TAB

This bold, live music-driven bar-restaurant on Orchard Road has the none-too-modest aim of giving South-East Asia a world-class live-music institution to stand alongside the likes of London’s Ronnie Scott’s and New York’s Bowery Ballroom. Promising to be non-genre-specific, its approach to artist programming is three-pronged with big-name monthly concerts and local acts.

The bright, split-level space is huge (there's space for 600 standing, 250-300 seated) and artfully combines the grandeur of a concert hall with the intimacy of jazz venue, with well-lit diner-style booths fringing the outside of the bar, and tables and chairs closer to the stage. Eclectic, tapas-style food is available until 10pm, and two spacious bars serve a wide range of spirits, cocktails and beers until late.

Happy hour: Mon-Tue 9pm-10.30pm, Wed-Sat 7pm-10.30pm, Sun all-night.