Giggle Bar

As the daft name suggests, there’s plenty of frivolity at Giggle bar: outré décor, a bizarre cocktail menu and plans to have regular open-mic nights all point to a place that doesn’t take itself too seriously.

Giggle bar is divided into three different zones: a ‘Forest Zone’, replete with canopy of fake foliage dangling over the tables; a ‘Mediterranean Zone’, with zigzag wooden paneling that looks more like a game of Tetris gone haywire than a mosaic; and, best of all, a ‘Dubai Zone’ (so called simply because it cost a fortune to kit out) in which huge neon lights – that look like they were ripped from the set of a ’60s sci-fi movie – arch over the tables. Kooky and fun? Definitely. Aesthetically pleasing? Not so much. Giggle bar's range of cocktails (32-45 RMB) is also unconventional; we tried the Blue Margarita, XYZ and Silk Stocking, which were all well constructed, despite being less-common mixes. The range of imported bottles is impressive and Vedett, Maredsous and Liefmans are all on tap (35 RMB for 330 ml). There’s also Tsingtao (10 RMB) for the budget-conscious. We didn’t try the food on this occasion but the menu had the usual selection of pasta, sandwiches and pizza at competitive prices. Giggle bar has finally given folk living in Beixinqiao something to smile about. Until recently, those looking for more than a strip of Chinese restaurants serving lukewarm Tsingtao would have to schlep over either to Sanlitun or Gulou for the standard mix of cocktails and Belgian beer. Now, along with nearby Más and Cuju, the area has a few decent watering-holes of its own. That being said, Giggle bar doesn’t have quite enough pull to be a destination in its own right. Ironically, in fact, its concerted effort to stand out from the crowd might drive people away. The neon lights will be too much for anyone who likes a side of dinginess with their booze, and those same punters may be put off by plans to have bi-weekly crosstalk competitions and Peking Opera performances. The idea of having to shout over terrible puns and squawking singers at your local might be too much for some – but it still sounds like a bit of a giggle to us.