Vintage Whatsits and Reinvigorated Cocktail Classics at Xingfucun's Oye Bar

Knick-knacks and miscellany are the talking points that fill the lull in conversation at Oye Bar. Taking over the space once occupied by Charlie Chaplin Bar, Oye continues the former cocktail lounge's vintage legacy with a decor that immediately catches the eye. It’s not just that the walls of this cocktail lounge are covered in a mixture of vintage pictures and handfuls taken from a hoarder’s crate; almost every corner of the place strives to provoke discussion, from the quasi-perpetual motion machine on the bar, the kind your physics teacher would keep on her desk, to the chairs upholstered with men’s outfits and old military uniforms.

Cocktails will run you RMB 80-plus, and for those prices, we expect either quality or novelty. The quality is fair enough, but it seems to be the distinctive twists on the classics that most justify the prices. Tea-cocktail fusions like the G&Tea are nothing new to bars in Beijing, or in the whole of China for that matter, but there are a few drinks on the menu that signify that this bar is attempting to reach beyond the clichés.

The chocolate old fashioned, for instance, is made with chocolate bitters, chocolate syrup, and a few coffee beans in there to round out the taste. It’s a stiff drink and nice relief from the same old-fashioned old fashioneds.

For something a bit easier to swig, the BeerMoni is essentially a spritz, featuring bubbles from a splash of Jing-A's IPA. It doesn’t compromise either, mixing both Campari and Aperol so you don’t have to choose between the two.

Drinks are enjoyed from the comfort of cloth chairs or in leather booths with views of the bar, where bottles are stored in well-lit glass cases. The bar is split into two main rooms but maintains a consistently, if not relentlessly vintage atmosphere throughout.

Overall, Oye certainly isn't breaking any new ground but with a bit more work to polish and rein in the unwieldy decor as well as expand on the cocktail menu's creativity at large, it should make for a cozy stop if you happen to be in the neighborhood.

Oye Bar
18 Xinzhong Street, Bldg 1, Dongcheng District
东城区新中街18号一楼

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Images: Joey Knotts