Penang Bars: 11 Best Bars in George Town
George Town's bar scene has expanded steadily over the past decade. What was once a handful of backpacker beer joints along Chulia Street and Love Lane now includes hotel rooftop bars, award-winning speakeasies, space-themed cocktail lounges and convenience-store setups where you drink on plastic chairs for a fraction of the price.
Most Penang bars cluster in two zones: the heritage core around Chulia Street, Love Lane and Lebuh Bishop, and the Gurney Drive strip where hotel rooftop bars serve a more polished crowd. The two zones are about 15 minutes apart by Grab. This guide covers 11 bars across both areas, verified in October 2026, with addresses, hours, prices and what to expect. Golden Shower by ChinChin (later Beso Rosado) on Bishop Street has been dropped from this list because it is now listed as permanently closed.
Prices are in Malaysian Ringgit (RM) and are approximate. Most bars accept card payments, but carry cash for smaller spots like Antarabangsa Enterprise. Dress codes are relaxed, though rooftop hotel bars may turn away guests in flip-flops or swimwear.
Jump to a place (11)
At a glance
Backdoor Bodega
Backdoor Bodega is concealed behind what looks like an enamel pin shop on Jalan Gurdwara. Walk through the shop, push through the back, and you enter a narrow cocktail bar that won the Siete Misterios Best Cocktail Menu Award at Asia's 50 Best Bars 2025. The current menu is designed as a literal guidebook to Penang, with each drink tied to a local ingredient or cultural reference — expect flavours like nutmeg, belacan, Penang soy sauce and kelapa (coconut).
Cocktails run RM35 to RM50. The space seats around 30 people and fills up by 10 pm on weekends, so arriving at 8 pm is the safest bet. Closed every Tuesday and Wednesday. Walk-ins only; no reservations. Card payments accepted.
Gravity Rooftop Bar
Gravity is the rooftop bar at G Hotel Kelawai on the Gurney Drive strip, sitting 24 floors above street level. The view faces the coastline and Gurney Drive promenade, and on clear evenings you can see the mainland across the channel. Signature cocktails like the Gravity Sunset (RM26) and Pomegranate Mojito (RM38) are well-made without being overly complicated. The bar also carries a decent wine and spirits list.
Seating capacity is around 70 and the space is open to the public — tell the lobby staff you are heading to Gravity and take the lift to Level 24. No cover charge or minimum spend. The vibe is more polished than the heritage-zone bars, so this suits a date night or a drink before dinner on Gurney Drive. Wind can pick up at this height after 9 pm, so a light jacket is practical.
The Pokok All Day Bar
The Pokok takes its name from the Malay word for "tree," and the bar is literally built around a large old tree on Chulia Street. The open-air setup uses a raised terrace and ground-level tables spread across a courtyard, giving it a casual American beer-garden feel transplanted into a George Town backpacker lane.
Draught beer is the main draw — a glass of Tiger starts at RM10, Heineken and Guinness at RM13, with bucket deals available. Cocktails range from RM20 to RM35 and are straightforward rather than craft-focused. The bar is open daily from 5 pm until 2 am, with no closed days. It fills up after 10 pm on weekends with a mix of backpackers, locals and tourists. No reservations, no cover. Cash and card accepted.
Sphere Rooftop Bar
Sphere Rooftop Bar sits on top of Chulia Mansion and leans heavily into a space and cosmic theme — blue lighting, planet-shaped decor and cocktails served in globe-shaped glassware. The concept sounds gimmicky, but the drinks are genuinely well-crafted. Sphere's Oddity (RM48), a whiskey and plum wine mix with wasabi and yuzu, is the signature. A Wild Eclipse (RM45) uses vodka infused with wild mushrooms and thyme. Beyond Earth's Atmosphere (RM42) blends truffle-washed bourbon with caramel and chocolate notes.
The rooftop terrace gives a street-level view of the Chulia Street area rather than a high-rise panorama, keeping the atmosphere intimate. Open daily from 6 pm to 2 am. The bartenders can personalise cocktails to your taste. Seating is limited, so arriving before 8 pm on weekends secures a spot. Card payments accepted.
