Mt. South Brewery Bar 南山精酿

Article By David Lee

Roof top, 4# building, Yun Long Da Sha, Bai shu lin.
东大街柏树林十字云龙大厦4号楼顶楼(金帝宾馆和墨寒广告中间楼道电梯上12楼)
150-9175-0946
4:00pm – 2:00pm

Average Price per Person /人均消费: 40RMB/Drink 80RMB/Food

PROS: Literally everything
CONS: Finding the place

Ten minutes west of the Bell Tower, on an unexpectedly dark street, an enormous neon sign with an arrow points you toward a dilapidated apartment lobby that looks straight out of a zombie horror movie. The single dim ceiling light exposes a bare concrete interior. A small wooden board propped onto a banister shows the name of the building but it looks like it was etched with fingernails. We step into a creaky elevator and head to the top floor. We follow the curve of the hallway to an under-constructed staircase going onto the roof.

Don’t worry. You’re just headed to Mt. South Brewery Bar. Against all odds, as you turn the corner on the roof, there is a lit pathway guiding you through a pristine, multi-tiered patio laid on synthetic turf. Xi’an’s beautiful skyline is visible as you walk into Mt. South, a do-it-all watering hole made only more endearing by its nondescript surroundings. To call Mt. South a hidden gem would be a huge understatement.

Weather permitting, the outdoor seating must be one of the go-to spots to spend a night out. They have 13-20 beers on tap, depending on the season, and they are all high-quality brews. Their cocktail and whiskey selection is sizable and features some baijiu cocktails that are better than they sound. Mt. South also has live music on certain nights and bar seating indoors.

They also serve all kinds of food. The gourmet options show the full pantheon of what Mt. South has to offer. They have both 25 and 40-day aged steaks, barbeque and pizza. A whole assortment of grilled meats are elegantly presented and perfect for a big dinner or a midnight treat. For those just wanting a beer and some snacks, their fries (oddly called “potato horns”) and small snacks are affordable and delicious.

This is a bar obsessed with trying to be everything to everybody, The surprising thing is that it actually works. Come here for a couple beers and a quiet night with friends. Come for a bachelor party or a raucous Saturday. Come to watch live music or a sports game. Come for a gourmet dinner and spend 1,000 RMB, or just grab a couple drinks and spend 60 RMB.

But don’t come all at once. I don’t want it to be too crowded next time I go.

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