Q97
At the site of the former C Club, Q97 is a sprawling venue, right under California Tower. Its wall-to-wall sofas, marbled floors and light-colored walls make for a relaxed, loungey setting, ideal for early evenings, successfully avoiding that dingy vibe so many underground clubs fall victim to. Nightfall transforms it into a members-only affair, with international DJs playing on regular rotation. News flash: DJ Ricky Stone's back for four exclusive Saturday nights.
Basement, California Tower, 30-32 D’Aguilar St., Central, 2868-6062
Halo
The sister of fellow basement club, Volar, this dungeon of decadence is so exclusive they’ve taken the trouble to install gimmicky face recognition scanners at the door. That aside, the interior is much more happening: designed like an evil genius’ Swiss chalet, with different rooms resplendent in flashes of futuristic violet. With a groovy music policy and a snack menu that offers teeny-tiny cheeseburgers, we’d be happily holing up here until late.
LG/F, 10-12 Stanley St., Central, 2810-1274
Yun Fu
Escape the brawling suits on Wyndham by ducking into this cool cellar. It’s a northern Chinese restaurant, but there’s a great bar just before you enter the dining area. Decorated in cold stone and antique-style wood, it’s ultra-stylish and serves up some mean cocktails, especially the ones made with Chinese wines. Try them with traditional Asian flavors such as sour plum and mandarin peel.
B/F, 43-55 Wyndham St., Central, 2116-8855