Problem Child is lone PH bar in 2026 Asia's 50 Best Bars
Asia's 50 Best Bars have been revealed, and only one entry from the Philippines made the ranking: Problem Child.
A new entry, the Makati bar placed 44th in the list and was recognized as the best bar in the country.
Problem Child was described as a "boundary-pushing nightlife destination" that has established itself as a haven for Manila's alternative social scene.
Asia's 50 Best Bars further hailed the bar for its hip but warm interiors.
"The menu rotates around a single color scheme every three months, always spanning from innovative sips to reinvented classics," the entry read, highlighting concoctions like the savoury Green Sticks, which is made with rum, wakame distillate, and salsa verde, and Serene, which mixes Japanese whisky with green tea jasmine, oolong, and orange bitters.
"DJs keep the energy moving, soundtracking nights that run into the early hours of the morning," it added.
Ranking first place in the annual list is Hope & Sesame in Guangzhou, China, followed by Zest in Seoul, South Korea at no. 2, and Bar Leone in Hong Kong at no. 3.
Rounding out the top 5 are Dry Wave Cocktail Studio in Bangkok, Thailand at no. 4 and MO Bar Shenzhen in China at no. 5.
The list featured 14 new entries, including Lennon's in Bangkok at no. 7, Obsidian Bar in Shenzhen at no. 10, Pony Up in Shanghai at no. 19, Ralph's Bar in Chengdu at no. 28, Workshop14 in Hanoi at no. 34, and more.
Meanwhile, earlier in July, Makati bar The Spirits Library made the 51 to 100 list of Asia's Best Bars for 2026, placing 98th.
Problem Child, launched in late 2025 by Kevin Corales, Wendy Esteban, and Patrick Leyble, is located at unit 107 G/F, 369 Executive Building, Jupiter, Makati. It's open from Mondays to Saturdays from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. and welcomes walk-ins. Follow them on Instagram to see what they're mixing.
