Touring the bars of P. Burgos Street
Stardust is one of the most popular bars here
One of the most popular nightlife areas in Manila among foreigners and expats is P. Burgos Street – a neon-bathed strip primarily of go-go bars which many will go to only once, while others may return time and again. In truth, the area is relatively expensive and, if this is your thing, the girls are widely considered as being of a higher quality elsewhere, in places such as Angeles City.
The street has also developed a reputation for having extremely pushy girls, and the overpricing of drinks has seen many punters look elsewhere for their thrills, with the EDSA complex seeing a rise in commerce. With custom declining, the bar owners are increasingly raising prices in a bid to maintain the same level of cash flow, a factor which may not affect the tourism trade but certainly doesn’t sit pretty with local expats.
However, it remains one of those places in Manila where visitors should spend some time to enjoy a drink or two. And, although popularity may be declining, the area is far from dead and a lively night awaits you on this seemingly endless strip of bars.
A good place to begin your P. Burgos Street evening tour is the Wild Wild West/Grand Prix bar. This is one of the area’s oldest bars and is actually located just off Burgos Street on Makati Avenue. This small venue has a stage with dancers downstairs and a bar by the stage for those who want a close up view of the action.
Upstairs is a seating area and some pool tables, with many of the girls keen to give you a game – and will happily accept a drink or two in return. The girls are some of the friendliest in the area and you will not feel pushed into anything. In addition, the prices are fairly reasonable. More on bars.
P. Burgos Street comes alive after dark
Another well priced establishment is Rogues, which has soared in popularity of late. This bar attracts locals and foreigners alike and runs happy hours between 12noon and 22:00, staying open until 04:00. There are a couple of pool tables and always plenty of girls on view. The Tequila girls, however, are very persuasive and you could find your bar bill being bigger than expected.
Formerly one of Burgos’s wildest bars, but tamed ever-so-slightly in recent years, Montana is a full-on experience which is certainly not the place to enjoy a quiet beer. Girls are sexy but pushy and prices are comparatively high. It may be a fun place for a drink on a raucous night out with friends, but don’t expect to go there and not get harassed. More on go go bars.
The interior may not match the name, but Wow Wow Wow is one of those bars for those with an acquired taste. Far from classy, this small pub boasts of being the only establishment on Burgos with table dancing girls. Pretty much anything goes in here and the girls are among the most aggressive, but that’s not to say a good night can’t be had.
Slightly more upmarket is Stardust, which features a large stage with dancers doing seductive nightly shows. There is a well-kept pool table by the entrance which still provides viewing access to the stage and a second bar upstairs. The food menu is decent and the quality not bad too, while the girls are pretty.
For something slightly different and touching on the bizarre, Ringside should not be passed by. The perfect place to go when you are at the tipsy stage of the night as the entertainment on show can be fun. Among the various performances are ‘foxy boxing’ and midget, mud and oil wrestling.
One of the street’s larger bars as well as among the most frequented, Billboard has a big dance floor and is popular among locals. Some of the most beautiful girls work here and there is an excellent line-up of dance groups. There is also a smoking room and a classy VIP room. Prices are fairly high and it’s a good idea to check what you’re signing for.
Panoramic of P. Burgos Street
Advertised as an Arabian belly dancing club, Dandasha is worth popping into for at least one drink. Again, prices are not the cheapest, but it is slightly different from many of the bars on the street.
Dimples had been around on Burgos Street for many a year and has built up a fairly decent reputation – as much as go-go bars can anyway! The girls here are known for being accommodating to punters, although there is certainly an emphasis on pushing for drinks.
Among the most vibrant bars on Burgos is Bottoms, a well-known establishment which has been a feature of the street for some time. A red interior coupled with dim lighting makes it difficult not to know what area of town you’re in but, in all fairness, the girls are of a relatively high standard.
One of the street’s newer bars, Pussycats, has a pool table and a large flat-screen TV. There is a resident dance group which performs regular shows, while the girls are of the prettier variety. Prices are generally in the middle of the scale, and the bar is certainly worth dropping in to. More on bar girls.
The Bronx is a basement club which opens later than many of the other bars on the strip. It’s normally fairly quiet early on, but as the night grows older it becomes extremely lively, with many of the bar girls heading there after work.
For those who have a preference for a different gender, Shampoo is a small bar which has been converted into Burgos’s first ladyboy bar. So, if ladyboys are what you’re looking for, you could just be in luck here.
To top the night off, the Filling Station is a popular place to grab a bite to eat after the go-go bars shut down. Drinks are available here and you can generally keep sipping the beer until the sun comes up.
blog comments powered by Disqus