Where to drink Taihu beer in Taipei

With around a dozen Taihu beers on draft and a rotating lineup of “friends’ brews,” Taihu Tasting Room has a polished, date-night feel. It’s the kind of place where well-heeled professionals slip away to debrief the week over a pint.

Beers do not come cheap — a big glass of Crush Pale Ale (5%) costs NT$360 while an IPA is NT$340. Both hit the spot, but it was the breadth of the range that impressed the This Is Taipei team: blackberry pie smoothie sour, flat white stout, roasted oolong tea ale, Thai lemongrass beer... You get the idea.

The food menu mixes Western staples such as build-your-own burgers, wings, and fish and chips with Taiwanese options including Sichuan dumplings and sesame noodles.

Seats are limited, and reservations aren't accepted on weekends, but staff usually manage to squeeze people in. Expect shared tables at close quarters — this isn't the kind of place where you drape your stuff across multiple seats.

Taihu Tasting Room is open between 4 PM and 11:30 PM Monday through Thursday; noon to 12:30 AM on Fridays and Saturdays; and noon to 12:30 AM on Sundays. It's a few minutes' walk from Zhongxiao Fuxing MRT Station.

Taihu Driftwood is easily the funkiest of the three locations. The large space blends laid-back tropical beach-hut energy with driftwood and islander touches, then throws in an Alpine ski-chalet twist courtesy of open fire and heavy wood finishes — all illuminated with bright tiger iconography.

Despite the relaxed look, the bar runs like a tight ship, and This Is Taipei enjoyed excellent service when we visited in January. Staff members wear earpieces, move quickly, and know the menu inside out.

Around 15 Taihu beers are available on draft, with occasional off-menu pours. We were steered toward a bitter IPA that was excellent, though not cheap — two pints came in at just under NT$1,000.