Virgo Bar

Article By Mike Leaner

No.330, East of Huang Cheng South Road.
环城南路东段330号
(029) 8524 4018
6:00pm – 2:00am

Average Price per Person /人均消费: 40RMB

PROS: Great view, good drinks, generally affordable

CONS: MOSQUITOES

Ever the pessimist, I was not expecting great things from Virgo. The trip through the London-phone-booth entrance was acceptably quirky and fun, but when it opened into a bare white room with a counter and a beer fridge my heart sank. Another one of these, I thought to myself. Then the guy standing at the counter said to me, “Go up the elevator to the 7th Floor.” (The “7th Floor” part was unnecessary, as the elevator only had two buttons). The ride up gave me a chance to wonder what would be on the 7th Floor. None of my guesses were correct; I was really not expecting a dope ass rooftop..

Congratulations drinkers of Xi’an, you have a great new roof bar to get both vertical and drunk at, complete with a pretty swell view of the moat and wall. You’ll be able to have beer and cocktails here, and there’s a pretty neat hook to your alcohol choices; in keeping with its name, they have a line of beers and cocktails each dedicated to the twelve signs of the zodiac. As I was not looking to get sloppy, I stuck with the beer, first ordering for my sign (Pisces) and then for my absent girlfriend’s sign (Aries). They seem to be variations on a theme, that theme being a wheat beer, with noticeable differences between them but overall similar flavor profiles. If you’re the type to treat your beer like it’s wine then you might throw a fuss, but no one likes drinking with your kind anyway so I guess we can call it even. I’m not much of a beer snob, and they were both cold and drinkable, so I can’t complain.

Service at Virgo was also fantastic. Waitstaff was friendly and super helpful, guiding me through the menu a bit and getting a companion of mine some balm for when the mosquitoes started to frenzy. I’m very keen to go back and have a cocktail or two when I’m having a heavier night, because Virgo is dripping with breezy midsummer charm: just a roof deck and good drinks and comfortable wicker furniture and a to-die-for view. It’s not so busy right now, so don’t sleep on this one—whatever your sign is you’ll get along with this Virgo.

Mike Leaner likes to get dirty but not for free. He can be reached at reviews@xianease.com

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