Taipei has no fuckin’ game. I was out on a Friday night and everything was dead before midnight. I hopped in a taxi and hit all the main expat dives across town and was amazed at the lack of nightlife in this city.
In all of my time in Asia, I’ve Never seen anything as lame as nightlife in Taipei. Over the years, I’ve come to hate it so much that I can’t even bring myself to read much or post on the Taipei bars forum!
The whole Taipei scene blows goats compared to expat nightlife in Seoul, Tokyo / Osaka, Japan, and Bangkok, Manila.
I doubt it is dead as in " dead" but it is not (and never have been) comparable with Seoul, Bangkok, Manila, Hong Kong, Singapore etc.
First, the expat community (whom can afford pricy drinks and clubbing all night) is small and scattered, second; you don’t find in Taipei the bar-groupies as in other cities at 9 PM looking for a long nose boyfriend (or extra bucks) . Third; the “scene” here remains 5-10 years behind today. Guys are still running around in squared cowboy shirts while girls are sipping their 1985 cocktails on 2005 R&B and Hip Hop.
No, I won’t call it dead as the Local youngsters seemed having found their way to the underground Scene ( unknown to most expats) but yes, Taipei does not fit in the list of Top 10 Asian night rave cities. Agree on that.
[quote=“ceevee369”]I doubt it is dead as in " dead" but it is not (and never have been) comparable with Seoul, Bangkok, Manila, Hong Kong, Singapore etc.
First, the expat community (whom can afford pricy drinks and clubbing all night) is small and scattered, second; you don’t find in Taipei the bar-groupies as in other cities at 9 PM looking for a long nose boyfriend (or extra bucks) . Third; the “scene” here remains 5-10 years behind today. Guys are still running around in squared cowboy shirts while girls are sipping their 1985 cocktails on 2005 R&B and Hip Hop.
No, I won’t call it dead as the Local youngsters seemed having found their way to the underground Scene ( unknown to most expats) but yes, Taipei does not fit in the list of Top 10 Asian night rave cities. Agree on that.[/quote]
Fair enough.
I just got back from spending some time in Seoul and then over to Tokyo for a few days and couldn’t believe the difference in choices and nightlife. Sure, they’re bigger cities but the difference in choices and the number of expats out and about on a Friday or Saturday night is mind blowing. And then to go out out here in Taipei on Friday night and everything is dead. That, and the limited choices here for expat bars is disappointing.
In Taiwan to go to bars or ‘underground venues’ you need to be a gangster or a school drop-out with gangster aspirations.
Serious youngsters go to coffee shops/McDonalds … enjoying the wi-fi and aircon or are studying or both. If they have a girl/boy friend they go to night markets looking for the latest food-fad and Korean fashion. Once in a while they might visit restaurants that resemble a prison or is decorated with toilets … and by 9:00 PM they’re of for the things mentioned above.
Many people work late and have a late dinner/snack and than hit for home or go to a KTV to get drunk and in touch with the hostesses (yes, KTV’s are still in trend)
Foreign teachers in Taiwan or of the docile type and don’t spend loads of money, there are no military bases in Taiwan like in Korea … girls here don’t depend on expat’s money to survive.
Hong Kong and Singapore are more compact and have a far longer expat history and offer far more choice, as in Taipei the most interesting places are burger joints or pizza places with live music. You have the occasional ‘sports bar’ dotted around town tho.
[quote=“Shimokitazawa”]Taipei has no fuckin’ game. I was out on a Friday night and everything was dead before midnight. I hopped in a taxi and hit all the main expat dives across town and was amazed at the lack of nightlife in this city.
In all of my time in Asia, I’ve Never seen anything as lame as nightlife in Taipei. Over the years, I’ve come to hate it so much that I can’t even bring myself to read much or post on the Taipei bars forum!
The whole Taipei scene blows goats compared to expat nightlife in Seoul, Tokyo / Osaka, Japan, and Bangkok, Manila.[/quote]
Maybe you just went to the wrong places at the wrong time? Back in the day when I went to bars, there were TONS of happening places. I don’t believe things have changed THAT much since then.
[quote=“sandman”][quote=“Shimokitazawa”]Taipei has no fuckin’ game. I was out on a Friday night and everything was dead before midnight. I hopped in a taxi and hit all the main expat dives across town and was amazed at the lack of nightlife in this city.
In all of my time in Asia, I’ve Never seen anything as lame as nightlife in Taipei. Over the years, I’ve come to hate it so much that I can’t even bring myself to read much or post on the Taipei bars forum!
