8 Best Nightlife in the Civic District Singapore

Long Bar at Singapore’s iconic Raffles Hotel could well serve only one drink and it would still draw in the hordes every day – as long as that drink was a Singapore Sling. The city-state’s most famous cocktail can be enjoyed at The Long Bar in an unrivalled classic setting; the rich in wooden features and colonial touches fill the whole bar with a strong sense of nostalgia.

What about the price for that glass of gin, cherry brandy, triple sec, grenadine, pineapple juice and lime juice? About S$30 when you’ve added tax and service. The steep price tag doesn’t seem to put many off - besides, think of all the likes you’ll get after taking a photo then tagging your location on Facebook!

Anti:dote is a stylish cocktail lounge at Singapore’s luxurious Swissotel The Stamford. Critically acclaimed mixologist, Tom Hogen, crafts combinations that impress no end, including his Asian inspired ‘Tonic’ which uses lemongrass, ginger and rum, as well as ‘the treat of kings’ giving our taste buds a real kick with its sourness.

Most cocktails come in at around S$20, but don’t forget you’re sitting in the middle of a 5-star hotel in Singapore. If you’re not into your cocktails, Anti:dote would be worth a visit just for its food. Their Michelin-starred chef from Barcelona works his magic in the kitchen, producing some of the best tapas around.

Bar Rouge Singapore at Swissotel The Stamford is where you can hang out, chill out, and sip cocktails with breathtaking views over the city. You can also expect live DJ sets that regularly complement the loungey vibe.

The bartender can fix up classics as well as a selection of unique house cocktails, ranging from China Mule and mojitos, and there's also a good selection of wines and beers to choose from. Bar nibbles for when you're feeling peckish range from shrimp tempura to hot wood-oven pizzas.

Loof Bar is one of our favourite night spots in the Civic District for so many reasons. Firstly, their oh-so-simple, and cheap, happy hour deals on the weekdays are fantastic. Come between 5pm-6pm, you can pay about S$5 for a drink. The price then goes up S$1 every hour after that until 8.30pm

They also have beer pong, great rooftop views, a decent range of snacks and a live DJ plays that spins soul, hip hop and dance on the weekends. You can find Loof perched on top of Odeon Towers on North Bridge Road. The closest MRT Station is Bras Basah but you can also walk there from City Hall MRT too.

Although boasting a rather swanky exterior in a whitewashed grand old house, this feel-good Singapore bar delivers a great non-pretentious vibe with their live band putting the emphasis firmly on the music rather than how good you look or how expensive your drink is.

That said, you can still blow a few hundred in here if you go for a bottle of one of their fine single malts – although most of the beers and wines are sensibly priced at around S$10. As for the band, expect blues, funk, soft rock and jazz. Barber Shop by Timbre often gets packed at peak times (Wednesday, Friday and Saturday nights), a testament as to how good the band is. Find Barber Shop in The Arts House, a few blocks away from City Hall MRT.

Looking more like a place of worship, the stunning Chijmes building is actually home to a range of top restaurants, cafes, bars and shopping options. Head here in the evening to see the place in its best light, literally, as the whitewashed chapel is illuminated brilliantly with spotlights.

Night time is also when most of the bars and restaurants fill up, creating a livelier yet still relaxed vibe. For a drink, head to Paprika & Cumin, which is more of a restaurant, but you can just take a drink.

Head to the very top of the Mint Museum of Toys on Seah Street and you’ll find this very compact and rather funky little rooftop bar and restaurant. Although not exactly boasting the views of say 1-Altitude or Ce La Vi, the bar does offer a nice breeze and a good look down at the streets around Singapore’s City Hall area.

The walls are plastered in vintage posters and junk, making it feel a tad cheap, depending on your taste. Thankfully, then, the prices are to match, with pints starting at S$10 and a whole host of drinks deals including 25% of Martinis on Wednesday and happy hours running until 10pm on the weekends.

Harry’s @ Chijmes is one among a collective of bars and restaurants that are spread throughout main nightlife and dining areas in Singapore. Unlike its sister branches, the Chijmes bar has interiors that follow a more industrial styling.

Following Harry's tradition, you can order beer on tap while watching live sports feeds that range from rugby to Formula One racing on TV screens, or simply enjoy people watching from a table at one of its open-sided sections.