Punk without the pins

If the Punk ethos is sticking two fingers up at the establishment, then The Opposite House's super sleek bar deserves its name.

Compared to the majority of loud and rowdy drinking establishments that line Sanlitun, Punk is a beautiful haven from the storm. Sitting in the Basement of The Opposite house, between the tow halves of The Village, the bar's presence is understated to the extreme. The first sign you're heading in the right direction is the black on brass lettering on the elevator next to the LG button, though once the doors open, all you need to do is follow the pulsing bass to the darkened, decadent delight that is Punk.

Whilst the drinks are very expensive, (40 yuan for a beer, 70 for spirits or cocktails), even on 'Special' nights, there is never a cover charge, or a minimum spend, or any of the "little tricks" most of these bars turn in order to make a profit even if you leave after 5 minutes. The range is decent, beers of the globe, Wines, again of international province, but heavily weighted towards good French regions, and, if you're very civilized, you can even order a nice cup of tea. Their crowning glory though, may very well be the Jasmine Ice Tea. A Cognac-based cocktail with a litany of spices, which outdoes even the Mojito for taste.