Dear Hearts oozes with retro American vibes (Photo: Quincy Tan/The Edge)
If you are of the persuasion that life’s moments can be made better with a tipple in hand, chances are someone in your life has tried to hit you up for a bar recommendation at some point. It is not the easiest question – the Klang Valley is blessed not only with relatively frequent new openings, but a bountiful selection of locations that span a wide range of vibes, drinks and price points. Need a spot to kick back with the classics and chat? Or maybe you are on the lookout for what’s new in Malaysian mixology? Here are three haunts about town worth sipping at for your next occasion – big or small.
If there is one thing to be said about Jason Yee, the mind behind one of Petaling Jaya’s latest and most unique drinking spots Dear Hearts & Chilled Spirits, it is that he is thoroughly committed to the theme of his bar. Between the sarcastic entrance sign and giant billboard of internet memes, Dear Hearts is a love letter to tongue-in-cheek millennial humour. The snarky comments in its house rules and TV-guide style menu border on irreverent without getting crude, always wishing foremostly for its visitors to have a straight up fun time. Two tip jars are set up for guests to vote between boybands Westlife and the Backstreet Boys, and random memorabilia of WWE superstar John Cena play into his cult pop culture icon status.
The retro American vibe is pulled through by the preppy pad’s name, a reference to Bob Crosby’s Dear Hearts and Gentle People, Seinfeld-esque logo and groovy arcade floor-patterned coasters. Those a little more plugged in to the video game scene may even recognise its similarity to the action franchise Fallout’s pre-war designs.
But silly gaffs and 1950s aesthetics are not the dominant ideas behind Yee’s establishment. Dear Hearts is lovingly dedicated to the founder’s late pug Sharpay Evans Yee (after the High School Musical trilogy’s blonde diva, the “best character ever”, according to Yee), whose likeness can be found in every nook and cranny — from her close-up shot on the collage wall to plushies and figurines on every surface, and even the owner’s tie. Beneath the comedic bits, one feels a powerful sense of sentimentality and compassion to be the dictating undercurrent of this bar. As the menu, stamped with Sharpay’s face, reads: “This bar runs on her spirit: warm welcomes, occasional sass and a soft spot for anyone just trying to make it through the day.” The pet-friendly space also allows small to mid-sized critters, and is home to the handsome resident kitty, Lee Hom.
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Colourful, quirky and unmistakably slick with actually comfortable seats, this locale gets serious — but not too serious — when it comes to the drinks. Plays on classics with an alternative localised touch make up its core offerings, running a reasonable RM55 at most with some options even stooping under RM30. The Dear Hearts Cola (RM28) is a great opening tipple, with a gula melaka coconut nose that transitions into a sweet fizz on the palate from the bourbon and cola, tempered by floral, herbaceous notes from chrysanthemum and longan for a liang sui vibe.
Another bestseller is the Shimpanzini Bananini (Wa Wa Wa) (RM38) — a reference to an absurdist gibberish subset of Gen Z internet culture, if you were curious — the establishment’s take on a piña colada. Dear Hearts achieves a smoothie-like consistency without a pointed dairy flavour, thanks to the addition of banana purée and creamed corn, and the tropical through-line is upped by fragrant pandan and lime. The touch of bitters and light savoury undertone brings extra depth to this punchy composition, though the tiny straw makes it a little tough to sip up pulpier parts.
On the more uplifting end, City Blossoms (RM48) combines floral gin, parfait amour and fruity melon with a slight matcha earthiness and citrus zing. The dreamy green drink is almost candylike, with melon being the most pronounced flavour, perhaps leaning a bit too far into saccharine for our tastes.
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If you have been keeping up with the country’s cocktail scene, you may at this point already be anticipating the mention of Dear Hearts’ viral signature drink, Chicken Rice (RM50), shown at Penang Cocktail Week earlier this month. Neither chicken nor rice appear in this vodka-based concoction. Rather, the bartenders cook up a paste from the dish’s primary ingredients like garlic, ginger and spring onions, before clarifying the fluid.
The resulting olfactory profile is near indistinguishable from the real thing. Wafts of sesame, cucumber and soy sauce on the nose prepare you for the salty tinge up front. This is followed by a sweet and tangy, almost vinegary middle that recalls the chicken rice’s sauce, before blending back into the refreshing vegetals, lasting alliums and aromatic oiliness for a long finish. Served on the side is a little dish of spicy ginger cordial, the mandatory “chilli” condiment, which offers a biting bit of burn to numb the tongue and mellow out the main drink.
