The first time we went to Singapore, we thought we’d never go back. Here is what we did wrong after the first visit, and what we’ve learned after visit #3- don’t stay in Orchard (even if Anthony Bourdain did), pack for high humidity, don’t expect anything from the airport, and visit our favorite restaurants and bars, all listed below.
Traveling around Asia? Check out our Bangkok Guide.
Don’t know what to pack? Here’s Jess’s Packing List.
Top Restaurants
Overall: Must Go
Service: 9/10 Atmosphere: 7.5/10 Food: 10/10 Wine List: 8.5/10
This is the first restaurant we have ever given a 10/10 food ranking to, and Thevar deserves it. Chef Thevar is the most talented young chef we have ever come across- and this modern Indian restaurant is a huge reason why we have returned to Singapore time and time again (this restaurant alone might be worth a trip to Singapore, to be honest). Thevar operates a tasting menu that combines French and Japanese techniques with sublime Indian flavors. Located in arguably the best area for innovative food- Tanjong Pagar- Thevar is an open-kitchen concept in a modern, but narrow space. Aside from table seating, there are 2 seats at the chef’s counter- which we highly recommend requesting. The food is consistent, technical, memorable, deeply flavorful, and it certainly deserves its 2 Michelin stars (plus the highly-acclaimed spot of offering some of the best dishes of our lives). We could not recommend this restaurant enough. If you have one dinner in Singapore- go to Thevar.
Overall: Highly Recommend
Service: 9/10 Atmosphere: 10/10 Food: 9/10 Wine List: 8.5/10
Located in the aquarium of Resorts World on Sentosa Island, a 15 minute drive from central Singapore… this tasting menu restaurant is a once-in-a-lifetime meal. We went for the experience- dining inside an aquarium- and we were left with our jaws dropping to the floor. The food was exceptional. The wine list was great. The service was world-class. And while we were certainly entertained by the 40,000 underwater creatures circling around us, the fact that we were deeply impressed with everything else says a lot. We highly recommend going for lunch and doing the full 6 course tasting meal, as we did. There is a dress code, and children under 8 are not allowed.
Overall: Highly Consider
Service: 9/10 Atmosphere: 7.5/10 Food: 9.5/10 Wine: 8.5/10
Yen Yakiniku is a chef’s counter dining experience, where everything from A5 Wagyu to king oyster mushrooms are cooked to order, on a grill directly in front of you. While they do offer omakase, we truly enjoyed ordering a la carte, especially given recommendations from Queenie- the very sweet server we suggest you request. The restaurant is a mixture of Japanese, Korean, and Taiwanese cuisine- which somehow manages to work extremely well. While the wine list is very limited, there are several solid sake options, as well as beer, sochu, and the like. There is only bar counter seating, but the vibe still manages to come off as quite high-end (and trendy, of course, being near Tanjong Pagar). We heard weekends fill up, so try for a weekday night. We highly recommend the Spanish Iberico pork jowl, the side of roasted garlic, and of course the wagyu. Jess almost finished 2 full orders of the kimchi, so get that too.
Top Bars
Overall: Highly Recommend
Service: 7/10 Atmosphere: 9.5/10 Bar Program: 10/10
To clarify- the beverage program is a 10/10 for gin drinkers, with a true selection of over 1,200 gins to choose from at your whim. They have other cocktails, too, which are great- but this is a gin bar (plus random afternoon tea and some other food). Located in certainly one of the most extravagant buildings- with glamorous art-deco decor and tremendously high ceilings- Atlas has one of the most stunning settings for a bar we have ever seen and is a perfect place to spend an afternoon (.5 subtracted for the bathrooms, otherwise atmosphere would be a 10). When you book make sure to request bar seats (but know the tables are comfortable too). And ask to sit with Lana, who runs the bar program and is wonderful. There is apparently a ‘Gin Experience’, but we were told it is really just walking in a circle and up a couple stairs, so maybe skip that. This is one of the few spots located north of Marina Bay Sands (and not in Tanjong Pagar) that we highly recommend.
