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Bar · Boat Quay

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Bar · Boat Quay

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27a Boat Quay, The Penny Black Upstairs, Singapore 049817

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Highlights

Speakeasy with 50+ gins, flights, signature cocktails  

Featured on Michelin
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27a Boat Quay, The Penny Black Upstairs, Singapore 049817 Get directions

begin.com.sg
@begin_sg

$$

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27a Boat Quay, The Penny Black Upstairs, Singapore 049817 Get directions

+65 9724 8423
begin.com.sg
@begin_sg

$$

Reserve

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Last updated

Aug 28, 2025

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7 New Hip Cocktail Bars to Dive Into in Singapore

"This rustic speakeasy in Boat Quay is the place to go for gin connoisseurs and be-gin-ners alike. The bar boasts over 50 types of gin from different countries that you can sip neat, with tonic, or mixed in a creative cocktail. Explore the history of gin and all the nuances of the juniper juice with the Gin Flight, a tasting flight of four gins from different eras from the 13th century-style juniper-infused malt wine Genever (from which gin gets its name), to a familiar modern-day Hendrick’s. The alcoholic history lesson would not be complete without beGIN’s signature "Jagmohan" cocktail, a sensory journey through the 18th century British Indian spice trade when gin was the spirit of choice. The clove-spiced tequila mix is served on a smoking platter of fried crisps with chutney." - Rachel Tan

https://guide.michelin.com/us/en/article/travel/new-cocktail-bars-singapore-2019
View Postcard for beGIN

Joaquin Hernandez

Google
If you are looking for a reasonably priced and professionally dedicated Gin bar, look no further. This place is it. With over 150 selections of Gin, this place has opened my eyes to a world of flavor and more. The location is fantastic, the staff are like family, and I've fallen in love with a new Gin. If you're into spicy flavors, ask for Zak's cocktail Gin created with Zak's tropical Heat Gin. It will warm you up in the best way. I'm going to seriously miss this place.

S Raveen

Google
Fairly new bar I didn’t even know existed until recently. You gotta enter through the bar downstairs and head up the stairs to get there. Super nice spot, good ambience, comfy furniture, and it’s a little tucked away from all the busy crowds which I liked. Staff were really friendly and accommodating, full of energy too. Didn’t get to try many drinks this time but I’ll definitely be back soon!

A-Cute Hunger

Google
beGIN is a great place for gin lovers, especially for those looking for wallet-friendly options! It's a bit of a hidden gem - the entrance is a staircase inside a pub on the ground floor. But once you find it, you'll be rewarded with an incredible collection of gins and a knowledgeable staff who can help you find the perfect drink. The vibe is quiet and grunge-like, a stark contrast to the noisy pub downstairs. The walls are decorated with gin bottles, and the music is low-key so you can actually have a conversation. The seating is basic, though, so it's not the most comfortable place to linger for hours. I went for post-dinner drinks and had a cocktail and a gin from their "gin-o-clock" deal. Both were delicious, and lived up to the bar's name. The food menu looked passable, and I tried the dinsums but they weren’t the hero’s of this bar. Overall, I'd recommend beGIN as a great place to go for a couple of high-quality gins in a calm setting before or after a meal in the chaotic River Valley area.

Mark Johnson

Google
We were visiting from the US. My wife is a gin fan, so it seemed appropriate to stop in and try. Pretty easy to find, you just need to walk into the one bar, turn left and head up the stairs. We were able to catch happy hour and had a couple of excellent cocktails. I'm not a huge fan of gin, so the bartender made me a couple of tropical drinks. The only food we got was fries/chips. Typical for a bar. If we had more time, we would have come back. Particularly during the happy hour to save a few bucks. Non happy hour drink prices ranged from $18-$25+ SGD.

Z -

Google
Lovely space with pretty decor and great drinks. The fish & chips are a must try, with fresh, flakey and moist fish and yummy chips, though the roast beef could have been more tender. Drinks were mostly gin-based, as one would expect, and cocktails we got were generally well executed. But sometimes the simple ones are the true showstoppers - for every bottle of gin we got, we received a glass each with the most complementary garnishes that just elevated the drink. We came as a group of 9 and the staff were attentive throughout, and were even generous enough to give a gin waterfall experience for the birthday boy. Had an amazing time here and will definitely be back for more!

