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Problem Child

Makati

• The Best Bar in the Philippines 2026, sponsored by Roku Gin

Manila’s colourful cocktail offspring

Launched in late 2025 by Kevin Corales, Wendy Esteban and Patrick Leyble, this boundary-pushing nightlife destination has quickly established itself as a thriving creative haven for Manila's alternative social scene. There's no back bar clutter here; instead you'll find stainless steel, clean timber lines and a play of light and colour that can shift the whole mood. Warm, high-intensity marigold orange may wash the room like golden hour, as streaks of electric cobalt blue and deep indigo cut through with sharp, futuristic contrast.

The menu rotates around a single colour scheme every three months, always spanning from innovative sips to reinvented classics. Progressive highlights have included the savoury Green Sticks, which combines rum with the umami of wakame distillate and the herbaceous notes of salsa verde; and the crisp, carbonated Serene, which aromatises Japanese whisky with green tea, jasmine, oolong and orange bitters. Classics are often given a tropical remix, from a Negroni built on mango distillate, guava and pineapple Campari to a Ranch Water bringing tequila together with the flavours of green mango and coconut water. There are globetrotting grazing options alongside, from caponata and focaccia to edamame and birria tacos. DJs keep the energy moving, soundtracking nights that run into the early hours of the morning.

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