Cafe Hopping BJ: 16mm Bar

Heather Budimulia | Jul 16, 2014 11:00 am | Add a comment | 988 reads

Nanluogu Xiang favorite 16mm Bar stays true to its name and is most definitely a bar posing as a cafe by day. That being said, it doesn’t do a half-bad job, attracting a small laptop crowd looking to take a break from the sea of human beings that NLGX has become.

A quick glance at the menu and the glass display of sad, overpriced waffles concluded that this isn't the place for a bite of brain food. Neither was it good for a hit of caffeine. The hazelnut latte was a little pricey (RMB 35) and bland, but the Wi-Fi with an easy-to-remember password was worth the investment.

The bar is a popular lunch spot (for reasons unknown), so I hid out on the second floor. It was there that I discovered an outdoor deck and a koi tank nestled between hutong roofs. Instagram junkies or WeChat Moments lovers would appreciate the strange sight along with all the film paraphernalia and posters that line the walls.

While the decoration isn’t the second floor’s strongest suit, the plug situation is a little better than on the ground floor where you have to unplug table lamps to charge your devices. The room was also void of wait staff and other patrons, reminding me of the lonely towers of my college library. However, unlike the libz (as it’s referred to), 16mm Bar didn’t make me feel alone thanks to the street noise and the dull-but-still-evident chatter from below.

16mm shouldn’t quit its night job, but if you’re cafe hopping in the area it’s not a bad place to catch your breath and get some work done.

Vibe and design (how cool you’ll look working): 4/5