Overall: Highly Recommend
Service: 8/10 Atmosphere: 7/10 Food: 8/10 Bar Program: 8/10
We booked the Tippling Club Bar Experience (which is in the link above) and ended up returning the very next day. Tippling Club is in the trendy Tanjong Pagar area (because of course it is) and is one of the first bespoke cocktail bars to exist in Singapore. The drinks are great, the service is great (ask for Aaron the manager), and… the bar menu is outstanding. We recommend the fried fish sandwich and the Mapo Tofu fries. This is definitely one of our favorite bars in Singapore, if not our favorite. Next time, we will go for the full tasting menu at the connected restaurant.
Overall: Recommend
Service: 7/10 Atmosphere: 8/10 Bar Program: 8/10
Number 14 of the Worlds 50 Best Bars list in 2024, Jigger & Pony is arguably the most famous bar in Singapore, if not one of the most famous in all of Asia. Small tip: If you cannot get bar seats, do not go. If you can, do. You have to make a reservation well in advance. The drinks are good, the style is very Mad-Men-esque, and the bartenders are usually very personable. We also recommend the grilled cheese.
More Restaurants & Bars...
Overall: Highly Consider
Service: 7/10 Atmosphere: 7/10 Food: 8/10 Beverage: NA (Korean liquor only)
One of the most impressive things about this modern Korean restaurant is that we believed it had one Michelin star the entire time we ate there (it doesn’t) and we left convinced that it did (it still doesn’t, but should). This delicious Korean restaurant has a warm and modern design with authentic and flavorful food, and we plan on returning to in the future. Everything on the menu was good (our least favorite was the Sotbap rice), but definitely do not miss the beef tartar, hogam jeon (potato pancake), or the grilled iberico pork app. The wine list is non-existent, but they offer Korean liquors so this is your time to try Soju!
Overall: Don’t really recommend
Not rating
This is the famous bar on the top of the Marina Bay Sands hotel (the one that looks like a cruise ship stacked on 3 skyscrapers). You need to pay a cover fee, which applies to your drinks. If there is a line, it is not worth waiting. Go to Wakuda for a drink (40 steps away) and wait for the line to die down, then go up. At the top, walk straight and veer left out of the elevators to enter the bar and get a seat (hopefully with Ross, who is great). You can wander around most of the roof once you enter, and it is worth one visit if you want a view of the city. The best view is after exiting the elevator, taking a right and walking down the hallway until you get outside and immediately turning left to the railing- where you can see the Gardens by the Bay etc.
Overall: Worth A Visit (surprisingly!)
Not rating
If you’re in Marina Bay Sands and you’re looking for a quite bar nibble, stop by CUT by Wolfgang Puck for a tuna tartare. They are only open from 5PM on, but the bar staff is lovely and we were very pleasantly surprised when we stumbled across it after getting off a late flight. They even got us shiso-detesters to try a shiso drink, which we surprisingly liked! The atmosphere is nice and cool, and it’s a good spot for a quick stop after a long day.
Overall: Recommend
Not rating
We’ve only been once, very late at night, and stayed until 3am closing- where the staff lip-synched 90’s classics and served cups of chicken soup at the end. It feels unfair to rate. But, it was one of our favorite nights in Singapore so- despite having a hard time getting bar seats on a crowded Saturday- we definitely recommend. We’ll be back to review properly.
Overall: Highly Recommend
Service: 7.5/10 Atmosphere: 8/10 Food: 8/10 Beverage: 5.5/10
Despite the low rating for the beverage program (which is basically just a really terrible wine list plus some pretty good cocktails), we highly recommend this restaurant, especially for lunch when they are less busy and the service is better than good (ask for manager Lukasz who is amazing). This modern Indian restaurant was started by a professional restaurant designer, and it shows- each room has a unique theme (from elephants to tigers) and the design is really unique. There is a semi-set menu at lunch (a la carte at dinner), which we normally do not prefer, but it is GOOD. Skip the fish and go for the pork iberico instead, which is incredible. We also highly recommend the tomato and ginger chutneys, plus the lentils (which are spicy) with a side of black garlic naan.
