Taipei places for food, drink & family entertainment over CNY 2023

With CNY week coming up I’m wondering what places will be open for going out for a beer, dining out with family and general entertainment like movies and museum.
Some friends tell me “don’t worry” but I don’t want to be desperately searching around. And passing through Maji by Yuanshan MRT this evening seems rather quiet (even 3 Lions closed, as well as several other restaurants) so maybe shutting down already for the holidays?
I prefer generally to “play things by ear” rather than make specific reservations, but…
What can the Forumosans advise?

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Good topic. I think starting Monday most restaurants (except small Mom & Pop ones) and movie houses will be open. Museums may be more hit and miss. Maybe if Forumosans have certain favorites and they learn when they’ll be open/shut they can post the hours/dates. One thing I’ve found is that Google Maps opening hours listed can be off. Christmas weekend I went to visit a bar that it said was open that was shut tight.

Food courts and restaurants at department stores will be open except for the evening of the Lunar New Year Eve. So is the National Palace Museum. It even opens on the Monday after the Lunar New Year Day.

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23 taproom at Maji will be closed, they told me

From what I recall, a lot of things aren’t far off a busier-than-usual weekend. If you’re going to a restaurant, definitely make reservations before going there, or there’s a high chance you’ll wind up waiting or - worse yet - stuck with those interminable debates of six or seven people trying to figure out where else to eat. (And a smaller but, this week, significant chance it’ll be closed.)

I write “From what I recall” because I’ve had way too many miserable experiences going out and/or away during the CNY week, and now try my best to avoid doing so.

And yes, as @dark.horse already wrote, do NOT trust Google Maps for hours (to their credit, they’ll usually have an alert saying something about how it’s a holiday so hours may differ). Always call a place before heading there.

EDIT: And pray for good weather. If it’s good weather, walking around outside with the kids or going for short hikes or bike rides is generally pretty good, and less busy than usual because the weather will be perceived as cold.

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For cinemas, a few will close on CNY Eve, most will open on CNY Eve but close early, and some will remain open throughout. The two SPOT cinemas (owned by the Taipei City government) will be closed from 1/21 to 1/23.

This list is from 2015, but I suspect most have not changed:

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Food drinking family entertainment will be crowded over the holidays except for the first two days so make reservations.

If there’s anything to worry about its getting a seat where and when you want.

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Danshui is open for business from day 1. The sweet potato stalls, and herbalists go back to the South for a week, but 80% of shops are open. LNY1 is the busiest day of the year.

I’m going to the Irish Bars on LNY-Eve. If anyone know the one with the best street atmosphere, or outdoor garden, please let me know. I reckon James Joyce, or Gongguan in general, might be the best, but I will research, and call ahead.

Google translate of the Maji2 times as they publish:
Snack Street: Closed on 1/21 (New Year’s Eve) and normal business at other times

-----Shopping Street-----

Haochubeiguo: 1/21 (New Year’s Eve)-1/24 (Junior 3rd) closed, other hours are open

British Oyster Seafood Shack: 1/21 (New Year’s Eve)-1/24 (Junior 3rd) closed, other hours are open

Harritts Donuts: 1/21 (New Year’s Eve)-1/25 (Fourth day of the Lunar New Year) closed, other times normal business

Shennong Market: Closed on 1/21 (New Year’s Eve) and normal business at other times

Dining habits: Closed on 1/21 (New Year’s Eve), normal business at other times

Jiang Xin Bi Xin: 1/21 (New Year’s Eve) closed, other times normal business

SEOUL HO!: 1/21 (New Year’s Eve) - 1/25 (Fourth day of the Lunar New Year) off, normal business at other times

Tacos N Taps: Closed on 1/21 (New Year’s Eve) Other times normal business

----restaurant area-----

Three Lions British Restaurant: 1/21 (New Year’s Eve)-1/22 (First Day of the New Year) closed, other hours are open

Argentinian Charcoal Grill Restaurant GAUCHO: 1/21 (New Year’s Eve)-1/23 (Second Day of the New Year) closed, other hours are open

Bits of Eur: 1/21 (New Year’s Eve) closed, other times normal business

Obada Korean Food Wine: Closed on 1/21 (New Year’s Eve) Other times are open

Hatay Thai Cuisine: Closed on 1/21 (New Year’s Eve) Other times are open

Indian Spice King Masala Art: Closed on 1/21 (New Year’s Eve) Other times are open

-----Chalet-----

Little Paradise: Closed on 1/21 (New Year’s Eve) and normal business at other times

Swing: Closed on 1/21 (New Year’s Eve) Other times are open

Backpacker & Hat House: Closed on 1/21 (New Year’s Eve) Other times are open normally

Alice Garden: Closed on 1/21 (New Year’s Eve) Other times are open

N.K: Closed on 1/21 (New Year’s Eve) Other times are open

Curtain Wood Workshop: Closed on 1/21 (New Year’s Eve) Other times are open

-----Children’s Hall-----

BABY Dudu Room: 1/21 (New Year’s Eve) and 1/22 (First Day of the New Year) are closed, other times are open

-----Night Cat Zone-----

Bailong HAKU Taipei: 1/21 (New Year’s Eve)-1/26 (Friday of the Lunar New Year) closed, normal business at other times

Tiki Taipei: Closed on 1/21 (New Year’s Eve) and normal business at other times

Crafted Beer craft beer: 1/21 (New Year’s Eve) off, normal business at other times

23 Music Room: 1/21 (New Year’s Eve)-1/24 (Junior 3rd) off, other times normal business

XXX Worry-free: 1/21 (New Year’s Eve) closed, other times normal business

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I just went for a ride around Kaohsiung, more groups than a usual Sunday night aroind the train station, Love River pretty busy, nicely lit up, looked like a big market set up at Yanchengpu MRT station. Lotus Pond was bonkers, they’ve closed off the narrow street on the west saide and it looks like market all the way along, traffic was crazy all around, people walking everywhere

What would these types of markets have? Mostly food or some handicrafts? I usually avoid crowds like this if I can, wall to wall people in there…

Overall, lots more restaurants open than I thought there would be, more traffic than last night

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Still in K-town, went to Cookbox in Niaosong because I like to ride around the lake. Cookbox was closed, but the roads were quiet and the weather was nice so headed to a cafe on the ocean past NSYSU. VERY busy around the mountain, probably a bad day for a hike, the beaches around the university all look packed

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