SOHO
The South of Hollywood (SOHO) area in the “central district” of Hong Kong is another entertainment hub. SOHO is a little different from our previously partytrailed districts like Lan Kwai Fong in that SOHO is a residential and entertainment hybrid. In SOHO, most of the bars, lounges, and restaurants are on the lower floors of the buildings while the residential flats or apartments are on the upper floors. A standout feature about SOHO is the covered half mile long escalators that start from the central district into the heart of SOHO. Word on the street is that these escalators are one of a kind and are the longest of its kind in the world.
Another interesting feature about SOHO is that as you ride up the escalators you can see into the bars and restaurants that line both sides of the escalators.
Two streets in SOHO that house most of the entertainment establishments are “Elgin Street” and “Staunton Street”. In SOHO, you will find more lounges, restaurants and bars than you will find nightclubs. SOHO also has a large expatriate community that has chosen SOHO as one of their favorite hangout neighborhoods in Hong Kong. If you are new to Hong Kong and are looking for a quick way to meet other expatriates. SOHO will be a great place to start.
For visuals on what SOHO is like please watch the video below:
How to get there………………
Using the Hong Kong MTR, get off at the Central Station stop, take the D2 Exit, then walk down Queen’s Road Central towards the Center. Next take the Mid-Levels Escalators until you reach the Staunton, Shelley or Elgin streets.
Now that we have given you an overview of what SOHO is about, it’s time to let you in on our favorite restaurants, bars and pubs in SOHO.
1. Stauntons
10 Staunton Street,
SOHO,
Central, Hong Kong
Stauntons made our list not only because of its location which is right next to the escalators in SOHO but also because they have a wide array of alcoholic beverages at their bar. Stauntons also doubles as a lounge and as a restaurant. Outside Stauntons on most nights you will see a lot of expatriates hanging out beverage in hand while socializing. If you like to get involved in the expat community in Hong Kong, hanging out at Stauntons might not be a bad idea
2. F.A.B.
G/F 30 Hollywood Road,
Central,
Hong Kong
Another staple in SOHO is F.A.B. which stands for the “French American Bistro”. Every patron in SOHO has visited this establishment at some point. That is how popular this establishment is. F.A.B. has a menu that is a perfect blend of French Cuisine infused with American tastes. One can do no wrong by heading to F.A.B. on a night out.
3. Boba Bear
Boba bear is a brand new Hookah lounge that just opened on Elgin street in Hong Kong. Boba Bear is a Los Angeles brand that decided to take their Shisha talents to Hong Kong. We partytrailed this bar and found that they had a large assortment of Hookah flavors, almost more than any other shisha bar we had visited in the past. Also surprising was that our Hookah lasted a lot longer than the average time it takes for a regular hookah serving to burn out. Boba bear is definitely good for one of those nights where you want to go out with friends to have a good time in a relaxing atmosphere. We would also advise Boba bear as a pre-game option.
4. Lil Siam
If you like Thai food and find yourself wandering around SOHO in Hong Kong, Lil Siam is definitely a place you want to try out. With a very diverse and well-populated menu you will find your taste buds left fulfilled after dining out eating at this restaurant. If you decide to also enjoy your dish from the comfort of your home. Lil Siam has the option of ordering take out.
5. McSorley’s Ale House
One cannot possibly compile a list of entertainment options in SOHO without including an irish bar. Mc Sorley’s has branches in Discovery bay, SOHO, and, Macau. However our focus is on SOHO so we will get to Discovery Bay and Macau in another post. McSorley’s has two floors and is a great place to watch one of Hong Kong’s favorite past times (rugby) on TV. They also have the classic English dish of “Fish and Chip” on their menu.
As we have asserted in previous posts, visiting any one of the above listed places should guarantee a great evening or night out. However, we do as always encourage our readers to visit as many bars in the SOHO area as possible. There is so much this area in the central district of Hong Kong has to offer .
Because we care so much about our readers we have included additional links about SOHO for your reference.
Useful References
In Hong Kong-The Cantonese Expedition (V), we will head to Wan Chai, one of Hong Kong’s interesting and seedier entertainment districts. As always follow our blog, share us with friends but most importantly….Stay tuned to the press.
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- Hong Kong – Kowloon - November 24, 2014
- Hong Kong – The Cantonese Expedition V - November 19, 2014
- Hong Kong – The Cantonese Expedition IV - November 18, 2014