Highballers Bar sits in a basement on Section 1 of Minsheng East Road in Zhongshan, tucked under a residential block near Shuanglian. It trades polish for energy, a grungy underground room with punky, modern Taiwanese decor.
The mood is the pitch. The space runs loud and low-lit, closer to a hidden den than a hotel counter, and the crowd matches it with a young, local feel.
The drinks do the heavy lifting. The bartenders earn their reputation on creative cocktails with Taiwanese influences, so the room reads casual but the glasses arrive with real intent.
The format is simple to plan around. There is a minimum spend of NT$700 per person, which sets the bar as a place to settle in for a couple of rounds rather than a single quick drink.
The team will steer the order. A note on whether you want something refreshing and long or short and spirit-forward gives the bartenders more to work with than a request for one set serve.
Who would love it: drinkers after a cool, unfussy room with strong cocktails and a local crowd. Who would skip it: anyone after a quiet, formal tasting bar, since the energy here is the whole point.
The location keeps it close to the Shuanglian and Zhongshan stretch, an area thick with food and late-night spots. The basement setting means first-timers should look for the stairs down rather than a street-level sign.
Best time to go is later in the evening, when the room fills and the energy lifts. A weeknight visit stays easier for a seat, while weekends bring the fuller, louder version of the bar.
The Zhongshan address makes Highballers a natural late stop on a longer night, after dinner nearby or before a final round elsewhere. The minimum spend is worth keeping in mind when planning the evening.
For more in the city, see the guide to the best bars in Taipei, the best cocktail bars in Taipei, and the best date night bars in Taipei. It sits among the field of the best cocktail bars in Asia, alongside Taipei rooms like Draftland in Taipei and Fake Sober in Taipei.
Sources: Foursquare · Taipei Expat · Untappd. Editorially curated by Marcus Webb.
