Handlebar Bar & Grill

Handlebar opened on Polaris Street in 2003 and has been one of the best-known expat haunts in Makati ever since. It is a biker-themed bar and grill, and on a busy night you will find a row of motorbikes parked out front under the awning, with the crowd spilling out from the open-fronted bar behind them. Inside it is relaxed and unfussy, with a mix of old Manila hands, visitors, bikers and office groups.

Sport is the backbone of the place. Handlebar splits into several zones with large screens and shows rugby union and league, AFL, cricket, football, basketball, MMA, boxing and motor racing, and it is the home of Manila's AFL Grand Final party. There is a published sports schedule, and tables can be booked for the big games.

On the bar it is local beers served very cold, plus some local craft and international options. The kitchen is known for steaks, ribs, pizzas and burgers, alongside Filipino favourites and a weekend breakfast, as the doors open at 8am on Saturdays and Sundays. Live bands play rock on Thursday and Friday nights.