Singapore's nightlife is as polished as the city itself, and it punches well above its weight: several of its bars regularly rank among the world's 50 best. Sip Champagne beneath the golden gin tower of Atlas, watch the skyline from sky-high rooftops like CÉ LA VI and 1-Altitude, lose yourself in the superclub Zouk, or find a hidden speakeasy behind an unmarked door. Here are 8 of the best bars, rooftops and clubs, from cocktail temples to Sentosa's beach club, with areas, prices and tips.
Grand cocktail barAtlas Bar
Area
Bugis / Parkview Square
Type
Grand cocktail bar
“Home to over 1,300 gins in a 15-metre golden Art Deco tower — come for the Champagne-and-gin list, and note the smart dress code (no shorts or flip-flops).”
Rooftop bar & clubCÉ LA VI
Area
Marina Bay Sands
Type
Rooftop bar & club
“Perched on the Marina Bay Sands SkyPark — go for sunset skyline views, then stay as the restaurant terrace turns into a DJ-driven club later in the night.”
Rooftop bar1-Altitude
Area
Raffles Place
Type
Rooftop bar
“One of the world's highest open-air rooftop bars at 282 metres — the cover charge usually includes a drink, and sunset slots go first, so book ahead.”
Cocktail barManhattan
Area
Regent Hotel / Orchard
Type
Cocktail bar
“A multi-award-winning ode to 1920s New York with its own on-site rum room and rickhouse-aged cocktails; reserve a booth and try a bespoke Sunday punch.”
Rooftop barLantern
Area
Fullerton Bay / Marina Bay
Type
Rooftop bar
“A rare low-rise rooftop right at the water's edge, so the Marina Bay Sands skyline fills your eyeline rather than sitting far below — perfect for photos at dusk.”
SuperclubZouk Singapore
Area
Clarke Quay
Type
Superclub
“Singapore's legendary club draws big-name international DJs — check the line-up and pre-book entry or a table for headline nights, which sell out.”
Beach clubTanjong Beach Club
Area
Tanjong Beach, Sentosa
Type
Beach club
“Slow, stylish beach days that build into DJ-fuelled sunset parties — the monthly Sundae Sessions are legendary; book a daybed and reserve a table for weekends.”
Speakeasy cocktail bar28 HongKong Street
Area
Clarke Quay / Boat Quay
Type
Speakeasy cocktail bar
“An unmarked door on a quiet lane hides one of Asia's best bars — reserve online in advance (walk-ins are tough) and trust the bartenders with a custom drink.”
Singapore nightlife in detail
1.Atlas Bar
Atlas Bar is one of the most jaw-dropping drinking rooms on the planet — a soaring, cathedral-like space on the ground floor of Parkview Square, a lavish 1990s building modelled on New York's Rockefeller-era Art Deco skyscrapers and often nicknamed the 'Gotham building'. The centrepiece is a 15-metre-high golden tower housing the bar's staggering collection of more than 1,300 gins and 250 Champagnes, reached by librarians on a rolling ladder — the largest gin collection in the world. Regularly voted among The World's 50 Best Bars and often crowned Singapore's number one, Atlas specialises in gin-based classics and its legendary Champagne service, though the cocktail list ranges far wider and the bar snacks and pastries are excellent. The atmosphere is grand and glamorous rather than stuffy, with live jazz on some evenings and a sense of occasion the moment you walk in beneath the vaulted bronze ceiling. There is a smart-casual dress code — no shorts, sportswear or open sandals, and a jacket is appreciated in the evening — so dress the part. It works beautifully for a pre-dinner Champagne, a special-occasion date or simply a drink somewhere genuinely spectacular; cocktails run around S$26 to S$34. Reservations are strongly recommended for evenings and weekends, when it fills quickly. Even teetotallers should step in for an afternoon coffee or a look, because the room alone is one of the sights of the city, a slice of imagined 1920s Manhattan transplanted to the edge of Kampong Glam.
