Suggestions for a Wednesday night in BJ?

[cdn_in_bj]

Ok I realize this is last-minute, but a friend of mine is in town and he wants to go out tonight. And by "go out" I mean go somewhere we can have a few drinks, talk without having to compete with overly-loud music, and just have a good time in general. Oh, and also not be the only ones there given that it's not a weekend night.

So does anyone have any suggestions? I'm not really interested in going to Sanlitun, unless there's a place there that's really worth going to.

If not, then we may get adventurous and check out one of the Russian places.

Anyways, thanks in advance.

[Qcash3]

Dude, you should really think about going to Phil's pub in 三里屯. I hate everything else about the area, but this place is one of the chillest spots in Beijing. It is a little pub that on the week nights for 50 快 has all you can drink cocktails or beer, I forget which one, from 9-12. On the weekends it is all you can drink cocktails or beer, whichever isn't on the weeknights, from 9-12. It isn't loud, and it is pretty idiot free. The worst you might come across are some expat high school kids, you can also play your own music over the stereo system. The owner is also very nice. It seems to be relatively uknown, so it hasn't been over run with the normal 三里屯 crowd.

[adrianlondon]

I used to go to the East Shore Jazz Cafe (Houhai) as Wednesdays were what I can only call their "odd" night. Sometimes it was jazz as I'd know it, often it was very experiemental music with computers and keyboards, or someone trying to play a violin with a spoon. That kind of thing. I loved it.

[cdn_in_bj]

Thanks guys for the suggestions!

I remember passing by the East Shore Jazz Cafe two nights ago, but we were only in the Houhai area for dinner and didn't stick around afterwards. I'll have to remember to check it out.

As for Phil's pub, I've heard it recommended before and I'll suggest to my friend that we check it out tonight. I must say, the 50 RMB all-you-can-drink deal sounds very dangerous. How do you know the booze isn't fake? My friend keeps asking me about Sanlitun because his stupid travel book mentions it, and I've already shown him the other places that I think are decent so what the heck. However, I heard that the dealers and pimps have left the area as a result of the recent "crackdown", which is too bad as I'm sure his guidebook doesn't mention that.

By the way, in case you're wondering we ended up going to Kro's Nest for pizza (the new location at Gongti beside Vic's). It's easily the best pizza I've had in Beijing - not perfect but even my friend, who's FOB from the land of good western food, was impressed. The two of us finished a "medium" sized pizza, which turned out to be a gigantic 15" and makes me wonder what a "large" is like, and some wings. I also had a few pints of Stella, ahh it was so good to have "real" beer for a change.

Afterwards we ended up at Suzie Wong's. It was ladie's night so they had the main bar "Touch" off-limits to the guys until 11:00. The rest of us were forced into the cramped upper floors. At one point we actually decided to leave, but as we were waiting outside for a cab we realized we had no idea where to go, and decided to stay. It was getting close to 11:00 so we waited outside until "opening time". It was better, but the rest of the night was fairly uneventful. Though the crowd was an interesting contrast between foreigners and locals.