A good bar to us means drinks are great and happy hour promotions are irresistible, ambience is lively and comfortable, and a pleasing interior is bonus.
We went on a scout for some of the chic bars in Singapore. ‘Instagram-worthy’ is we’d like to call them, albeit overused.
Here are 10 Instagram-Worthy Bars in Singapore for a night of bar-hopping adventures.
#1 BAR CANARY
Located on the lobby level of Grand Park Orchard, Bar Canary is a stunning open-air bar with vibrantly-coloured furniture and interior. We started with this place because it is one of our favourite spots in town.
We brought along with us our new toy, the Canon PowerShot G5 X – the first compact camera that comes with an electronic viewfinder for more precise shooting, and a very amazing low light feature.
Photographing Bar Canary is easy. The vivid colours really popped when taken in auto mode with the 20.2 megapixel Canon Powershot G5 X.
Want a carefree night out with your friends without lugging a DSLR? A lightweight camera like the PowerShot G5 X is one that can easily be kept inside your bags, or to simply sling it.
270 Orchard Road
Level 4 Grand Park Orchard
Singapore 238857
Tel: +65 6603 8855
Mon to Thu, Sun: 12pm – 1am
Fri & Sat: 12pm – 2am
Nearest Station: Orchard/Somerset
#2 HI-SO ROOFTOP BAR
Head right to the rooftop of Sofitel So Singapore and you will be greeted by a beautiful pool, surrounded by skyscrapers and office buildings in the Central Business District. Hi-So Rooftop Bar is a poolside bar in the hotel, and it is like a playground in the midst of the concrete jungle.
You can rest and relax on one of the sofa seats “cabana-style”, and sip on a tropical cocktail. Snap a few Outfit of The Day (#ootd) shots in this photogenic rooftop bar, too.
To capture our perfectly-balanced photo, we used the electronic viewfinder on the Canon Powershot G5 X that aided us seamlessly with composition.
Rooftop, Sofitel So Singapore
35 Robinson Road
Singapore 068876
Tel: +65 6701 6800
Daily: 12pm – 12am
Nearest Station: Downtown/Telok Ayer
#3 KINKI
This Japanese-style bar is probably one of the quirkiest you can find in Singapore. We fell in love with the graffiti wall murals and the carefree open-air seating on the rooftop of Customs House.
The view of Kinki overlooks the Singapore skyline and you can catch an unblocked view of the iconic Marina Bay Sands.
70 Collyer Quay
#02-02 Customs House
Singapore 049323
Tel: +65 6533 3471
Mon to Sat: 12 – 2.30pm, 6pm – 10.30pm
Nearest Station: Raffles Place
#4 LANTERN
This popular bar sits on the top level of The Fullerton Bay Hotel, and it is one of our all-time favourites in Singapore. Boasting a view of the Marina, Lantern makes a splendid option for a Bros’ Night Out. We can totally imagine the vibe of Lantern during the Grand Prix period!
Lantern opens throughout the day, and you can even visit the bar for a mid-day drink. They’ve got pretty good promotions during the day, too.
80 Collyer Quay
Singapore 049326
Tel: +65 6597 5299
Mon to Thu, Sun: 8am – 1am
Fri & Sat: 8am – 2am
Nearest Station: Raffles Place
#5 LOOF
With the bright crimson sign that is synonymous with the bar’s names, Loof has always been popular and we lost track of how many times we saw a photo of the sign on our Instagram feed.
The entire place sure is photo-worthy – from the sleek bar to the casual seating area. Although the lighting at Loof is pretty dim and uneven, a photo as such is possible with the Canon Powershot G5 X. The signature low light feature had us snapping away with ease!
331 North Bridge Road
#03-07 Odeon Towers Extension Rooftop
Singapore 188720
Tel: +65 9773 9304
Mon to Thu: 5pm – 1am
Fri & Sat: 5pm – 2am
Closed: Sun
Nearest Station: Bras Basah/City Hall
#6 MISCHIEF
When Mischief took over its predecessor’s place at Esplanade, we were wondering if the restaurant-bar would garner enough crowds to sustain itself. But the brainchild of Mediacorp artistes Cynthia Koh and Michelle Chong and ex-Radio Jockey Daniel Ong is one place with really great deals on their beer and house pours.
