ATLAS — Restaurant in Singapore

Overall, the vibe of the place was really nice, but unfortunately, the service left a lot to be desired.

We came here last Thursday on a whim after sending a friend off at Changi Airport. I called ahead to ask about making a reservation for two and to check if there was a dress code. The receptionist advised that it’s better to walk in, and that the dress code only applies after 5 pm. So, we decided to swing by for a casual drink.

Upon arrival, the receptionist informed us that they were fully booked for the afternoon and that there would be a 45-minute wait. Since this was our first stop on a bar-hopping adventure and this place had been on my list for a while, we were happy to give our number and wait. After about 15 minutes, we saw several people leaving, and new customers were being seated immediately, which felt a little odd since we hadn’t heard from them. We decided to follow our instincts and check in again with the receptionist, and suddenly, we were given seats at the bar. If you weren’t going to call us in the first place, why ask for our number?

We ordered two cocktails and one food item. About 15-20 minutes later, a woman sat beside me and was served a glass of water and a cup of chips. Meanwhile, we had not been offered either, so I looked around and realized we were the only ones without water or snacks. When we mentioned it to a female bartender with short hair and glasses, her response was quite rude. She said, "If you want, you can take it, or leave it. There’s no top-up for the chips even after you finish them. We’ll just leave them here to prove we’ve already given them to you. I hope you don’t feel annoyed." This really soured our experience. A simple "Sorry, I forgot to serve you" would have gone a long way.

Thankfully, Natasha, her colleague, stepped in to apologize on behalf of the bartender, but at that point, it wasn’t just about the chips. It was more about the fact that basic service, like offering water, should be part of the standard experience. Missing something so simple and not taking responsibility for it made us feel disregarded.

We were looking forward to bar hopping and were excited to visit Atlas, especially since it's on the 2024 Asia’s 50 Best Bars list. Unfortunately, the service here ruined our day, and we won’t be recommending it to our fellow bar-hopping friends.

I usually give 5 stars to bars I really enjoy, and I rarely give just 1 star unless it’s an extreme case. For Atlas, I’ll give it 2 stars—it was initially a 1-star experience, but thanks to Natasha’s thoughtful service recovery, I decided to bump it up. I understand that one person doesn’t represent the entire bar, but I hope the management takes note and puts more emphasis on consistent,...

First of all, I’ve admiring the artwork and decoration of this place for a long time and always wanted to dine there, but it’s kinda hard to reserve an ideal slot, so I have really expectation of the place when I finally managed to get a reservation. And everything fall below expectation. Firstly service is bad, I booked a table for one, so the staff led me to a knee height coffee table, I told the staff I need a REGULAR table because I was for a FULL MEAL, not for cofffee, would you eat a plate of food placed at your knee height? I mean it’s common sense, but the staff insist all the tables were reserved, although the seats are barely 1/4 filled throughout my one hour plus stay. After much back n forth, the staff finally give me regular table (and the place was empty the entire, i don’t even know why it’s so fully booked online).

So here comes the food, let me just say I’ve been to bars and TWG with more food options, notably, vegetarian options compare to Atlas…. Atlas has ZERO vegetarian options, I even asked the staff prior, they told me the kitchen is able to provide vegetarian food, yet when I was there for lunch, there’s no such option on the menu, the staff told me they could get the kitchen to make the prawn spaghetti vegetarian (I guess by simply not adding the prawn, basically I paid $30+ for a plate of aglio olio), and none of the food taste anything beyond mediocre. The spaghetti was salty, and a tad bit bitter (idk, maybe from over fried garlic?), the coffee (flat white) is bland with no aroma. The fries was meh at best (served with ketchup and mayo, just like you standard kopitium $3 fries, no seasoning whatsoever), so it’s the creme brulee. Although the food does not taste horrible, but i cant tell if it’s freshly made or some semi cooked batch production from central kitchens, i saw the staff brought the food out from the little “island hut” behind the bar, it does not look like a full commercial kitchen to me. Overall, I’m extremely disappointed from the service and food quality at Atlas, the staff couldn’t care less, and the food is so subpar for the price and the class of restaurant they’re presenting. I always assume fine-looking places = great chef and great food, now it’s time to update my impression, the level of professionalism reminds me of the “library-attached cafe” i visited often when i was schooling, their microwaved paste, canned peach, and counter top frier made fries....

Atlas Bar Singapore:

Review: Atlas Bar Singapore - Grand Ambiance Marred by Aggressive Upselling & Unwelcoming Door Staff

Atlas Bar is undeniably stunning. Stepping inside feels like entering a Gatsby-era palace, with its soaring ceilings, opulent decor, and that legendary gin tower. The ambiance is truly unique and worth seeing once.

However, our recent visit for a simple afternoon drink (around 4:00 PM - 4:45 PM) was significantly marred by two major issues:

Aggressive & Absurd Upselling: Despite the bar being noticeably not full, our request to simply sit in the main lounge area for one drink was met with an immediate, hard sell for the "upper part seating." We were quoted an astronomical minimum spend of $6000 SGD. This felt incredibly pushy and completely disproportionate to our request. We were clear we only wanted one drink each in the regular area, yet the focus seemed solely on extracting maximum spend rather than accommodating guests. For a brief 45-minute visit in the late afternoon, this tactic was off-putting and predatory.

Unfriendly & Overconfident Door Staff: The staff managing the entrance were distinctly unfriendly and carried an air of overconfidence that bordered on arrogance. There was no warm welcome, just a transactional (and ultimately negative) interaction focused on the upsell. Their demeanor was dismissive of our simple request and contributed heavily to the unwelcoming first impression.

While Atlas Bar's grandeur is impressive, the experience at the door was deeply disappointing. The aggressive push for a $6000 spend for a simple afternoon drink in an uncrowded bar, coupled with the unfriendly and pretentious attitude of the door staff, overshadowed the beautiful setting. It felt less like being welcomed as a guest and more like being viewed purely as a revenue target.

Recommendation: Go for the spectacle if you must, or if you're prepared for a significant splurge. But if you're hoping for a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere for a casual drink, especially outside peak hours, manage your expectations severely regarding the door policy and sales tactics. Based on this experience, we cannot recommend it for a simple, straightforward visit. The initial interaction left...