Bastian
Bastian is a restaurant first and a scene second, but the scene is what everyone talks about. Chef Kelvin Cheung's seafood-focused menu draws Mumbai's film industry, fashion crowd, and social media elite to this Bandra address nightly. After dinner service winds down, the bar area transforms into a late-night lounge where the cocktails are as photogenic as the clientele. It's expensive, it's performative, and on the right night, it's the most electric room in Mumbai.
What to Expect
A high-end restaurant with a celebrity-heavy crowd that transitions to a cocktail lounge late at night. The food is the official draw; the social scene is the real one. Expect to see people you recognize from Bollywood if you visit on a weekend.
Glamorous and social. Tables buzz with energy. The bar counter attracts well-connected regulars. On weekends, the vibe is closer to a party than a restaurant. Weeknights are calmer and better for actually enjoying the food.
Background playlist: R&B, soul, contemporary pop, and lo-fi hip-hop. Volume increases after 11 PM but stays at conversation level.
Smart to upscale. Men in well-fitted shirts and trousers. Women in evening wear or smart casual. The crowd dresses to be photographed.
Foodies who also want nightlife, Bollywood-curious visitors, date nights, special occasions
Cards accepted, UPI accepted, cash works. Dinner tabs can run high; bring a card.
Price Range
Cocktails 700-1,200 INR, mains 800-2,500 INR, cover: none but reservations required for dinner, walk-ins for bar only
Cocktails ~8-14 USD / 7.50-13 EUR, mains ~10-30 USD / 9-27 EUR
Hours
19:00 to 01:30 daily, bar area stays active until closing
Insider Tip
Dinner reservations are difficult on weekends; book a week ahead through the website or Instagram DM. The bar area doesn't take reservations and fills by 10 PM on Fridays and Saturdays. Go early for a seat. The seafood is genuinely excellent and worth ordering even if you're primarily there for drinks.
Full Review
Bastian redefined Mumbai's restaurant-as-nightlife model when it opened in Bandra. Chef Kelvin Cheung, a Taiwanese-Canadian chef who previously worked in New York, built a menu around Asian-influenced seafood that is genuinely good. The truffle edamame, tuna tataki, and lobster thermidor have become Mumbai signatures. Mains run 800 to 2,500 INR, which is expensive for India but reasonable for the quality.
The space is designed for Instagram without being tacky about it. Exposed brick, warm lighting, and an open kitchen create a setting that photographs well. The bar area at the entrance is separate from the dining room and operates as its own entity after 10 PM.
The crowd is Bastian's defining feature. On any given weekend, you'll spot Bollywood actors, cricketers, fashion designers, and the influencer ecosystem that orbits around them. This isn't marketing; it's documented nightly on Mumbai's social media. The paparazzi presence outside the entrance confirms it.
For visitors, the practical implications are straightforward: weekend dinner reservations require advance booking, the bar fills quickly, and the vibe is more about seeing and being seen than quiet conversation. Weeknight visits are calmer and arguably better for appreciating the food.
Bastian competes with Hakkasan (more corporate), Yauatcha (similar price point, less scene), and Izumi (Japanese, quieter). It wins on energy and cultural relevance.
The Neighborhood
Bastian is located in the Kamal Building on New Linking Road, Bandra West, in the heart of Mumbai's trendiest dining corridor.
Getting There
Uber or Ola to Bastian, New Linking Road, Bandra West. The restaurant is a 10-minute walk from Bandra Station. Valet parking is available on weekends. The entrance faces the main road.
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