i’ve been searching for info on clubs - i’m new to taipei - but a lot of the listings are from back in 2002, 2001. if the club scene here is anything like home, 95% of the lounges and clubs listed somewhere on this post may already be closed. i don’t know about you but hunting around with a group of friends on saturday night for a place that doesn’t even exist is not my idea of a good evening.
i’ve checked out taiwanfun.com but i know that a club experience is really personal and, since i don’t know who those guys and gals are, i’m hesitant to take their advice.
and i’ve already heard about the big names: spin, 45, roxy 99, 2F, etc. but, again, if the club scene here is anything like it is back home, the smaller, quirkier, more personal venues are the ones that offer a better experience.
i’ve read posts about places called watersheds, etc. etc. are there any more you’d recommend?
so i implore the masses:
list your favorite club or lounge, the fav place you like to hang out, unwind, and have a good time. i think a CURRENT list would be mighty helpful to those trying to make a little fun out of taipei. after i get a few posts, i’ll make a poll out of it.
“Saloon” near DunHua and XinYi.
“Room 18” at Wanrner Village is also pretty good.
Both are very nice but the most ‘western’ (whatever that means…) club in Taiwan that I find to be great fun is “Fresh”, a multi level almost terrace house-like club/bar with great music and a roof top bar for when you need fresh air.
There are a swag of other nice places but half the fun is looking and trying. Search down those back alleys…
I second Saloon and Room18.
Naomi on An He Rd. is good as well.
Kama , around the corner from Naomi, has an Indian/Hindu theme.
Apartment (formerly OZ), next to Far Eastern Hotel, is really nice and worth a look.
I noticed this morning that Room 18 has been singled out for the Next treatment – pic on the cover of the unshaven scruffy bignose with the hotpants-wearing Taiwanese girl sitting in his lap. I expect the article must be about language exchange or something.
We’re not all fat nor terribly funny, i.e. worth laughing at, nor all play darts. In fact the variety of life and opion there is just as deep and varied as it here in this forum.
I second the opinion on Orange, and 75. Would add Jack’s Country Pub to list up north (more darts but great country licks), The Beer Garden (Euro version of Green Bar and katy corner too)… and the band at the post home on weekend rocks, jazz’s and blues troubles away. there are a few others that I don’t want to see y’all in
GET (Great Eastern Tavern) on Chang Chun near Fuhsing. The best , last “Biker’s Bar” ambiance since the Bushiban…speaking of where is Robert and is the Busiban still going? Anybody?
Yes, Apartment is great, but it’s not exactly next to the Far Eastern Hotel - more like behind the building directly across from it… :? Anyway, Apartment is brought to you by the same people behind Plush. The address is 363 Siwei Road, but it’s also directly beind the restaurant Wind.
Robert’s still around, but I haven’t seen him for years. Bushiban is still there and hasn’t changed a bit in terms of decor. However, customer-wise its a shadow of its former self. I also met Yvonne (remember her?) a few weeks ago – she owns a cool teahouse down in Meineng with her brother.
Why do you consider GET a “biker’s bar”? The last time I was there it was quiet … as always always the case except for the World Cup footie days. Laura and Shelly got shot of the place and it’s now (if I’m not mistaken) run by a gaggle of Taiwanese women with a coffee-shop mentality.
Watershed is highly recommanded! Since you know about it, so:
Try G-Down, on Fu-shinb[/b] S. Rd and Hsin-yib[/b] Rd., pretty close to Da’an MRT station. It’s a really nice place, pretty quiet to hang out in weekday. Worth checking out.
The Whisky, on Hsin-shenb[/b] S. Rd. It’s on the right side if you’re going south, 50m away from Hsin-haib[/b] Rd. Invested by a film director. Offering good atmosphere with quite expensive drinks.
Why do you consider GET a “biker’s bar”? The last time I was there it was quiet … as always always the case except for the World Cup footie days. Laura and Shelly got shot of the place and it’s now (if I’m not mistaken) run by a gaggle of Taiwanese women with a coffee-shop mentality.[/quote]
Well perhaps a bit overstated in the the true sense of the word. It had that biker bar kind of feel, cramped, scruffy and run down, beat up pool table in a dark room upstairs, and with pictures of naked girls, crude jokes, etc. everywhere. Yes, you’re quite right, but the gaggle is trying to restore some of the former ambiance, they’ve got a long way to go, but its now very underground, you can play your own music and hideaway downtown in the middle of the day. They plan to open in the afternoon. Ripe for customer take over, I suggest you take a few heavy metal Cd’s with you and have your way.
Sorry for the multiple posts, but Tomas is single again and looking to revive a night life diminished by a year of the settled-down life.
My local buddies tell me that lounge bars like Tickle my Fantasy and Champagne are fun, full of beautiful people, rather expensive. They tell me that many of the women there are looking at your wallet and car key chain. I can’t stand gold-diggers. Whether I can afford them or not is of tangential importance to me.
I went to the That party at some lounge bar near Shi Da, but thought the place pretty much sucked. It was only redeemed by the fact that I met Maoman, Sandman, and Hexuan, but I wouldn’t go back to a place with such a cold atmosphere.
Has anyone been to a place that has good music, down to earth people, and friendly atmosphere?
Had a pretty good time and some pretty good mai-tais at Trader Vic’s Minsheng E Rd. (above the old McDonald’s) 7F (tun hwa and minsheng).
Kind of a quiet out of the way place but still fun in a way. The decor is laughably Hawaiian but it was so kitschy it was fun. I even got “leied” going in the door.
Robert’s still around, but I haven’t seen him for years. Bushiban is still there and hasn’t changed a bit in terms of decor. However, customer-wise its a shadow of its former self. I also met Yvonne (remember her?) a few weeks ago – she owns a cool teahouse down in Meineng with her brother.[/quote]
Met Robert a few weeks ago at Citizen Cain. Haven’t been to the Bushiban for many years. Robert appears to be in fine fettle - a great night of music at Citizen Cain, and excellent home-made food.
