Ah Sam Cold Drink Stall

Not bad by any means but also not amazing. It is cool however, that there is no menu and you simply tell the staff what kind of drinks you like or what your ‘poison’ is and what flavours you like and they whip something up for you. I asked for something with vodka and to be sour and what I got tasted like a sour candy. Which was ok… But not what I was expecting… Another friend of mine asked for something to wake him up and ended up getting what looked and apparently tasted just like an alcoholic milo dinosaur. Which again, not bad, but also not entirely expected either. I just felt that despite the fact that they were really trying they weren’t really reaching that level of ‘finesse’ with their creations. Maybe they need more time to think of more alternatives to mixing drinks or even think of some standard mixes instead of just mixing sours with vodka and presenting it as is.
I dunno man I’m not a mixologist or expert alcohol drinker, I just know it was decent and expensive but a fun experience all the same.
Downside was that when I went at 12mn on a Saturday, it was relatively full and the music was some chinese pop that was on super loud. I don’t care about what music was played but it was extremely loud and what should’ve been a fun midnight drink with friends ended up being a bit of a shouting match…

Less pretentious than 28 Hong Kong Street with cocktails that are arguably as good. Fortunately, Ah Sam’s departure has not tarnished the quality of the drinks. Nevertheless, the kind yet edgy Singaporean bartender that served my friends and I during my last visit was equally up to the task of creating us some memorable drinks. I felt kind of bad that she was both the host and bartender at the same time (Tuesday evening visit), but I guess that added to the charm of this place. Kudos to her.
There is no drinks menu, so forget being lazy and having the bar choose a cocktail for you straight from the menu. Think of a base you like, Vodka, Gin, Bourbon, etc. and your general mood for the night and the bartender will whip up something based those two points of reference. I ended up with a milo-​infused whiskey, while my friend ended up with a smokey Old Fashioned. When I mean «smokey», I really mean smokey! His old fashioned was encased in a glass container with what looked like charred cigars on the side the glass drink in order to give that oak smoked flavour.
Definitely, the best /​only cocktail bar in Boat Quay that specializes in Asian-​inspired cocktails! Ah Sam is a bit hidden from view, so you’ll have a little fun trying to find it. Its well worth visit, if you want to have some very good drinks in a chill spot that is conducive for some worthwhile conversations.

No menus provided. The server asked you for your preference in the kind of cocktails and they make something for you. Mine was a gingery refreshing cocktail which was tasty. However, no explanation was provided as to what was in the cocktail. Ambience is pretty casual, feels like someone’s place which what the name of the place suggests, but not really what I’m looking for.

It’s hard to believe this place is half empty on weeknights considering the value for money — Secret Mermaid not too far away is always full!
I’ve been going regularly for a while now and it has evolved. I don’t know if it is because — as a previous reviewer said — Ah Sam has moved on, but it’s ok. The quality is still there. Prices are higher (23++), but still reasonable. The view is still great, on the water in front of Boat Quay, a few towers and MBS all lit up. The noise levels are nice and manageable. The lighting and location still make you feel relaxed and chilling out (whereas the in theory identical Spiffy Dapper is dark, crowded and somewhat stress inducing). It is a little less crazy, a little smoother experience.
What makes this place stand out is that they care. They put so much effort into making you a cocktail. Last visit, I gave my instructions and then watched as the bartender poured a record THREE cocktails down the drain before deciding it was good enough for me to have the fourth. Three! Considering the price of booze in this country this is quite the investment in customer satisfaction. And service is always so polite and friendly. And the spirits they stock are always good, in fact I own some of them myself (like Noah’s Mill bourbon which is an explosion of taste and is great for things like a mint julep, or various Plantation rums).

I’ve always liked this place for its proximity to my CBD friends who love overpriced cocktails as much as me. I was shocked to find out recently that Ah Sam no longer works here.
Having said that, cocktails here are still good, but it remains to be seen whether they can keep it up. I do love to tell them what I’m in the mood for, and be surprised. The place can be a bit hard to find, the entrance/​stairs up is next to the 7 – 11 along Boat Quay.

This was a hard review to put down because I loved the setting and the use of local ingredients. Also really enjoyed the chill vibe and intimate environment, I just didn’t like the drinks at all.
I ordered the Milo Old Fashioned which literally tasted like a nice old fashioned cheapened by the dab of powdered chocolate. I actually didn’t care for it. My girlfriend ordered a chrysanthemum cocktail which tasted bland. I wanted to try a second drink which was some sort of passionfruit cocktail (wanted something fruity) which I also wasn’t a fan of.
This may be a place I would need to try a second time since maybe it was an off batch of cocktails we received (and since it is a great location we probably will walk by it again), but this was not our favorite place by any means for a creative cocktail.

