M18-19, M/F Prince's Building, 10 Chater Road, Central. Tel: 2530 4422. With its dark wood, dimmed lights and leather lounges to sink into, Alfie's more than matches the Dunhill boys' club aesthetic. Recommended: Pimm's by Kee and the lemon grass martini.

The Blck Brd

6/F and roof garden, No 8 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central. Tel: 2545 8555. With no DJs, no cocktails and no televisions, this bar has a unique focus: top-quality booze. And it's all served up in an elegant, almost industrial environment. Recommended: the 14-year-old Oban whisky (HK$138 a shot).

Club @28

28/F, Crowne Plaza Hotel, 8 Leighton Road, Causeway Bay. Tel: 3980 3300. The vibe: this rooftop drinkery is bright and glitzy and has a circular bar and glass windows on either side, one of which leads to the venue's real gem - a wood-decked terrace. Recommended: the J-Cube cocktail, made with vodka and crushed strawberries.

Dada Bar and Lounge

2/F The Luxe Manor, 39 Kimberly Road, Tsim Sha Tsui. Tel: 3763 8778. Bold leather couches and dim lighting make for a swanky and impressive destination in Tsim Sha Tsui. Recommended: the eponymous Dada cocktail includes pomegranate, light rum and lime, with a touch of spearmint.

Dragon-I

UG/F The Centrium, 60 Wyndham Street, Central. Tel: 3110 1222. Dragon-i has the strongest reputation for late-night clubbing and as a place to see and be seen. Book ahead and sample the high life. Recommended: any of Dragon-i's cocktails or enjoy a bottle of 10-year-old Chinese rice wine, to see if it's any better than the rest.

Eyebar

30/F, iSquare, 63 Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui. Tel: 2487 3988. This impressively expansive space so rare with Kowloon bars takes advantage of the 30th-floor locale, turning the stunning harbour view into the bar's backdrop. The East-meets-West theme look stylish instead of cheesy. Recommended: the more than 100 international wines or Chinese spirits such as Wuliangye.

Felix

28/F, The Peninsula, Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui. Tel: 2315 3188. This Philippe Starck-designed feast for the eyes is one of Hong Kong's best-known bars, with floor-to-ceiling windows providing impressive views over Hong Kong Island and Kowloon. Recommended: Felix arguably offers the best gin and tonic (HK95) in town.

The Globe

Garley Building, 45-53 Graham Street, Central. Tel: 2543 1941. The Globe is a smart English pub, with one of the widest and best selections of beers in Hong Kong, as well as excellent pub fare. Recommended: Typhoon T8, which is brewed on Lantau Island.

Habitat Lounge

29/F, QRE Plaza, 202 Queen's Road East, Wan Chai. Tel: 2907 0888. Habitat Lounge tries (too) hard to please but can be a romantic spot for a date, if you like old-school hip hop and carp projected on to the floor. Recommended: Richito (HK$70), made with light rum, lychee liqueur and Yakult.

Hard Rock Cafe

LG/F LKF Tower, 55 D'Aguilar St, Lan Kwai Fong. Tel: 2111 3777. The Hard Rock Cafe's return to Hong Kong is music to the ears of local rock fans. Recommended: the Hurricane, with Bacardi Superior rum, Captain Morgan dark rum and Disaronno Amaretto plus grenadine, orange, mango and pineapple juice.

Inn Side Out

Sunning Plaza, 10 Hysan Avenue,Causeway Bay. Tel: 2895 2900. The peanut husk-strewn floor and throngs of regulars make for a relaxed atmosphere in a crowded beer hall with an extensive outdoor seating area. Come for a wide range of great, relatively cheap beer and great drinking food to match. Recommended: Trappist Westmalle Tripel Belgian beer (HK$42).

La Piola

G/F, 8 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central. Tel: 2851 2281. This Italian restaurant and bar brings the taste of the Piedmont region to Lyndhurst Terrace. There's an extensive wine list (mostly by the bottle, with select varietals by the glass starting at HK$65). The cocktail list features an eclectic range of spirits and flavours. Recommended: the Mint Breath (HK$82) is a refreshing mixture of kiwi, green apple schnapps, vodka, pineapple juice and apple juice topped off with a mint garnish.