The whole Taipei scene blows goats compared to expat nightlife in Seoul, Tokyo / Osaka, Japan, and Bangkok, Manila.[/quote]
Maybe you just went to the wrong places at the wrong time? Back in the day when I went to bars, there were TONS of happening places. I don’t believe things have changed THAT much since then.[/quote]
I think they have. When I arrived here over 10 years ago I caught the tail end of the wild days in Taiwan for expats and the bar and nightclub scene. Man you would walk into the Roxy in Taipei and the Pig Pen in Taichung places would be going off. I never thought much of the brass monkey for instance, kind of lame barn of a place. Carnegies, it’s not bad for what is it. But not enough new places popped up over the years. Lack of buzzing joints due to reducing number of expats along with limited interest from local population. They prefer the lounge bars, cafes and KTVs.
if by expat dives you mean carnegies, brass monkey etc…yeah they’re dead and buried. The action is around Warner Village/ATT these days with the young ABC crowd; can’t believe they would be dead on a friday night.
Carnegies is no longer a night spot, Brass Monkey outside of Thursday never was, Poxy 99 is good after 3am on Friday and Saturday if you fancy a bit of scum, and after 3am who doesn’t?
As far as places like Myst, Room 18, and whatever Mint is called now, those places are top quality, but the quality might be a bit out of reach for a someone who plies their trade in the barfine districts of Manila and Bangkok.
I would love to come to the defense of Taiwan nightlife, but what’s said here is pretty much all true. Although you can find sporadic pockets of decent activity, it’s a different environment here than with other East/Southeast Asian cities for the exact reasons posted by the other members. Places in Bangkok, Seoul, HK, and even parts of KL, the excitement begins as you approach the party districts. The lights, noise and activity have your heart racing with anticipation before you even step out of the cab. On Tap and Carnegies, well, not so much. In Taiwan, you have to actively create your own good time, which for some people (like me) seems like a lot of work.
Wax.
Absolutely no class.
Cheap. Scummy. Puke on the wall. Vomit blocking the door.
Spilt nasty cocktails all over the floor.
Cheap shot. Human rot.
Women dancing on a box. Guys making out with transvestites.
Cross dress. Sweaty contacts. Weird foreigners on the buzz.
Dance floor the size of a bathtub.
Primary colours everywhere. Music that will kill you and your pets.
Underground.
5 o’clock girlfriend. 8 o’clock break up.
Slap in the face.
Pigtails. Drunk admiration. Explaining to do.
Headache.
The candle. Both ends.
Wax.
Edit: Sorry guys. Have no idea where that came from. I dislike poetry myself.
Oh Great, on the eve.(well, 3 weeks actually) of my return to the island for an obligatory family visit, I hear that nightlife has fallen by the wayside.
There were always a splattering of bars up until I left in late '06 that weren’t frequented by whitey, and were relatively fun. Not sure if they still exist though. Most around warner Village were good- Brown Sugar being the fave, Room 18, Barcode etc…depends what your taste is. Sometimes a dingey little local haunt was as much fun as bar dancing with a hottie in …some place who’s name escapes me. Of course, yours truly was indeed biased and, love it or hate it, my old Irish haunt that offered live music was jumping on weekends. Will be interesting to see where the bands are now- 17 days and counting…Surely some of you must owe me a beer…?
regards,
Dazz.
Ex Publican turned Australian TV idol.
[quote=“Highway Star”]Oh Great, on the eve.(well, 3 weeks actually) of my return to the island for an obligatory family visit, I hear that nightlife has fallen by the wayside.
There were always a splattering of bars up until I left in late '06 that weren’t frequented by whitey, and were relatively fun. Not sure if they still exist though. Most around warner Village were good- Brown Sugar being the fave, Room 18, Barcode etc…depends what your taste is. Sometimes a dingey little local haunt was as much fun as bar dancing with a hottie in …some place who’s name escapes me. Of course, yours truly was indeed biased and, love it or hate it, my old Irish haunt that offered live music was jumping on weekends. Will be interesting to see where the bands are now- 17 days and counting…Surely some of you must owe me a beer…?
regards,
Dazz.
Ex Publican turned Australian TV idol.[/quote]
Great. You might be able to make the Daniel Pearl day. Although I hear someone has stolen your announcing job.
Has anyone pointed out that this is Moon Festival Weekend? Twenty-one and a half million people had a very important family gathering on Saturday and/or Sunday.
Shit was closed everywhere all weekend. and who compares Taipei to Bangkok?