Bars and pubs in Penang
Oct 1st 2011, 8:50 am
#31
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Joined: Apr 2011
Location: Penang
Posts: 92
Re: Bars and pubs in Penang
Hi, not exactly an Ex-Pat, but hope my post is still welcome. I'm in the RAF and we are travelling to Butterworth next month for an exercise. Staying at the Evergreen Laurel in Georgetown. I was over there 12 years ago, but just looking for an update on bars and clubs to go to. Noticed a couple of posts about the RAAF Bar, is that the one that had the wee swimming pool next to it and the terrace? Visited there last time and wondered if it was still there as they were very welcoming. Cheers.
Don't know if any of your group are into live music, but if yes, the best live music venue on the whole island (imho) is Queens Bistro in the Queensbay area. They only use local bands & it is the only venue where you can listen to a mix of western, Dangdut, Bhangra, Malay, Chinese, Indonesian.......the bands here are more versatile than what is demanded of the bands in the commercialised UPR & they start performing at 10pm playing the usual 3 sets.
Only problem is it is a bit of a jaunt from the Evergreen (probably about RM50 in a taxi).
Oct 2nd 2011, 3:30 pm
#32
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Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 35
Re: Bars and pubs in Penang
OK. Others may well have different opinions but, a run down of some options:
Clubs - all in Upper Penang Road (UPR) unless stated otherwise. Wednesdays is 'Ladies Night' (free drinks) in most places but Fri/Sat still WAAAY better.
Mois: Disco catering to the younger crowd (25 may be considered pushing it here). Good music. Big place!!!
Voodoo: SLIGHTLY older crowd. Bit more cold looking inside but can be good. Bit smaller than Mois and perhaps less 'happening'.
H2O (was Fame): Off and on here. OK on Fridays for a change.
Slippery Senoritas (SS): More mature crowd. Live music and DJ. OK Weds, v good Fri / Sat (now).
QE2: This is at the Jetty in Georgetown. Nice open air feel to it, overlooking harbour. Weds is dead but Fri very good, mostly. Sat, so so. Beer is reasonable for Penang (RM 20 pint).
Hard Rock Hotel: Batu Ferringhi. A way out this place and too far for many, esp if it's crap. Worth a look when they have special parties.
Soho: This is in Penang Road, almost opposite Oriental Hotel (Penang Road is the continuation of UPR after you cross at T junction (UPR is pedestrian). Just as much a bar as a club but has a good (ish) DJ and can be good Fri/Sat after about 11pm. Rest of the time it's one of the best for reasonable priced draught beer (RM17 pint).
Bars
Many up in UPR. Vary as to how good they are. Most a bit basic and shabby. Really a case of walking in and out to find the best. Most dead until 10/11. Popular ones are Zanzibar, D-Joint and Monkey Bar.
Overtime: Gurney Drive, near Evergreen Hotel. Cracking place with good music and big crowd. Beer is not cheap here though!!! Esp the 'Starker' they serve at RM 35 pt
IIRC they have bottles around RM 15. They do a happy hour, 6-7 IIRC, where it's 'buy one get one free'.
Straits Quay: Two Irish themed pubs here and one German. Healy Mac's is the liveliest. Finnegans I always find a bit dull. German bar is a bit sedate. Beer is OK price wise but more than QE2 and Soho.
There are others and lots of places dotted about. These are the mainstream though. I avoid most of the hotel bars, over-priced and boring IMO. Some say that QE2 and Straits Quay can be good around 5-7pm with the office turn out crowd. never got round to trying those times yet
Clubs - all in Upper Penang Road (UPR) unless stated otherwise. Wednesdays is 'Ladies Night' (free drinks) in most places but Fri/Sat still WAAAY better.
Mois: Disco catering to the younger crowd (25 may be considered pushing it here). Good music. Big place!!!
Voodoo: SLIGHTLY older crowd. Bit more cold looking inside but can be good. Bit smaller than Mois and perhaps less 'happening'.
H2O (was Fame): Off and on here. OK on Fridays for a change.
