Book ing Bar: Library-Style Speakeasy

Book ing Bar (the space in between those words is intentional, apparently) is a cozy speakeasy in Zhongxiao Dunhua designed with an old-fashioned library in mind.  It’s a pretty interesting concept and that’s very popular with youngish locals. We like a nice speakeasy just as much as the next person (our all-time favourite is the extremely cool Hanko 60 in Ximen) so we were excited to check it out.

To enter the bar, go to the bookshelf on the right-hand side of the door and press the white book that says “Book ing.” It lights up once in a while if you’re really stuck, so don’t stress. The door will automatically open for you. Note: this is only the entrance. To exit, go to the door to the right-hand side of the bar.

The interior of Book ing Bar is dark and moody, with lots of corners to lurk in and nice finishing touches wherever you look. The customers are mostly young groups of Taiwanese friends, with the occasional couple on a date, trying to hear each other over music that tiptoes the line of being too loud. The first time we popped into Book ing Bar they were playing some obscure electro-swing that was really unique and awesome, but when we returned on a weekday we were disappointed to find that they were playing pop music. A shame, as the electro-swing really added to the atmosphere. We’re not sure if they switch up the music daily, but it was definitely cooler the first time we went.

If you do not have a reservation (we strongly recommend making one — it gets busy, even during the week) and are lucky enough to score a place, you’ll probably be seated at the bar. Although we would have loved to lounge in some of their comfy-looking armchairs, we enjoyed watching the bartenders mix their drinks with flourish so it wasn’t a total miss. If you’re coming here on a date, it would probably be way more rewarding to have a table to yourself, so don’t forget to call ahead!

Although beer and wine are served at Book ing Bar, almost all of the customers were ordering cocktails. After seeing the bartenders pour and mix so expertly, we decided to do the same. After consulting their extensive menu, we chose the thousand solution long island iced tea ($420) and the wormwood red heart guava ($400). There wasn’t much information in English about the ingredients on the menu, but they did expand on acidity, sweetness, and “tipsy level,” which we found helpful while choosing. In all honesty, these weren’t our favourite cocktails in Taipei. The long island iced tea was decent value in that it was strong, but it had a strange, almost medicinal or woody taste that we weren’t overly keen on. The wormwood red heart guava got mixed reviews. We personally liked the mix of tropical and woody notes, but other members of our party didn’t think there was anything special about it. They weren’t bad at all, but we wouldn’t go out of our way to recommend them.

Overall, we liked the atmosphere and decor at Book ing Bar and ended up having a nice time there. We would be more inclined to return with a date than a group of friends (due to personal preference), as the lighting and interior really lend itself to more intimate conversations. Although we weren’t completely sold on the cocktails, we still felt like they had enough interesting choices on the menu to experiment with different drinks. And hey, you could always stick to wine.

Check out their menu here:

What’s the vibe?

Dark, moody speakeasy with occasionally really cool music. Expect to see lots of 20-something locals with friends or dates.

Worth it?

Hmm. The cocktails are mostly around $400, which isn’t cheap, but isn’t unusual for the area. We didn’t love the drinks as much as the interior, so it really depends on what you’re looking for.

Would you go back?

Maybe, but there are other bars we want to try, so it wouldn’t be at the top of our list.

Last updated: September 2019

Book ing Bar

Hours: 8pm – 2am

Phone: 02 2775 4941

English Address: No. 10, Alley 15, Lane 345, Section 4, Ren'ai Road, Da’an District, Taipei City

Chinese Address: 10號仁愛路四段345巷15弄大安區台北市