Beijing
Beijing's craft-beer scene runs deeper than the tourist taps. These ten are where locals drink. The craft beer bars on this list span every neighbourhood worth a trip, Sanlitun, Gulou, Wudaoying Hutong, CBD all show up, and every price tier from a $5 local pour to a $25 hotel-bar tasting. Each bar earns its spot for a different reason.
SANLITUN · $$$ · COCKTAIL BARS
Beijing's most awarded cocktail bar. Order: Baijiu sour. Best time: Tuesday and Wednesday before 9pm, when the regulars haven't filled the room yet. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Saturday after 10pm gets crowded, book ahead or arrive early.
SANLITUN · $$$$ · COCKTAIL BARS
Japanese-style cocktail bar in a hidden upstairs room. Order: Baijiu sour. Best time: any weeknight between 7pm and 9pm, when the bar settles into its rhythm and the bartender has time to talk. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Friday from 8pm fills up; reserve a counter seat or a high table.
GULOU · $$ · COCKTAIL BARS
Mexican-influenced cocktail bar in a converted hutong courtyard. Order: Baijiu sour. Best time: Sunday from 6pm, when it's the room's quietest premium night and the kitchen is unhurried. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Avoid post-match nights if the local team is playing, the upstairs gets loud.
SANLITUN · $$ · COCKTAIL BARS
Tiki bar that takes the genre seriously. Order: Baijiu sour. Best time: Thursday late or Friday early, when you'll catch the room building toward its weekend tempo. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. First-Friday traffic in the district can mean a 20-minute wait at the door.
WUDAOYING HUTONG · $$ · COCKTAIL BARS
Speakeasy inside a 200-year-old courtyard house. Order: Baijiu sour. Best time: Tuesday and Wednesday before 9pm, when the regulars haven't filled the room yet. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Saturday after 10pm gets crowded, book ahead or arrive early.
SANLITUN · $$$ · COCKTAIL BARS
Cocktail bar inside the Opposite House hotel. Order: Baijiu sour. Best time: any weeknight between 7pm and 9pm, when the bar settles into its rhythm and the bartender has time to talk. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Friday from 8pm fills up; reserve a counter seat or a high table.
Use this guide either as a single curated route through Beijing or as a checklist to revisit over a long weekend. Reservations are flagged where they matter. Otherwise, walk in. Below: the ten craft beer bars that any serious drinker in Beijing would tell you to put on the list.
Beijing's most awarded cocktail bar. Order: Baijiu sour. Best time: Tuesday and Wednesday before 9pm, when the regulars haven't filled the room yet. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Saturday after 10pm gets crowded, book ahead or arrive early.
Japanese-style cocktail bar in a hidden upstairs room. Order: Baijiu sour. Best time: any weeknight between 7pm and 9pm, when the bar settles into its rhythm and the bartender has time to talk. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Friday from 8pm fills up; reserve a counter seat or a high table.
Looking beyond Beijing? See our guide to the best craft beer bars worldwide, or compare craft beer bars city by city. Or find craft beer bars near you.