HANKO 60 如醉如夢 — Restaurant in Taipei

Gave it 3 stars for the novelty because I think that’s all you should be expecting when you come here.

First, I think it’s pretty cool how the place was repurposed from a cinema theatre. But only the outside was themed, everything inside was just a plain regular bar, and I think they could have done more with the movie theme (eg. cinema chairs? Posters?). The only eye catching part was the 如醉如梦 neon sign.

Second, to me, the drinks were quite gimmicky and really low-effort. We ordered 4 cocktails from the menu, the only one that tasted real good was the vase (called 如醉如梦). The almond tofu one wasn’t good - tofu tasted better than the drink. The ducky one (mango sago) was cute and yummy, but couldn’t taste the alcohol inside and I think I could have ordered a mango sago dessert outside somewhere else. Lastly we had the popcorn drink, where the popcorn tasted better than the drink because the drink I suspect was just baileys. I think I might have had super high expectations seeing the menu which was super creative and up my alley, but the quality of the cocktails just left me a bit disappointed.

Lastly, they could improve on customer service. We gave some feedback for the almond tofu and said it wasn’t nice, but the bartender just said “不是我做的，没办法”. I mean I wasn’t asking for a free shot to compensate but it would have been nice to ask oh why didn’t you like it...

Just a few blocks from home, I finally visited Hanko 60 in Ximen — and I think I’ve found my new favorite cocktail bar.

The interior is cozy and stylish, with dark tones, warm red accents, and a subtle retro Taiwanese touch. Soft neon lighting gives it a welcoming glow, and the whole atmosphere feels relaxed and thoughtfully designed.

We sat at the bar and were greeted by a team of four bartenders, each clearly passionate about their craft. One of them — possibly the head bartender or founder — took the time to walk us through their creative menu, which highlights traditional Taiwanese flavors in really unique ways. Think starfruit, Tieguanyin tea, and other local ingredients used in beautifully balanced cocktails that are as delicious as they are photogenic.

We each had two cocktails and shared a plate of Brussels sprouts. Everything was excellent — the drinks were well-crafted and layered, and the sprouts were perfectly crispy and flavorful. Service was warm and attentive throughout.

Also really appreciated the little details: comfortable seating, strong AC (a summer essential), coasters under the drinks , and they accept credit cards too.

All in all, a lovely experience. I’m already looking forward...

Special theme bar and they have that early republic era classic vibe. The entrance looks like a cinema rather than a bar so people may miss it if don’t pay attention. The staff is pretty friendly and the service is good. However, the cocktails did not reach my expectation. Of course, I’d have a high one since it has an average rating at 4.8 with over a thousand reviews, which is amazing for a bar, but I’d admit that I was a bit disappointed. They have some signature cocktails and my friend and I ordered some. They do look fancy and have good decors served with, but the taste...doesn't fit me nor my friend. I’m not a pro drinker and have only visited a few bars in Taipei, but among all of them, this one’s cocktail is my least favorite.

The minimum order per person is 500 NT dollars, but the average price for a drink is around 300~450 dollars which means you would have to order at least two drinks or a drink with a snack. My friend and I, at first, thought that we could get two drinks, but we didn’t even like our first drinks and didn’t finish. And to reach the minimum order, we had to order a plate of dumplings (NT$220) since all other snacks they have are...