We also opted to try Dear Hearts’ bespoke order slips, where patrons can fill out their preferred base spirit, flavour, strength and so on to match their mood. Our request for a medium-bodied, spicy and smoky creation yielded a Bloody Maria (RM52), a juicy mezcal-based take on a Bloody Mary topped with cracked black pepper and a generous few dashes of Scrappy’s Bitters Firewater habañero tincture for just the right amount of heat. Proper bites include hotdogs, corn and a small selection of tinned fish, served with toast and pickles. For a heftier meal, sourdough pizzas from Wake & Bake downstairs are available for order.
75A Jalan SS 22/11, Damansara Jaya, PJ. Monday to Sunday, 5pm to 12am.
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A drink with a view is one of life’s more decadent pleasures; it follows that a curated chocolate-themed cocktail on the 75th floor of Merdeka 118 overlooking the city skyline must be an utterly opulent experience. Perhaps that is what has been drawing fascinated crowds all the way up to the newly opened Park Hyatt Kuala Lumpur’s chocolate-themed bar, Cacao.
Gold tones dominate the plush double volume perch, which is divided into several zones including a common area comprising smaller settings and a large shared table as well as more private corners. Reservations are required on weekends, but we would encourage booking a seat even on weekdays due to its popularity. Windowside spots are naturally the most coveted, and the staff obligingly moved us closer to the view since there was an empty place.
Cacao offers four signature cocktails, all based on the food of the gods, of course, in addition to some classics. Low-ABV items take after Malaysian flavours like Sarawakian pineapple, bunga kantan and daun kesum, while four non-ABV cacao-inspired options ensure even teetotallers and designated drivers can appreciate the themed mixology. Pairing flights match a choice of spirit — whisky, cognac, rum or zero-proof — with three small tablets of different origins and percentages.
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The recommended Cacao Club (RM75) appears to be a twist on the Clover Club, swapping out the gin base for whisky while retaining the red fruit component using Li Chu 64% raspberry chocolate and Ratafia Rossi cherry wine. Lemon and Musang King liqueur make up the last components, topped with a layer of sugar paper printed with a cacao bean. For all its ingredients, this liquid unfortunately missed the mark for us: the sweet and sour berry profile overwhelms, with only a mild milkiness towards the end to round it out, while the rest of its notes lose their place. The edible sheet does not really dissolve, leaving an awkward sensation of something drifting against your lips with every sip. Inoffensive but uncoordinated, it comes as somewhat of a letdown when Cacao’s prices poise it among the ranks of nearby heavyweights like Bar Trigona, yet its drinks do not quite have the bite to match its bark.
Luckily, our moods were lifted by the Cacao Coffee Martini (RM85), a divine mix of the house’s Holger Deh 71% chocolate — named after the executive pastry chef and produced in partnership with manufacturer Valrhona — nutty brown butter and two types of coffee for an incredibly profound richness and intensity. Dark rum, with its toasty brown sugar notes, is an obvious spirit to use, but the addition of mezcal proposes a surprisingly pleasant smokiness, evoking a burnt caramel personality. The buttery popcorn foam and cacao nib tuile garnish help elevate this from a fancy espresso martini to a standout symphony of butterscotch-y, boozy bliss.
The low-ABV Teh Tarik Soda (RM55) proves a subversive yet satisfying choice. Instead of emulating the local classic’s creamy body, this beverage brings to life the airy cloud crowning each cup. A light bubbly cluster sits atop a tincture that opens with peachy, lychee hints owing to the base St Germain elderflower liqueur, before blending into black tea aromatics and strong notes of cardamom and clove, mimicking the spices in chai.
During each visit, the staff will invite patrons to try Cacao’s famed 19kg cube of tempered Holger Deh 71% chocolate, to learn about the block’s provenance and get a few clips of them chiselling a sample for you. More is available for order at an affordable RM10 per 10g. For an alternative preparation, try the Dark Chocolate Tart (RM60), two slices of creamy, umami ganache on a crumbly cocoa crust drizzled with more cocoa icing. Other treats include the pistachio Dulcey chocolate brittle, Penang vanilla truffles and calamansi pralines.
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Need a break from all the sugar? Sodium relief can fortunately be found in the bar bites, a small line-up featuring fancier fare like oysters and cheeses, or simpler snacks like Korean-style fried chicken. The Dirty Fries (RM38), while tasty, are a slight misnomer — just some good old-fashioned fried potatoes topped with grated parmesan and lime aioli on the side.