Overall: Highly Consider
Service: 9/10 Atmosphere: 8/10 Food: 7.5/10 Wine: 6/10
This is the first modern-Singaporean restaurant to receive 1 Michelin star. They take technique seriously, with the lunch tasting menu requiring a minimum of 3 hours. The food is basically gastronomic versions of local Singaporean dishes- saving you a trip from the hot hawker stalls and giving you well-executed dishes in a comfortable environment. Located on the second floor of a mall across the street from the Ritz Carlton & Mandarin Oriental- the restaurant is dark and trendy, with plenty of space between tables. While there were unique wines from Syria, China, and more, the list was smaller than expected and there were only 2 white burgundies (one being Corton Charlemagne). Our server, Sho, was super friendly and he is a somm- we highly recommend requesting him if possible. Oh, and the shaved ice for dessert was amazing.
Overall: Consider
Service: 6/10 Atmosphere: 7/10 Food: 5/10 Beverage: 7/10
Many people might think the draw of MO Bar at the Mandarin Oriental is the view (it’s good), but it’s really bartender Kim- a cheery and hospitable bartender from South Korea, who whips up clever cocktails and has a habit for remembering every guest. Go there for him, expect crowded elevators (see Mandarin Oriental hotel review below), enjoy some good cocktails, skip the food, expect weird service from everyone besides Kim, and know that if there is live music it might not be good (at all). We recommend going for a quick drink when they open at 5, if it is convenient for you.
Overall: Recommend (but only if you’re staying on Sentosa Island)
Service: 8/10 Atmosphere: 4/10 Food: 8/10 Beverage Program: 5/10
This restaurant is certainly not worth going out of your way for… however… if you are staying on Sentosa Island (which we do not recommend) it is the #2 restaurant, only behind Ocean. The ambiance is cafeteria like, and your best bet for drinks is sake, but we got very lucky with a great server and the food was truly outstanding- think perfectly seared wagyu beef and specialty cuts of meat that arrived just that day.
Overall: Recommend
Not rating
We only had time to stop downstairs for a few drinks and snacks, which is why it isn’t fair for us to review this (especially because their infamous cocktail bar is upstairs). However, every drink on the menu is clarified (a big yes for us) and none of the drinks were too sweet, plus the local Singaporean ingredients were very unique. The head chef was very sweet- make sure to try her mom’s very spicy hot sauce.
Overall: Highly Recommend
Service: 8.5/10 Atmosphere: 8/10 Food: 8/10 Beverage Program: 7/10 (nice sake list)
We booked the ‘Premium Lunch Menu’ omakase, which is more like what Americans who have been to Japan know kaiseke to be- many tiny prepared dishes, and not sushi. Kosuke, the head chef, was incredibly sweet and very creative, making some of the most stunning presentations for his intricately prepared dishes. Including the best mackarel we have ever had (in a sesame preparation), some other favorites were soba noodles served in carved ice and the amazing (and not too sweet) desserts. This restaurant is tucked away near Chinatown, and also offers a wagyu lunch- which we would definitely look into next time.
Overall: Recommend
Service: 6.5/10 Atmosphere: 7.5/10 Food: 7.5/10 Beverage Program: 6/10
This Chinese restaurant in the Pan Pacific Hotel is one of the better Chinese restaurants in Singapore. Our food rating could be higher, but we probably didn’t order right (we would suggest avoiding their specialty crab dish unless you truly love saffron). However, what we did order right: a delicious modern ‘cigar’ made with foie gras, truffle, and snow crab that we highly recommend (it is big enough to share, but the layers differ in flavors so you might want two). There is a vegetable dish that includes ‘lotus root stuffed with prawn mousse’ that is outstanding.
