Makati, Manila

One of the very first night spots I visited when I came to Manila was Havanas. It is a very popular location in the Greenbelt complex, at Greenbelt 3 to be exact.

The majority of the bar is located outside. This can be very pleasant as you can soak in the night time air and watch people pass by. It can also be extremely humid, as Greenbelt can act like a trap for all the heat in Manila, or so it seems.

The inside area is quite small, and can really only accommodate a few dozen people, most of which who will be standing and dancing. They will have live bands inside however, which makes things pleasant.

Outside is much larger, and theres enough seating for roughly 100 people. Drinks are reasonably priced for a hip Makati area. Beers will run you about 80-90 pesos typically.

The draw of this area for me is watching people walk by as you puff on a delightful hookah. They will cost you about 450 for a pipe. They don't have the best hookah in town, but they have the best location.

Cons: This place SWARMS with prostitutes. They are never allowed inside the bar, but they will be allowed to sit outside, occupy a table, and nurse a single iced tea for hours, or until a kind older, foreign man starts buying them drinks. Not only that, but practically surrounding the place will be roaming teams of prostitutes looking for someone to join as they arrive. Also there will be a decent number of ladyboys amongst this group. If you don't like being in the same vicinity as the red light district, avoid Havanas.

Also, the bathrooms are very limited for the number of patrons, so seek out relief in another area of the mall perhaps.

Overall I'd recommend it for a large group that just wants to settle in a beautiful area for drinks, but not if anyone in the group is adverse to lots of heat or whoring.

Dress Code: No dress code

Pharoahs is best described as an adult KTV. You go, get some drinks, and sing your heart out, either with or without a female companion provided by the establishment, for a price.

Before I continue, I can't say that I have any experience with the adult offerings, and I haven't been able to get much information from those who have. What I do know is that you can hire a girl by the hour, and get a private room with her... for singing of course. Otherwise I know nothing about how this place works on the adult side.

What I can talk about is the Public KTV room. It's first come first serve on the Kareoke, and the song selection is the best I've seen in the city. Drink prices are very reasonable, including an all-you-can-drink beer for 300 pesos offer.

The place is not in the heart of Makati, and that's part of what makes it charming. It's further away from most of the nightlife, and really only those in the know are already going there. This makes for an additional plus in that you can dominate the public room with a decent size group, and not worry about embarassing yourself in front of too many others.

Because its an adult place, they try to only allow you in if you already know one of the managers. This is very very easy to get around however, as you can usually waltz in, say you forgot your managers name, and they'll provide you a new one. If you're like me and have no intention of renting a girl, the manager won't mean anything to you once you're in the public room.

All around, I very much recommend the place if you enjoy singing, or watching others sing badly, as its affordable, fun, and comfortable!

Dress Code: No dress code to speak of.

The place looked inviting with plenty of people and cultures from different places. But, don't be deceived. It is not a wholesome place to start with and those who are looking for decent places should steer clear of this place as it is prowled by ladies of the night. I wonder whatever happened to that cozy ambiance and why Ayala malls aren't doing anything to stop the flesh trade happening there. Anyway, my friend and I ordered their calamares ulo and empanaditas which took like 40 minutes to get served and worse, the glass where our drinks were served smelled like someone puked in it. We tried to contest to the waiter but it seems he don't smell anything- and we have to order another glass. Then, the bouncers grab my friend's bag that made her almost fell to the ground just because he want to see what's inside my friend's 6x6 inches body bag. It's definitely our first and last time in that place. Besides, there's nothing Cuban there and the music isn't even authentic. They are even playing hiphop beats... duh? And the establishment seems to be a place which only caters to white people--- and they discriminate against locals, lesbians, and gays. We even saw one lady boy being dragged unceremoniously just because that person wanted to dance and have a great time. Please stay away...

Best place for people watching would be in the wonderfully developed Greenbelt in Makati. While sipping coffee in one of the many cafes, feast your eyes on the endless throng of beautiful people from virtually all four corners of the globe. And nothing prevents you from making new friends.

Dress Code: Come as you are, but some dressing up may come in handy in making new friends.

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If you wanna experience world-class clubbing and hear pure HOUSE and TECHNO in Manila, TIME is the place to be.

TIME - 7840, Makati Avenue lies in the heart of the big metropolis of Manila – the address speaks a lot about the history of our country’s clubbing scene. This address has earned its reputation as a can’t miss for dance fans. It is a reputation well-deserved.

