Lonely Planet's Great bars of the world!

I picked up a copy of the new Lonely Planet and Singha’s booklet this week entitled. ‘Great Bars of the World.’
I thought to myself, I bet there isn’t one pub in Taiwan in the book.
Lo and behold ! There is! One!
Featured on the same page as Satay in Vegas, Ravesi’s in Sydney and The Waterside in Bangkok
Mentioned in the same breath as famous bars in London, New York, Dublin etc. A place exists in Taipei City.
And guess what, it isn’t one of the bars that advertise on this site. ( Although it ought to!)

Where is it ?
You will never guess.
:notworthy:

Must be My Other Place then?

The best bar in Taiwan (was) PURPLE. Opened at like three in the morning. People E-ed out of their heads snorting coke and K off of the tables. Out the back, shooting up, crystal meth and crack pipes. I got out five minutes before the BIG BUST. Oh, sweet nostalgia!
And I really miss BLISS.

[quote=“jimipresley”]The best bar in Taiwan (was) PURPLE. Opened at like three in the morning. People E-ed out of their heads snorting coke and K off of the tables. Out the back, shooting up, crystal meth and crack pipes. I got out five minutes before the BIG BUST. Oh, sweet nostalgia!
And I really miss BLISS.[/quote]

I remember that place, pumping E out from behind the bar. Almost as good as ‘E-Heaven’ a bar that was open from 4am to 4pm in a converted car garage on HsinHai Rd. Sketchy spot. a few hammered withites knocking back cans of warm Tai-pee while a bunch of 18 year old e-heads, who woke up early to go there, grind their teeth and blow whistles all day Sunday. Well sketchy.

Great bars of the world?

Smokey the Bar
Yogi Bar
Paddington Bar
Fozzie Bar
the Care Bars

worst list ever. in fact, I am not sure how shit like this is allowed to be read. the fucking internet!

everyone who has ever sold a pint on Khao San road made the list. In fact, I could go open a beer lubiantan tomorrow and get put on the list. and the bars on Khaosan Rd are for the most part shit anyways. I can just see the disappointment in the newbie backpacker’s eyes now as they roll into a ‘hip, trendy, world top 100 bar’ on Khaosan to find a bunch of sunburned limeys with goofy braids in their hair watching ‘The Hangover’ over a strangers shoulder while they eat a banana pancake. Oh yeah! Clubbing at it’s finest! not to mention the ones they list in Chiang Mai are equally crap and not even the best in the city by a long shot.

the three Taipei bars in the top 1000 were:

Jump (which I have never heard of but from their website looks gayer than Liberace)
Malibu West (awesome, over the hill drunkard flirting with 50 something legal hookers)
Maussac (a fucking teahouse)

are you f*cking kidding me?

I need to reassess the Lonely Planet’s on my bookshelf. Let’s Go is starting to look a little more legit.

pathetic.

A most astute series of vicious observations, Deuce Dropper!

Lonely Planet lost my vote about 9 years ago when it became apparent that their maps were utter shite, their advice pretty lame, and their recommendations pretty vacant.
Good to know some things never change.

I think a forumosan writes for them!

[quote=“Deuce Dropper”]worst list ever. in fact, I am not sure how shit like this is allowed to be read. the fucking internet!

everyone who has ever sold a pint on Khao San road made the list. In fact, I could go open a beer lubiantan tomorrow and get put on the list. and the bars on Khaosan Rd are for the most part shit anyways. I can just see the disappointment in the newbie backpacker’s eyes now as they roll into a ‘hip, trendy, world top 100 bar’ on Khaosan to find a bunch of sunburned limeys with goofy braids in their hair watching ‘The Hangover’ over a strangers shoulder while they eat a banana pancake. Oh yeah! Clubbing at it’s finest! not to mention the ones they list in Chiang Mai are equally crap and not even the best in the city by a long shot.

the three Taipei bars in the top 1000 were:

Jump (which I have never heard of but from their website looks gayer than Liberace)
Malibu West (awesome, over the hill drunkard flirting with 50 something legal hookers)
Maussac (a fucking teahouse)

are you f*cking kidding me?

I need to reassess the Lonely Planet’s on my bookshelf. Let’s Go is starting to look a little more legit.

pathetic.[/quote]

:laughing: :laughing: Nice writing Deuce. :notworthy:

Yep. And I think it looks pretty lame too. According to the site, Singha sourced the bar info from books and didn’t solicit opinions from authors. I was certainly never asked. This kind of cheap commercial crap cheapens the brand. Probably a BBC idea.

Yep. And I think it looks pretty lame too. According to the site, Singha sourced the bar info from books and didn’t solicit opinions from authors. I was certainly never asked. This kind of cheap commercial crap cheapens the brand. Probably a BBC idea.[/quote]

Yes but look at the up side. In the unlikely event of any backpackers or flashpackers ever actually coming to Taiwan the good news is they won’t be boring us with their tales of bus rides from hell and dodgy opium deals in Vang Vieng at any bar we frequent… :sunglasses:

[quote="Deuce Dropper’

the three Taipei bars in the top 1000 were:

Jump (which I have never heard of but from their website looks gayer than Liberace)
Malibu West (awesome, over the hill drunkard flirting with 50 something legal hookers)
Maussac (a fucking teahouse)

[/quote]
WHEN ! No top 1000 in my book, not even 1000 bars in the entire book!
Wrong book!

Again the original post is from a new book published in July 2009, not the internet.
Only one pub is mentioned in Taiwan NOT 3.