Hours
Mon–Sat 12:00–24:00 (until 01:00 Fri–Sat; closed Sun)
Price
Cocktails ~S$26–34
Getting there
MRT Bugis (EW12/DT14), a 5-minute walk; on the ground floor of Parkview Square
Insider tip: Home to over 1,300 gins in a 15-metre golden Art Deco tower — come for the Champagne-and-gin list, and note the smart dress code (no shorts or flip-flops).
2.CÉ LA VI
CÉ LA VI occupies one of the most enviable positions in Singapore — the summit of the Marina Bay Sands SkyPark, 57 floors up, with the entire city, the bay, Gardens by the Bay and the harbour laid out beneath its open-air terraces. Part restaurant, part skybar and part nightclub, it is the go-to spot for that quintessential Singapore experience of a sunset cocktail high above the skyline. Early in the evening it is all golden-hour views, sharing plates and signature drinks on the club lounge terrace; as the night deepens, particularly from Wednesday to Saturday, it shifts gear into a proper party with international and resident DJs, bottle service and a glamorous, well-dressed crowd. The panoramic outlook is unbeatable, and timing a visit for around 18:30 lets you watch the sun drop behind the CBD before the lights of the city blink on. Drinks are priced to match the altitude — cocktails around S$25, with a cover charge of S$20 to S$30 on club nights that usually includes a drink — and there is a smart dress code, so leave the shorts and flip-flops at the hotel. It can get busy and touristy, and you can find more serious cocktails elsewhere, but nowhere else pairs the drinks with this particular view. Whether you come for a special-occasion sundowner, a meal on the edge of the sky or a late night of dancing with the skyline as a backdrop, CÉ LA VI delivers the glossy, high-altitude glamour that Marina Bay does best.
Hours
Daily ~12:00–late (club nights Wed–Sat)
Price
Cover S$20–30 on club nights; cocktails ~S$25
Getting there
MRT Bayfront (CE1/DT16); take the tower-3 SkyPark lift to level 57
Insider tip: Perched on the Marina Bay Sands SkyPark — go for sunset skyline views, then stay as the restaurant terrace turns into a DJ-driven club later in the night.
3.1-Altitude
1-Altitude is a Singapore rooftop institution, long billed as one of the highest open-air bars in the world, perched 282 metres up on the 63rd-floor roof of the One Raffles Place tower in the heart of the financial district. What sets it apart from the city's many skybars is that it is genuinely in the open air and offers a full, unobstructed 360-degree sweep, so you can circle the deck and take in Marina Bay Sands, Gardens by the Bay, the Singapore River, the harbour and the endless towers of the CBD all from a single vantage point. The experience is as much about the vista as the drinks: sunset is the prime time, when the sky flares over the skyline and the city's lights begin to sparkle below, and it is a favourite spot to bring visiting friends for that first wow moment. A cover charge, typically S$30 to S$45 and often including a drink, applies in the evenings, with cocktails around S$22 thereafter, and there is a smart-casual dress code. The vibe is lively and social, with music building as the night goes on, and the venue has reinvented its concept and lower-floor spaces over the years, but the rooftop and its views remain the enduring draw. Reserve ahead for sunset and weekend visits, arrive a little before the sun goes down to secure a good railing spot, and bring a light layer, as it can be breezy at that height. For sheer altitude and panorama, few bars in the city compete.
Hours
Daily ~18:00–late (hours vary)
Price
Cover ~S$30–45 (often includes a drink); cocktails ~S$22
Getting there
MRT Raffles Place (EW14/NS26); take the express lift in One Raffles Place tower 1
Insider tip: One of the world's highest open-air rooftop bars at 282 metres — the cover charge usually includes a drink, and sunset slots go first, so book ahead.
