10 New and Fun Things to Do in Poblacion, Makati

(SPOT.ph) Poblacion in Makati City is a top-of-the-mind place for a destressing drinking session with friends. But this neighborhood is more than its nightlight—it's always been diverse enough that the place is also known for quaint coffee shops where you can spend your downtime and pocket art galleries for that much-needed spark and inspiration. In this neighborhood guide, we list all the new fun things to do when you're in Poblacion—or if you're younger, Pobla or Pob.

Also read:
10 Fun Things to Do In and Around the Manila Bay Area
10 Fun Things to Do in Kapitolyo, Pasig City

Here are some of the new things to do in Poblacion, Makati:

Have cocktails and play games at The Fun Roof

Every bar, speakeasy, and pub in Poblacion has its own unique identity—a "unique selling point," if you will, and The Fun Roof attracts those who like to mix pleasure with more pleasure. Nothing's more fun than drinking the night away at a neon-lit rooftop bar and a friendly match of mini-golf, basketball, curling, pinball, and the like amongst friends. 

The Fun Roof is at 4/F Matheus Building, 5382 General Luna, Poblacion, Makati City. Entrance starts at P500. It is open on Tuesdays to Wednesdays from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. and Thursdays to Sundays from 5 p.m. to 3 a.m. For more information, visit The Fun Roof's Facebook page.

Dance the night away at Ugly Duck's K-Pop-Themed Nights

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For K-pop fans, one of the best ways to channel your love for K-pop is at Ugly Duck, where they hold Hallyu Hype Wednesdays, well, every Wednesday night. During these K-pop-themed nights, the place gets filled with people who are often dressed impress as if they're about to perform on the Inkigayo stage. Well, chances are, they probably will be dancing to the choreography of the K-pop songs being played by the DJ, as Hallyu Hype Wednesdays is known for its inviting dancefloor.

Note: Not to worry, dressing up isn't a requirement. You can dress down all you want or go all out on your fit from head to toe.

Ugly Duck is at 5672 Doña Carmen Street, Poblacion, Makati City. Hallyu Hype Wednesdays happens every Wednesday at 10 p.m. For more information, visit Ugly Duck Poblacion's Instagram page or Matador Events's Instagram page.

Enjoy a relaxing bath while enjoying the cityscape at Unwnd Boutique Hotel

One of the newer places to stay in this hipper, vibrant side of Makati is the boutique hotel, Unwnd. This hotel is getting so much attention because of its popular roof deck with a hot tub amid the cityscape. And while you're at it, make sure to order from the hotel's Mamser Latin-American restaurant, known to serve dishes, desserts, and drinks with origins rooted from Mexico, Cuba, and Peru.

Unwnd is at 5396 General Luna, Poblacion, Makati. Room rates start at P1,310. For more information, visit Unwnd's website.

Appreciate art, music, and food one one go at Cloudscape

Cloudscape is a fresh and versatile space combining art, music, and dining since September 2023. With a trendy fusion cuisine menu, a monthly rotating art gallery displayed on its walls (they have a second story with more art, by the way!), and live music, it's quickly become the go-to spot where the cool kids hang out.

But beyond all art, music, and food, Cloudspace is also an events space. You should keep an eye on their social media accounts for event announcements that are held on its premises, such as the Handpoke Tattoo, which is a concert but with tattooing, and the Paranirvana Activity, which is a Halloween flea market.

Cloudscape is at 5382, Matheus Building, Stall 01 General Luna, Makati City. For more information, check out CLOUDSCAPE - ART | MUSIC | DINE's Facebook page.

Learn how to be a barista through Commune's coffee workshops

Commune, one of the Poblacion OG coffee shops, holds two hands-on classes. The Basic Barista with Vanessa Caceres (P4,800) tackles the seed-to-cup trail—more specifically, the history, theoretical, botanical, processing, and varieties of coffee; and the Hands-On Home Brewing with Vanessa Caceres (P3,800) teaches six manual coffee preparation methods, plus tips on how to choose your brewing method as a beginner. For those who want an aesthetic drink, Commune also has a 3D Latte Art class (P1,500) taught by the coffee shop's barista, Adrian Bersaba.

Commune is at 36 Polaris, Makati City. For more information, check out Commune's Facebook page.

Play '90s arcade + drinking cocktails at Hall Pass

Another place that mixes drinking with playing is Hall Pass. What sets this bar apart is the lineup of the 90's arcade that millennials and the older generation will surely appreciate. The bar's arcade lineup includes the likes of Pac-Man, NBA Jam, and Terminator 2 Judgment Day. As for the drinks that go with the arcade experience, try the signature Pink Fling (P450), a gin-based cocktail with strawberry and bubblegum notes.

Hall Pass is at 4992 P. Guanzon, Makati City. For more information, check out Hall Pass PH's Instagram page.

Get your hands dirty (with clay) at Pottery Sessions

For those interested in getting their hands dirty with clay, Pottery Sessions offers one-day pottery workshops where you can either learn hand-building or wheel-throwing. The Hand Building Workshop (P3,500), as the name suggests, lets participants mold the clay using their hands, while the Wheel Throwing Workshop (P4,500) uses the potter's wheel.

Pottery Sessions is at 6057 R. Palma, Makati City. For reservations, check out Pottery Session's website.

Take the Re/Discover Poblacion tour of WanderManila

As the name suggests, the Re/Discover Poblacion is all about going back to the historical core of Poblacion. WanderManila tour's itinerary includes stops at Museo ng Makati, Poblacion Park, Poblacion Bas Reliefs, Ancestral Houses, Permanent “Kalbaryos” (Street Churches), Rivera Street, Saints Peter and Paul Parish, P. Burgos Avenue, Durban Street, Felipe Street, and Don Pedro Street. The tour can be customized if you want to add a bar crawl, food crawl, or check out the curio shops in the area.

WanderManila's Re/Discover Poblacion costs P1,000 per person (minimum of three people). For more information, check out WanderManila's website.

Go café-hopping in the morning and bar-hopping at night

Many cafés come and go in Poblacion, and we're not gonna lie, it gets pretty challenging trying to keep up with the coffee scene in this neck of the woods. One of the few newer coffee shops to open is the New York-style café Assembly Hall, the Hong Kong-themed café Bolo Coffee Club, and the proudly local Coffee ARTea, which promotes local coffee beans from different parts of the Philippines. Of course, you can also mix it with some Poblacion OGs such as Commune.

The same trend can be observed when it comes to bars and pubs in Poblacion. Some establishments, such as Assembly Hall and Bolo Coffee Club, function as coffee shops during the day but turn into pubs at night.

The trendier places for dancing, drinking, and socializing are Sanctuary, Bolthole, Ugly Duck, Disturbia, and HQ Poblacion.  For those who no longer have the social and physical energy to go bar-hopping, we find that it's more chill (but still fun as dancing is involved!) in places like futur:st. 

Save the date: Spend Halloween in Poblacion for a Halloween-in-Shibuya feel

@wreckzonee best last minute decision! #fyp #foryou #party #pobla #poblacion #halloween ♬ gimme gimme gimme BOBW party - Best of Both Worlds Party

One of the best places to feel the hyped-up energy of the Halloween crowd is in Poblacion—you can say that it gives off the famous feel of Halloween nights in Shibuya, Japan. Last Halloween (2023), a part of Poblacion was barricaded from vehicles, and the narrow streets were overflowing with people going from one bar to another. And those who couldn't make reservations need not worry, as there were street parties and performances too.

We can't wait to see what's in store for the following Halloween nights!

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