained by no less than the Milk and Honey Member’s Club from London and New York. Guests at the Blind Pig aren’t allowed to be loud, and when you enter, you will be asked for your name, and your hostess will remember your name throughout the night. There are rules in Blind Pig; however, and these ensure that you as well as everyone else has a good time: no loud voices, no photos with flash, and to keep drinks and tempers down. Apart from premium cocktails, professional and customized service, and tasty pub chow, the speakeasy’s ice is also noteworthy: it’s only either hand-carved, finely crushed, or molded to match the shape of your glass and lasts longer to keep your drink cool even during warm summer nights.
The ambiance as well as the cocktail drinks at the Blind Pig is notable. The Gold Rush is one of the favorites; made out of bourbon, lemon, and honey, and although light and easy to drink will certainly leave you with a good buzz. The Mint Julep is loaded with freshly picked mint and tossed into a delicious mix of bourbon and sugar syrup. If you want something that isn’t on the menu, feel free to ask one of the bartenders to concoct or recommend something unique for you.
227 Salcedo St., Legaspi Village, Makati; +63 917 549 2264