Jonathan Quay

Google
Great place if you love cocktails of all sorts! Very creative combinations and flavours. If you like gin then this is the place to come, but what was surprising for me is that they also have a very good selection of other drinks on offer (both as are and in cocktails). The food selection is pretty good although I probably wouldn’t come for the food alone - but when paired with the drinks and with the comfortable environment, great decor and solid music - this is a really good place to hang out with some mates.

A T

Google
Comfy and cosy gin bar to chillax with friends over drinks. Conveniently located near Raffles Place MRT and above Penny Black. beGIN offers a great wide variety of gin and delicious main courses and bar bites to go along. Personal favourites are the prawn paste chicken wings, chicken quesadillas, steamed dumplings and Fish & Chips which are good for sharing with friends. Love that their Guinness is consistently well served and chilled, with the perfect creamy foam top. Along many other standard and bespoke cocktails in the menu, I would recommend Limone which is refreshing and delightful topped with a silky smooth egg white foam. The manager and staff are warm and friendly, and make it a point that my friends and I always enjoy our gathering there.

JA A

Google
Normally not a fan of one of the many F&B places in Boat Quay area due to the large amount of tourists and also a seemingly particular crowd. However, this place is certainly a hidden gem and has it own charm away from the crowd downstairs and outside. The happy hour is pretty good with Gin, beer and wine from $6.50++ onward. While agreeing with some of the reviews here that the G&T are pretty watered down, however, the plus point is they have a few selection of Gin brand to choose from. Perhaps they can offer patrons whom prefer a 'stronger' drink at an additional shot, also at a happy hour price, to make the deal even 'sweeter'. A good selection of cocktails too, priced from SGD25++ onward, and most at SGD25++. Although pricier, but certainly good value as the bartender does a good job in making these quite crafted cocktails. A good selection of bar food, and very British pub style food but good quality. Tried the penny chicken aka chicken cordon bleu which tasted very well, and the thick cut fries are also very delicious. Staff are generally friendly and helpful, particularly the lady in glasses, likely the manager whom was very warm and take good care of her customers. Chatting with her felt like chatting with a friend.
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Stephen H.

Yelp
While this has a deserved reputation as a place to watch sports, it's also got a lovely terrace on the water which is a spot to relax and people watch. Staff are attentive.
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Spencer D.

Yelp
No matter what city you are in there is always an Irish bar with all wooden interior and a guy playing guitar. This is that bar in Singapore. Drink prices In this neighbourhood are generally high so be prepared to spend a little more than you want but they had good live music when I was there so the ambiance was nice. I like this as a easy to Find meet-up spot before going out in this part of the city.
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Katrina B.

Yelp
I was an American in Singapore looking for a place to watch the Super Bowl at 7:30am. The Penny Black was the right choice! The drinks were cold, food was hot and fresh (selection limited due to time of day), and the atmosphere made me feel like I was in a pub in London. Would definitely go back!
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Paul R.

Yelp
Sorry for the short review, but I love this place. Get a table across the walkway at their covered side near the river. I had the fish and chips which frankly was the best I've ever had. They take a whole red snapper, filet it, leave the tail on, dip it in beer batter and fry it perfectly. Then they put it on top of a smear of mushy peas (better than it sounds) on a nice slate disk plate thing. Fries were perfectly prepared. Add a glass of Kilkenny and it's all good!
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Charlie G.

Yelp
Beer to a large extent is beer. To a beer connoisseur, I've just said the unthinkable and should be flogged. To me a bar is about the company and the ambience. This place brings you one of that. The setting is over looking the Singapore river. Right beside the center of the financial district. Nice ambience, nice view. Watch eclectic people walking by. Enjoy a pint. Come, but bring good company ;))
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Thomas M.

Yelp
Can't even count the number of times I have been here. Hmmm, maybe that's a problem. Hey everyone! Beers tonight? This is just a great place to go for a few beers before you decide where to eat that night. Right on the corner at the beginning of boat quay, it is a perfect meeting place. If you're there, have a Guinness for me!
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Kevin G.

Yelp
Wow $15 for draft beer seems a bit excessive even by local prices. It's just an average pub mostly full of blokes and a few TVs if if you fancy soccer aka football. Menu offers Typical high calorie bar food. I will be generous with 3* since it's one of the few bars on the quay with cold a/c inside.
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Thiviyah R.

