G/F, 123 Leighton Road, Causeway Bay. Tel: 2576 4785. This comfortable throwback to the 90s serves good value premium beers and aged whiskies. Ignore the generic wines and head for the sometimes surprising HK$60 cocktails. Recommended: the Tagarimar (tequila, Cointreau, Galliano and fresh lemon juice).

The Chapel

27 Yik Yam Street, Happy Valley. Tel: 2834 6565. Whether for a pre-race warm-up or post-win celebration, The Chapel's broad range of beers will satisfy anyone in Happy Valley. Recommended: the Chapel's curries are a great way to soak up the booze after the races.

The China Bar

G/F Ho Lee Commercial Building, 44 D'Aguilar Street, Lan Kwai Fong. Tel: 2526 5992. Formerly Bar George, the cavernous space goes heavy on the red and dragons for its decorative motif but is comfortable and has a busy dance area. From a wide range of drinks, the cocktails were the most eye-catching. Recommended: the Merry Berry cocktail of Bombay Sapphire gin, fresh mint, raspberry, strawberry, cranberry juice and lime (HK$89).

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 (above). Recommended: the eponymous Dada cocktail includes pomegranate, light rum and lime, with a touch of spearmint.

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.

Flutes

27 Elgin Street, SoHo, Central. Tel: 2810 0005. What could beat an unpretentious atmosphere in a prominent SoHo spot? The extensive drinks list includes many champagnes, wines and cocktails. Recommended: the Domaine Magellan Merlot 2007 (HK$70).

Goldfinch Restaurant

13-15, G/F Lan Fong Road, Causeway Bay. Tel: 2577 7981. Made internationally famous by its role in a Wong Kar-wai film, it has been serving Hong Kong-style diner classics since 1962. It has kept its charms and provision of privacy in comfortable booths for all that time. Recommended: any of the classic cocktails at HK$39 each.

Hush

G/F, 2 Gleanealy, Central. Tel: 2537 2281. This chill-out bar (above) away from the hubbub of nearby Lan Kwai Fong and Wyndham Street offers a casual place to unwind, particularly on the outdoor rattan lounges. Recommended: the impressive molecular cocktails such as the Mr Grey (HK$110), a refreshing martini made of crushed cucumber, apple juice, Earl Grey tea, gin and elderflower syrup.

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).

Le Boudoir

B/F, 65 Wyndham St, Central Tel: 2530 3870. This atmospheric basement bar modelled on 19th-century Parisian salons is dark and lovely, with one of the best cocktail menus in town. Recommended: the Unconventional martini (HK$95), blending gin, lemon juice, mint and kaffir lime syrup.

Lei Dou

G/F 20-22 D'Aguilar St, Lan Kwai Fong, Central. Tel: 2525 6628. Yes it's in the middle of Lan Kwai Fong but still manages to feel like a hidden gem, with its low lighting and down-tempo jazz. Recommended: the espresso martini cannot be missed.

The Lawn Bar

1/F The Upper House, Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Admiralty. Tel: 3968 1107. The large, swanky outdoor space with plenty of furniture to sprawl on offers a wide variety of wines to choose from and a few of master mixologist Sam Jeveons' innovative cocktails. Recommended: the Elderflower Collins, made with elderflower syrup, Tanqueray gin, fresh lime juice, fresh grapes and soda (HK$110).

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.

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.

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 house-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.

Sky Lounge

18/F, Sheraton Hong Kong Hotel & Towers, 20 Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui. Tel: 2369 1111. A welcome relief from the bustle below, the bar has a glamorous 1950s feel and is an elegant eyrie (above) to recharge batteries. Recommended: the kiwi martini ((HK$95), a show-stopping blend of vodka, kiwi liqueur and kiwifruit syrup.

Sugar

32/F East Hotel, 29 Taikoo Shing Road. Tel: 3968 3968. The chic Sugar at the boutique East Hotel is a rare escape from the city's Central-Causeway Bay hip-zone. Daybeds allow you to relax in its lap of laziness, while its view takes in most of the city's skyline. Recommended: the music.

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.

Vida Rica

2/F Mandarin Oriental Macau, Avenida Dr Sun Yat Sen, Outer Harbour, Macau. Tel: (853) 8805 8928. A sophisticated bar (below) with views over the Macau Tower and Nam Van Lake, the bar serves manly cocktails designed by a New York mixologist and has great nooks and crannies to hide in. Recommended: the Lagavulin 25-year cask strength single malt whisky (HK$490 per shot).

W52

G/F, 52 Wyndham Street, Central. Tel: 6768 5252. Our favourite bar on Wyndham Street has just undergone a minor revamp and is as chic and sophisticated as ever, as long as you stick to spirits and cocktails and don't bother with the wines and beers. Recommended: the W Spice, a buttery concoction of butterscotch schnapps, vanilla vodka, pineapple juice and freshly ground black pepper (HK$98).

Woolloomooloo

31/F The Hennessy, 256 Hennessy Road, Wan Chai. Tel: 2893 6960. With amazing views over the city through the floor-to-ceiling windows, and from the breathtaking rooftop bar, Woolloomooloo is bringing a new kind of cool to Wan Chai. Recommended: everything tastes pretty good when you're already on top of the world.