Johor Bahru Bars: 3 Cocktail and Hotel Bars We Could Confirm
Johor Bahru bars are spread out rather than gathered on one strip. Johor Bahru (JB) has busy drinking areas in Mount Austin, Taman Pelangi and Sutera Utama, but most pubs there are small, change name often and publish little online. This Johor Bahru bars guide lists only 3 places we could confirm on the venue's own website or a 2025 to 2026 guide: two hotel bars and a cocktail bar. We left out Merah Kitchen & Bar in the old town because its website no longer loads and its GrabFood and Facebook pages showed no sign of activity in October 2026.
Pubs named in older guides, such as Bert's Keller in Taman Century, Mulligans and Project X in Mount Austin and Bierhaus in Sutera Utama, are left out because we found no current source that we could read. For a late night with live music or a DJ, see the Johor Bahru nightclubs guide.
Jump to a place (3)
Unspoken Bar
Unspoken Bar is the speakeasy-style bar of Sheraton Johor Bahru, which opened in 2025 on Jalan Storey in Bukit Senyum, about five minutes by car from the JB checkpoint. The hotel describes a small, vintage-styled room serving hand-crafted cocktails, craft beer, premium spirits and light bites, and a May 2026 TheSmartLocal round-up of new JB hotels quotes a guest praising the bartender's drinks.
It is open daily from 4 pm to midnight with a smart-casual dress code, according to the Marriott dining page. Phone +60 7-707 6670 to book. The same hotel has a Pool Bar for cocktails and mocktails from 11 am to 8 pm, and its Soo Noodles restaurant serves a late-night supper menu until 1 am.
Dip Bar
Dip Bar is the open-air bar on the 8th floor of Amari Johor Bahru, the Thai-brand hotel on Jalan Trus in the city centre, a short walk from Komtar JBCC and Johor Bahru City Square. The hotel lists cocktails, beer, wine, fresh juices, smoothies, detox drinks and TWG tea, with salads, sandwiches and pasta to go with them.
It opens daily from 11 am to 10 pm, so it suits an afternoon or early-evening drink more than a late night. The hotel also takes bookings at Dip Bar for parties of up to 50 people.
shui
shui is a small, dimly lit speakeasy-style cocktail bar on Jalan Sri Pelangi 3 in Taman Pelangi, the restaurant and nightlife area between Holiday Plaza and KSL City Mall. TheSmartLocal included it in a March 2026 guide to JB restaurants and bars, picking out seasonal cocktails such as Biscoff and pandan flavours from RM60, served with free tapioca chips.
The only firm hours we found are Friday and Saturday from 8 pm to 1 am, with Monday closed, so check other nights before you go. It is a date-night or after-dinner bar rather than a place for big groups.
How to Plan a Bar Night in Johor Bahru
Start early at Dip Bar, which closes at 10 pm, then move to Unspoken Bar, which is open until midnight, or to Taman Pelangi for shui.
Distances are bigger than they look on a map, so use Grab rather than walking between areas. If you are going back to Singapore, the Causeway Link CW2 bus runs through the night. Carry your passport or IC, as some bars check ID, and remember the duty-free alcohol limits when you cross back.
Johor Bahru Bars: FAQ
Where is the bar area in Johor Bahru?
The main drinking areas are Mount Austin and Taman Pelangi on the JB side, and Sutera Utama in Skudai. Many pubs there are small and change often. Hotel bars in the city centre, such as Unspoken Bar at Sheraton Johor Bahru and Dip Bar at Amari, are the most predictable.
Are Johor Bahru bars cheaper than Singapore?
Usually, though cocktail bars are not cheap: shui charges from RM60 for a cocktail. Beer in pubs and hotel promotions costs less than in Singapore. Hotels add service charge and tax to menu prices.
What time do bars close in Johor Bahru?
Of the bars on this page, Dip Bar closes at 10 pm, Unspoken Bar at midnight and shui at about 1 am. For later nights, see the nightclubs guide.
Is there a dress code?
Unspoken Bar asks for smart casual. The Amari pool bar is relaxed.
Are these bars halal?
No. All three serve alcohol, and none of them is halal-certified as far as we could find.