Overall: Consider
Service: 7.5/10 Atmosphere: 6.5/10 Beverage Program: 9/10
The reason to go to Sago House is for the cocktail program. This bar is #10 in Asia’s best bars, and they create a brand new cocktail menu… every… single… week. The best part was that every single cocktail was expertly balanced, creative, and you could still ask for a bespoke cocktail to your taste. This Tanjong Pagar hotspot is in a narrow semi-grungy spot with a very thoughtful bathroom that added .5 to the atmosphere.
Overall: Recommend
Service: 7.5/10 Atmosphere: 7.5/10 Food: 7.5/10 Beverage Program: 5/10 (beer, sake)
For uni lovers only. Located on level 3 of the small Bugis Cube building, this tiny 6-seat sushi counter gave us the first ever uni soup of our lives- which might be one of Jess’s favorite dishes of all time and also a dish she never imagined she would love so much. We opted for the lunch omakase, and the reason the food rating isn’t higher is only because the actual sushi courses were very traditionally aged fish (which we don’t love, but some people might). However, this is a great place. We’ll likely go again in the future for the uni tasting and uni soup, plus the negitoromaki handroll add-on that we devoured happily.
Hotels
So far, our favorite hotel in Singapore is the Ritz Carlton Millenia. While it certainly doesn’t top our list of ‘best hotels in the world’, it is in a good location, has a very good gym, and offers both a comfortable pool and nice rooms. They do have a hotel bar, Republic. And the service was nice when we stayed there.
On our next trip to Singapore, we will likely either return to the Ritz or check out a hotel in Tanjong Pagar area, which we haven’t stayed in yet.
The Mandarin Oriental is okay and it is in a very good location (next door to the Ritz Carlton), but it can get really busy. A big problem is that they offer a buffet dinner, which families of mostly non-hotel guests flock to, and there are lines that block the elevators (then fill the elevators with 20+ people). This all sounds terrible- which it is- but it does only last an hour or so. The MO Bar is good. Also, we’re not really breakfast people, but the breakfast at this hotel is great and offers global cuisines plus a very sweet old pastry chef who is very proud of his croissants. We stayed in the family suite for access to laundry facilities- and the room was pretty comfortable overall. The pool was nice, especially in the early afternoon, and the gym was well-equipped albeit a bit tight.
Ugh. For being a 5-star hotel, there are some major problems with The Fullerton Bay Hotel. Good things: the location is convenient and the AC works perfectly. The bad: There is approx 2 sq ft of shade in the pool that disappears by noon, mold in the showers, confused concierges, a busy gym with a max capacity of 4 people… and no indoor bar. Overall- skip it.
While the Four Seasons is fine, Orchard as an area is very business-oriented and too inconvenient for all the restaurants we love and recommend, so we’d skip this hotel for the location alone.
Jess’s mom loves the Capella Sentosa, so we are not allowed to say anything too harsh. That being said- we do not recommend staying on Sentosa Island, and Capella is the best hotel there (Taylor Swift, Donald Trump, and Kim Jong Un have all frequented). We had a serious problem with the AC in our room, and the restaurants at the hotel were poor (but the pools were lovely, and if you do stay there Sara at the pool gave the best service).
Do yourself a favor and stay on mainland Singapore, and visit Ocean restaurant for lunch on Sentosa, but skip the rest of this little futuristic kid-land.
We have never given hotels in Tanjong Pagar a chance- which we are likely to do next time because almost all of the good bars and restaurants are in that area. We are curious about The Mondrian, which is in an ideal location.
On a separate note- The Fullerton is really outdated, busy, and it has a bad pool. Marina Bay Sands is the most iconic hotel, but with 2,500 rooms it is really not for us.
Tourism & Travel Notes
One time, when landing on Air France, the pilot came on the speaker and warned everyone that ‘Any THC or CBD product, including gummies and creams, are punishable… by death.’
