Manila Nightlife And Pub Crawl Tour Makati City

The night starts above Makati. This four-hour crawl links rooftop drinks, cocktail bars, live jazz, music, and late-night clubs, giving you a quick look at several different sides of the city after dark. I like the small group limit of 10 and the useful route from I’M Hotel to Royal Makati. I also like that admissions and taxes are covered, so you are not paying a separate fee at every stop.

The main concern is serious: one customer arrived at I’M Hotel and found no guide, while hotel staff reportedly knew nothing about the tour. That single report does not prove every departure fails, but it is enough to make me advise caution, confirm the meeting details before paying, and keep the free-cancellation deadline in mind.

Key points before you book

• Eight o’clock start at I’M Hotel: Meet outside the hotel at 7862 Makati Avenue, then head to the rooftop bar.
• Seven nightlife stops: The route includes a rooftop, cocktail bar, tapas venue, retro cafe, live-music bar, boxing venue, and upscale club.
• Four hours with a small group: The maximum is 10 people, which should make moving between venues easier than with a large party.
• Drinks and dinner cost extra: All fees and taxes are included, but alcoholic beverages and food are not.
• The route ends at Royal Makati: You finish at 5343 General Luna Street, rather than returning to the starting hotel.
• Check the operator before departure: A reported no-show at the meeting point is the biggest practical warning attached to this tour.

A fast tour of Makati after dark

At $55, this is not a cheap night out if you plan to buy only one drink. It is better understood as a guided introduction to several nightlife spots, with entry-related fees and taxes handled for you.

That distinction matters. You are paying for the route, the guide, and the convenience of moving through seven venues in one evening. You are not paying for dinner, cocktails, beer, or a private car. Your final bill depends heavily on what you order along the way.

I like the format for a first evening in Makati. Instead of choosing one bar and hoping it suits your mood, you get a sample of rooftop views, literary-themed cocktails, Spanish food, live music, sports-style entertainment, and a club finale. The tradeoff is time. Most stops last only 30 minutes, so you will get a taste rather than a full night at any single place.

The small group cap is helpful. With no more than 10 people, you should have a better chance of hearing the guide, keeping the group together, and getting through crowded entrances without losing half the evening. Still, the tour does not include private transportation, so you need to expect movement between locations on foot or by local transport arranged separately.

8:00 pm at I’M Hotel and the rooftop opening

The meeting point is outside I’M Hotel at 7862 Makati Avenue. The guide is supposed to meet you there and take you up to the hotel’s rooftop bar. This first stop lasts about 30 minutes, and admission is listed as free.

A rooftop is a sensible opening act. At the start of the night, you can get your bearings, meet the other people in the group, and see Makati from above before the route turns toward smaller bars and late-night venues. It also gives the guide a calm place to explain how the evening will work.

You should arrive early. The most important warning connected with this tour involves this exact meeting point. One customer reported arriving at I’M Hotel, finding no guide, and learning that hotel staff did not know what the customer was talking about. That is not a minor inconvenience when the group is scheduled to move on after 30 minutes.

Because of that, save the confirmation on your phone, verify the start time locally, and contact the operator before 8:00 pm if possible. If no one appears, document your arrival and contact the booking company promptly. The tour offers a full refund if you cancel at least 24 hours before the start time, but cancellations made inside that window are not refundable.

The Spirits Library: cocktails with a story

The next stop is The Spirits Library, where the setting is designed around books, spirits, and literary themes. The bar offers cocktails inspired by classic writing and rare bottles from around the world. The description points to an intimate, book-lined room with candlelit lighting.

This is likely one of the more distinctive stops on the route. It is not simply another loud club. The appeal is the combination of a themed interior and drinks with a story behind them. If you enjoy unusual cocktail settings, 30 minutes here should be enough to see the room and order a sample.

The short visit also creates a limitation. You may not have much time to study the menu, wait for a complex cocktail, and drink it at an easy pace. Alcohol is not included, so ask about prices before ordering if you are watching your budget.

I would treat this stop as a quick introduction, not a full cocktail session. The guide’s role matters here, especially if the bar’s concept depends on explaining the drinks rather than simply handing you a glass.

Las Tapas brings food, wine, and jazz

Las Tapas shifts the tone from cocktails to Spanish food and live jazz. The venue centers on a 30-foot bar and offers tapas, cocktails, and wine in a warm setting.

I like the change of pace. After a rooftop and themed cocktail bar, a tapas stop gives you a chance to eat something while listening to music. Since dinner is not included, this may be your best opportunity to order a small plate during the tour, though 30 minutes is not a long meal.

Do not assume the tour price covers food. It does not. If you need a proper dinner, plan your budget and appetite carefully before you arrive. The stop is better for sharing a few bites than for sitting down to a long Spanish meal.

The live jazz is another plus, but the schedule may not allow much time if service is slow. You are moving through a set route, so keep an eye on the group and do not wander off in search of a second dish.

Filling Station Bar and Cafe adds retro character

The Filling Station Bar and Cafe is described as a restored vintage gas station turned into a food and drink venue. Its look mixes old-fashioned roadside style with a modern bar and cafe setup. You might find gourmet comfort food, local beer, handcrafted cocktails, live music, and a friendly community atmosphere.

This stop gives the crawl some visual character. Many pub tours blur together after the second or third bar. A converted gas station, by contrast, gives you something to look at and a clear sense of place.

Again, the 30-minute schedule is the key consideration. You may have enough time for a drink and a quick look around, but not enough for a full meal or a long conversation. If live music is playing, the stop could feel pleasantly full, but the sound level may also make it harder to hear the guide.

I would use this venue as a chance to take in the design rather than expecting a relaxed cafe visit. You are still on a timetable.