A modest-sized area that sports a roof deck and designed with a rugged minimalist style inspired by NY's meatpacking district, providing an intimate feel. The atmosphere is made even more compelling as state of the art sound system and lights, definitely enhancing the impressive electronic dance music performed by local and international DJs. Whether you want to surrender to the hard bass or just want to relax to the ambient beats at the roof deck, then this is the place to be - minus the steep price tag.

This is a new club - a new nightlife spot that is definitely worth looking forward to. With the goal of propelling the Philippine’s dance music culture forward and leading the country to the forefront by pushing boundaries, the club aims to raise and set a new standard that will defy the common. It's a place where you can move forward to the future or go way back memory lane, and of course embrace the present with more good vibes. What better name for it than TIME? Makati's newest driven night spot, the new frequency is here - it's about TIME!

Dress Code: NO SLIPPERS/SANDALS/SHORTS

I've heard his place described as the place to "see and be seen" in Makati, but in fairness I didn't find it to be anything particularly special. Located upstairs in a dark and moody corner of the mall, it rather reminded me of my student days! Everyone was trying that bit too hard to be cool. But the crowd was friendly enough.

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They say some of the best places are "off the beaten path". Saguijo is one of them. Found along Guijo St. in the residential Makati suburb of San Antonio (Sa means "at" + Guijo = Sa Guijo). An old house that was converted into a venue for watching the best indie musicians, Saguijo's enclave of resident artists have transformed the place into an art lover's mecca.

Aside from aural indulgences (take your pick from metal, indie rock, disco punk, electronica, acid jazz, stinq quartets and hip-hop) from at least 5 bands per night, the second floor is home to the Theo Gallery, a quaint home to some of the best up-and-coming Filipino talents and Baul (which means "treasure chest"), a shop that sells vintage fashion as well as consigned items from young, avant-garde designers. Baul used to be the iloveyou store, which now moved beside gay bar Government.

Definitely the place to go to if you're in for a dose of art, live music, laid-back atmosphere and free-spirited company. Some nights have themes, such as Karaoke Night, Prom Night, Punk Goes Pop Night, etc. so be open to anything!

There is a cover charge of P 100 (USD 2), inclusive of a local beer. Very very cheap.

Dress Code: Come as you are. Some people even enter with their house clothes on (ie. shorts, tank tops, flip flops). The less articles of clothing, the better as it tends to get really hot during popular nights.

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An art masterpiece on its own, the M Cafe at Greenbelt 3 in Makati City is officially known as Museum Cafe, as it is housed under the new Ayala Museum. Boasting of sleek white and wood interiors mixed with original contemporary Filipino art, this is certainly a destination for a classy night out.

Dress Code: Dress to impress. Although there is no "dress code" expressed, come casual at your own risk. People are stylish - frequent haunt of haute couture fans and people from the fashion industry. M Cafe is situated in the same building as Louis Vuitton et al.

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The only certified "superclub" in the Philippines, Embassy a huge white structure that stands out among the buildings located at the Fort Strip in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig.

The newly-renovated Embassy is made up of three venues: Embassy Cafeteria, a restaurant open til the wee hours in the morning serves as the perfect venue for dousing the ten shots of tequila you haphazardly took; Embassy Cuisine, a chill out lounge that serves more upscale dishes such as sushi, salmon and rib-eye; and Embassy Club itself, which also has three divisions: the main room, where anything from trance to house to hip-hop is played; the Champagne (formerly the VIP) room is a smaller, more intimate area that plays deep house, chillout and 90s music on some nights; and the VVIP room, an invitation-only area behind the elevated DJ's booth.

Celebrities, society figures, yuppies, college students and expats are among the 2,500 that flock the venue every Wednesday to Saturday.

Dress Code: Only the chic and fashion-forward can enter. A "door ***" screens the people that come in (though I haven't seen her for a while). Women can get away with anything except rubber flip-flops but men can not wear caps, sleeveless shirts, shorts or sneakers.

Saturday nights at Jaipur are pretty dope. Its the place to see and be seen. It gets really friggin hot inside, and you'll probably sweat real bad, but that shouldn't really matter cuz everyone else will too. hahaha.

Dress Code: no dress code... but don't walk in looking like a bum.