Manila after darkMNLJust opened in Manila: the new rooms of 2026
What opened in Manila from late 2025 to October 2026, from Problem Child to the new bars of Makati Central Square, and the two clubs the city lost.
Manila had a busy year for new rooms, most of them bars and most of them in Makati. This is our list of what opened from late 2025 to October 2026. One note on dates: press coverage of Manila openings is thin, and an opening month is often the month a roundup ran. Treat the months below as approximate.
The bars that made the year
Problem Child opened on Jupiter Street in Makati in November 2025, per DrinkCollectiv, from Kevin Corales, Wendy Esteban and Patrick Leyble. In July it placed No. 44 on Asia's 50 Best Bars 2026, and Manila Bulletin called it the best bar in the Philippines. It runs Monday to Saturday, 6pm to 2am, and takes walk-ins. @problemchild_ph.
No Entry Cocktail Club at One Neo in BGC opened in 2025, according to Tatler's Best 20. It is an underground speakeasy and supper club with live performance, co-founded by Apl.de.ap with Habitat Hospitality. @noentry.bgc.
The Iron Fairies, also Habitat Hospitality, opened around April 2026 in the Smith Bell Building on 20th Drive, BGC. It is a Hong Kong import at twice the original's size, with bands and DJs nightly and six private rooms. @theironfairies.ph.
New in Makati
Tatler's Dining Radar picked up three Makati openings in spring. The Jury, at 58 Jupiter Street, comes from Julia Virtucio and Rian Asiddao of Bar By East. Toma Toma, at Green Sun on Chino Roces, is from Arcadius Ryback and Mike Hearn. Both were listed in April. Joséphine followed in May at Karrivin Plaza, from Ron Job Sanchez, sharing its room with Cutie Pie.
Kariton x Sabi Sounds arrived at Tiffany Place in Salcedo in June: an all-day café that becomes a vinyl listening bar into the early hours, with DJs on weekends. It pairs Erwan Heussaff's Kariton with Melbourne's Sabi Sounds, and it is the only listening bar we found in the city.
Always Welcome, from Royce Pua, opened at Solar Century Tower in Salcedo in July. In August came Ultramilk, a punch-focused cocktail bar at Creekside Mall on Amorsolo Street in Legazpi Village, from Kyle Quismundo of Big Fuzz. It sits directly opposite Big Fuzz.
Further out
Pinoy Accent opened in July at Ignacia Place in Diliman, Quezon City: a 30-seat Filipino wine bar with chef Jorge Mendez. Blank Space, a Taylor Swift-themed cocktail bar, made its first appearance on Tatler's Best 20 in March 2026; sources disagree on whether it is in Mandaluyong or San Juan. @blank_space_bar. Malagihay Cocktail Club, on the second floor of 193 A. Mabini in San Juan above Mabuhay Craft Coffee, is counted among this year's newer openings by Spirited Asia. @malagihaycocktailclub.
We found no sourced 2026 openings in Ortigas, Alabang or the Entertainment City resorts. If we missed one, tell us.
Makati Central Square, and what comes next
The newest cluster is at Makati Central Square, as Philstar reported on 16 October. El Gato, an agave bar, The Cattery and Fat Cat, all from Ron and Fifi Cruz, are open. So are Bando, a hip-hop basement running Wednesday to Saturday from 10pm, and +81 Bar, a speakeasy behind a hidden door. Announced but not yet open: Ferm, a brewery from the owners of Metiz, Good Games, a barcade, and a fifth bar still unnamed.
Further ahead, Mandarin Oriental Makati is due at Ayala Triangle Gardens in late 2026, with five dining and bar concepts not yet named.
| Venue | Area | What | Opened |
|---|---|---|---|
| Problem Child | Jupiter St, Makati | Cocktail bar | Nov 2025 |
| No Entry Cocktail Club | One Neo, BGC | Speakeasy and supper club | 2025 |
| The Iron Fairies | 20th Drive, BGC | Bar with bands and DJs | About Apr 2026 |
| The Jury | Jupiter St, Makati | New opening | Apr 2026 |
| Toma Toma | Chino Roces, Makati | New opening | Apr 2026 |
| Joséphine | Karrivin Plaza, Makati | New opening | May 2026 |
| Kariton x Sabi Sounds | Salcedo, Makati | Café and listening bar | Jun 2026 |
| Always Welcome | Salcedo, Makati | New opening | Jul 2026 |
| Pinoy Accent | Diliman, QC | Filipino wine bar | Jul 2026 |
| Ultramilk | Legazpi Village, Makati | Punch cocktail bar | Aug 2026 |
| Blank Space | Mandaluyong or San Juan | Themed cocktail bar | By Mar 2026 |
| Malagihay Cocktail Club | San Juan | Cocktail bar | 2026 |
| Makati Central Square bars | Makati | Five bars, more announced | By Oct 2026 |
| Mandarin Oriental Makati | Ayala Triangle | Hotel dining and bars | Due late 2026 |
And what closed
XYLO, the superclub at The Palace in BGC, closed in January 2026 after seven years, with closing parties from 13 to 17 January, as The Beat reported. Clubhouse, in the same complex, is now its de facto replacement. Nectar, the BGC queer club, closed on 31 December 2024 with The Fort's closing, and a "Nectar 3.0" has been hinted at.
Every Party Life issue has a venue on the cover, and readers choose the next one by DM. If one of these new rooms should be on it, send its name to @partylifemnl.