We love Mischief for their low-hanging fairy lights and multi-coloured chairs – perfect for some portraits, or wefie moments with friends. Here’s a tip – you can hold up your food or drinks against the fairy lights for a blurred out (bokeh) effect. That will be a gorgeous photo there!
8 Raffles Avenue, Esplanade Mall #01-12
Singapore 039802
Tel: +65 6532 0481
Mon to Thu: 5pm – 1am
Fri & Sat: 5pm – 3am
Sun: 5pm – 11pm
Nearest Station: Esplanade/City Hall
#7 ORGO BAR & RESTAURANT
This modern rooftop bar at Esplanade is a sight to behold and the entire bar is filled with spacious sofa seats and private rooms.
Orgo Bar & Restaurant also overlooks the Singapore skyline, and they make some pretty fantastic cocktails.
8 Raffles Avenue, #04-01, Roof Terrace, Esplanade
Singapore 039802
Tel: +65 6336 9366
Daily: 6pm – 2am
Nearest Station: Esplanade/City Hall
#8 RUMPOLES BAR
Rumpoles Bar is slightly different from the other bars on this list as it is an enclosed and cosy bar inside Hotel Jen Tanglin Singapore. What makes the bar so special is the vivid graffiti on the walls and the adorable barrel tables.
Lighting can be tricky here, but the Canon PowerShot G5 X uses a large 1.0” 20.2 megapixel CMOS sensor that renders higher sensitivity for superior image quality, so you can be assured that photos of your night out will turn out really well.
If you prefer a cosier and quieter space to unwind at with your pals, this is the bar for you.
2F, Hotel Jen Tanglin
1A Cuscaden Road
Singapore 249716
Tel: +65 6831 4326
Daily: 3pm – 1am
Nearest Station: Orchard
#9 SMOKE & MIRRORS
Besides the ultra-cool name, Smoke & Mirrors wowed us with one of the best and unobstructed views of the Esplanade, Padang, Singapore Flyer and other iconic structures in Singapore. Located high above the newly-opened National Gallery, Smoke & Mirrors consists of an elegant reflective bar and open-air seatings.
As night falls and the city skyline lights up, Smoke & Mirrors will transform into a stylish bar with a different kind of view. Either way, we promise a picture-perfect moment here.
#06-01 National Gallery 1 St.
St Andrew’s Rd
Singapore 178957
Tel: +65 9234 8122
Mon to Thu, Sun: 11.30am – 12.30am
Fri & Sat: 11.30am – 1am
Nearest Station: City Hall
#10 SOUTHBRIDGE
As big fans of the fresh oysters at Southbridge, another one of our favourite things about this place is the view. Yes, we sound like a broken record but in this case, we would rather just let the picture do the talking.
As they say, a picture speaks a thousand words and if you are ever early at Southbridge, snag a good seat and the rest of your night is settled.
Rooftop, Level 5, Boat Quay Conservation Area
80 Boat Quay
Singapore 049868
Tel: +65 6877 6965
Mon to Thu: 5pm – 12am
Fri, Sat & Eve of PH: 3pm – 12am
Closed: Sun & PH
The Canon PowerShot G5 X is our new choice for a convenient, lightweight compact camera with fast auto functions that are beneficial in different lightings and places. We love how the Wi-Fi and NFC features makes it so easy to transfer images from camera to smartphone for a quick editing or sharing pictures with friends. Its low light feature is our addiction, and the sleek look of this camera means slinging it is an accessory to our outfits, too!
Stand a chance to win a brand new Canon PowerShot G5 X camera!
Simply follow these few steps:
1) Follow @CanonSingapore on Instagram
2) Upload a photo of your daily life on Instagram
3) Hashtag #LifeWithPowerShot & #PowerShotG5X
T&Cs – www.canon.com.sg/lifewithpowershot
Contest ends 8th April 2016
Winners will be announced on Canon’s (@canonsingapore) and Gushcloud’s (@gushcloud_sg) Instagram account.
This post is brought to you by Canon Singapore.