Slippery Senoritas (SS): More mature crowd. Live music and DJ. OK Weds, v good Fri / Sat (now).
QE2: This is at the Jetty in Georgetown. Nice open air feel to it, overlooking harbour. Weds is dead but Fri very good, mostly. Sat, so so. Beer is reasonable for Penang (RM 20 pint).
Hard Rock Hotel: Batu Ferringhi. A way out this place and too far for many, esp if it's crap. Worth a look when they have special parties.
Soho: This is in Penang Road, almost opposite Oriental Hotel (Penang Road is the continuation of UPR after you cross at T junction (UPR is pedestrian). Just as much a bar as a club but has a good (ish) DJ and can be good Fri/Sat after about 11pm. Rest of the time it's one of the best for reasonable priced draught beer (RM17 pint).
Bars
Many up in UPR. Vary as to how good they are. Most a bit basic and shabby. Really a case of walking in and out to find the best. Most dead until 10/11. Popular ones are Zanzibar, D-Joint and Monkey Bar.
Overtime: Gurney Drive, near Evergreen Hotel. Cracking place with good music and big crowd. Beer is not cheap here though!!! Esp the 'Starker' they serve at RM 35 pt
IIRC they have bottles around RM 15. They do a happy hour, 6-7 IIRC, where it's 'buy one get one free'.Straits Quay: Two Irish themed pubs here and one German. Healy Mac's is the liveliest. Finnegans I always find a bit dull. German bar is a bit sedate. Beer is OK price wise but more than QE2 and Soho.
There are others and lots of places dotted about. These are the mainstream though. I avoid most of the hotel bars, over-priced and boring IMO. Some say that QE2 and Straits Quay can be good around 5-7pm with the office turn out crowd. never got round to trying those times yet
Oct 3rd 2011, 2:32 am
#33
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Joined: Jan 2011
Location: Malaysia / Thailand
Posts: 302
Re: Bars and pubs in Penang
Welcome. Enjoy 
Oct 5th 2011, 11:03 am
#34
Forum Regular
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 35
Re: Bars and pubs in Penang
Further to my last posts, we've now found out we are on a piddling £20 a day for food, so now looking for mega cheap places to drink in to start the evening off. Also any tips on best place to buy alcohol to take away would be most welcome. Her Maj is getting very stingy in here old age. 
Oct 5th 2011, 11:26 am
#35
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Joined: Jan 2011
Location: Malaysia / Thailand
Posts: 302
Re: Bars and pubs in Penang
For food, hawkers and food courts best bet. Plenty of hawkers top end of Gurney and also places along Gurney Drive from Evergreen. Problem you'll find drinks wise is that there is not too much saving to be had from getting take away, at least compared to food courts etc. Bars and clubs do of course mark up, excessively in some cases. You'll be looking at RM 110-30 for a case of 24 300ml cans of lager etc (dependant on offers). Cold Storage in basement of Gurney Plaza will be your closest.
Oct 5th 2011, 5:12 pm
#36
Forum Regular
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 35
Re: Bars and pubs in Penang
For food, hawkers and food courts best bet. Plenty of hawkers top end of Gurney and also places along Gurney Drive from Evergreen. Problem you'll find drinks wise is that there is not too much saving to be had from getting take away, at least compared to food courts etc. Bars and clubs do of course mark up, excessively in some cases. You'll be looking at RM 110-30 for a case of 24 300ml cans of lager etc (dependant on offers). Cold Storage in basement of Gurney Plaza will be your closest.
Oct 5th 2011, 6:54 pm
#37
Forum Regular
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 35
Re: Bars and pubs in Penang
Oh, just one other enquiry, are there any bars which have Sky Sports or something similar in Georgetown? Just for football and no doubt some of the guys will want to try to follow the rugby at the moment too. Cheers muchly.
Oct 6th 2011, 2:18 am
#38
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Joined: Jan 2011
Location: Malaysia / Thailand
Posts: 302
Re: Bars and pubs in Penang
Quite a few of the bars in UPR have the sports channels, as do many of the cheap cafes and bars along Gurney near to Evergreen.
