Best Speakeasy Bars in Klang Valley

Omakase + Appreciate houses two award-winning mixologists, Shawn Chong and Karl Too. That being said, cocktails are definitely the niche here. Their drinks menu changes every month with specialty recipes that you definitely will not find elsewhere. Some may even be considered exotic, such as 'From the Malaya Barrel' which mixes Nikka whisky and Frangelico with coconut, pandan and lemon, or the 'Oriental Pearl'. Either way, this speakeasy is definitely one to watch.

Nestled in an 80-year-old building oozing with age and history, Barlai is a bar that you will likely miss unless you head to the area with the sole intention of getting to the bar itself. The awesome part about Barlai is that it opens relatively early compared to most bars - at 12PM, to be precise (during the weekends). To be fair, the bar also serves coffee but hey, if you're into drinking mojitos during breakfast and/or lunch, we are not one to judge. After all, at such reasonable prices, we can definitely understand the possible obsession with this retro-looking vintage speakeasy.

One of the earlier speakeasies around, Hyde @ 53M may well be considered the pioneer of them all. The duo behind the establishment is also the team of The Good Batch, so you know that these two definitely know what they're doing especially considering one half is a credible bartender. Hyde also has a private room that seats about a max capacity of ten, available for reservations particularly for those who truly love the embodiment of speakeasies. Be sure to grab cocktails here because the bartenders are pretty damned legit.

Despite its 'mainstream' location in a mall, Mr. Brooks begs to differ. The speakeasy is relatively difficult to locate although Bangsar Shopping Centre is not even that big of a mall. Aside from classic single malts, wine, champagne and the likes, their cocktails here are absolutely to die for! Unfortunately, such fantasticity comes with a price. Mr. Brooks is definitely not a bar you can frequent unless you have deep pockets.

People who have been hovering around Sangkaya in SS15 would probably have been the first few to notice Jibril... or not. Afterall, it is a speakeasy bar. SS 15-ians will be intrigued to find out that Jibril lies just around the corner. The seemingly speakeasy bar serves mocktails that span from unique takes to more conventional mixes; from a buttermilk delight called the Potter to a more fruity Lisa. Warm-lit with wooden elements, your time here will be further tantalized with their range of Salted Egg dishes (seriously). Their pasta and butter chicken rice contain this ambrosial ingredient while the other dishes that come out the kitchen are undeniably equally palatable. 

The Pawn Room is the latest addition to bars by The Private Group (TPG), which takes on the concept of oriental speakeasy bar, inspired by 1920s Shanghai pawn shop. Located on the top floor of their sister-bar, The Private Room, The Pawn Room is decorated with herbal cabinets, classic rattan chairs, lanterns, oil-paper parasols, and their wall is adorned with poster advertisements of ancient Chinese women promoting face creams. They also have a balcony that looks out to the main road. Among their best-selling cocktails are Autumn Ivy, Cherry Poppins, and Night in Caribbean.