Where To Eat and Drink in Manila After Midnight

Not finding a place where you can eat and drink in Metro Manila is almost impossible. There are too many options, from fast-food joints and fine-dining restaurants to hole-in-the-wall food spots and concept bars. Those choices dwindle, however, after midnight. But just because a number of places turn in for the night, it doesn’t mean that you have to, as well. Where do you go when you’re not ready for the night to end just yet? Axe recommends these establishments:

The Back Room

If you’re looking to end the night on a high note, head to this Prohibition-era bar at Shangri-La at the Fort. The folks at The Back Room take craft gins seriously—enough, in fact, to produce its own house brand: the cheekily named The Bee’s Knees.

Gin not your thing? Try The Back Room’s selection of meticulously crafted cocktails instead. The Ransom Note, for instance, mixes tequila with pistachio, agave, lemon, and hazelnut for a nutty yet tart libation.

Shangri-La at the Fort, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City. Open 6 p.m. to 1 a.m., from Monday to Saturday. 02-865-3844

Agimat Foraging Bar and Kitchen

Few establishments evoke a sense of Filipino pride quite as dramatically as this Poblacion favorite. Its signature cocktails are crafted using premium local ingredients and each comes with a little ritual that the bartenders perform while making it.

While you’re exploring patriotic drinks like Perlas ng Silanganan, which combines gin and white rum with apple kalingag liquor and mango basil shrub, make sure to try Agimat’s elevated local bar chow, too. Try its version of the day-old chicken.

2nd floor 5972 Alfonso Corner Fermina Street, Poblacion, Makati City. Open 6 p.m. to 2 a.m., from Monday to Saturday. Closes at midnight on Sunday. 0917-890-4039

The Curator

This exemplary bar in Legaspi Village, Makati has received many praises. Its award-winning cocktails are part of a rotating menu that features visual representations of different flavor profiles, so you know exactly what you’re getting each time.

Even better, you can head back to The Curator starting 7 a.m. the next day, when it resumes operations as a craft coffee shop.

134 Legaspi corner Don Carlos Palanca Street, Legaspi Village, Makati City. Bar service starts at 6:30 p.m. and continues until 2 a.m. from Monday to Thursday, and until 3 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. 0916-355-4129

Futur:st

Today x Future is one of Cubao’s most iconic bars, serving as a hub for arts and culture and a place for having a good time. The anti-pretentious establishment—known for blasting contemporary pop tunes as frequently as they do indie music—recently opened a sister bar in Poblacion.

Futur:st has everything that TXF is famous for, from chill interiors to a food menu that offers a surprising bang for your buck. End the night here with a signature drink straight from Cubao: the My Shirota, an addicting blend of soju, Yakult, and rose syrup.

5062 Guerrero Street, Poblacion, Makati City. Open 7 p.m. to 3 a.m., from Tuesday to Saturday. 0928-520-9102

XX XX

There are bars that buck trends, and then there’s XX XX, which has built an identity all its own over the years. Known for being one of the few places that has dedicated electronica nights, the bar has also been home to some extremely crazy events, including a BDSM ball.

Its menu features a selection of tried-and-tested drinks, as well as the signature XX XX Pale Ale. If you find yourself unable to sit still for too long, having 20:20 right next door makes for easy bar-hopping—but drinking in the courtyard between the two is fun, too.

La Fuerza Plaza 1, 2241 Chino Roces Avenue, San Lorenzo, Makati City. Open 9 p.m. to 4 a.m., from Wednesday to Saturday. 0917-634-8764

If you’re going to party well past any reasonable bedtime, make sure you smell good and stay fresh all night. After all, no one likes it when you come home smelling like sweat and alcohol. Use Axe Body Spray to help keep yourself smelling great even after the sun comes up.

For more recommendations and information, visit Axe Philippine's Facebook page.