A Look at Beijing's (Sort of) Beer Gardens

Katie Coy, Managing Editor | Aug 22, 2025 2:30 pm | Add a comment | 180 reads

With the peak summer heat (and hopefully rainstorms) behind us, it’s now the perfect time of year to enjoy a beverage or two outside before the warm weather fades away. Recently, we’ve been taking a look at some of Beijing’s best rooftops and terraces – but what about beer gardens?

Strictly speaking, in my “expert opinion” as a Brit, Beijing doesn’t really have what I would classify as a beer garden as there aren’t any “proper” traditional pubs here. However, they do have some places that come pretty close. There are also many bars with courtyards around the capital, which I would argue is a sort of Chinese version of a beer garden. So, without further ado, let’s take a look at what the capital has to offer!

For our rundowns of rooftops and terraces, you can check out these articles:

COMMUNE RESERVE Dawanglu

COMMUNE RESERVE's Dawanglu location has a stunning outdoor space that I’d say comes as close to a beer garden as you’re going to get here. Stretching across a large area, it’s decorated with plenty of greenery and has ample seating, with its cream-colored sofas looking like a particularly inviting place to spend the afternoon.

They have a staggering 20 beers on tap, giving plenty of choice, with everything from IPAs to sours and from fruity numbers to stouts. Along with beers, they have plenty of cocktails and mocktails, plus an extensive food menu.

COMMUNE RESERVE Dawanglu
101, 1/F, Guanghua Intl. Bldg, 6 Dawang Xilu, Chaoyang District
朝阳区西大望路甲6号光华国际大厦1层101
Hours: Mon-Thu, 11am-2am; Fri, 11am-3am; Sat, 10am-3am; Sun 10am-2am
Phone: 136 9323 2573

Paulaner

Right by the Liangma River, Paulaner boasts a large outdoor space framed by hedges and complete with artificial grass, which makes for a pretty decent, sort of, beer garden. As you’d expect, they have numerous Paulaner beers on tap as well as cocktails, wine and other drinks. Their Bavarian-themed menu leans heavily towards big, meaty dishes, but they do also have a few vegetarian options.

Paulaner
1/F, Yansha Youyi Shangcheng, 52 Liangmaqiao Lu, Chaoyang District
朝阳区亮马桥路52号燕莎友谊商城F1
Hours: 11.30am-1am
Phone: 010 6465 3388, 010 6410 4211

Slowboat Maizidian

Every summer at their Maizidian branch, Slowboat creates their own little beer garden right on the street outside the taproom. Walls of plants enclose the space, giving it a nice garden vibe, and come evening, globe light strings give a nice warming glow to the space. Here you can enjoy 20 Slowboat beers on tap with everything from beloved classics like Drink Like A Fish Pilsner (RMB 40) and Monkey’s Fist IPA (RMB 45) to regular new releases. If you fancy trying a few different brews, they do a tasting paddle of three 100ml glasses for RMB 50. Aside from beer, they also have their famous burgers, shareable dishes and more.

Slowboat Maizidian
1/F, 78 Maizidian, Chaoyang District
朝阳区麦子店78号1层
Hours: Sun-Thu, 11am-midnight; Fri-Sat, 11am-2am
Phone: 136 8306 8225

Great Leap #6

A favorite hutong spot for many, Great Leap’s original location has a lovely courtyard beer garden. The courtyard itself is over 100 years old, and you can appreciate the hutong architecture while sipping on a pint. You can expect to see some of their usual signature brews on tap like Honey Ma Gold (RMB 45), Banana Wheat (RMB 55), or Little General IPA (RMB 50), along with seasonal additions. They don't serve food at this location, but you’re free to waimai whatever you’d like. For those with furry friends, the courtyard is also completely dog-friendly!

Great Leap #6
6 Doujiao Hutong, Dongcheng District
东城区大跃啤酒6号鼓楼店
Hours: noon-midnight
Phone: 184 0060 8074

Side Street Jianguomen

A spot that's a bit of a cross between a beer garden and a terrace is Side Street’s Jianguomen branch. The long terrace has surrounding greenery with trees further back, which does give it a bit of a beer garden feeling. On the beer front, they’ve got a variety of beers from local Chinese breweries on tap, plus a few international beers as well. The best accompaniment to a beer has to be one of their burgers; if that’s not your thing, they’ve got snacks, curries and more.

Side Street (Jianguomen branch)
Bldg N28 2/101-102 17 Jianguomenwai Dajie (behind Nola), Chaoyang District
朝阳区建国门外大街17号楼2/101-102 （Nola后面）
Hours: 11am-midnight
Phone: 135 2195 8643

El Nido Beiluo

El Nido’s Beiluo branch has a cozy courtyard plus a small rooftop area. The wooden furnishings and vines growing on the pergola give it a relaxed, rustic feel ideal for a casual drink or two. They have a wide, ever-changing selection of beers, and they often invite guest breweries from outside of Beijing to take over some of their taps. If beer isn’t your thing, then that's no problem because Fang Bar, which serves up some banging cocktails, is also housed in the same courtyard.

El Nido Beiluo
1 Langjia Hutong, Dongcheng District
东城区郎家胡同1号
Hours: Sun-Thu, 2pm-2am; Fri-Sat, 2pm-3am
Phone: 184 0061 2355

Zarah

Zarah’s courtyard is a personal favorite of mine, with a large tree as a focal point, which casts some much-needed shade in Beijing’s hotter months. It also features bamboo and a partial glass ceiling, which creates a bit of a greenhouse vibe. Those looking to enjoy some early evening drinks can make use of their daily happy hour: 4pm-9pm draft beer is RMB 45 a glass, and 6pm-9pm all cocktails and glasses of wine are RMB 50. Zarah's food selection is also excellent, with everything from salads to sandwiches and from cheese and meat platters to pasta. It’s an especially great choice for vegans and vegetarians, with plenty of options on the menu.

Cafe Zarah
46 Gulou Dongdajie, Dongcheng District
东城区鼓楼东大街46号
Hours: Tue-Thu & Sun, 10am-midnight; Fri-Sat, 10am-1am
Phone: 010 8403 9807

Pub 96

Located only a stone’s throw west from Andingmen, Pub 96, formerly Chill Bar, has recently undergone a whole renovation, including their lovely, unassuming courtyard. Like Zarah, a large tree dominates the space, and the new look has given the courtyard a more chic look as well as an added a bit of additional seating. The renovations have also included adding a new bar, so they now have multiple beers on tap for you to sip on while you soak in the hutong vibes.