The Discreet Gentleman

The 15 Best Bars in Manila, Philippines

Manila has 16 bars tracked in our directory. Adult nightlife in Philippines sits in the "Illegal but Tolerated" category, which sets the door policy and the pricing structure you will encounter at every venue below. Cost tier runs $ (very cheap); safety reads 2/5 (risky). The list below caps at the top 15 venues sorted by Google rating, with review count as the tiebreaker so a 5-star venue with three reviews ranks below a 4.6-star venue with eight hundred.

Illegal but Tolerated$2/5
  1. Filling Station Bar in P. Burgos Street, Manila
    1

    Filling Station

    P. Burgos Street · Bar

    4.5
    7,450 reviews

    Sports bar and grill on P. Burgos that shows live games on multiple screens. Popular with the Makati expat community for after-work drinks.

    View venue →

  2. Fred's Revolución Bar in Malate, Manila
    2

    Fred's Revolución

    Malate · Bar

    4.5
    169 reviews

    Mexican-themed bar near Remedios Circle serving margaritas and beer. Sidewalk seating and a casual atmosphere draw a younger local crowd.

    View venue →

  3. Oarhouse Pub Bar in Malate, Manila
    3

    Oarhouse Pub

    Malate · Bar

    4.3
    247 reviews

    Expat-friendly pub on Nakpil Street with cheap beer and a pool table. Unpretentious spot that fills up on Friday and Saturday nights.

    View venue →

  4. Today x Future Bar in Timog Avenue, Manila
    4

    Today x Future

    Timog Avenue · Bar

    4.3
    203 reviews

    Art bar and event space hosting DJ sets, album launches, and spoken word nights. Draws the Quezon City creative crowd with craft beer and local spirits.

    View venue →

  5. H&J Bar Bar in Malate, Manila
    5

    H&J Bar

    Malate · Bar

    4.2
    897 reviews

    Late-night bar in the Remedios Circle area. Simple drinks menu, plastic chairs, and a crowd that arrives after midnight from other venues nearby.

    View venue →

  6. Che'lu Bar Bar in Malate, Manila
    6

    Che'lu Bar

    Malate · Bar

    3.9
    97 reviews

    Small neighborhood bar popular with students and young professionals from nearby universities. Affordable drinks and occasional acoustic live music nights.

    View venue →

  7. LA Café Bar in Ermita, Manila
    7

    LA Café

    Ermita · Bar

    3.8
    2,552 reviews

    Long-running bar on Mabini Street that's been a fixture of Ermita nightlife for decades. Draws a mixed crowd of tourists and locals, open late.

    View venue →

  8. Jool's Bar & Restaurant Bar in P. Burgos Street, Manila
    8

    Jool's Bar & Restaurant

    P. Burgos Street · Bar

    3.5
    19 reviews

    Restaurant and bar hybrid on P. Burgos with decent Western food. Transitions from dinner spot to late-night drinking venue after 10 PM.

    View venue →

  9. Ringside Bar Bar in Ermita, Manila
    9

    Ringside Bar

    Ermita · Bar

    3.3
    135 reviews

    No-frills drinking spot that's been part of the Ermita scene for years. Simple setup with cold beer and a jukebox, open until the early hours.

    View venue →

  10. Ring Side Bar in P. Burgos Street, Manila
    10

    Ring Side

    P. Burgos Street · Bar

    3.3
    135 reviews

    Small bar on P. Burgos with a loyal crowd of expats. Pool table and cheap local beer keep things uncomplicated.

    View venue →

  11. Memories Bar Bar in Ermita, Manila
    11

    Memories Bar

    Ermita · Bar

    Late-night bar near Robinson's Place with karaoke and cheap beer buckets. A mix of Filipino regulars and expats keep it going until the early morning hours.

    View venue →

  12. Hobbit House Bar in Malate, Manila
    12

    Hobbit House

    Malate · Bar

    Legendary expat bar at 1212 M.H. Del Pilar Street that has been open for decades. Over a hundred beer options, live music most nights, and a dark pub atmosphere.

    View venue →

  13. Midnight Heaven Cafe Bar in Malate, Manila
    13

    Midnight Heaven Cafe

    Malate · Bar

    24-hour bar at 1429 M.H. Del Pilar Street, formerly LA Cafe. Serves as a freelancer meeting point with pool tables, a full bar, and no cover charge. Under new British ownership with a renovated interior.

    View venue →

  14. Ringside Malate Bar in Malate, Manila
    14

    Ringside Malate

    Malate · Bar

    Small late-night bar on M.H. Del Pilar with cold beer and a jukebox. Plastic chairs and a no-frills setup attract a crowd that arrives after midnight.

    View venue →

  15. LA Cafe Makati Bar in P. Burgos Street, Manila
    15

    LA Cafe Makati

    P. Burgos Street · Bar

    Late-night bar and freelancer meeting point on a side street off P. Burgos. No bar fine system; individuals connect independently. Open until the early morning hours.

    View venue →

Why these venues

The ranking pulls every bar in our Manila directory and orders by Google's public rating, then by review count as a tiebreaker. A venue with a 4.6 average and a thousand reviews ranks above a 4.9 average with twelve, on the principle that depth of feedback matters more than headline score. We do not weight by recency, distance from a single district, or category-specific factors. For pricing, hours, address, and the surrounding district context, open the venue page through any list item above.

See more lists for Manila in the Manila best-of hub, the district tier list, or the full Manila city guide.