Though Cacao delivers on its dedication to presenting its key ingredient in an upscale setting, it is the minutiae that leave us a tad underwhelmed. Despite the size of the entire venue, the layout seemed packed — not because of the crowd, but the dense positioning of the tables. Feeling like anyone could lean into our conversation or bump against our chairs took us out of the luxeness. Furthermore, as proud advocates of counter seats, it is odd to not enable guests the option of pulling up to the bar to watch the action. But most grievously, Cacao direly needs better coasters, because serving a glass worth nearly RM100 on a non-absorbent circle of card that does not lie flat is just baffling.
Level 75, Park Hyatt KL, Menara Merdeka 118, KL. Daily, 5pm to 12am.
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The goal of a speakeasy, historically, was to resist being found by those not in the know. But in our non-Prohibition day and age, at what point does a “hidden bar” just become a pain to locate? We do not have an answer to this question, but Bar Shanty does seem to be doing a better job of leaning into obscurity than other surreptitious wannabes about town — for better or worse.
Those trying to find this spot in Solaris Mont’Kiara, KL, will have to hike up to the first floor (look for the stairs between a hotpot place and noodle restaurant), and ring the bell on the imposing black door in order to gain access to this elusive suite. Shanty is an intimate yet sophisticated den owned and operated by Japanese-Russian husband-and-wife duo Masanao and Anastasia. The business began in 2006 as a hidden drinking spot in Shanghai, China, before moving to KL in May.
The interiors take a page from those of Nipponese whisky bars — suave, well-embellished yet restrained. An authoritative wooden countertop surrounded by about a dozen heavy leather seats makes a prime spot to sit, sip and relax while catching up with your mates.
Let us be clear: this is not a cocktail bar. At least, in the sense that this is not for complicated potions and out-of-the-box concoctions. Simplicity is Shanty’s strength, and the place embodies a quiet confidence through its essential offerings: a comprehensive range of spirits selected to satiate a wide breadth of price points and palates, all poured by the shot starting around the RM40 range. The nostalgic cocktail menu comprises old-school items from Manhattans, mint juleps and tequila sunrises, to basic two-parters like vodka tonics and Cuba Libres. Several traditional mocktails are served as well, including Shirley Temples and Cinderellas.
For an off-menu treat, try requesting the Apricot Sour (RM48), one of Shanty’s original creations from its days in the Magic City. The Jack Daniels-based tipple is refreshingly zingy, rife with stone fruit aroma, light florals and a velvety texture.Whisky highballs made from Jim Beam, essential drinking at any Japanese joint, will run you RM40 a glass, though for that money we imagine one would be better off picking something off the liquor list to be served with soda.
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Vodka gets a bad rap for being the drink of choice for those looking to get hammered on a budget, but true connoisseurs of the Eastern European spirit will be glad to find Shanty insists on keeping some pretty exclusive bottles. Discerning drinkers can ask for the ultra-premium Beluga Transatlantic Racing (RM70/shot), an extraordinarily clean and smooth liquid known for its light aroma and subtle grain and strawberry notes, best served ice cold. Those not afraid to splurge can take it a step further with the Beluga Gold Line (RM90/shot), which Anastasia declares to be the best Russian vodka in the world. Having passed on it though, we leave this fact for readers to discover and judge for themselves.
If you are feeling peckish, the bar does have a small variety of generic fried snacks, but we felt compelled to try the Russian fare homemade by the lady of the house. The vegetable and chicken borscht, a tangy soup of tomatoes, cabbage and potatoes, is a hearty bowl enriched with a dollop of sour cream, surely a satisfying post-imbibing meal. The pirozhki, a rustic fried hand pie filled with minced beef and onions, was a little less impressive, but still a decent bite. Other food items include sardine gratin, cured fish, marinated celery and house-made raisin butter with crackers. A word of caution: the food menu has no names or prices listed, so getting jumped with a pretty exorbitant bill of RM38 for soup and RM28 for a single pie did leave a bad taste in our mouths.
That said, one notable takeaway from Shanty, we must admit, is the hallmarks of thoughtfulness in every small detail. Thin glassware, large ice spheres, coasters featuring traditional Japanese motifs and Edo kiriko glasses for drinking water create a seamless ambience while softly echoing the owners’ experiences in hospitality. This place is determined to deliver an elevated vision of a casual night out, one that does not require getting into new mixological marvels but just grabbing your favourite go-to. That, we will not fault.
3A-1 Jalan Solaris 3, Mont’Kiara, KL. Monday to Saturday, 7:30pm to 2am.
This article first appeared on Sept 22, 2025 in The Edge Malaysia.
