Neighborhood cocktail bar suffuses urban grunge and top-shelf spirits & cocktails with unabashed fun
January 26th, 2016
Taking inspiration from the unpretentious urban drinking dens of America’s Pacific Northwest, The Pontiac opened in August 2015 in the bar space previously occupied by the popular Fatty Crab restaurant on Old Bailey Street in Central Hong Kong. An exciting collaboration between high-profile US bar identity Beckaly Franks and the team behind the original Fatty Crab (and Rummin’ Tings bar on Hollywood Road), and with a liquor program supported by leading craft spirits importers Proof & Company, The Pontiac has already carved out a popular following among local drinkers. Specialising in well-priced American craft spirits and bourbons, single malt whiskies, and well-crafted classic cocktails, the bar is the ideal destination for kicking back with friends for after-work drinks, or enjoying the high-octane partying later in the night.
Design Beyond the street-front, raw brick and graffiti-splashed facade, The Pontiac occupies a dimly lit, cosy space that extends through to a small outdoor back-alley hideaway section. Concrete flooring, distressed wall finishes, and an uncluttered decor of timber and black leather bar stools fronting the sleek zinc-topped bar, attest an appropriate industrial-chic dive bar aesthetic.
Cocktails Creating the drinks menu for The Pontiac, co-owner Beckaly Franks has imparted her award-winning American cocktail sensibilities into a concise list of just nine signature cocktails, backed up by a comprehensive selection of premium American craft spirits and whiskeys. Taking a fun approach to drinking, signature cocktails like the 1980’s inspired Heisenberg – a neon-blue concoction of Aviation gin, Blue Curacao, Absinthe and Bianco Vermouth, exemplify the refreshingly relaxed attitude of the convivial bar team. Additionally, a full repertoire of classic cocktails are crafted to customer preferences, while at midnight the revelry goes up a notch as the rambunctious bartenders dispense directly from bottles into guests’ mouths as the juke box blasts Rock & Roll tunes.
The Pontiac opens Monday to Saturday from 3pm until late, with the nightly Ponty Hours promotion between 5 and 8pm offering cocktails at HK$50 and happy hour prices on beers, wine and house pours.
