Lift Bar For a splashy night out 11th floor, 18 Ly Thuong Kiet, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi Immediately upon entering Lift Bar, it is clear that no one comes here for the view. Despite being on the 11th floor, the one room club all but ignores the large windows that look out across the city. On a Friday night the place is packed with a young, wealthy crowd who are there to enjoy the bass driven 1990s pop and bottle service; there is no standing around nursing a beer at this place. If all you’re after is a single drink then you can head to the bar, but it’s not popular and it is generally expected that you will find a table and stay there. Despite the noise level cancelling out any hope of an actual conversation, dancing is not overly popular and the majority of people seem content standing around, bobbing their heads and snapping Instagram photos. It is a good spot for people watching and a bit of a dance if you don’t mind going it alone. What Lift Bar does do well is birthdays and it’s not uncommon for the DJ to play Happy Birthday while a waterfall of fireworks cascade down the windows (the only time anyone actually looks towards them), and those celebrating a birthday sip from bottles of Moet & Chandon with sparklers in the top. Check out the different themed nights before you go as the club regularly puts on specials such as Candy Land (which includes free candy) and Teddy Single Night at which teddy bears are the guests of honour.
The Rooftop For the second date 19th floor, Pacific Place, 83 Ly Thuong Kiet, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi Depending on which elevator you catch to the 19th floor of the Pacific Place building, you are either greeted by an impressive wall of wine bottles, or by what can only be described as a service closet. If it is the latter, persist past the piles of spare chairs and pressed linen, and you will be greeted by floor-toceiling windows with uninterrupted views across the city and quite a wine collection. The Rooftop is one of Hanoi’s better-known bars with a view, and it delivers on its promise. The lounge and restaurant are tastefully, if not very imaginatively, decorated, and if you come to eat it would definitely be worth booking one of the dining tables that sit against the windows, although those suffering from vertigo may wish to reconsider. Refreshingly, The Rooftop
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do not use the view as an excuse to overcharge and the food, while nothing to rave about, is quite tasty and very reasonably priced. Unfortunately, like many other bars in the city, the cocktails fall far short of expectations and as usual the sweetness overpowers all other flavours. Given the display, it’s perhaps wiser to stick to the wine. As a whole, The Rooftop makes for a nice place to enjoy dinner or drinks but keep in mind that the restaurant closes early (9pm), at which point the music will be turned up to a deafening level, so be sure to get all the talking in before then. Luckily there is a narrow terrace on which to escape and enjoy the evening… and the view.