The Little Easy: A New Orleans Bar on SLT Bar Strip

This Friday, the 13th of April will be the official opening of a new bar in town called The Little Easy, a New Orleans bar with quality cocktails, craft beers, southern comfort food and live music.

This is Chad Lager‘s newest project, who is also known as the man behind Fubar, Grinders, Tun Bar and The Rickshaw (closed in 2010).

Teaming up with the guys from Slow Boat Brewery, he’ll be exclusively serving three of their craft beers (American Pale Ale, Citra Mango IPA & Amber Ale) on tap for RMB 40 for one or RMB 100 for three.

“The Little Easy is your place for Slow Boat craft beers, Hurricane cocktails, Cajun food and po’ boy sandwiches. Live New Orleans Jazz, Zydeco, and Blues. At the Little Easy, although the clock may say 2am, it’s all a matter of mind, body and spirit.” 

A New Orleans bar like the ones on the legendary Bourbon Street in New Orleans seems quite the change from the cozy, hidden speakeasy that is Fubar with its little “Dizzy Buddha” cocktails (click here for my previous “Buddha-licious” article on Fubar).

But the most fascinating part to me is the choice of location. From the secretive, under-cover location of Fubar, a speak-easy behind the front of Stadium Dog in Gongti, The Little Easy will be smack-dab on the cheesy, touristy Sanlitun bar strip right across from Sanlitun South Village.

This is renowned to be one of the worst parts of Sanlitun, with awful pop music blasting out and girls pole dancing in the windows.  This is the area I fear many clueless tourists accidentally end up while trying to find the infamous “Sanlitun Bar Street” of Beijing they read about in their travel books. I intentionally refuse to walk on this side of the street to avoid all the annoying hawkers shamelessly trying to lure people into their bars that are really nothing but over-priced tourist traps.  All that being said, perhaps The Little Easy will be the pivotal point that will change this hopeless strip into a new, better Sanlitun bar street.

“Centrally located on Sanlitun’s premier bar street – just look for the wrought iron railings and brick interior.”

Fingers crossed this marks the beginning of the end of that forsaken strip of tourist trap-bars-from-hell into a strip of quality bars with legit drinks, food and music.

The Little Easy Details:

• Address: 北京市朝阳区三里屯酒吧街54号 Beijing, Chaoyang district, Sanlitun Bar Street #54 

• Opening Hours: 11AM-late

Only a Few Days Left: 2nd Annual Rotaract Clothing Drive

Hurry because Sunday, January 30th is the last day of the 2nd annual Rotaract Clothing Drive, where everyone can use this opportunity to clean our their closets while supporting worthy local causes around China.

All you have to do is drop off your second-hand goods to any one of the many collection points and then the Rotaract Beijing Club will then collect them, sort them, and deliver them to Roundabout charity group.

Items to contribute: gently used clothes, coats, quilts, shoes, toys and books (please ensure all items are in decent condition)

Drop-Off Collection Locations:

Fubar Gets a Facelift

My list of reasons for liking Fubar only continues to grow. Even more so than before, Fubar is just like a speakeasy straight out of New York or London.

I’m not sure when exactly Fubar got renovated, but now it has two adjacent back-lit bars with an joining pillar doubling as a shrine dedicated to Hendrick’s Gin (awesome) and an upstairs level that wraps from the original upstairs seating around the top of the two bars and back down to the left.

And for those who missed my “Buddha-licious” article on Fubar, here is why I think Fu Bar continues to stand out among Beiing’s over-abundance of bars:

It’s a cozy, little speakeasy bar with a nifty, secret hidden door behind the bathroom of a hot dog joint.

Design of the space is hip and cool, while remaining unpretentious and cozy

Great atmosphere on weekends. Ladies should be happy to find the ratio of guys to girls is about 5:1.

It’s conveniently attached to Stadium Dog – great hot dogs to accompany your cocktails

Served in the cutest depiction of a big-bellied Buddha, their “Dizzy Buddha” cocktails (¥100) is quite possibly the cutest thing ever. You can select from a nice list of cocktails and the best part is that you get to take home the ceramic white Buddha as a great souvenir. (see below for pic)

Happy Hour drinks are almost half-off (6-9PM)


Robbie Hennebry jams with his guitar every Wednesday…making Fubar my new favorite place on Wednesday nights!

LumDimSum Snapshots of Fubar:

Fubar’s Address: Gongti Dongmen 10-11, Gongti  Behind a secret door inside of Stadium Dog. 工体东门10-11 Stadium Dog里面 Tel:  6546-8364

Buddha-licious

There are many reasons why Fu Bar stands out among Beiing’s over-abundance of bars:

1. It’s a cozy, little speakeasy bar with a nifty, secret hidden door behind the bathroom of a hot dog joint.
2. It’s conveniently attached to Stadium Dog – great hot dogs to accompany your cocktails
3. Happy Hour drinks are almost half-off (6-9PM)
4. Great atmosphere on weekends. Ladies should be happy to find the ratio of guys to girls is about 5:1.

This weekend, I found another reason to go back to hang out at Fu Bar:

5.  Served in the cutest depiction of a big-bellied Buddha, their “Dizzy Buddha” cocktail (¥100) is a sweet, tropical concoction with lots of coconut rum and juices. The best part, you get to take home the ceramic white Buddha as a great souvenir.

Fu Bar also serves shots in these little guys, which is hilarious to watch grown men downing these:

Don’t Judge a Bar by its Cover: Stadium Dog & Fubar

Last night, Dan Goodman, Wokai Beijing Chapter President, hosted a casual get-together at Fubar for their Beijing chapter’s volunteers for good drink deals and holiday cheer.

This year, I encourage everyone to give a gift that keeps on giving and purchase a Wokai Gift Card.

I have a thing for secret doors and I love that Fubar is hidden behind Stadium Dog hot dog joint, down the stairs to the bathroom, where you will find a grey brick wall that slides open with the click of a button, leading you into a cozy, speakeasy bar serving find cocktails for great prices -1/2 off drinks from 6-9pm.

Hats off to Chad Lager, previous manager of Rickshaw and Tun Bar for serving up a great bar concept alongside quality hot dogs.

Review of Stadium Dogs: Gongti Dongmen 10-11, Gongti 工体东门10-11   Tel: 6546-8364 (65-HOTDOG)

Best Part:

• Choice of classic 100% beef American-style hot dog, Italian sausage, German Bratwurst, or Veggie Soy dogs for only RMB 20 each. Combo orders of 2 or 3 dogs, includes complimentary beer or drink
• Choice of white or wheat buns (which were a little hard)
• Add do-it-yourself toppings: cheese, sauerkraut, olives, onions, coleslaw, mustard, pickles, tomatoes, ketchup, etc.

Comments:

• Buns were a bit tough
• Tomatoes were icy cold
• They were out of a lot of things: no soy dogs, Italian sausage or German Bratwurst, only American dogs

Review of Fubar: Gongti Dongmen 10-11, Gongti  Behind a secret door inside of Stadium Dog. 工体东门10-11 Stadium Dog里面 Tel:  6546-8364

Best Part:

• The grey faux brick wall that slides open with the click of a button
• Cozy, welcoming interior with high ceilings and jazz music
• Pretty much half-off drinks happy hour from 6-9pm (Mixed drinks of Bombay or 42 Below at 30RMB is a real bargain)
• Easy access to great hot dogs

Comments:

• Unpleasant positioning of a big fan that hits you right after you walk in.
• Wokai’s group aside, not many other customers from 7-9pm