Manila - Locals Bars - 4/2012


Locals' bars are establishments frequented by the local natives. Discussed herein are those areas with several locals' bars, where I have seen girls waiting in front on the sidewalk or a newspaper mentioned girls.

Some mongers fantasize walking alone into a locals' bar, being recognized as the first foreigner there, and finding beautiful local girls who love his foreign physicality. Possible but improbable.

Foreigner walking into a locals' bar should go with other men, and preferably with a local man. Otherwise, a lone foreigner is viewed as a target of opportunity or perhaps as an intruder. Other reasons for not visiting locals bars include location frequently in poorer parts of the metro city, interior decor like dumps, not air-conditioned, average locals bar girls of lower quality than those in expats bars. On the other hand, beer price is lower and no other foreigners are around.

An experienced monger going alone into a locals' bar usually has an advantage, like knowledge of the foreign country and/or its language, or very street-wise.

So, I do not recommend locals' bars for everyone.

In speaking of locals' bars, I am not including the nightclub areas of Remedios in Malate, esplanade walk on the bay side of the Mall of Asia, area of Fort Bonafacio/Global City, Greenbelt/Glorietta malls, Jupiter St near Makati Av, and Timog Av/Tomas Morato Av/Quezon Av in Quezon City. Most of the night places in these areas attract dating couples, middle-class locals, and some foreigners.

With that caution in mind, below are some locals' bars in metro Manila listed by streets.

-- Airport Road, between Roxas Blvd and Quirino Ave. This area is known because taxicabs driving from the airport going north along Manila Bay headed towards Ermita will frequently drive along Airport Road to bypass traffic. This area has over ten bars.

-- Aurora Ave on the south corner of Edsa. Aurora Ave is mistakenly called Tramo, which is the name of the same street on the north side of Edsa. This corner has an exit ramp from Edsa heading west to exit heading south towards the airport. One side of Aurora Ave has the Winston Lodge motel. Other side of Aurora Ave are 3-4 little locals' bars.

-- Harrison street, north of Gil Puyat Av (formerly Buendia Av). On the east side of Harrison street are about six bars.

-- Barangay E. Rodriguez in Quezon City. This area is a little north of the Cubao MRT station (skytrain). My map shows the barangay (neighborhood) is east of Edsa and bordered north by NewYork st, south by Aurora Blvd, east by Diliman Creek. A news article, 3-30-2012, said that senior citizens complained of more and more clients patronizing clubs and beerhouses featuring female lewd shows. A city councilor has asked the local police to close down such establishments.