Lido's Buddy Bar Wants to Be the Place Where Everybody Knows Your Name

Making your way in the world today takes everything you've got ...

Yes, that timeless refrain is a sentiment that most of us expats can relate to after a long day of gridlock commuting, language barrier miscommunications, and other routine Beijing misadventures. But Lido dwellers have far fewer options, compared to their Gulou and Sanlitun counterparts, to take a break from all their worries. The relatively quiet north western Chaoyang neighborhood's new Buddy Bar now offers a very welcoming, local vibe that those living in Lido will appreciate.

Indeed, Buddy Bar (ID: 百蒂餐吧) shakes up Lido's relatively sleepy vibes with a big screen projector that plays rugby, football, and a range of other sports for those sitting on its spacious patio. That screen is big enough and strategically placed to catch the eye of passersby on their way home from a stressful work day. 
 

The menu isn’t groundbreaking but has plenty of pasta (five choices priced around RMB 60 each), salad, burger (four choices, all of them priced around RMB 70 each), pizza options (five, priced around RMB 80), entrées (smoked baby back ribs for RMB 118; German sausage platters for RMB 158; Argentina beef pies for RMB 88; beef fillets for RMB 188), and desserts (the RMB 42 chocolate lava cake is a highlight) to satisfy the sports bar set.

In terms of drinks, there are a range of wines, spirits, beers (all at average prices), and an impress assortment of Japanese whiskeys, the latter of which owner Han Xu brings back on from his extensive travels. 

While it won't likely draw Gulou and Sanlitun regulars from more distinctive and outside-the-box bar and restaurants, Buddy Bar is a sturdy restaurant for low-key Lidites, and it lives up to its name as an unpretentious, fun spot to hang out with your pals and watch a game.

Buddy Bar
Daily 10am-2am. 38 Jiuxianqiao Fangyuan West Road, Chaoyang District
朝阳区酒仙桥芳园西路38号

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Email: kylemullin@truerun.com
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Photos courtesy of Buddy's