Bourbon New Orleans PH is the longest music stop

Bourbon New Orleans PH receives about one hour, making it the longest stop of the evening. The focus is live music, drinks, and a comfortable setting where you can stay awhile.

That extra time is valuable. After three half-hour visits, you finally get room to settle in, order a drink, and enjoy a full band set if the timing works. If you prefer music to constant bar-hopping, this may become the most satisfying portion of the night.

Drinks remain your own expense. The tour covers fees and taxes, but not alcoholic beverages or dinner. You should also remember that live music schedules can vary, so the presence of a band is part of the advertised setting, not a guarantee about a specific performance or song list.

This stop may also help you decide how much energy you have left. The final two venues shift toward more intense entertainment and club atmosphere, so the hour at Bourbon New Orleans PH gives you a natural pause before the late-night finish.

Ringside Bar offers a very different kind of night

Ringside Bar is promoted around boxing-style entertainment, cold drinks, and an old-school fight-night mood. Its description uses the phrase midget boxing, a dated and widely regarded as offensive term for little-person boxing. I would keep that language in mind when deciding if the venue fits your values and comfort level.

The attraction is clearly spectacle. This is not a quiet pub or a place chosen for fine dining. You can expect a loud, high-energy setting built around matches, cheering, and a gritty sports-bar feel.

The stop lasts around 30 minutes, so you may see part of the entertainment rather than a complete event. The schedule could work well if you want a quick, unusual stop. It could feel rushed if you hoped to watch a full match or settle in with a drink.

This is also a venue where personal preference matters more than any general rating. Some people want a memorable oddball stop on a nightlife route. Others may prefer to skip entertainment built around human spectacle. The tour does not appear to offer an alternate stop, so consider that before booking.

Royal Makati provides the club finale

The night ends at Royal Makati, located at 5343 General Luna Street. This final stop lasts about 30 minutes and is presented as an upscale club with DJs, premium bottle service, a polished interior, and an exclusive party atmosphere.

Ending here makes sense. The route builds from rooftop drinks and smaller bars toward a more conventional club setting. If you want music, dancing, and a late-night finish, Royal Makati is the part of the route most likely to match that plan.

The short visit may be the biggest drawback. Thirty minutes is enough to enter, look around, and get a feel for the room, but it is not much time for a full club night. Since this is the endpoint, you can choose to remain in the area after the tour, but any further spending or transportation is your responsibility.

Premium bottle service also signals a higher price level inside the club. You do not have to buy a bottle, but do not confuse the included tour fees with included club drinks. Ask the guide about entry arrangements and any venue-specific spending expectations before ordering.

What the $55 price really buys

The $55 price can be fair if you value structure. You receive a planned route through seven venues, a guide, a small group, and coverage of all listed fees and taxes. For someone new to Makati nightlife, that can save time and reduce the guesswork of choosing bars on your own.

The value is weaker if you mainly want drinks. Alcohol is excluded, dinner is excluded, and transportation between stops is excluded. Add several cocktails, food at Las Tapas or Filling Station, and a club drink at Royal Makati, and your final spending can rise quickly.

I would compare this with the cost of arranging your own night. If you are comfortable choosing bars, using local transport, and checking venue policies yourself, you may spend less independently. If you want a ready-made route and the social ease of a group, the $55 fee has a clearer purpose.

The mobile ticket is convenient, and confirmation is provided at booking. Still, the reported no-show issue means convenience depends on reliable operation. I would not book this as the only plan for an important celebration unless the operator confirms the meeting details directly.

Who will enjoy this route most?

I would recommend it most to a first-time visitor who wants a broad sample of Makati nightlife in one evening. It suits you if you like changing scenery, live music, themed venues, and a group setting rather than spending four hours in one bar.

It may also work for solo visitors who want company. A maximum of 10 people is small enough to make conversation possible, at least in theory, and the route gives you a built-in plan from 8:00 pm until midnight or thereabouts.

You may want to skip it if you prefer slow dinners, quiet cocktail bars, or full evenings at individual venues. The pace is brisk, and two stops involve entertainment that may not appeal to everyone. You also need to arrange your own ride or walking plan between venues, and the finish is not at the starting hotel.

The tour is listed as suitable for most participants and near public transportation. No special accessibility details are provided, so ask the operator directly if you need information about stairs, walking distances, venue access, or seating.

Should you book the Makati pub crawl?

This route has a good idea at its core: a small group, seven different nightlife settings, and a final club stop without a separate admission charge at each venue. I especially like the contrast between the rooftop opening, the book-themed cocktail bar, the jazz and tapas stop, and the longer live-music session at Bourbon New Orleans PH.

But I would not book it blindly. The report of a missing guide at I’M Hotel is a genuine warning, and the tour’s value falls if the operator does not show. Confirm the departure directly, arrive early, keep your phone charged, and avoid relying on this as your only plan for the night.

Book it if you want a guided sampler and accept extra spending for food, drinks, and transport. Skip it if you want certainty, a slow pace, or a self-directed night. If you do book, use the 24-hour cancellation rule carefully: cancel at least 24 hours before the start for a full refund, since late cancellations are not refunded.

FAQ

Where does the pub crawl start?

The tour starts outside I’M Hotel at 7862 Makati Avenue, Makati, Metro Manila. The scheduled start time is 8:00 pm.

Where does the tour end?

The tour ends at Royal Makati at 5343 General Luna Street, Makati. It does not return to I’M Hotel.

How long does the tour last?

The advertised duration is approximately four hours.

How many people can join?

The group has a maximum of 10 travelers.

Are drinks and dinner included?

No. Alcoholic beverages and dinner are not included. All listed fees and taxes are included.

Is transportation included between venues?

No. Private transportation is not included. The tour is near public transportation.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes, if you cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled start time. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before the start are not accepted or refunded.