Tess Bar and Kitchen

What this place is and who it is for

Tess Bar and Kitchen sits on Seah Street in Beach Road in a single-shophouse space with a 14-seat counter, six high-tops, and a 50-seat back dining room. The bar opened in 2014 and has stayed independent through three Singapore cocktail boom cycles. The format is classic-leaning: no menu cards, a printed shortlist on a chalkboard, and a kitchen that runs charcuterie and pasta until close.

It works for a walk-in Wednesday counter session and for a group dinner-into-drinks evening that does not require a reservation seven days out. Skip the Friday and Saturday late-night visit without a booking; the counter fills by 9pm. Honeycombers Singapore's 2024 cocktail bar feature called Tess “the most consistent neighbourhood cocktail bar in Beach Road and the easiest walk-in in the area on a Wednesday.

What the space feels like

A single-shophouse space with a 14-seat counter on the right wall, six high-tops in the middle, and a 50-seat back dining room with banquettes and a small open kitchen. The Peak Singapore's 2023 bar feature described the room as “the closest Singapore comes to a New York neighbourhood cocktail bar with a kitchen, built around a 14-seat counter and a chalkboard menu.” The lighting stays warm and the playlist runs to vintage soul.

What to order, what to skip

Order the Old Fashioned (16 SGD) on the house bourbon blend, the cheapest considered Old Fashioned in Beach Road and the bartender pick for a first visit. Skip the seasonal chalkboard specials, which Reddit's r/singapore Beach Road threads consistently call the weaker option compared to the classics. The Negroni (18 SGD) on Tess's house Campari ratio is the off-menu request that regulars order. The kitchen Negroni-week board runs in late June and is worth the visit for a 14 SGD price.

Who shows up and when

Three shifts. From 5pm to 7pm the counter pulls Beach Road and Bugis after-work professionals for the early cocktail. From 7pm to 10pm the room runs at peak service with a 70 percent local Singapore couples crowd and a 30 percent group-of-four mix from the nearby Hotel Raffles area. After 10pm the bar turns to a hospitality nightcap and the counter stays open until 2am Friday and Saturday. Time Out Singapore's 2024 bar feature called Tess “the bar the city's hospitality crowd drinks at when they want a 16 SGD Old Fashioned and no theatrics.

When to walk in

Tess runs three shifts and the right one depends on the goal. From 5pm to 7pm the counter is the spot for a walk-in cocktail and a charcuterie board. From 7pm to 10pm the room runs at peak service and reservations are recommended for the back dining room. After 10pm the bar turns to a counter nightcap shift and a walk-in works most nights except Friday and Saturday at peak hours. Monday to Wednesday are the easiest walk-in nights. Sunday is closed. Negroni Week in late June is the right time for a 14 SGD off-menu pour.

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