Magazine 63
Magazine 63 is a speakeasy tucked inside a shophouse on Jalan Magazine, styled as an old Chinese inn. The interior uses exposed brick, dim lighting and traditional Chinese porcelain jars for serving select spirits. Look for the unmarked door and push through — finding the entrance is part of the experience. The cocktail menu draws on Chinese tea, herbal and spice flavours, blending them into drinks well beyond the typical bar lineup.
Cocktails cost RM30 to RM45. The space seats about 35 people across a ground floor bar and a mezzanine lounge. It opens at 8 pm every night, making it a later-start option on a bar crawl. The atmosphere is quiet and conversational rather than party-driven. Card and cash accepted.
Antarabangsa Enterprise
Antarabangsa Enterprise is not a bar in the conventional sense — it is a convenience store on Lorong Stewart that sells cold beer at some of the cheapest prices in George Town. Cans of beer start around RM6 to RM8, and bottles are only slightly more. You buy your drink from the shop counter, take a plastic chair on the five-foot way outside, and sit among a rotating cast of backpackers, expats and locals doing exactly the same thing.
There are no cocktails, no food menu and no air conditioning. The appeal is entirely in the price and the social atmosphere — it functions as an informal street gathering point where strangers end up sharing tables and conversations. It opens from 3 pm to 11:45 pm Monday to Saturday and is closed on Sundays. Cash only is safest. The location on Lorong Stewart is walking distance from Love Lane and Chulia Street, so it slots naturally into any heritage-zone bar crawl.
Sora Penang
Sora Penang occupies a waterfront spot on Pengkalan Weld, overlooking the jetties and the channel toward the mainland. The interior is modern and open, with a long bar counter and lounge-style seating. The cocktail list includes signature towers and individually mixed drinks in the RM25 to RM45 range. The bar also serves Italian and Chinese fusion food, so it works as a dinner-and-drinks destination.
Open every night from 7 pm until 3 am, Sora is one of the latest-closing bars on this list. The waterfront location gives it a different feel from the heritage-zone bars — more spacious, more breeze and less backpacker-oriented. It draws a younger local crowd after 11 pm on weekends. Card payments accepted.
Good Friends Club
Good Friends Club sits behind teal doors on Jalan Gurdwara, under an old-style shop sign that reads "Good Friends Never Bojio" (good friends never leave you out). Inside it is styled like a traditional kopitiam, with metal stools and tables and classic coffee-shop signage, but the drinks are serious. Head bartender Kelvin Wong's current menu takes its cues from Penang food, with gastronomy-led cocktails such as the Penang White Curry and a Laksa Negroni.
The bar was named in Tatler's Best 20 Bars Malaysia 2026 and regularly hosts guest shifts with other bars in the region. Cocktails cost RM45–60 plus a 10% service charge. It opens at 8 pm every night. Phone +6010 568 0527. It is next door to Backdoor Bodega and a few doors from No Bar Here, so the three make an easy short crawl.
No Bar Here
No Bar Here comes from the team behind Backdoor Bodega and plays on 1980s and 1990s nostalgia, with cassette tapes, neon accents and a playlist to match. The cocktails are lighter and more playful than at its sibling bar; the Megumi Highball and the Ovaltini are the ones regulars point to, and the bartenders are happy to build off-menu drinks around flavours you like.
Expect to pay about RM45 to RM55 per cocktail. It opens at 8 pm from Tuesday to Saturday and is closed on Sundays and Mondays. Weeknights are quieter and give you more time with the bartenders. Card payments accepted.
BISO Cocktail Bar
BISO takes its name from the Penang Hokkien word for flavour. Founder Quay Kar Ve runs an experimental programme built on seasonal Southeast Asian ingredients rather than reworked classics. Signatures include N.E.O.H, a coriander drink with gin and melon liqueur, No.1, inspired by Italian pasta and made with lacto-fermented tomato, white balsamic and black pepper, and a Double Espresso made with Geisha coffee.
The room is minimal and the focus stays on technique. BISO was named in Tatler's Best 20 Bars Malaysia 2026. Opens at 7 pm, an hour before nearby Magazine 63, so it works as the first stop on a Jalan Magazine evening. Closed on Tuesdays. Phone +6014 639 6321.
Farquhar's Bar
Farquhar's Bar is the long-standing bar inside the Eastern & Oriental Hotel, George Town's grand colonial-era seafront hotel. It is styled as a classic British pub and serves beers, spirits and cocktails alongside a food menu. The drink to order is the house Eastern & Oriental Sling.
