Three smaller cities within Manila's boundaries---Ortigas or Mandaluyong City, Malate, and Makat---form the pulsing epicenter of this Philippine capital's commercial district and its thriving nightlife. Within each of these three smaller cities are a variety of café bars, each catering to its own particular clientele and bringing in throngs of people every night to enjoy every sort of entertainment imaginable.
Toyz Café, perhaps the best-known café bar in Mandaluyong city, towers over Ortigas on the 42nd floor of the Lancaster Suites Manila. Its roof deck location offers views of the skylines of Ortiga and neighboring Makati, as well as the golf course and country club below. Visitors can also make online reservations in advance. It features a dance floor circled by seating that also doubles as a performance space for live performers. Guests seeking something more sophisticated can stop by Bykes, also part of the hotel, which advertises itself as a ballroom dancing café and bar.
Toyz Café/Bykes
622 Shaw Boulevard
Mandaluyong City, Philippines
011(+632) 717-1958
lancasterhotelsph.com
Makati reaches deeper into the heart of Manila's café bar nightlife than the more peripheral Ortigas. Absinthe, one of the most popular café bars in Makati, targets a young, hip crowd of locals and tourists alike. A popular dance spot, it's likely to be crowded and seating is limited. Similarly, the Ice Vodka Bar also caters to a younger crowd with drinks and dancing, though it also offers private parties and catering. For those who want the option of dining, Temple Bar offers Chinese cuisine and diner seating alongside its bar and music that carries on late into the night. SaGuijo offers yet another type of café bar experience; it has a downstairs music club featuring live performers and an upstairs art gallery where guests can often meet the artists in person.
Absinthe Café Bar
Greenbelt 3
Ayala Center
Makati, Philippines
011(+632) 757-4967
Ice Vodka Bar
3L Greenbelt 3
Makati City, Philippines
011(+632) 757-4472
icevodkabar.ph
Temple Bar and Restaurant
Greenbelt 2
Ayala Center
Makati, Philippines
011(+632) 757-5113
SaGuijo
7612 SaGuijo St
San Antonia Village,
Makati, Philippines
011(+632) 897-8629
saguijo.com
Like Makati, Malate also offers a variety of experiences for every interest and age group. The L.A. Café Bar, a large and rowdy place, draws in club goers looking for a fun place to dance and drink with friends. The Demitasse Cafe Bar, alternatively, offers a spot for a coffee date or a nightcap in a slightly more sophisticated setting. Ciboney also offers clients a quieter setting but also serves food. For something more offbeat, there is local favorite the Hobbit House, which centers around a thriving folk music scene.
L.A. Cafe
1429 Marcelo H. del Pilar
Manila, Philippines
011(+632) 526-7592
ermita.com
Demitasse Cafe Bar
428 Remedios Street
Malate, Philippines
011(+632) 400-6415
Ciboney Café, Bar and Restaurant
602 Remedios Circle
Malate, Manila
011(+632) 450-1178
ciboney.blogspot.com
The Hobbit House
1212 Arquiza Trade Center
Marcelo H. del Pilar
Manila 1000, Philippines
011(+632) 484-0982
hobbithousemanila.com
