Bar LeKyo 京樂亭

Article By Jaz Henderson


102, Block B, Maike Bussiness Center, Zhangba 2 Road.
丈八二路迈科商业中心B座102
(029) 8958 9898
7:30pm – 2:00pm

Average Price per Person /人均消费: 138RMB


When it comes to the bar scene in Xi’an, it seems that there are so many options available, but finding one with a great atmosphere, skilled bartenders, and delicious drinks is becoming a challenge. Fortunately, I happen to be going out more often and have been frequenting new bars, or at least new to me. I stumbled across a diamond in the rough not too long ago, and plan to frequent it more often. LeKyo opened in March of this year and is tucked behind the Hyatt Hotel in Gaoxin. It is sure to go head to head with your favorite whiskey bar. The ambiance that this place gives off is quite luxurious. Spot lighting at the bar gives it a sense of privacy; comfortable seats in the lounge area are surrounded by ornately displayed bottles; and it is connected to a bookstore through a small opening – for all you readers out there.

When I arrived, I was immediately greeted and seated. I sat at the bar so that I could get a look at the drink masters at work. The amount of professionalism behind the bar was quite refreshing – the barkeeper spared no effort in all of the small details. Before I even looked at a menu, I was served some hot red wine as a sort of appetizer. The manager explained to me that it was a French Merlot and was complimentary. I sipped this little drink as I looked through the menu, which boasts a lot of different kinds of whiskeys and cocktails. I ordered several drinks, all of which were quite tasty.

My first drink was a Gin Fizz, which consisted of gin, lemon juice, gomme syrup, and soda water. I was pleased to see my bartender pull out a lemon and start juicing it himself for my drink. It was a very smooth drink, and disappeared rather quickly from my glass. Drink number two was a grapefruit juice cocktail, and, to my surprise, it was not overpoweringly sweet as expected, but kept its tart flavor. This was also made with gin and freshly squeezed juice from real fruit, not a can of concentrate. Both of these drinks were poured over very neat ice cube squares in a small glass and served immediately after being completed. I also noticed the bartender drop a little bit of the drink on the back of his hand and taste it to make sure he was consistent with every drink.
My third drink was a Valencia, made with apricot albicocca and orange juice. After the bartender was finished blending up the orange, he used a very small sieve to get all of the pulp out of the juice then proceeded to mix the drink. I caught the bartender tasting his drink to check for consistency again. All of my drinks were made immediately after I ordered and served rather quickly. This drink was a basic drink in my opinion, but very well made, no froth in my cup and no overpowering liquor taste.

My fourth and final drink was a Penicillin, and I decided to order this because the Valencia was a little sweet and I wanted a contrasting flavor. This drink was whiskey based and mixed with ginger, honey, and lemon juice. It was a bit stronger than the rest of the drinks, but still as smooth and well-prepared. All in all this was a great place to go to and will always be highly recommended by me, because of the amount of quality that goes into the drinks, the timeless atmosphere, and the vibe that this place gives off. Bar LeKyo is sure to please every patron that comes through the door.

Jaz is a drama teacher from the US. He can be reached at reviews@xianease.com

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