The Bar Awards Kuala Lumpur and Penang announces 2019’s Top 4 ahead of the ceremony this Sunday.

Sunday, December 8 sees the announcement of this year’s winners at The Bar Awards Kuala Lumpur and Penang, but before the ceremony, the Top 4s still in the running are announced below.

Kuala Lumpur’s bar scene has gone from strength to strength over the last few years, as has Penang’s, and The Bar Awards recognises the best venues and people who have got the city and the island to where they are now. Voting began with public nominations across 14 categories covering both people and places. These nominees were then passed to The Panel, a group of industry professionals, to decide the Top 10s and now, the Top 4.

This year’s The Bar Awards Kuala Lumpur and Penang are announced on the evening of December 8 at Black Box (Publika) and we’ll be announcing on DRiNK around 10pm that night. The big industry bash will be preceded by a week of guest shifts and parties, the full calendar of events can be downloaded here.

Presented in alphabetical order, here are this year’s The Bar Awards Kuala Lumpur and Penang’s Top 4s across the 14 categories:

The Bar Awards Luminaries presented by the House of Angostura
The inductees to The Bar Awards Luminaries are those that have greatly contributed to the growth and development of the Malaysian bar community. The inductees are nominated by the general public, voted by The Panel and finally decided by the Lead Panel. The 2019 inductees will be announced at The Bar Awards Kuala Lumpur and Penang 2019 party on Sunday December 8, 2019.

The Rising Star presented by East Imperial

Chris Choon Suen Chung (Beta KL)

Joe Wee Kwong Ngui (Bar Trigona, Four Seasons KL)

Kah Chun Pang (Coley)

Tracia Chan (Dissolved Solids)

Restaurant Bar of the Year presented by Tito’s Handmade Vodka

Beta KL

Fuego, Troika Sky Dining

JOLOKO

Mr Chew’s Chino Latino Bar & Restaurant

Beer Bar of the Year presented by Peroni

Ales & Lagers

Modern Madness

TAPS Beer Bar

The Great Beer Bar

Hotel Bar of the Year presented by Lillet

Astor Bar, St. Regis Kuala Lumpur

Bar Trigona, Four Seasons Hotel KL

Pacific Standard Bar, Alila Bangsar Hotel

WET Deck, W Kuala Lumpur

Hospitality Ambassador of the Year presented by Woodford Reserve

Angeline Tan (Three X Co)

Arsenio Mariano Jr (Sakura Den)

Chee Kheong Kho (Coley)

Joshua Ivanovic (JungleBird)

Hospitality Team of the Year presented by Hendrick’s Gin

Bar Trigona, Four Seasons Hotel KL

Coley

PS150

Three X Co

Specialist Concept of the Year presented by Restaurant, Pub and Bar Asia

Bar Trigona, Four Seasons Hotel KL (Honey)

JungleBird (Rum)

Pahit (Gin)

Tickets Bar KL (Agave)

Creative Cocktail Bar of the Year presented by Cointreau

Bar Trigona, Four Seasons Hotel KL

Coley

JungleBird

Soma

New Bar of the Year presented by Campari

Soma

WET Deck, W Kuala Lumpur

Iki_Ya

Puro KL

Bartender of the Year, Kuala Lumpur presented by Monkey Shoulder

Ashish Sharma (Bar Trigona, Four Seasons Hotel KL)

Chee Kheong Kho (Coley)

Shawn Chong (Omakase + Appreciate)

Shirmy Chan (61 Monarchy) 

Bar of the Year, Kuala Lumpur presented by Monin

Bar Shake

Bar Trigona, Four Seasons Hotel KL

Coley

JungleBird

Bartender of the Year, Penang presented by Havana Club

Koh Yung Shen (Backdoor Bodega)

Ooi Foo Giap (Backdoor Bodega)

Quay Kar Ve (Copper Bar & Restaurant)

Spencer Ezra (Mish Mash)

Bar of the Year, Penang presented by Monin

Backdoor Bodega

Beso Rosado by Chin Chin

Copper Bar & Restaurant

Mish Mash

The winners for Kuala Lumpur and Penang will be announced this Sunday December 8, 2019 right here on DRiNK Magazine.