The Globe

 

 

 

Head here if you plan to be in Hong Kong or you'll be drinking some very disappointing beer. Had a very decent Anderson Valley Hop Ottin' IPA that went down very nicely. Then a Duvel, which was on my list to have, very smooth. The other reviews explain the basics and the feel of the place. I was there for about 45 minutes, so I can't give a lot on the vibe, it was early afternoon. The friendly fellow next to me was enjoying a large Saison Dupont farmhouse ale. There are not many places in HK to drink decent beer, but Globe is good. I don't think you will not anything better. The selection of beer here is damn fine.

Hong Kong's best beer bar, period. Twelve regular taps plus a guest tap that changes every week or so. Nearly 100 bottled beers from the UK, US, Japan, Belgium, Australia, Denmark and beyond.

The beer selection here has always been good by Hong Kong standards but things have really stepped up in the past year now that there is a slew of new boutique importers bringing in craft beers from all over the world. Bottles here are kept in good condition and in my experience they're generally pretty fresh. The beer list here is strongest in UK real ale offerings but there are also some intriguing Japanese craft brews from Baird and Kagua. Last time I was here they had Mikkeller Saison on the guest tap.

The basement location is lightened up by blonde wood and nice Edison bulbs. The atmosphere is pubby, especially in the early evening when all the expat bankers get off work and head up here for a drink. There's a lounge with a sofa and board games, a front bar with a few small TVs playing sports and a back section that is more laid-back.

Service is good and staff are friendly but not especially knowledgable about beer. If you have questions, talk to one of the owners/managers – they know their stuff.

The food menu seems like ordinary pub food at first, but everything is fresh and made in house to order; I'd say it's the best British food available in Hong Kong. Go for the meat pies which are really fantastic, though I've also had a lamb roast that was unbelievably most and tender. Small dishes are a bit pricey but they make for good nibbling when you're drinking.

Speaking of prices, they're quite reasonably during happy hour (all day until 8pm) and get a bit steep after that, but that's the norm in Hong Kong. Compared to most other bars around town, the Globe is good value because quality is high. Bottom line: there won't be many surprises here if you're coming from the US or UK, but this is a breath of fresh air for anyone who wants a good beer and good atmosphere in Hong Kong.

Never sure how to rate a pub in a 2nd world country. Or more specifically a craft beerless country...
But... here goes.
Almost walked past this place, it is wasn't for the British standing out front, I would have walked by. Outside is framed with wood and it says the globe on the door.
free wifi! In a foreign country this is a blessing... bonus points.
They have a decent beer menu, nothing too drastic, but better than any other place in the city, and they have cask... well, they did,I got a tiny sip of a soured summer ale from Hong Kong brewery. She said it wasnt supposed to be sour... but the tiny sip I had was decent. Great couch area on an upper level with board games etc, really makes it a cool place to relax. Not here to eat, so didn't try the food, but it is typical English pub food.
I was taking a long time after the cask "blew" so a beer guy came over to help me out... told him I have had pretty much everything, so he pulled out new things not on the menu for me... like 9, started to feel a bit awkward. Ended with a proper job. Nice.
Cool place if you need a Asian break or want some decent beer.

very nice english pub a little off the beaten track.

service was outstanding, didnt have to ask for more, wait staff was friendly and could answer questions about the different offerings, even allowed samplings for the tap before buying a pint.

selection is probably the best in hong hong, i counts 12 taps and a least 50 bottles from all around the world, lots of english types.

the food was great, had a meat pie with wedges and it was outstanding.

happy hour is from 9:30am till 8:30pm, and the prices are resonable, after HH then the price goes up $10 to $20 HK.

overall a great place that i would recommend to anyone.

A very good find on my stay in Hong Kong. I had read about it briefly and decided that I had nothing better to do than head on down and see if I couldn't get some good beer in me before I left the island.

The globe is on the edge of the Soho neighborhood I suppose and pretty easy to find. The beer was quite a pleasant surprise after two weeks of shit beer in Southern China. I had some Murphy's and De Konink both of which were on tap. Their bottle selection had maybe 50-60 beers and I had a Riggelwelter and a Westemalle Tripel. The price didn't seem that un-wallet friendly and the service was quite pleasant. The scene was definitely skewed towards middle-aged men from across the Empire mixed in with some of their escorts of the evening so to speak, but the atmosphere was relaxed.

i felt that the atmosphere of this place was quite nice. very comfortable and laid back english pub feel. i was in on a saturday night during prime time and it wasn't too crowded which was pretty amazing considering the totally crappy bars that are jam packed.
the service definitely could have been better considering the lack of crowds. everything a little on the slow side. i also felt the staff was not particularly knowledgeable about beer which can be really frustrating at a place with a long (for hong kong) beer list.
so selection is where the big suck comes on. the first 3 beers i asked for they did not have so finally my server sent over his supervisor who went down the whole beer list saying what they did and didn't have. and they had only about half of the beers on the list. i hate that, however, the selection halved was still larger than most places in hong kong.
overall definitely worth a visit if your in hk.

Get off the escalator at Hollywood, walk up parallel to the escalator, take a right, and it'll be down a few doors on the right.

Pretty small on the inside, heavy-duty tables and chairs. Atmosphere is very British, lots of expats playing darts, chatting over a pint. Only music is off the jukebox so it's often very quiet - which can be nice compared to the hubbub of LKF. Service is fairly prompt, beers are served in the appropriate glassware when they have it. Selection is decent but heavily skewed toward Belgians and English beers. There were a few things they didn't have consistently over a course of several weeks: Orval & La Chouffe, for example. They said only one distributor in HK carries them and he was waiting on his shipment. Only American beer available is Sam Adams. Didn't try any food, if they have it. Prices are reasonable, for the location and the selection.

Finally made it to this place in the last free hour before I had to catch the plane back to Seoul in a crazy three day trip to Hong Kong this past weekend. It wasn't crowded on a Monday night with maybe a dozen patrons. The selection of taps was solid, with a few Belgians including Leffe, Hoegaarden, and Chimay, and England represented by Greene King IPA, Old Speckled Hen, Abbot Ale, and Ruddles. I treated myself to the former and after that a Beamish stout, which was delicious. All beers were served in proper stamped English pint glasses and well attended by the friendly bartender. The bottle selection also looked impressive, with over fifty bottles evident on the top of the bar but I didn't inspect it too closely due to exhaustion. I can definitely recommend this place if you're rumbling through frantic Hong Kong and looking for a quiet brew and a chance to relax.

Update 2006-09-13: drbones666 is correct, it is not *right* under the escalator, but damn close. Go to centamap.com, click on "English" in the upper left, then search for "On Lok House" and click on "39-43 Hollywood Rd." to get an exact map of the location. -- JB

The Globe has several great things going for it: the location is prime (just under the escalator on Hollywood road, an easy walk from most of the other bars on Hong Kong Island). They have a good selection of Belgian-style ales, and the only IPA I found in the SAR (I was soooo happy, travelling from Southern California, land of hop heads). It was called Dragon IPA, and hopefully they still have it on tap frequently. Their food consists of chips ("crisps", sorry) in bags. The decor is nautical and cozy. Lots of ties from the banking district during happy hour. The staff was a colorful cast of characters and willing to drink a pint with a customer on occasion. Other details: There are approximately 8 taps, mostly belgians, and a selection of bottles. The jukebox is well stocked with classic rock. There is enough space to take a group of 8 or 10, and there are small tables for a more personal event. The patrons are talkative and friendly.