Beijing’s Best Sips: the Beijinger vs. City Weekend

We’ve already compared the restaurant-related results of City Weekend’s Readers’ Choice Awards (announced last Wednesday, May 23) with the Beijinger Reader Restaurant Awards we gave out way back in March – click here for that. But what of nightlife? City Weekend also gave out awards in 11 nightlife categories, so how did they compare with the results of our 2012 Reader Bar & Club Awards? Let’s crack open a bottle of Yanjing and find out.

The most noticeable thing about the nightlife categories is that there’s very little difference between the results. Of course, the Beijinger’s nightlife awards comprised 36 categories, compared to City Weekend’s 11 categories, but in those contests where our paths crossed, it looks as if readers of both magazines are drinking in very much the same group of bars. A big contrast with the magazines' respective food awards, where there was almost no agreement between the readerships, but let's look at those bar awards in more detail ...

BEST HOTEL BAR
TBJ Readers: Xiu (best); Scarlett, Mesh (outstanding)
CW Readers: Mesh (best); Mix, The Westin Chaoyang (honorable mention)
CW Editors: Scarlett

Our thoughts: City Weekend’s staff are thinking along similar lines to our readers by making Scarlett their editors’ pick, but in one of 2012’s rare instances of a difference of opinion between readers of the two magazines, the people’s champions are Xiu (the Beijinger) and Mesh (City Weekend).

BEST LIVE MUSIC VENUE
(“Best Live Music” in the City Weekend awards)
TBJ Readers: Yugong Yishan (best); 2 Kolegas, Temple (outstanding)
CW Readers: Yugong Yishan (best); MAO Livehouse (honorable mention)
CW Editors: 2 Kolegas

Our thoughts: Yugong Yishan unites the respective belts of City Weekend and the Beijinger to remain Beijing’s undisputed live music champion. Temple’s rapid rise to prominence is reflected with an “outstanding” award from the Beijinger readers, while CW editors gave 2 Kolegas a well-deserved nod.

BEST GULOU/NLGX/HOUHAI
(“Best Hutong Bar” in the City Weekend awards)
TBJ Readers: Mao Mao Chong (best); Salud, Great Leap Brewing (outstanding)
CW Readers: Mao Mao Chong (best); Great Leap Brewing (honorable mention)
CW Editors: Modernista

Our thoughts: Three awards in and a pattern is emerging – readers of both magazines picked Mao Mao Chong out above all others as Gulou’s best bar, with Great Leap bagging a runner-up award in each contest. Also, another credible choice from the City Weekend staff.

BEST SPORTS BAR
TBJ Readers: Paddy O’Shea’s (best); Luga’s Villa, The Den (outstanding)
CW Readers: Paddy O'Shea's (best); Tim's Texas BBQ, Eudora Station (honorable mention)
CW Editors: Grinders

Our thoughts: Grinders is an excellent spot to watch hockey, particularly if your affections lie with the Vancouver Canucks, but for other sports it can’t rival the likes of Paddy’s and The Den. The readers agree again …

BEST COCKTAILS
TBJ Readers: Apothecary (best); Mao Mao Chong, Q Bar (outstanding)
CW Readers: Apothecary (best); Flamme (honorable mention)
CW Editors: Mai Bar

Our thoughts: … And again, although this time City Weekend’s readership pays runner-up homage to Paul Mathew’s efforts at Flamme, while the Beijinger readers give props to Mao Mao Chong and long-term favorite Q Bar. Can’t disagree with CW’s editors’ pick either – Mai is going to be one to watch over the next 12 months.

BEST NEW BAR
(“Nightlife Newcomer of the Year” in the City Weekend awards)
TBJ Readers: The Bar at Migas (best); Temple, Revolution (outstanding)
CW Readers: The Bar at Migas (best); Spark (honorable mention)
CW Editors: Temple

Our thoughts: We felt Mai, Modernista and 4corners more deserving of an editors’ pick in this category (and gave one to each of them) than Temple. One reason for that was that our readers had already picked the Gulou music venue as a runner-up for “Best New Bar.” Meanwhile, the game of nightlife award tit-for-tat continues as The Bar at Migas sweeps both magazines’ award for best new bar.

BAR OF THE YEAR
TBJ Readers: Migas (best); Mao Mao Chong, First Floor (outstanding)
CW Readers: The Bar at Migas (best); Q Bar (honorable mention)
CW Editors: Mokihi

Our thoughts: By this stage, we’ll take any difference of opinion, even if it’s as small as our readers voting for Migas (we presume on the basis of the amazing summer they had on the rooftop last year) and City Weekend’s voting for The Bar at Migas (the new indoor bar they opened earlier this year). No complaints about Mokihi as CW’s editors’ pick – they deserve more credit for their excellent cocktails.

CLUB OF THE YEAR
TBJ Readers: Spark (best); Xiu, Haze (outstanding)
CW Readers: Haze (best); Mix (honorable mention)
CW Editors: Lantern

Our thoughts: So you do go to different places from the City Weekend readers – or at least, you both like Haze, and they don’t seem so fond of Spark.

Of City Weekend’s 11 nightlife award categories, only eight had a corresponding equivalent in our awards. Here are the red herrings:

BEST PROMOTER
CW Readers: Funk Fever (best); o2Culture/Yen (honorable mention)
CW Editors: Split Works

LOCAL BAND OF THE YEAR
CW Readers: Hot Club of Beijing (best); The Randy Abel Stable (honorable mention)
CW Editors: Residence A

BEIJING-BASED DJ OF THE YEAR
CW Readers: Eddie Lv (best); Mo Bass (honorable mention)
CW Editors: Blackie

For the full list of winners from the Beijinger 2012 Reader Bar & Club Awards, see Part 1 and Part 2. For the full list of City Weekend winners, click here.