Drink Kong
Cocktail bar · Monti ·
Ranked top bar with neon, Japanese style & mood-based cocktails
Ranked top bar with neon, Japanese style & mood-based cocktails
"A nightclub-bar hybrid ranked among The World’s 50 Best Bars, known for a bold, cinematic aesthetic inspired by Japanese film noir and highly creative cocktails devised by long-standing bartender Patrick Pistolesi. Annie Ojile describes the space as "like an 80s dreamland with amazing cocktails," making it a go-to late-night destination after dinner in neighborhoods such as Monti." - Laura Itzkowitz Laura Itzkowitz Laura Itzkowitz is a writer and editor based in Rome. She has been contributing to Travel + Leisure since 2014, when she started as a fact checker before becoming a contributing digital editor in 2015. She has also held positions as a contributing editor at The Points Guy and the NYC cities editor at DuJour Magazine. In addition to Travel + Leisure, her writing has appeared in Architectural Digest, Surface Magazine, Brooklyn Magazine, T Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, Vogue, GQ, Departures, Afar, Fodor's, Town & Country, Condé Nast Traveler, Robb Report, Hemispheres, and others. When she's not jetsetting around Italy and beyond, she can be found in Rome, enjoying some cacio e pepe or relaxing at home with her husband and two dogs. Originally from the Boston area, Laura moved to New York City in 2011 to pursue a master's degree in creative writing and translation at Columbia University. She also holds a bachelor's degree in French from Smith College. * 10+ years of experience writing and editing * Co-wrote "New York: Hidden Bars & Restaurants," an award-winning guide to New York City's speakeasy scene published by Jonglez Editions in 2015 * Contributed to "Fodor's Brooklyn," published by Penguin Random House in 2015, which won silver in the Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism competition * Contributed an essay to "Epic Hikes of Europe," published by Lonely Planet in 2021 * Updated the 2022 edition of "Fodor's Essential Italy" Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines
"Also a pick I recommend more for an after-dinner drink than for an aperitivo, this spot is fabulous." - The MICHELIN Guide
"Rome’s best mixologist, Patrick Pistolesi, runs this very slick 1980s-style cocktail-lounge that regularly makes The World’s 50 Best Bars list. There’s neon art, loud music, and a very cool crowd. Alongside the cocktail menu, there’s also a spirits, wine, and sake list. Menus are a work of art in themselves, with drinks broken down by tastes (acid, sweet, bitter), glass (coupe, high ball, tumbler, wine glass, bowl). Each drink gets its own page with a little description, plus its own special graphic artwork. The Paradox cocktail, for example, is made from gin and amber vermouth, and is described as ‘bitter, bizarre, deep’. We ventured for the ‘Big Trouble in Oaxaca’, drawn by the ‘adventurous, naughty, green’ description—and were not disappointed." - Maresa Manara
"First impression? Rome’s best mixologist, Patrick Pistolesi, runs this very slick 1980s-style cocktail-lounge that regularly makes The World’s 50 Best Bars list. There’s neon art, loud music, and a very cool crowd. They can pair cocktails with small plates or make you something bespoke to suit your taste. How’s the crowd? Extremely good looking and well-dressed. In keeping with the Blade Runner-décor, expect to see a lot of black and a lot of leather. Somehow, it works. How are the drinks? Alongside the cocktail menu, there’s also a spirits, wine, and sake list. Menus are a work of art in themselves, with drinks broken down by tastes (acid, sweet, bitter), glass (coupe, high ball, tumbler, wine glass, bowl). Each drink gets its own page with a little description, plus its own special graphic artwork. The Paradox cocktail, for example, is made from gin and amber vermouth, and is described as ‘bitter, bizarre, deep’. We ventured for the ‘Big Trouble in Oaxaca’, drawn by the ‘adventurous, naughty, green’ description—and were not disappointed. If there’s food, is it worth ordering something to eat? The menu’s a mashup of Mexican and Japanese dishes, done with an Italian slant (Roman oxtail tacos; Cantabrian anchovies; bao buns; edamame hummus). Did the staff do you right? They’re friendly but unobtrusive. If the menu’s overwhelming, ask them to recommend a drink—they’re usually spot on. Wrap it up: what are we coming here for? An otherworldly experience of moody lighting, strong drinks and Mexican-Japanese culture… in Italy." - Maresa Manara
"Drink Kong is the neo-noir, Manga-meets- Blade Runner– inspired bar created by Rome’s Patrick Pistolesi. A labyrinth of dark-colored lounge spaces, with long bars, neon lights, and harlequin-patterned floors, Kong is both hang-out and experiment. Pistolesi, who has curated some of the city’s best bar menus and is one of the key players in Italy’s cocktail evolution, created an instinctive menu based only on flavors: bitter, sweet, dry. Either peruse the menu for a Kong signature cocktail like "Big Trouble in Oaxaca," a spicy and slightly fruity tequila and mezcal drink or chat with Kong’s expert bartenders who can craft cocktails customized to your tastes. Or take a leap of faith in the Omakase Room, a Japanese-influenced wood-paneled room for private tastings in the omakase style—your drink will be whatever the bartender chooses for you."