Make sure to look up everything you are bringing in online to make sure it is allowed (including sleeping pills and the like). Here’s the government link.
Also, ensure you fill out your Singapore arrival card online before landing. You can then quickly scan your passport when you leave. If you are asked to pay money to fill out this card online- it is a scam. Singapore Air provided us with a link to the direct government site here.
Singapore Airport has the best marketing team, because many of us are under the impression that it is the best airport in the world and… eh. (Maybe it’s because of the waterfall, which is fine to see once but Disneylandy nonetheless).
The good news: Security is at each individual gate, so you save a lot of time (hence, do not have to get to the airport that early). When you arrive at the airport, you simply go through immigration and get into your terminal.
The bad news: We’re pretty sure it’s a scam. We actually saw a poster marketing a ‘deal’ of 3 pints of Guinness for nearly $60. Super normal for Singapore Airport. All of the (2) bars per terminal are empty, and the people that work there seem genuinely confused when guests do sit down and order something. But, you can buy 3 pints of Guinness? So… there’s that. Also- hate to say it- but the Singapore Air Business lounge is also rough (however, the food on the flight can be really good- Jess recommends pre-ordering the bibimbap).
Also: If you are flying Business on Singapore Air and the airport screens flash that your flight is doing ‘last call’, that is for economy. You have an extra 10-ish minutes. It makes no sense, and you cannot time it perfectly. Go to the gate, but do not panic.
Point is: Don’t go early.
Grab is the Uber of Southeast Asia, and Singapore is no exception. Make sure to select the option for paying with your credit card in advance, or the driver will expect cash upon arrival at your destination. Grab is especially convenient at the airport, and we highly recommend using it instead of booking a car through the hotel. For anyone who has used Uber before- download the app and upload your credit card before arrival in Singapore… then it is really, really easy.
Here’s a link to a Google map of Singapore’s districts.
D1 Raffles Place: This is where The Fullerton Bay hotels are. While it is central and has a good view of Marina Bay Sands (MBS), it’s not our favorite area. It’s a little busy and touristy.
D2 Tanjong Pagar: Our favorite area with the best restaurants and bars around. Young and vibrant with colonial architecture.
Chinatown: Very close to Tanjong Pagar with good restaurants and good markets.
Marina Bay Sands: This is a huge expanse covering the hotel, neighboring mall, expansive casino, and the gardens are nearby. It’s busy. It’s touristy. And while it’s not really our thing, we do end up there at least once every trip.
Millenia Walk: This is near the Ritz and Mandarin Oriental. We like staying in this area because it is less busy than across the river, while being walkable if the weather permits. It is quieter and comfortable (and sometimes under construction, but that’s everywhere in Singapore).
National Gallery Area: This is where Long Bar and the National Gallery is. It’s a nice part of town and quite walkable, but there isn’t too much going on at night (that we know of).
D6 Beach Road: This is near Atlas Bar & Haji Ln (a lively tourist spot with graffiti and small restaurants). It’s a cool area we would like to explore more.
D8 Little India: We are terrible tourists because we have never been.
D9 Orchard: While this was Anthony Bourdain’s place to stay, we found it really out of the way for what we wanted to do. Plus, it truly did feel like a business district and bored us.
Sentosa: This resort and amusement island is a 15 min drive from central Singapore. We do not recommend staying here or even bothering going out of your way to visit. However, we absolutely recommend going to Ocean Restaurant for a once-in-a-lifetime lunch.
Hawker Stalls: This is a tourist right of passage in Singapore, but we have always had a really hard time with it due to the heat. Maxwell is certainly one of the more touristy spots, and Albert is very authentic. We recommend choosing a smaller center close to your hotel (some are air conditioned in malls and are reminiscent of US food courts). If you do go, note that seats are ‘reserved’ by people putting everything from a stack of tissues to their phones in front of a seat. Look for a chicken rice stand with some locals in front of it… But maybe make another lunch reso, just in case.