4.Manhattan
Manhattan, in the Regent Singapore hotel near Orchard Road, is one of the most decorated cocktail bars in Asia, a regular fixture on The World's 50 Best Bars list and a past winner of its number-one-in-Asia crown. Its concept is a loving, richly detailed homage to the golden age of the classic American cocktail and the glamour of early-20th-century New York: think plush leather banquettes, dark timber, brass and a grand, theatrical back bar, all evoking the lobby bars and social clubs of Manhattan's heyday. The drinks live up to the setting. The bar is renowned for reviving forgotten recipes and regional American classics, and for its pioneering in-house 'rickhouse', where it ages and blends its own spirits and barrel-aged cocktails on site, as well as an extensive collection of rare rums and whiskies. The signature Sunday-punch service and bespoke, tableside-mixed drinks add to the sense of occasion. Service is polished and knowledgeable without being precious, and while it is a hotel bar, it draws a serious cocktail crowd in its own right. Cocktails run around S$26 to S$30, in line with the city's top bars, and the atmosphere is sophisticated and grown-up rather than raucous. It is an ideal choice for a refined evening, a special date or anyone who takes their drinks seriously and wants to experience one of the region's benchmark bars. Reservations are recommended, especially for weekend evenings and a coveted booth.
Hours
Tue–Sat 17:00–24:00 (until 01:00 Fri–Sat; closed Sun–Mon)
Price
Cocktails ~S$26–30
Getting there
MRT Orchard (NS22/TE14); on level 2 of the Regent Singapore hotel on Cuscaden Road
Insider tip: A multi-award-winning ode to 1920s New York with its own on-site rum room and rickhouse-aged cocktails; reserve a booth and try a bespoke Sunday punch.
5.Lantern
Lantern offers a different, and to many a superior, take on the Singapore rooftop bar — rather than towering hundreds of metres above the city, it sits low and intimate on the roof of the Fullerton Bay Hotel, right at the edge of Marina Bay by the historic Clifford Pier. That waterfront position means the iconic skyline — Marina Bay Sands, the ArtScience Museum, the Singapore Flyer and the glittering CBD towers — rises directly across the water at eye level, filling your view and reflecting in the bay, which makes for some of the best skyline photographs in the city and a genuinely romantic setting. The bar wraps around the hotel's rooftop infinity pool, strung with its namesake lanterns, and delivers a stylish, relaxed and slightly more grown-up atmosphere than the big club-style skybars, with a well-crafted cocktail list, Champagne, and light bites to accompany the view. Cocktails run around S$24 to S$28, and while it is a hotel bar the setting draws locals and visitors alike for sundowners and after-dinner drinks. It is at its most magical at dusk and after dark, when the lanterns glow and the skyline lights up, and especially during the free nightly Spectra light-and-water show across the bay, which you can watch cocktail in hand. Because it is open-air it closes or moves indoors in heavy rain, so keep an eye on the weather, and reserve ahead for a prime spot on busy evenings. For an elegant, view-driven drink without the vertigo, Lantern is one of the loveliest choices in the city.
Hours
Daily ~15:00–24:00 (weather permitting)
Price
Cocktails ~S$24–28
Getting there
MRT Raffles Place (EW14/NS26) or Downtown (DT17); atop the Fullerton Bay Hotel at Clifford Pier
Insider tip: A rare low-rise rooftop right at the water's edge, so the Marina Bay Sands skyline fills your eyeline rather than sitting far below — perfect for photos at dusk.
6.Zouk Singapore
Zouk is the grande dame of Singapore's clubbing scene and one of the most storied nightclubs in Asia. Founded in 1991 in a converted riverside warehouse and relocated to its current riverfront home at Clarke Quay in 2016, it has been a fixture on the global superclub circuit for over three decades, regularly appearing in international rankings of the world's best clubs. The venue is really several venues in one, with distinct rooms catering to different tastes under a single roof: the main Zouk room for big-room electronic dance music and headline international DJs, Phuture for hip-hop, R&B and more underground sounds, and the plush Red Tail and Capital bars for a more lounge-oriented night. Over the years its DJ booth has hosted just about every major name in dance music, and it continues to programme a strong line-up of touring stars alongside local talent. The crowd is a mix of Singaporeans, expats and visitors, generally young and dressed to impress, and the sound and production values are top-tier. Entry typically runs S$30 to S$40 depending on the night and the act, with bottle-service tables costing considerably more, and the main nights are Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. For big-name shows it is wise to buy tickets in advance, as they sell out, and to check the dress code, which leans smart and excludes shorts and slippers. Its Clarke Quay location places it at the centre of Singapore's main nightlife district, surrounded by riverside bars and restaurants, making it easy to build a full night out around it. For serious clubbers, Zouk remains the essential Singapore night.