Come here for local flavors. The milo cocktail (clear and intense) was amazing. Milo is my comfort drink and the bourbon just doubles the joy. The Singapore sling as pretentious as it sounds was a floral and citrusy bundle to boot. Had an old fashioned as well which bode well. And a vodka based lemony drink.
Fab bartender and really fun crew. I’ll come back here when the next paycheck arrives. The chill vibe and the hotel drink prices don’t really match well but I guess it’s because these guys really use fine stuff. I’ll pay for a hangover free good time!

And here I was, three years ago, complaining about the lack of the «cocktail scene» in this city. Singapore, you have proven me wrong.
I maintain that my favourite times to visit any cocktail bar is on weeknights and off-​peak hours, when the bartenders have time to devote attention to carefully crafting my drink. The evening we landed up at Ah Sam was one such weeknight, and I did not have one disappointing sip at the place.
The original plan was to have one drink. The bar is right next to and reminiscent of the Spiffy Dapper, complete with the breezy vent in the airconditioner above. So yes, I was a bit wary.
Till I discovered that bartender is a mind reader.
I told him that I was looking for a savoury cocktail. What I did not tell him is that butter is my passion, or that bourbon was my favourite spirit, or that I love my drinks shaken. Eugene believes in simplicity. He made me a salted butter bourbon drink with honey and lemon — it was heaven. I think I have been to my fair share of bars in my lifetime, and my fair share of fancy ones, but I hadn’t encountered a salted butter bourbon before. All the toastiness of buttery popcorn, very little of the fat, and all the character of whisky. This was near perfect.
My better half usually asks for a penicillin as his first drink at every bespoke cocktail bar we visit. This time he said — I’d like something gingery — and got a penicillin anyway.
The bartenders were preparing for a contest and we got to taste an exceedingly delicious twist on the boulevardier by Brendan– buttered bourbon, sweet vermouth and campari. That mouthfeel, that complexity, that sweetness. It was all there, and it was in a beautiful crystal glass, and I felt grateful to be drinking it.
For the next rounds, we let the masters surprise us. I got a dark rum shaken with muscovado sugar and lemon, hubby got a passionfruit and 3-​rum concoction. I think his was the best passionfruit drink that I’d tasted in a long time. When you think passionfruit and rum, do you think tacky tiki? That it was not. It was served with a garnish of flamed nutmeg and cinnamon.mmm. toasty. Ah Sam knows how to keep things classy. As a finish, we got an amazing twist on a margarita.
Above all, it was wonderful to chat with the men behind the bar and get their perspective on drinks, the universe and everything. Ah Sam makes one of the best cocktails in town and I’m going to be back, again and again and again.

I knew this place has been around for a few months, but I kept forgetting to stop by. I finally righted that wrong last Friday and I’m happy to report that my first visit went well!
I love the name– my experience leads me to believe it’s a play on the stall names at your favorite hawker centre, except the drinks cost 12 times as much. :) Location-​wise, it’s not too hard to find in touristy Boat Quay. The building is across the ticket booth for the Singapore River Cruise, and the entrance is right next to the convenience store. Walk up a flight of stairs and you’ve found the liquid treasures!
Similar to Bitters and Love and all those hipster cocktail joints, there’s no menu here and bespoke’s the name of the game. Since we came from Katanashi and had an Asahi black, I told the server I wanted something to complement that. He recommended an «Old Pal» (the internet tells me it’s Canadian rye whiskey, vermouth, and Campari) which has a bitter taste. The presentation was nothing special, but the taste was there. It was served up in a small cocktail glass, which disappointed me because I wanted to drink more of it!
In terms of ambiance, the space itself is pretty minimalist with grey walls and dim lighting. If you’re a couple, you can sit along the windows and see a nice (but obstructed view) of the CBD skyline. There’s a big communal table and then smaller tables across from it. In the back, there’s this really cool nook that seats about 6 – 8 in a circle; definitely a prime spot if you have a group of close friends you’d like to catch up with.
This is a great spot to go to if you’re looking to start the night out, catch up with a friend, or go on a first date. It wasn’t too busy when I was there, but then again we stopped by for 1 drink and left before 10 PM because Miguel and I roll like uncles and aunties nowadays!