My colleague & I barhopped across Clarke Quay. It wasn’t awkward at all.

Do you hang out with your colleagues after work? 

When my colleague Michelle asked if I wanted to try barhopping at CQ @ Clarke Quay (CQ), I said yes immediately.

Even though I've never hung out with her outside of work, I’d say this with 100 per cent honesty: I’d do it again. 

And we’ll go back to CQ, here’s why.

Level Up

A good way to start your night would be to head to Level Up, a live music and arcade bar located near the Read Bridge.

Look out for its colourful comic walls that lead you straight up to the entrance on the second floor.

For those who are too lazy to take the stairs (same here), you can opt for the elevator on the right which will lead you straight to the bar.

Even though it was a weekday night, small groups crowded around the pool table and air hockey table, chattering away and having fun.

A live band also livened the atmosphere with popular hits such as Bruno Mars’ “Die With a Smile”. We were told that the live entertainment starts at 8:30pm every night. 

Arcade games lined the bar and had us feeling like kids again, back to those carefree days.

The arcade games can be played with tokens, which are selling at S$2 for two tokens, S$5 for six tokens, and S$10 for 15 tokens.

Both of us soon got hooked on the sniper arcade machine. Great for stress relief.

After rounds of arcade games, you may want to catch a bite and chit-chat. 

If you are coming with a group of friends, you can’t go wrong with Level Up’s cocktail tower and Yakult Soju tower, which are both crowd-pleasers for good reason.

The star of the show was definitely the Tomahawk Platter, which had both Michelle and I staring at it in disbelief over how big it was.

 The dish, which is meant for six to eight people, is filled with easy bar bites that can help get your carb intake in before the night goes wild.

For smaller groups, you can also opt for bites such as the six-piece wings and Level Up Burger.

We also made sure to snap some photos at the photobooth (S$10) together to commemorate the night.

Level Up

• Opening hours

  • Sunday to Thursday: 5pm-1am
  • Friday, Saturday, and Public Holiday Eve: 5pm-3am

• Address: 3A River Valley Rd, #02-04 Block A Clarke Quay, Singapore 179020

Señor Taco

We then headed over to Señor Taco.

Since it was a Tuesday, it was Bachata night at Señor Taco, and it wasn’t long before dancers were hitting the dance floor to show off their moves.

With dynamic Latin music playing in the background, no one is too shy for the dance floor.

As we vibed to the music, we got ourselves the recommended drinks: paloma and yuzu mescalita.

Both weren’t too sweet with the perfect kick, giving you the buzz without it feeling too heavy.

We tried three dishes: crispy fried octopus (with guac at the bottom!), lamb birria, and pork belly in pipian verde.

Both lamb birria and pork belly came with tortilla wraps, allowing you to adjust the meat, bread, and sauce ratio to your liking.

All three were amazing, but if I had to choose, I would say the pork belly in pipian verde was my favourite.

The crispy skin and juicy, tender meat made the dish a good contrast with the sharper notes of the paloma.

You can also check out their website to see their upcoming events.

(For me, I’ll be back on Wednesday for ladies night and the free reggaeton class)

Señor Taco

• Opening hours

  • Monday and Sunday: 5:30pm–1am
  • Tuesday to Thursday: 5:30pm–2am
  • Friday and Saturday: 5:30pm–3am

• Address: 3C River Valley Rd, #01-09A Block C , Singapore 179022

K.Star Karaoke

Ready to sing our hearts out, we went to K.Star Karaoke next.

The space theme is something unique to the Clarke Quay outlet – with alien statues and neon signs — making it a great place for anyone to snap cute photos for Instagram.

Since there were only two of us, we opted for a thematic room (S$12.90 per pax for up to six people).

It wasn’t long before we started singing our hearts out to the likes of Justin Bieber, Lady Gaga, and Taylor Swift.

The food and drinks arrived soon after.

We got ourselves some spam fries and popcorn chicken from their range of finger foods, as well as some fried rice and wonton soup from their selection of hearty mains.

For drinks, we got ourselves an Orion beer, two iced lemon teas, and an iced honey lemon (singing does make one very thirsty).

The iced honey lemon is a popular drink among customers.

I can see why: the drink was light and refreshing, just what you need to soothe your throat.

You can visit their website or contact them via +65 8053 8245 to book a room in advance.

K.Star Karaoke

• Opening hours

  • Sunday to Thursday: 2pm–3am
  • Friday and Saturday: 2pm–4am

• Address: 3C River Valley Rd, #02-04 Block C Singapore 179022

Michelle and I were ready to call it a night after going to three bars.

But CQ has more to offer.

Kopi and Spells

For those who love more mystical elements, check out Kopi and Spells.

With masked bartenders and a variety of fusion local food, the unique, flamboyant bar will have your friends asking where the heck you were when you post an Instagram story update.

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A post shared by Kopi & Spells (@kopiandspells)

Plus, the bar has a number of happy hour deals from 6pm to 10pm daily, including a buy-one- get-one-free deal during their cocktail and beer hour.

Kopi & Spells

• Opening hours

  • Sunday to Friday: 4pm–3am
  • Saturday: 4pm–4am

• Address: 3C River Valley Rd #01–01 Block C  Clarke Quay S179022

BBQ Box Prime/Monster Fish

For those who prefer a chill and casual environment, why not head towards BBQ Box Prime/Monster Fish?

The outlet in CQ offers a 2-in-1 concept, where they offer grilled fish alongside their usual skewers, which BBQ Box is known for.

Perfect for big groups who might have trouble deciding between the two.

The bar also offers an all-day happy hour promotion, where you can get the “buy two beers, get one free” deal.

There’s also a 20 per cent discount on all skewers after 10:30pm, making it a great option to end the night (and save a bit of your buck).

BBQ Box Prime/Monster Fish

• Opening hours

  • Sunday to Monday: 3pm–3am
  • Saturday: 3pm–4am

• Address: 3C River Valley Rd, #01-10/02-03 Block C Clarke Quay, Singapore 179022

So there you have it: five bars to barhop all around CQ.

For friends looking to find me: you know where I’ll be this weekend.

This sponsored article by CQ @ Clarke Quay makes this writer want to go back again and again.

Cover photo by Mothership