Whiskey bar. Oh, don't ask why. Well, I'll tell you why. I love whiskey. And I want to know where to go to get some. Sure, every bar carries the stuff, but who really gets it right?
I'm not fibbing. Outside of Tokyo this is the best bar of its type you'll find. It's all business. The lighting, chandeliers, bar tending, ingredients, and even the ice is all 100%. When I go here I feel cooler for it. There is only one bar like this in Beijing and that is saying something. I wish there were more but given it's location and pricing I needn't worry about loads of punters jamming the queue.
Cocktail bar er and Ichikura have a lot in common. First, they both are serious about what they do best: drinks. The selection is far and beyond the best in the city. And they are both run by Japanese owners. If you are a single malt whisky lover than I suggest you try not only this bar but also Ichikura. In many ways, these both are “guys” bars – dark, quiet, no entertainment - perfect for enjoying a well made drink and conversation about how to take over the world. Reminiscent of those hidden New York City bars filled with aficionados. Go!
The main bartender (Makaoto) is no longer working at Promise. While the drinks here are still better than many places around town, the bar is located so far out of the way and is so difficult to find that it is no longer worth the trip.
Entero bills itself as a Japanese style whisky bar. It’s dark and at least a tiny bit sexy inside. To be honest it reminds me of a dive bar I used to go to in Chicago. Although it has the same exposed brick walls that span the long and narrow interior, the bar itself is oddly if not uncomfortably designed. In that respect it is very unlike my Chicago dive bar. In the front and the back there are places to ‘pool’ with others while in the middle it’s cramped because of the long bar and its unmatched chairs. The bar itself is also too low.
What miffs me the most is Thursday Steak night. On Thursday, steak is 50rmb (?). Order ahead and reserve your frozen block of Carrefour steak. The steak is literally brought out in a frozen block and then, to the left of the bar, it’s fried in either a wok or flat frying pan. Before serving, the steak is covered with Japanese BBQ sauce. Being a huge fan of Japanese style barbeques, this one completely misses the mark.
If you can get past some of the issues above this bar does have its redeeming qualities. Because of its dim lighting it is a nice place to take a date. It’s no where as impressive as Ichikura but then Ichikura is packed almost every night. Entero is not. Entero also has a few good whiskies and by a few I mean it has more than just a few but vastly fewer than other whisky bars around town. Be forewarned: What they do have doesn’t come cheap. A double Balvenie “Doublewood” will set you back 120rmb. Three of those and you could have bought the bottle (and yes, Balvenie Doublewood is sold in Beijing). By the way, I will pay more in many of the other whisky bars around town but only because I know they are expertly mixed in a refined space.
The toughest part of Entero is actually finding it. In this respect alone, Entero is very much like a Japanese bar. It seems that in Japan and Beijing, tucking your Japanese whisky bar well inside a deserted office building or alleyway is the equivalent of a street-side billboard advertisement. Think Ichikura, Promise, Cocktailbar er, Glen, and at least 10 others that I won’t mention here lest the news gets out, and you know what I mean. If you’re lost, calling the bar helps little. The bartender, using the early 20th Century style telephone behind the bar, will explain EXACTLY how to get there. He will even talk to the taxi driver but neither will help. It’s not a place most people normally go so locals and laowai alike discover it’s next to impossible to find. In the end, that may be its biggest charm.
I have an affection for Japanese bars. The bartenders are more professional, more exacting, and frankly, more consistent. I'm not a fan of the price tag but I understand that you get what you pay for. This would be a better bar if it weren't so hard to find. It is, however, a good bar with an extensive collection of whiskies and other means to imbibe. Get in a cab, pick up a few friends that know the difference between good and bad alcohol, and give this place a spin. I think you will be pleased.
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