Only Some Regrets at Beiluogu Xiang's Line Hunting Cocktail Bar
Rather than dance around the issue, Beiluogu Xiang's newest addition Line Hunting gets right down to it, cheekily naming one of its cocktails "Regret" and forcing patrons to reconsider their life choices for the evening ahead. Needless to say, if you've ended up here you're most likely in the mood to drink and Line Hutong's no-fuss approach to cocktails is as refreshing as it is borderline apathetic.
The interior is all naked brick walls and exposed traditional hutong roof beams. Unfortunately, the rustic ambiance is destroyed by the sports channel and movies projected onto the walls of the main room. The backlit moose head busts in the second room also don't really fit and only work to emphasize the cobbled-together aesthetic. At least the drinks are better.
The aforementioned Regret cocktail (RMB 80) is a mix of brandy, Johnnie Walker Black Label whisky, Martini Rosso, and garnished with fresh lemon peel for a bitter, strong, and complex tipple that absolutely does not live up to its name. Their Raging Bull (also RMB 80), meanwhile, is a simple combo of tequila and Kahlua that shouldn't work but yet complement each other admirably. And the vodka, lychee liqueur, coconut milk, and grapefruit juice in their Dream cocktail (RMB 70) make for a light and refreshing summer drink combo.
Decorative missteps aside, the Line Hunting crew know how to mix a drink, and earns points in our books for being one of the few bars to open after so many of its alleyway peers have been shut down by Beijing's extensive Great Brickening redevelopment campaign. The cocktails may be pricier than what you'd usually pay around Gulou but if you're in need of a spot to rest your weary legs and wet your whistle, Line Hunting may be worth your call.
Keep reading for a rundown of Beijing's best new bars of the summer.
Line Hunting
Tue-Fri, 7pm-midnight; Sat-Sun, 2pm-2am. 93 Beiluogu Xiang, Dongcheng District
东城区北锣鼓巷93号四合院
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Email: kylemullin@truerun.com
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Photo: Kyle Mullin, courtesy of Line Hunting