Yelp
Penny black is one of my favorite bars to sit in at boat quay during happy hour. The prices are decent for beers during happy hour and they also have a English pub feel when you sit inside. Definitely can't replicate the pub culture in England but it's a decent try with this place. The location of it at boat quay makes the place a lot more worth going to with the view of the river.
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Becky M.

Yelp
A solid English pub in Singapore. The location is incredibly, right on the riverfront, makes for a pleasant evening. I got a happy hour pint, $12 I think, and the steak and ale pie which comes with Parmesan mash and baked beans. The beans were a weird side and I rather would have had a veg but that's just my preference. The pie itself was delicious. Nice puffy pastry, burning hot filling, beautiful beef and a thin tasty gravy that really was ale flavoured. $18 I think the meal was. My only gripe was the staff were pretty wishy washy. I didn't stay for a second pint only cause got tired of trying to flag someone down and my finished plate sat on my table for at least 20 minutes and hadn't been removed even as I left. That rubs me the wrong way. Otherwise, a decent place.
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David S.

Yelp
As I began my trek back to my hotel along the river the first place that I encountered was this old style Victorian Pub. In fact it is right at the entrance to the Boat Quay, and as such I decided to step inside for a drink. I can't say that I absolutely loved this place, but it was still a pretty cool pub, especially since it has a very London pub feel about it. They have the typical beers on tap (though I noticed that there was no Fosters - something that you practically find in every pub in London) but what I did like was the outdoor seating along the river. Okay, this isn't all that different to all the over restaurants stretching along the Boat Quay, but it still gave this place a much better ambience to it than otherwise. However what I loved about the place was the building, but then again it is a traditional English pub (that even has football on television - the English version that is), so I wouldn't expect anything less.
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James G.

Yelp
I have been here one time before. Good Beer, decent music and good AC.
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Alaine H.

Yelp
The weather was perfect. Breezy and cool. My friend and I sat outside to catch up. The view by the water is really pretty. I ordered Pimm's lemonade, fries, and a nicoise salad. The fries were mediocre and not that hot. A bit of a letdown since fries are a personal vice that even when I crave lots of healthy foods is difficult to pass up. The Pimm's was ok, a bit on the mild and sweet side. The Nicoise salad was actually decent. They use fresh ahi tuna for the salad and the romaine lettuce at least didn't wilt nor did they drench it in dressing - which is a common thing in Singapore when you order a salad. I'd probably come back here to catch up with friends. Its pretty easy to get to via the MRT at Raffles Place. My pet peeve about this place is the service and their policy of settling a bill as soon as you get your drink or food order. So weird and annoying.
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John G.

Yelp
Been here several times. Mostly Brit expats. Happy hour to 8pm. Fav meal is Bangers and Mash with a couple of Heineken beers.
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Jim D.

Yelp
Have been here too many times to mention, usually as a pit stop before heading to the Maharajah further along boat quay. The selection of beers is first class, and the draught beers always taste good, but the service and the attitude of the wait staff just gets worse and worse each time. It's very strange because, one of the other Gaelic Inn's I have been known to frequent, Muddy Murphy's just gets better and better. Management should take note.
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Jennifer N.

Yelp
Been here a handful of times for a weekday lunch. Have always ordered the Prawn Vindaloo which I find to be quite delicious, the rice portion is a bit small but you can ask for more. Just finished lunch here and decided to try something different this time, opting for the Caesar Salad with chicken. Very disappointed with the small portion for S$15. Left feeling hungry, probably won't come back for the salads.

Bob O.

Yelp
Great place for beer and food on the river. Good break from Chinese food. Happy hour until 8:00 pm!

Ray N.

Yelp
The easiest word to sum it up is that it's a typical over-priced tourist trap. The food quality is just average. English food being an oxymoron notwithstanding, I find some stalls in the local food courts cooking up better fish and chips than this place. And if you are in Singapore and find yourself going to an English pub to find curry then you need serious help as there are all kinds of true authentic curry places in little India. So you're essentially going for the atmosphere and scenery. With that said, the atmosphere is not bad. And being a short walk along river from Raffles place, this place is convenient for an after work get together. They have different types of tables to cater to large and small groups which makes it possible for entertaining clients as well. The scenery is excellent, especially the walking kind; which helps you wash down the mediocre food with the good beers.