Sugar

I really like this bar. Really a lot. Like, lots. In fact, I had Christmas Eve drinks here last year and have also taken several friends for their goodbye drinks (since expats fly in and out of HK faster than a monkey will steal your banana on the hike to Lion Rock.)
The view is quite special, whether you’re viewing it from the terrace or the magical bathrooms that remind me of the one Moaning Myrtle haunts in Harry Potter if Hogwarts was set in a sleek-​as-​fuck Hong Kong high-​rise.
Aside from the view, the cocktails are unique and there’s one that just gets me every time: the Purple Cloud, made with taro and coconut milk and rosemary and vodka and who remembers what else? One of these is a mandatory part of any evening at Sugar. Other drinks have been well enjoyed too, such as the Passionate Dragon.
I’ve had several food offerings: one of the pizzas, s’mores, panini, chicken skewers, and seen companions enjoying the cheese plate (I’m lactose intolerant so can’t comment on that.) All were totally solid if on the pricy side.
I’ll be back. I’ve already been back.

Recommended by our trendy HK friend, we spent our Thursday evening at the «slinky rooftop bar and deck» with a beautifully lit skyline, unique cocktails, and a comfortable lounge. It’s not always easy to find a comfortable and spacious lounge with a view as breathtaking as Sugar to chill out with your friends in HK. Even though we personally thought the mixology of the cocktails was average, but the skillfully garnished appearance of the drinks and lovely vibes of the lounge made up for it.
Also, their fries were DELICIOUS! Never simply paired with ketchup and sprinkled with salt, Sugar’s fries were tastefully topped with Cajun spices and grilled Monterey Jack cheese with Kansas City BBQ sauce on the side. It was basically a party in our mouths!

Sugar is great bar or lounge located at East Hotel in Cityplaza. It is in Taikoo Shing. Located near one of the MTR exits. You will have to go to the top floor. My cousin had membership and we came here at around 7p.m. We were allowed to sit in either the outdoor area with a nice view or indoors, but due to raining earlier we were afraid that it was going to rain so sat indoors.
It is very modern, with good décor, and music was ok as well. Very relaxing atmosphere for chilling, chatting, and having a few drinks and appetizer foods. There is a variety of wine, cocktails, and beer to choose from. We had a bottle of white wine for drink, and for our foods, we ordered: BBQ Pork Pizza, Pork Bun, Cheese Board, and Flat Bread. The appetizers were definitely not bad at all and tasted great. The pizza was just fine as well as the buns. The cheese board had a few crackers and three types of cheese to try which was just a perfect complement for white wine. So everything was delicious, and perfect for sharing with a group of people. Price wise was ok.
Service was excellent as well, as our server was great and we had no problems with our orders as well as our requests. We came on a night that was not too busy, so everything was smooth. Overall, definitely a very relaxing modern atmosphere, and vibe that was great. Not overly crowded and loud. It is a great place to have some time to chill and grab a drink and watch the beautiful view of Hong Kong. A night at Sugar is sweet! So next time if you are visiting Hong Kong or around the area and would like to try out a drink or relax, Sugar is a good choice!

Probably the only decent place for drinks on the eastern district. With a view too.
Pretty busy on a Sat night, I only got to stand next to the bar even though I knew the manager. Poor me, but obviously I’m not the kind of people who do name-​dropping. So we were happy to order and stand next to the bar until 10mins later we got our table. You could ask to queue for the outdoor tables too, but we didn’t bother.
Being managed by Swire, you could imagine it got a pretty decent vibe and decent crowd too. Even though occasionally you’d see some off-​characters Mainland Chinese tourists around, but by and large you could still enjoy the drinks and the view.
We got a couple of drinks, some finger food and chitchat till around 1am. That’s when the crowd started leaving, either for the actual parties or calling it a night. i.e. Go big or go home time.
All went well until we got the check. Funny enough, for the Jägerbomb I ordered earlier, we were charged as a Jägermeister ($ 90) and a Redbull ($ 70) separately. I asked a staff if they’ve made a mistake, and he replied, «Yeah sorry, that’s how we charge it.» for which I replied, «A heads up when we ordered it would have been nice.»
Surely enough, I would like to have the option whether to buy or not buy a $ 160 shot. It’s not a lot of money (surely I paid more for some other drinks before too), but kinda cheeky to just sneak it in.
Luckily, somehow the manger I know of was about to give me a discount on the check, and noticed the hiccup (just to be clear, I didn’t solicit anything to be written off the bill), she rectified it and it was a happy ending by the end. Otherwise if you try to order anything off-​menu, make sure you ask about the price tag first.
3 stars solely for the view and the quick rectification.

