Canvas at Clarke Quay is half cocktail bar, half art-leaning live-electronic room. It has held its place near the top of Singapore's club-but-not-quite scene for years by booking adventurous DJs and never letting the cocktail programme go soft.
The room is two levels: a ground-floor cocktail bar and lounge, and a basement live-music room with a proper sound system. The downstairs lineup leans house, deep house, and disco-edits on weekends, with Tuesday and Wednesday sets given to slower formats, ambient, dub, downtempo. The cover varies (S$15–S$40) and includes a welcome drink.
Upstairs, the cocktail list is short but well made: classic builds done correctly, plus a small rotating list of originals. The bartenders are local industry, many have done time at Manhattan and 28 HongKong Street, and the drinks reflect that training. Order the Old Fashioned and the Pandan Negroni; let the downstairs music carry the rest of the evening.
Canvas works best as a long evening rather than a quick stop. Cocktails upstairs from 8pm, downstairs sets from 10pm, walk home along the river. The crowd is mid-twenties to mid-thirties, mixed local and expat, dress-smart-not-formal.
Best time to visit: Weekday evenings before 9pm for the quieter version of the room; weekends after 9pm for the busier one. Reservations recommended where the bar accepts them.
What to order
- 01
Pandan Negroni
- 02
Old Fashioned
- 03
Espresso Martini
- 04
Mezcal Paloma
- 05
Champagne Cocktail