April 24th, 2012
1919 Waterboat House Rooftop Bar is a true gem amongst the many popular rooftop bars in Singapore. Lesser known than the high profile rooftop bars that sit on top of the modern office and hotel towers, Waterboat House offers a more intimate perspective on the rooftop drinking experience. Located on the open air rooftop of the heritage listed The Fullerton Waterboat House, the prime harbour front location presents unobstructed views across both the Singapore CBD skyline and the new developments around Marina Bay.
The Rooftop Bar presents as a casual, unpretentious venue with an uncluttered contemporary outdoor decor, making an ideal location for evening chill out drinks whilst taking in the panoramic views. The bar is only open in the evenings, and as the space is totally open to the skies, service is not possible during the occasional tropical downpours that are a quintessential element of the Singapore climate. Fortunately, the downpours are usually of a relatively short duration and bar service can resume. The location of 1919 Waterboat House is convenient to the CBD office buildings, and also the nearby hotels and dining venues of the Marina Bay waterfront.
The Fullerton Waterboat House- heritage building on the Singapore waterfront
The Art Deco building has a distinctive curving facade with a circular tower structure at one end. Built in 1919 on what was the then harbourfront of Singapore, the Waterboat House originally served as the supply point of fresh water to the vessels berthing at Singapore harbour. Land reclamation in recent decades have transformed the original Singapore coastline, and the Waterboat House now sits at the entrance of the Singapore River into the Marina Bay. The building was restored and converted into the home for several premium dining venues by the Fullerton Hotel group- and opened in 2009.
Entry to the Rooftop Bar is via a staircase within the circular shaped tower at one end of the building. The rooftop space features a structure that originally served as a lookout post- and now functions as the bar, and a simple timber-decked outdoor terrace that sits at tree-top height. The deck space is totally open on all sides, and holds a mixture of high timber tables and chairs, and some lounge seating settings of woven faux rattan. Large orange parasols are placed around the terrace to provide shelter from the tropical sun and light rain showers. The space has a comfortable “green” feeling with the back corner of the rooftop nestled in among the tops of some luxuriant trees.
The rooftop terrace of The Waterboat House – looking back towards the adjacent Fullerton Hotel and Singapore CBD
The rooftop bar has unobstructed views over the entire Marina Bay environs
View east towards the Esplanade Theatre and Singapore Flyer
Rooftop tables- large parasols provide shelter from the sunshine- and rain
Lounge seating area in one corner of the rooftop space
The original rooftop structure of the Waterboat House bears a fascinating shape resemblance to the Skypark atop the Marina Bay Sands towers
The bar at the Rooftop serves from a Drinks and Bar Bites menu, with the food being prepared in the kitchens of the Boathouse Restaurant one floor below. Drinks offered include Signature Cocktails- muddled infusions of fresh tropical ingredients without artificial sugars such as “The Orchard”– vodka, apricot, apple, cinnamon & lemon; and the “Merlion Punch”– vodka, passion fruit, white peach & pineapple. Other refreshing cocktail specialties include Cuban Mojitos– Classic, Berry Twisted, and Lychee. Premium spirits and a selection of NV and vinatage champagnes are available by the bottle, draught beers are Heineken and Erdinger, and a range of specialty beers are imported exclusively from Japanese artisan brewery Baird Brewing.
The Bar Bites menu features sharing plates- Charcuterie cuts, plus other plates of assorted snacks for sharing – mini-burgers, cajun wedges, buffalo wings etc. Salads, Fresh Oysters, and selections of Boathouse Pizzas are also available.
The bar is housed within the original rooftop structure
Inside the bar – the bartenders enjoy maybe the most unique workplace views in Singapore
1919 Waterboat House Rooftop Bar
Address: The Fullerton Waterboat House, #03-01, 3 Fullerton Road, Singapore
MRT: Raffles Place MRT, Exit B (UOB Towers)
Reservations: +65.6538 9038 | hello@1919.com.sg
Website: 1919 Waterboat House
Facebook: 1919 Waterboat House
Opening hours:
Monday to Thursday 5.00pm ~ Midnight Friday & Saturday 5:00 pm ~ 02:00 am
Dress code: Smart casual
(Updated June 2018)
