Secret Bar: ABV

Those who know me well, know that I am big big fan of the 1920s era. Name it, Great Gatsby, Boardwalk Empire, The Godfather, Gangsters of New York, Public Enemies - I've watched it. I also love anything Art Deco or Art Noveau. I listen to Eddie Cantor, Bessie Smith and Mamie Smith once in a while too... yeah "The Crazy Blues", "Life's a Funny Proposition" and "Some of These Days" are some of my favorites. And oh the Roaring 20s and Flapper girl fashion, I'm in love with them!

I've always wanted to go a Speakeasy bar but it's only recently that the Manila nightlife started embracing this type of bars. When I was in college, what were popular were disco bars where you couldn’t barely hear one another and get wasted AF. But it's the era of millennials and I believe this generation has a good grip of mixing the old and the new. Night outs tends to be more relaxed or chill, where you can just sit, chat and enjoy a drink or two.

I was pretty excited when one Friday night my colleagues and I went to one of the secret bars here in Manila. We went to 2 secret bars that night btw. The first Speakeasy bar that we visited was tucked in a basement behind a burger joint and it's called ABV.

ABV stands for Alcohol By Volume. After going down a few steps you will find Lazy Bastard and then there's this wooden door on your right which will lead you to a small space that resembles an antique elevator shaft.

Upon entering you will be immediately go back in time. The lights are dim, stool and high tables everywhere, an old-looking wooden bar with leather stools, lush leather couches, leather cubicle seats with vintage bulb lights up above your heads. And then there's this showcase cabinet full of bottle of liquors, the plentiest display I've seen in my life so far. The vibe at ABV is what I have been looking for all these years. Everything is just so chill, even the music is vintage!

I love it so much! If one can fall in love with a place, that just happened to me. A staff greeted us and asked us what we would like to have for that night. I am a big whiskey fan so I got the Whiskey Sour but asked him to use Jameson instead. T ordered the Whiskey Sour  on the menu: Old, But Gold (Bacardi Gold Rum, lemon, maple syrup, egg white, Arugula, served up); while P got the Señorita Marquesa (Gran Centenario Reposado Tequila, ginger liqueur, lime, agave nectar, orange bitters, rosemary, served on the rocks) and H just ordered their cheeseburger because he doesn't want to drink that night. ABV also serves free popcorn by the way, I just can’t remember if it's refillable.

I have never tried well-curated drinks until ABV, and man, I didn’t know whiskey sour would taste that so f*cking good! Yes the cursing was necessary! Hahaha! The whiskey sours I've tried before are garbage if I would honestly going to compare. It's pricier than what I would usually drink but yeah if it's so worth my money, I don't have any problem with that.

ABV Cheeseburger – 100% chuck charcoal grilled patties on a soft potato bun served with pommes frites with melted 100% real cheddar cheese, crisp lettuce, ripe tomato, fresh onions and avocado. The cheeseburger that H ordered was just ok, I just got a bite since I am already full and I'm saving whatever stomach space I have left for alcohol.

Another thing that amazed me at ABV was the waiter, I forgot to get his name though. Not only that he was looking so dapper and hot, but he speaks so well and knows what he's talking about. Kudos to that! Ambiance, drinks, service I'm giving them all two thumbs up! And oh, yes, I am definitely going back!


Check out some of the other secret bars in Manila here: - Shhh... Don't Tell: Some of Manila's Coolest Speakeasy (Hidden) Bars- Solaire Resort & Casino's New Speakeasy: Baccarat Room & Bar- Secret Bar: RM-16- Secret Bar: ABV- Secret Bar: OTC- Secret Bar: Bank Bar MNL- Secret Bar: The Exit- Secret Bar: Mandalay Whisky and Cigar Bar- Secret Bar: The ODD Seoul- Secret Bar: INT Bar - Varra Restobar - San Juan's New It Place- Secret Bar: Alibi- Secret Bar: Bar by EAST at Lamp Quarters Marikina

ABV
Basement Floor, 22 Jupiter Cor Galaxy Street,
Bel-Air, Makati City, Philippines
Contact no: +63 9175201608
Website: www.abv.ph
Facebook; facebook.com/abvbar
Instagram: instagram.com/abvph

For more information, complete menu and restaurant reviews, check out their Zomato profile:


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