The Curator Coffee & Cocktails — Restaurant in Makati

(+) Location - true to its "speakeasy" marketing, it's not ez to find coz no signages outside the bldg or directions on website. But you can tell it's the right place because of a few tables and chairs along the street which fills up as the night goes on. Not sure if they let ppl just sit wherever outside or if you need to be seated but it gives off this casual hang vibe similar to al fresco drinking in Europe

(+) impeccable service - the staff engages with the customers from the queue til they serve you the cocktails. Appreciate how they sound like they know what they're serving and passionate about their product

(+) atmosphere - laidback, not stuffy at all for a "speakeasy" because some speakeasies abroad have this fancy vibe which might be off putting to some; also like the layout inside where they set up a bench to the side facing the bar (see first photo) but i wish the bench itself was more comfy (too narrow for my butt? LOL Or maybe the cushion might've thinned out?) oh another room for improvement: the toilet situation doesn't vibe with the bar aesthetic? Coz it's a shared toilet with other bldg tenants i think. And when the bar is quite full, the toilet will have its own queue too.

(+) cocktails - a wide selection, iirc it was prolly more than 20? Well-thought out, highly conceptual, and detailed menu, and i love that they all have the same price. They also use at least 3 spirits in most of the cocktails (always a good indicator) and incorporate Filipino flavors. Tiny quibble: the art on the menu feels a lil close to another Asia Best Bar in HK 😜

(+) music - i'm not sure if they change playlists everyday but when we were there they had a 90s alternative playlist which of course made us happy as older millennials. It made it feel familiar but then also made me feel a lil old / embarrassed? Hahaha acoustics-wise it was unintrusive and just loud enough so we can still hear ourselves while getting at least a soundtrack / score in the background iykwim.

(+) food - the de facto snacks went well with the drinks. And they serve snacks for every round unlike other bars that only...

January 26, 2024. Put simply: Nice drinks, Good Service. BUT allows theirs customers to be abused and treated badly by “regulars”.

My sister and her friends were enjoying their drinks in the outdoor area. After finishing up their drinks and paying the bill, 2 of them went to the restroom leaving one of their friend at the table.

They return only to see their friend being verbally abused by a seemingly chinese women claiming the table was theirs. The women continued to say “table! ours! Table ours! Table ours!” in a rude and dare I say threatening manner. When my sister confronted her by asking if the table was reserved, she rolled her eyes and left immediately.

Throughout the encounter, no employee was seen at all. Only after the rube women approached one of the employee did they come by to apologize for what had happened. The employee also confirmed that the table was not reserved in anyway, and that the women was a “regular”.

First off, I would like to say that the employee of this establishment did apologize for the incident, and based on our prior experiences offer superb service.

What I hoped to see however, is a more proactive role or policy making, maybe from the owners, to prevent this kind of incidents from happening. If this women is really a regular, I dare to say that this is not first time and will not be the last time that she will offend/harass/abuse other paying customers. The establishment needs to let customers know that is it not ok to disturb/harass others. Not just turn a blind eye every single time it happens.

Lastly: the women’s group had a child obviously underage with them. According to Executive Order No. 326, s. 1941, children under the age 18 should not be allowed to be in a bar unless private party with adult supervision (If under 15, not at...

Fresh from a great start at Titotata (also on Carlos Palanca St) my party set out for coffee and cocktails, and reaching The Curator a few minutes away, we were intrigued by its unpretentious façade and homey wooden curbside seating. We were welcomed politely enough by a bespectacled staff at the steps leading to the café-bar, but as soon as we approached the unoccupied front bar stools we were told they were taken so we settled for a corner pair of seating that would separate our foursome into two. A friend also bemoaned the fact that pendant lights were hanging directly from the ceiling above us there. There was a table at the curb that only had two chairs, and we were told they had no other available chairs when in fact one table for four had only one occupant. To see our other options, that same friend and I ventured into an inner parlor that was miles above the vestibule's minimalist décor: dimmer lights, tables for small groups, a private lounge kind of vibe, and a proper bar just right for our group. This was where it got tricky. That same staff told us we couldn't stay there because it was meant for couples and solos. (We were literally 2 couples and/or 4 solos.) Again, we were told no, because they were meant for clients with reservations. After suggesting we'd stay a while for a drink and when our time was up we could move back out front, still no, this time saying they discourage people from switching places within the premises during their visit. Was it just me, or this guy didn't want to accommodate us at all? We headed back out a short walk towards The Coffee Academics instead, and moved on with fantastic brews, hot chocolate, and an espresso-whiskey concoction. The night was young and we surely made up for an earlier...