LG/F, 62 Jervois Street, Sheung Wan
Tel: 2857 7683
The vibe: a loud-and-proud lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender nightclub with a loyal following. Despite Volume's momentary hiatus last year, the five-year-old venue continues to go strong with this latest incarnation on Jervois Street, which is far more happening than subdued sister venue Volume Heat (a tapas restaurant on Hollywood Road). On a Friday night, Volume Beat was heaving, lit with fluorescent purple and blue lighting, while the mirrored walls on the sides gave the illusion of a more spacious venue. The DJ was spinning everything from house to current hits from Rihanna and danceable remixes of Adele, in a disco ball-decorated setting with coloured lights shining onto the high-traffic crowd. A giant screen showcased music videos. The condom machine in the bathroom reminds you this is hook-up central for the gay scene.
The drinks: stiff drinks or cocktails fill an uncomplicated single-page list, and the bar's ceiling-high glass shelf highlights bottles of standard to top shelf spirits. There are typical cocktails, martinis and shooters on the menu, while the beer of choice here seems to be a pint of Hoegaarden (HK$85). Among the martinis, the Chrysanthemum variety (HK$95) ended up being far too medicinal tasting (it needed some sweetener to be more palatable), so opt for fruit or dry martinis instead. The friendly bartenders are adept at juggling the high-traffic crowd, dishing out cocktails at breakneck speed, like the Tequila Sunrise (HK$85), which looked as luminously red as our Strawberry Mini Boom champagne cocktail (HK$120) which was dosed with an artificially flavoured berry liqueur. Drinks are fuss-free and arrive quickly, so you can get back to chatting up or dancing in this unabashed gay meat market.
The verdict: arguably one of the pinkest nightspots in town for mingling and dancing with the like-minded.