Hours
Wed, Fri & Sat ~22:00–04:00 (nights vary)
Price
Entry ~S$30–40; tables considerably more
Getting there
MRT Clarke Quay (NE5) or Fort Canning (DT20); riverside at Clarke Quay
Insider tip: Singapore's legendary club draws big-name international DJs — check the line-up and pre-book entry or a table for headline nights, which sell out.
7.Tanjong Beach Club
Tanjong Beach Club is the most stylish spot on Sentosa's sands, a chic beach club on the island's quietest and prettiest strand that perfectly captures Singapore's version of laid-back luxury. By day it is all languid glamour: a beautiful free-form swimming pool opening onto the beach, cushioned daybeds and cabanas under the palms, a good all-day menu of brunch dishes, burgers, salads and sharing plates, and a long list of cocktails and frozen drinks to sip with your toes in the sand. As the afternoon wears on and the sun begins to drop, the tempo lifts — resident and guest DJs take over, the crowd swells and the club eases into a sundowner party atmosphere, especially during its famous monthly 'Sundae Sessions', full-day beach parties that are a highlight of the city's social calendar. It draws a fashionable mix of expats, locals and visitors, and the vibe manages to be both relaxed and buzzy. There is generally no cover charge, but daybeds and cabanas carry a minimum spend, and tables are worth reserving for weekends and event days; cocktails run around S$22. Being on Sentosa it takes a little effort to reach — the Sentosa Express to Beach Station and then the beach tram or a short walk — but that slight remove is part of the appeal, giving it a genuine getaway feel a world away from the CBD skybars. For a full day that flows from swimming and lounging into sunset drinks and dancing on the beach, it is one of the most enjoyable ways to spend a day and night in Singapore.
Hours
Tue–Sun ~11:00–22:00 (later on event days; closed Mon)
Price
No cover; minimum spend for daybeds; cocktails ~S$22
Getting there
On Tanjong Beach, Sentosa; Sentosa Express to Beach Station then the beach tram or a short walk
Insider tip: Slow, stylish beach days that build into DJ-fuelled sunset parties — the monthly Sundae Sessions are legendary; book a daybed and reserve a table for weekends.
8.28 HongKong Street
28 HongKong Street is Singapore's original modern speakeasy and remains one of its most respected cocktail bars, a perennial on The World's 50 Best Bars list and often ranked among the top handful in Asia. In true speakeasy fashion it hides behind a plain, unmarked door on a quiet lane near Boat Quay, with no sign to announce it; you simply find number 28, knock or step inside, and are transported into a warm, dimly lit, effortlessly cool room of exposed brick, low lighting and a soundtrack of soul and hip-hop. The bar helped kick-start Singapore's craft-cocktail boom and has trained a generation of the city's best bartenders. The drinks are the star — impeccably balanced classics and creative originals, made with serious skill and a lack of pretension — and the knowledgeable team is happy to build a bespoke cocktail around your tastes if you would rather not order from the menu. The food is unexpectedly good too, leaning into elevated American comfort classics like sliders and fried chicken that pair perfectly with the drinks. The atmosphere is relaxed, convivial and grown-up, a place to settle in for the evening rather than a quick stop. Cocktails run around S$24 to S$28. Because it is small and hugely popular, reservations made online in advance are strongly advised, as walk-in space is limited, especially at weekends. Its location in the Boat Quay and Clarke Quay area puts it in the thick of the nightlife district while feeling like a well-kept secret. For a proper cocktail in one of Asia's benchmark bars, it is essential.
Hours
Daily ~17:30–02:00 (reservations recommended)
Price
Cocktails ~S$24–28
Getting there
MRT Clarke Quay (NE5); on the lane of Hong Kong Street near Boat Quay — look for the unmarked door at number 28
Insider tip: An unmarked door on a quiet lane hides one of Asia's best bars — reserve online in advance (walk-ins are tough) and trust the bartenders with a custom drink.