I got a drink at one of Asia's best bars, a glamorous Art Deco lounge in Singapore where scenes of 'Westworld' were filmed. It felt like a step back in time.

Katie WarrenMar 17, 2021, 11:05 IST

Getting a drink at Singapore's Atlas Bar felt like stepping into 1920s New York or Europe.Katie Warren/Insider

I got a drink at Atlas, a Singapore bar that's been named one of the best bars in Asia.
The Art Deco-inspired bar features a 26-foot tower of more than 1,300 types of gin.
The service was top-notch, the drinks were delicious, and the opulent decor felt like a step back in time.

Singapore has no shortage of glitzy cocktail lounges, but one bar in particular takes that glamour to the next level.

Atlas, an opulent lobby bar in an Art Deco-inspired skyscraper, features an extensive cocktail and Champagne menu, a 26-foot "gin tower" of more than 1,300 different types of the spirit, and 50-foot ceilings. Its interiors even drew the makers of HBO's "Westworld" to use it as a filming location in season three of the dystopian science fiction series.

In 2020, Atlas was ranked the fifth-best bar in Asia by World's Best Bars. The ranking was created by a voting panel of more than 200 drinks experts from across Asia, including bartenders, drinks writers, and cocktail specialists. On World's Best Bars global list, Atlas is ranked fourth overall and No. 1 in Asia.

On a recent weekday after work, I stopped by Atlas for a drink to see what it was all about.

Atlas sits in the lobby of Parkview Square, a 24-story, Art Deco-style office building in Singapore's Bugis neighborhood.

Looking up at Parkview Square. Jim Dyson/Getty Images

I arrived at Parkview Square at around 6:00 p.m. on a Tuesday.

Katie Warren/Insider

My first glimpse of the bar's opulence was the entryway with its marble floors and gleaming brass details.

Katie Warren/Insider

As is required upon entry of any establishment in Singapore during the pandemic, patrons of Atlas must get their temperature checked and use their smartphones to check in with TraceTogether, the city-state's contact tracing app.

Katie Warren/Insider

As is required upon entry of any establishment in Singapore during the pandemic, patrons of Atlas must get their temperature checked and use their smartphones to check in with TraceTogether, the city-state's contact tracing app.

I had seen photos of Atlas, but I wasn't prepared for the bar's grandeur, with its 50-foot ceilings and ornate details. It was, in short, the most beautiful bar I'd ever stepped foot in.

Katie Warren/Insider

I had seen photos of Atlas, but I wasn't prepared for the bar's grandeur, with its 50-foot ceilings and ornate details. It was, in short, the most beautiful bar I'd ever stepped foot in.

I felt like I had stepped back in time to the Jazz Age or the Roaring Twenties.

Katie Warren/Insider

In season three of HBO's "Westworld," however, Atlas is a Singapore bar years in the future.

HBO

The massive space was filled with cozy seating areas with leather sofas, velvet chairs in jewel tones, and dim table lamps.

Katie Warren/Insider

But we had the option of sitting at the bar, which we didn't mind at all.

Katie Warren/Insider

The menu at Atlas is focused on gin and Champagne, drinks that were "all the rage during the Gilded Age," per the bar's website. "These celebratory tipples that defined good living at the time are now back in fashion in the grandest of ways."

Katie Warren/Insider

The menu at Atlas is focused on gin and Champagne, drinks that were "all the rage during the Gilded Age," per the bar's website. "These celebratory tipples that defined good living at the time are now back in fashion in the grandest of ways."

For my first drink, I opted for my go-to cocktail: a gin and tonic.

Katie Warren/Insider

My drinking companion ordered a Blue Note Smoke, a cocktail made with Japanese gin, jasmine tea, lemon, and peated smoke.

Katie Warren/Insider

We ordered some of Atlas' rustic bread and truffle butter to snack on while we sipped our drinks and admired our surroundings.

Katie Warren/Insider

As we watched more patrons filtering into the bar, we noticed that Atlas strictly enforces its "no shorts" policy.

Katie Warren/Insider

For my second drink, I got the Atlas French 75, which the menu described as "bright, elegant, and vivacious."

Katie Warren/Insider

As night fell, Atlas got busier and the hum of conversation grew slightly louder, but the bar never felt too crowded.

Katie Warren/Insider

Before we left, I walked over for a look at the iconic gin tower, with its upwards of 1,300 bottles.

Katie Warren/Insider

After a couple of hours and a couple of drinks at Atlas, there was no question in my mind why it's considered one of the best bars in Asia.

Katie Warren/Insider

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I got a drink at one of Asia's best bars, a glamorous Art Deco lounge in Singapore where scenes of 'Westworld' were filmed. It felt like a step back in time.

Atlas sits in the lobby of Parkview Square, a 24-story, Art Deco-style office building in Singapore's Bugis neighborhood.

I arrived at Parkview Square at around 6:00 p.m. on a Tuesday.

My first glimpse of the bar's opulence was the entryway with its marble floors and gleaming brass details.

As is required upon entry of any establishment in Singapore during the pandemic, patrons of Atlas must get their temperature checked and use their smartphones to check in with TraceTogether, the city-state's contact tracing app.

I had seen photos of Atlas, but I wasn't prepared for the bar's grandeur, with its 50-foot ceilings and ornate details. It was, in short, the most beautiful bar I'd ever stepped foot in.

I felt like I had stepped back in time to the Jazz Age or the Roaring Twenties.

In season three of HBO's "Westworld," however, Atlas is a Singapore bar years in the future.

The massive space was filled with cozy seating areas with leather sofas, velvet chairs in jewel tones, and dim table lamps.

But we had the option of sitting at the bar, which we didn't mind at all.

The menu at Atlas is focused on gin and Champagne, drinks that were "all the rage during the Gilded Age," per the bar's website. "These celebratory tipples that defined good living at the time are now back in fashion in the grandest of ways."

For my first drink, I opted for my go-to cocktail: a gin and tonic.

My drinking companion ordered a Blue Note Smoke, a cocktail made with Japanese gin, jasmine tea, lemon, and peated smoke.

We ordered some of Atlas' rustic bread and truffle butter to snack on while we sipped our drinks and admired our surroundings.

As we watched more patrons filtering into the bar, we noticed that Atlas strictly enforces its "no shorts" policy.

For my second drink, I got the Atlas French 75, which the menu described as "bright, elegant, and vivacious."

As night fell, Atlas got busier and the hum of conversation grew slightly louder, but the bar never felt too crowded.

Before we left, I walked over for a look at the iconic gin tower, with its upwards of 1,300 bottles.

After a couple of hours and a couple of drinks at Atlas, there was no question in my mind why it's considered one of the best bars in Asia.