Better boozers in Pinoy

[quote=“Deuce Dropper”]worst list ever. in fact, I am not sure how shit like this is allowed to be read. the fucking internet!

everyone who has ever sold a pint on Khao San road made the list. In fact, I could go open a beer lubiantan tomorrow and get put on the list. and the bars on Khaosan Rd are for the most part shit anyways. I can just see the disappointment in the newbie backpacker’s eyes now as they roll into a ‘hip, trendy, world top 100 bar’ on Khaosan to find a bunch of sunburned limeys with goofy braids in their hair watching ‘The Hangover’ over a strangers shoulder while they eat a banana pancake. Oh yeah! Clubbing at it’s finest! not to mention the ones they list in Chiang Mai are equally crap and not even the best in the city by a long shot.

the three Taipei bars in the top 1000 were:

Jump (which I have never heard of but from their website looks gayer than Liberace)
Malibu West (awesome, over the hill drunkard flirting with 50 something legal hookers)
Maussac (a fucking teahouse)

are you f*cking kidding me?

I need to reassess the Lonely Planet’s on my bookshelf. Let’s Go is starting to look a little more legit.

pathetic.[/quote]

DD, I think that might have been your best post ever.

Purple, wasn’t his fault the clientele took over the place.

Jump. :laughing:

But Wolves you got in at 375 didn’t you?

[quote=“jimipresley”]
And I really miss BLISS.[/quote]

And BLISS misses you.

It just got me thinking, IMHO there are no good bars in Taiwan…just no atmosphere in them. Either not enough people, not enough mix of people, drunk businessmen, alcoholic english teacher hangouts or barn like creations covered with flat screen TVs. That’s not only Taiwan’s problem though. Now if you said 100 kuai chao restaurants I know plenty of good ones.

there are a few really fun clubs in Taipei, what think is missing is that large earlier hours boozer with great beer selections and good live music.

They call these vagrants: trustafarians.

Bars have periods of good atmosphere that come and go based on owners, friendliness of the ex-pats when hammered, locals willing to give it a go, not too much grief from the local heavies etc. In Taichung back when I lived there the (old) Londoner used to be a pretty good place to go. You could spill out onto the park for a doob, lots of locals, outdoor pool table, plenty of themed nights. It was a shame that bastard wanted to turn it in into a flight of stairs! Fricker. FM was also regularly heaving but it wasn’t my cup of tea. And of course there were the creature clubs like Bobo! Always being shut down by the cops, only to spring back to life for a few glorious days before being shut back down again.
I dunno where the chungle kids get their kicks these days.

They call these vagrants: trustafarians.

Bars have periods of good atmosphere that come and go based on owners, friendliness of the ex-pats when hammered, locals willing to give it a go, not too much grief from the local heavies etc. In Taichung back when I lived there the (old) Londoner used to be a pretty good place to go. You could spill out onto the park for a doob, lots of locals, outdoor pool table, plenty of themed nights. It was a shame that bastard wanted to turn it in into a flight of stairs! Fricker. FM was also regularly heaving but it wasn’t my cup of tea. And of course there were the creature clubs like Bobo! Always being shut down by the cops, only to spring back to life for a few glorious days before being shut back down again.
I dunno where the chungle kids get their kicks these days.[/quote]

They all joined Up With People!

Please note the OP has an ongoing agenda.

[quote]Bars have periods of good atmosphere that come and go based on owners, friendliness of the ex-pats when hammered, locals willing to give it a go, not too much grief from the local heavies etc. In Taichung back when I lived there the (old) Londoner used to be a pretty good place to go. You could spill out onto the park for a doob, lots of locals, outdoor pool table, plenty of themed nights. It was a shame that bastard wanted to turn it in into a flight of stairs! Fricker. FM was also regularly heaving but it wasn’t my cup of tea. And of course there were the creature clubs like Bobo! Always being shut down by the cops, only to spring back to life for a few glorious days before being shut back down again.
I dunno where the chungle kids get their kicks these days.[/quote]

Them were the days, weren’t they. I started out at FM, but it was a bit poncy for me. Bit too 'merican. The Londoner was more comfortable for the Commonwealth folk.

Then there was The Dive, by the canal. Upstairs and downstairs section. Downstairs lasted till Sunday 6pm. Regular raids on the bar while the owner was K-ed out.

Pig Pen and Lion King should get a mention, had a bit of fun there, saw some beatings, got stripped by a Tainu.

Don’t forget the Sound Garden…

[quote=“Baas Babelaas”][quote]Bars have periods of good atmosphere that come and go based on owners, friendliness of the ex-pats when hammered, locals willing to give it a go, not too much grief from the local heavies etc. In Taichung back when I lived there the (old) Londoner used to be a pretty good place to go. You could spill out onto the park for a doob, lots of locals, outdoor pool table, plenty of themed nights. It was a shame that bastard wanted to turn it in into a flight of stairs! Fricker. FM was also regularly heaving but it wasn’t my cup of tea. And of course there were the creature clubs like Bobo! Always being shut down by the cops, only to spring back to life for a few glorious days before being shut back down again.
I dunno where the chungle kids get their kicks these days.[/quote]

Them were the days, weren’t they. I started out at FM, but it was a bit poncy for me. Bit too 'merican. The Londoner was more comfortable for the Commonwealth folk.

Then there was The Dive, by the canal. Upstairs and downstairs section. Downstairs lasted till Sunday 6pm. Regular raids on the bar while the owner was K-ed out.

Pig Pen and Lion King should get a mention, had a bit of fun there, saw some beatings, got stripped by a Tainu.

Don’t forget the Sound Garden…[/quote]

We definitely had a good time. They were long nights till dawn pretty much every time. It isn’t like that here where everyone is married and/ or has kids.