Li Sao Bar & Bistro — Restaurant in Taipei

I think that based on the pictures I saw online, I had hoped for a more intimate and quiet experience, but it seems to be more of a busy seated pub with a number of waitresses and more tables than I expected. Not that it's a bad thing, but if you are looking for a quiet time, I would suggest not going there during the weekend. The acoustics might also be at fault, or the people were exceptionally loud during my visit. Since my feeling might be based on my wrong expectations, I am not giving this bistro a bad score. The food and the service were quite good! However the cocktails could be a bit stronger, but they weren't...

Ordered meet roselle, bite back, cashew & walnut sauce chicken thigh rice set and vegetarian braised rice set.

Meet roselle: really strong alcoholic drink. Slightly thick on viscosity. Roselle taste is pretty faint.

Bite back: very pleasant and refreshing alcoholic drink.

Chicken rice set: every element of the dish taste fantastic. Love the pickled cucumber! Pickled black fungus taste amazing too. The cashew and walnut sauce on the chicken is pure heavenly.

Vegetarian braised rice set: a dish that cannot go wrong. Flavors are on point. A...

Very cool bar with old-fashioned Taiwanese decor. There are a lot of good drink options and proper hot meals as well (including some vegetarian options). We went on Thursday around 10 and it was pretty busy but we were able to get a table. I'd recommend making a reservation, especially on a weekend.

The staff are incredibly friendly and even offer some tasty free shots as well. They have limited time special drinks so you can always count on something new when...