Art Science Museum: This is the building that looks like a lotus in front of the Marina Bay Sands. Avoid unless you are going with children and are comfortable with crowds. Very strange exhibits that are not very nice. VR was broken when we went (it did not mention this online, and it seemed to have been out of order for a while).
Gardens by the Bay: Marked by the big flower-like statues you see- this spot can get busy but the statues are fun to see lit up at night- we like the rooftop views at Ce La Vie.
Cloud Forest: The best part of Gardens by the Bay and temperature-controlled to stay cool.
Water/Light Show in Marina Bay: Underwhelming. Usually occur around 8pm and 9pm nightly. Do not leave dinner early to see this.
Marina Bay Sands: Shopping galore and wildly busy on weekends, and around concert times. If you want to go on the roof, wait until late and go to Ce La Vie for a drink, or make a reservation at Spago. There is a wait for everything here, so reservations are important.
National Gallery: Good views with solid restaurant options in a multi-level museum.
Long Bar: Do. Not. Go. (see below)
Of course, always be cautious while traveling. That being said, Singapore is probably the safest country we have ever visited (in large part due to the very severe punishments with being caught for any crime). You don’t need to worry about being robbed, mugged, taken, etc. If anything, you need to worry more about you getting yourself into trouble. Small things to be cautious of:
– Absolutely do not even think about bring chewing gum into the country (And definitely no THC or CBD products!)
– While jaywalking is illegal, locals say that tickets are given if you cross the street illegally within 50 meters of a crosswalk
– Everything you do is on camera. Apparently tourists show up at the airport immigration and learn there if they were caught doing something illegal/given tickets there.
Other unique laws can be found here.
Notable Places Visited & Not Reviewed
Analog Bar: Trendy and cool vegan bar with health-focused cocktails. Book Bar: Cute Tanjong Pagar bookstore and cafe that ‘happens’ to serve alcohol, with local authors. Cat Bite Club: Cool bar (walk to the very back) that is worth a stop, especially if you like tequila and mezcal. Cherry Garden: Unbelievably bad on all accounts. Please avoid. Elephant Room: A popular bar with innovative cocktails, we liked it but didn’t love it. Fiamma: Jess’s dad said it was the worst meal he’d had in memory and we understand. Garibaldi: Extensive wine list but only alright food and service. The atmosphere is boring and not very high-end. Imperial Treasure: This chain is meh. Avoid. Jypsy One Fullerton: The whole area is weird and touristy. Skip. Khiri: Big disappointment. Definitely skip. KOMA: Standard sushi (but the DIY tuna is good) in a well-designed space that fits with the TAO brand. Often open between lunch and dinner even if it says closed online. LONG BAR: We had to emphasize it…. DO NOT GO. Biggest tourist trap in Singapore and your reward for waiting in a hot and miserable line (which is unceasing) is a very large sour/sweet Singapore Sling that will roll around in your stomach for hours after you step on other people’s used peanut shells. It might sound fun, but it is (at best) mediocre. Do. Not. Recommend. Madame Fan: Ok atmosphere, below average food, decent wine list. Nighthawk: A way too tiny bar that gets packed but has good service. Panamericana: Fine food for Sentosa. Republic: Just an ok bar. Shinsora: This was one of our favorite omakase experiences of all time, led by sushi genius Sky Tai, but days after we tried it they switched concepts to private dining only. We would recommend it if that’s something you’re interested in. 8 seats, minimum of 2 week advance notice, booking available on their site. Shoukouwa: Worst omakase ever, do not waste your time. Avoid. Smoke & Mirrors: This mostly outdoor, barely indoor bar in the National Gallery is worth going for the views if the weather is good. Summer Pavillion: The service was good but the food was just ok. +twelve: Please avoid this terrible place. Wakuda: We only went for snacks and drinks, but both were solid. Febby runs the bar program and she is awesome.
favorite moments