Lily

6/F LKF Tower, 33 Wyndham St, Central. Tel: 2810 6166 This slice of old-school cool comes courtesy of the people who brought us Volar and Halo. Recommended: the Elderflower Paloma, combining tequila, lime, grapefruit and soda water infused with elderflower.

The Living Room

6/F W Hotel, Kowloon Station. Tel: 3717 2222. It's easy to kick back and feel right at home in this sprawling, beautifully designed bar complete with board games and bookcases - just help yourself. Recommended: the awesome lychee martinis.

Mamoz

27-28/F Cubus, 1 Hoi Ping Rd, Causeway Bay. Tel: 2890 3182. Occupying roughly 5,000 sq ft in Cubus, Mamoz offers a panoramic view of the area, as well as glimpses of Victoria Harbour. Recommended: the Southside Fizz (HK$88), a combination of Tanqueray No Ten, fresh lime, mint and soda.

Ozone

118/F Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong, International Commerce Centre, 1 Austin Road West, Kowloon. Tel: 2263 2263. The highest bar in the world doesn't disappoint with its bird's-eye view of the city. Prices here are as steep as the venue, but then you're paying for that view. Recommended: wines are the main attraction, with a choice of several by the glass (HK$90-HK$170) and scores of reds and whites by the bottle.

Phonograph

2 Austin Avenue, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon. Tel: 2730 6622. Phonograph isn't a music venue but is one frequented by musicians. Staff don't mind plugging your iPod into the sound system while you sip a Yakult cocktail. Recommended: any of the Yakult cocktails.

Psychic Jack

1/F, 30-32 Wyndham Street, Central. Tel: 2868 6102. This deliciously decadent addition to the Wyndham Street scene is all comfortable relaxed hues, while the Central nightlife bursts into life around you. Recommended: the lemon drops (HK$76).

Racks MDB

M88, 7/F, 2-8 Wellington Street, Central. Tel: 2868 3762. An East Village-style pool bar, this members' club remains the coolest place in town to shoot a few balls. Recommended: when in a Manhattan-style bar, one must order the Manhattan.

Rayne

43-55 Wyndham Street, Central. Tel: 2840 1955. Settle in for a chat if you're early enough and watch the passing parade on Wyndham Street. Later on, the lounge or house music amps up and this part of town becomes a place in which to see and be seen. Recommended: the Chocolate Rayne (HK$85), which blends home-made chocolate sauce with vodka and whiskey and then tops it off with Frangelico and chocolate liqueur.

Red Bar

4/F Two IFC, 8 Finance Street, Central. Tel: 8129 8882. With an open rooftop, Red has a consistently good DJ and an atmosphere which suits afternoon coffees or evening cocktails. Recommended: despite priceless views and rooftop cool, the area is also a public space, so crack open a 7-Eleven can of Tsing Tao.

Shore

3-4/F L Place, 139 Queen's Road Central. Tel: 2915 1638. Shore is spead over two floors: upstairs is the Onshore fine-dining area, downstairs is the Offshore bar with a 1,800-sq-ft terrace that exudes warmth and originality. Recommended: put your choice in the hands of mixologists with the Surprise Me! (HK$90) cocktail.

Tazmania Ballroom

1/F LKF Tower, 33 Wyndham Street, Central. Tel: 2801 5009. The coolest, sleekest pool hall in Hong Kong, this lounge bar is straight out of Hoxton. Recommended: the 'F*** Me Up', a cocktail with a serious alcohol kick, including amaretto, Malibu and vodka.

Yumla

Lower Basement, 79 Wyndham St, Central. Tel: 2147 2383. This popular bar attracts the music obsessives and is best known for its ear-bleeding sound system and top-quality DJs. Recommended: the mojito (HK$85) is one of the best in town.