Sugar is technically a «members only» bar at the top of the East Hotel in Cityplaza. In reality membership is only so that they can claim the outdoor space as private, and to become a member you simply need to fill out a short form with your details and buy a drink. From then on, just give them your phone number to look up your membership and you’ll walk right in.
When you do walk in you’ll find an open and modern bar with a good selection of wine and cocktails and an OK selection of beer. Unfortunately, only two beers are available on draft: Heineken and Hoegaarden. The drinks are on the pricier end of the spectrum, especially for Cityplaza/​Taikoo, but are on par with what you would pay closer to Central. Sugar also has surprisingly good appetizer-​type foods that are perfect for a happy hour bite. In particular, the German Sausage basket is a hit. The sausages are grilled and slathered in a slightly sweet glaze (brown sugar?), cut into bite-​sized pieces and served with toothpicks. Delicious and perfect for sharing.
The real star is the outdoor terrace, which runs the length of the right-​hand side of the bar and boasts a fabulous harbor view. There are a number of cocktail tables and loungy areas for seating. Although it can get a bit crowded after work, you can usually score a table with a view fairly easily if you arrive by 6:15 or so.
As long as you don’t mind filling out a membership card (no fee) on your first visit, Sugar is a great place to grab a drink and watch the sun go down.

It’s a cool place for friends to hang out, relax and have fun! The Victoria Harbour view is stunning!

Convenient location but the parking sucks
There is no valet parking. It is weird for a hotel.
The view is great. The patio is open for smoking and cigar is available.
Tips: Make reservation before coming (free membership is required to make reservation for the outdoor seating)

It’s none other than Adam Levine standing by the bar. Under the purple lighting, his sliver of a smile looks ever so alluring. He walks out into the night, places the glass on the edge of the roof, and the music starts.
(To the tune of Sugar, Maroon 5)
I’m thirsty, baby, five glasses down
I need your loving, loving
I need it now
When I’m at Tai Koo
I crave your juice
You got me drinking, drinking
Three shots of Goose
I’m gonna be needing to chill
At this rooftop bar with a view
And Kowloon Bay blows me away, ooh, baby,
‘Cause I really admire where you are
Up 32 floors where you are
For me to get one little taste
SUGARRRRR
Yes, please
Won’t you come and drink this down on me?
The wind’s here, so I need
Little booze and little mar-​tini
Yeah, you mix me good drinks and
Shake it alright
Need a strong Old Fashioned in my life
SUGARRR
Yes, please
Won’t you come to Sugar drink with me?

Walking in you need to be a member to sit. Quite annoying. The process is fast enough with your name email and address. The view is amazing! You wouldn’t think there’s a great rooftop bar on the east side of hk but this is absolutely gorgeous. It’s very modern and also have heat lamps. It has indoors and outdoors but why would you sit indoors when you have such a great view? The reason why I rated it so low is because they wanted to charge us $ 10USD for hot water and a slice of lemon when we already ordered drinks that was at least $ 20+ usd each person. Really? So ridiculous.
The selection of drinks and food is really good. They just need to improve on service cause that’s such. a turn off.

