Hot Buzz: Cicada Ultralounge in Taikoo Li

I know, you’re probably asking “What is an ‘ultralounge’”? I would tell you the distinction is largely unnecessary – with bright lights, decent drinks and house tunes, it’s like any other higher-end lounge.   

On a busy opening night, I weaved around ranks of well-dressed bodies, bypassing the DJ booth and small dance floor, following Cicada’s L-shaped bar to its terminus. The management obviously want a busy bar, but I think Cicada will excel if the average night is less hectic – lively, but with more room to breathe and enjoy the people-watching.

The design is tasteful enough, with muted wood tones, a honeycomb ceiling, and bottles displayed like the contents of a trophy cabinet. Bottle service is predictably encouraged, but the cocktails are no afterthought. The Boston Sour (RMB 82) – bourbon, egg white, fresh lemon and bitters – was as good as anything I’ve tried recently. You can pay much lower prices for equally good drinks elsewhere, but Cicada is clearly pitched at a big-spending crowd.

Taking my drink slowly, the inevitable semi-private room catches my attention. It’s open enough to invite me to peer in, and I’m tricked into picturing myself there, reclining with a champagne flute in one triumphantly outstretched arm, Cuban cigar in the other, chanting the lyrics to “Juicy” by The Notorious B.I.G. Looking at those inside tells me I will never actually get the chance to do this. One can dream, and I suppose that’s pretty much the point.

On its own merit, Cicada ticks all the right boxes, readily slotting in to a time-honored tradition of “see and be seen” Beijing venues like Suzie Wong, Block 8 and Spark. In Beijing’s increasingly competitive bar scene, however, it needs to find an extra gear to be sure of success. Perhaps that distinction matters after all: If Cicada is going to thrive, it needs to deliver the kind of experience that proves it truly is as “ultra” as the name suggests.

Cicada Ultralounge
N4-33, 3/F, Bldg 3, Sanlitun Village North, 19 Sanlitun Lu, Chaoyang District (6418 9898)
朝阳区三里屯路11号三里屯太古里北区3层N4-33

Also try: Spark, Suzie Wong's

Photos: the Beijinger

This article was originally featured on page 49 of the Beijinger's October issue.