It is the calmest bar on this list and one of the few open from midday, so it suits an afternoon drink or a pre-dinner stop before walking into the heritage zone. Prices are at hotel level, so check the menu. Phone 04 222 2000 (ext. 3177).
How to Plan a Penang Bar Crawl
George Town is compact enough that a walking bar crawl through the heritage zone is practical. Here are two routes depending on your preference and budget.
Heritage Zone Crawl (Chulia Street Area)
Start at The Pokok on Chulia Street around 7 pm for cheap draught beer under the tree. From there, walk south to Sphere Rooftop Bar on the same street for a cocktail with a view. Cross east to Lorong Stewart and grab a can from Antarabangsa Enterprise for an informal break. End the night at Backdoor Bodega on Jalan Gurdwara (opens at 8 pm) for a final craft cocktail. Total walking distance is under one kilometre, and the whole route keeps you within the UNESCO zone.
Cocktail-focused Crawl (Speakeasies and Rooftops)
Begin at Magazine 63 on Jalan Magazine at 8 pm for Chinese-inspired cocktails in a dim setting. Walk a few doors to BISO at 63A Jalan Magazine (closed Tuesdays) for experimental cocktails, then on to Good Friends Club or No Bar Here on Jalan Gurdwara. Finish with a short Grab ride to Sora Penang on Pengkalan Weld, open until 3 am, for a waterfront nightcap. Budget RM120 to RM180 per person for four to five drinks across this route.
Practical Tips
Bars in the heritage zone are all within walking distance of each other. Wear comfortable shoes — George Town pavements are uneven in places. Most bars open between 5 pm and 8 pm, so starting a crawl at 7 pm gives you the widest selection. Fridays and Saturdays are the busiest nights. Grab rides back to hotels on Gurney Drive or Batu Ferringhi cost RM10 to RM25 after midnight.
Penang Bars: Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best rooftop bars in Penang?
Gravity at G Hotel Kelawai sits on the 24th floor overlooking Gurney Drive. Sphere Rooftop Bar on Chulia Street is a space-themed rooftop with inventive cocktails. Sora Penang on Pengkalan Weld has waterfront views over the jetties. All are open to non-hotel guests. Three Sixty Revolving Rooftop Bar at Bayview Hotel closed permanently in April 2026.
Where can I find cheap beer in Penang?
Antarabangsa Enterprise on Lorong Stewart sells cans from RM6 to RM8 — it is a convenience store with plastic chairs rather than a bar, but the prices draw a loyal crowd. The Pokok on Chulia Street offers Tiger Draught at RM10 per glass.
What time do Penang bars close?
Most Penang bars close between midnight and 2 am. Chulia Street and Love Lane bars tend to stay open until 2 am or 3 am on weekends. Gravity, the hotel rooftop bar at G Hotel Kelawai, closes at midnight on weekdays and 1 am on Fridays and Saturdays. Sora Penang runs until 3 am. Check individual schedules before heading out, as hours can shift.
Are there speakeasy bars in Penang?
Yes. Backdoor Bodega on Jalan Gurdwara is concealed behind a pin shop and has appeared on Asia's 50 Best Bars list. Magazine 63 on Jalan Magazine is styled like an old Chinese inn with porcelain jar serves. No Bar Here, a few doors from Backdoor Bodega on Jalan Gurdwara, is a retro 1980s-themed cocktail bar from the same team. Backdoor Bodega and Magazine 63 both require you to find the entrance, which is part of the experience.
How much do cocktails cost in Penang?
Cocktail prices in Penang range from RM20 to RM55. Budget spots like The Pokok charge RM20 to RM35. Mid-range bars such as Sora Penang serve cocktails at RM25 to RM45, while award-listed No Bar Here charges about RM45 to RM55. Speakeasies like Backdoor Bodega and themed bars like Sphere Rooftop charge RM35 to RM50. Hotel rooftop bars sit in the RM26 to RM42 range.
What is the best area for bar hopping in Penang?
The Chulia Street and Love Lane area has the highest concentration of bars within walking distance. Start at The Pokok, walk to Sphere Rooftop, then loop to Antarabangsa on Lorong Stewart. Upper Penang Road (Jalan Penang) has a smaller cluster of late-night bars. Both areas are flat and walkable.