When we talk about bars, you would expect locations like Central, Wanchai, Causeway Bay or Tsim Sha Tsui. What if I say there is a rooftop bar in Taikoo? You might just be like «What! No way!», but there really is one in Taikoo. East Hotel.
Far from the city center, situated on the east side of Hong Kong Island, Sugar is a slinky rooftop bar and deck. It may not be the most convenient location but once you’ve been here, you won’t mind taking a few more stops of MTR ride.
You can enjoy the city skyline and the breathtaking view of Kowloon and the New Territories while sipping on their signature cocktails. Unlike other rooftop bars in typical night out areas, you can see the city from another angle and may even see the better side of it.
Aside from their selection of mojitos, they do rainbow shots. Shots in rainbow colors are all poured from the same mixer in one go, isn’t it fascinating? Even if you are not a shots person, I’m sure you will be amazed by their beautifully made rainbow shots.
This summer, they’re introducing «A Night in Cuba» every Wednesday from 5pm till late, offering special Mojitos and Cuban-​styled snacks. I believe Sugar is the best choice for a midweek indulgence. So, sit back and relax!

Tai Koo has long been known as the producer of the sweet stuff for Hong Kong, and on the 32^nd floor of Island East, this bar has a unique blend of expats and locals working in the area. With a stunning view of Kowloon Bay, and the new Kai Tak cruise terminal, Sugar is the perfect location for after-​work drinks on a Friday. My brother works in the nearby Tai Koo east building, so I trekked over to meet him and his co-​workers, and he recommended the place. Nice job, bro.
Sugar describes itself as a bar, deck and lounge and it’s hard to argue with that evaluation given the huge space it takes up in Island East. The inside area is very relaxing, with long white couches and a raised platform giving it an intimate, upbeat mood whilst the deck outside has stools, and more comfy loungers for whatever mood and size of group you’re with. We happened to be quite a big group, so we took up a corner table which let us to soak up the view.
The drinks aren’t extortionate — well, compared to some of the rooftop bars you’ll find in Central. A glass of wine to unwind after the long day was a popular choice at our table, and that sets you back about $ 50. These prices are of course during their happy hour or ‘sundowner’ as it’s aptly called, and that’s between 5 and 7, adding to the sense that Sugar really caters for the after-​work drinks crowd.
There’s food available as well, with lots of sliders. We tried hummus dish, Cajun fries and the deep-​fried squid. All in all, not spectacular food — very bar-​snack appropriate though.
Oh, and the music — a strange mix of retro jazz/​blues, and some more upbeat techno/​house.
A very sweet experience to be had here, definitely a must-​try if working in the area.

As far as rooftop bars in Hong Kong’s Soho East and Quarry Bay go, your choices are fairly limited. Fortunately, Sugar, revels in it’s niche status and doesn’t disappoint.

If there are more than two of you I’d call and book a table in advance (it also helps to be a member — or be staying in the hotel). It gets very popular and the best tables with the bayside views will go quickly.

The outdoor deck is well-​done — very comfy lounges, large umbrellas and outdoor fans for those stifling afternoons. But of course, the main draw here is the view.
Looking over Tai Koo Shing you have uninterrupted harbour views across to Kowloon and the Kai Tak ferry terminal. You won’t see much of the symphony of lights from here, but the view at sunset is still pretty spectacular.

Inside, the aircon is usually pumping so make sure you bring a light cardi in case you end up at a table indoors. There’s a DJ cranking up in the corner, and a retro dance floor that comes to life later on.

Drinks wise, the cocktails are lovely, and list menu is expansive. On my last visit I enjoyed an East Side (Hendricks Gin, lemon, mint and cucumber — HKD110). The beer list however isn’t that great — but pretty standard with all the usual suspects; Corona, Heinenken, Tsingtao and Peroni.

The food is pretty good too, and on the deck, designed to share. A great place for after-​work drinks or a romantic cocktail at sunset.