Ah Trini Travelogue Trinidad & Tobago's most travelled blogger through 99 countries. Create and Re-Engineer your life for travel.
To say that Hop Sing Laundromat is under the radar is an vast understatement. No one I’ve talked to at work or in gatherings knows about the place. That being said, for those who know … do know! This can’t be a Hop Sing Laundromat review because I have no definitive way of reviewing this place. BTW as a speakeasy … this is a top of the line establishment.
For instance, the owner (some mysterious guy named Le) doesn’t have a website … it’s a landing page in the oldest of school ways. It screams, I don’t need to advertise, I don’t need your business … if you do come to have a drink, you’re going to do it by my rules. Hop Sing Laundromat review
How does a bar with no advertising or signage or anything become one of the best bars in the world? Hop Sing Laundromat review
I’ll tell you how … by not giving a fuck about anything or anyone! Here’s how I ended up at best bar in Philadelphia!!! Hop Sing Laundromat review
- Finishing drinking an awful 1st Manhattan at the Pyramid Club on the 52nd floor of the UBs Building . The views are spectacular, the service is inconsistent with the nature of the establishment. The waiter was a very nice guy but had no training on any of the drinks or alcohols. The Whiskey/Scotch selection was marginal but had reasonable prices for what they had. The 2nd Manhattan was much better but still not great.
- The manager came over to ask if we liked our drinks and I gave him constructive feedback. He definitely appreciated it and comped both drinks! An excellent customer service move and will definitely ensure my return … if just for the view.
- Based on the conversation, the manager could tell I knew what I was talking about and suggested Hop Sing Laundromat. He challenged me to complain over there about anything and come back and tell him the story.
… this leads into the quest to have a drink at Hop Sing’s Laundromat
It’s not hard to find Hop Sing’s … getting through the door is/can be a different story. Here’s a couple things that you should know upfront …
- There’s no sign outside – just a doorbell on an iron gate that summons a doorman who ushers you upstairs into a vestibule whose floor is coated in pennies.
- You sit in a church pew, across from a shoeshine stand, and submit your identification for inspection. And you wait.
- I waited and they took my passport. The big bouncer demanded my passport … I never comply with this request but such was my curiousity on the schtick, that I complied.
- My understanding is that the owner is this mystery guy known as Lê, and it’s not clear if that is his first name, his last name, or simply his nom de guerre. I never saw the guy … BUT
- Lê also suffers no fools. He takes pleasure in denying entry to people based on his rules … in a very Soup Nazi way
- You’re wearing sneakers. NO DRINK FOR YOU!!!! Hop Sing Laundromat review
- You’re taking a selfie? NO DRINK FOR YOU!!!!
- You want to take pictures of his place without permission? NO DRINK FOR YOU!!!!
- You’re wearing sneakers. NO DRINK FOR YOU!!!! Hop Sing Laundromat review
This being said … it is an exquisite space. These pictures are all from writers who got permission to take photos of the place. I’ll repeat … none of these pictures are mine … this will probably be the only place I’ll never get to photograph because I don’t want Lê to ban me!
Hop Sing’s is such a cult favorite, that there is a drunk walk infographic for those who have too much fucking time on their hands, but are also awesome enough to give me a great Philly bucket list item. Hop Sing Laundromat review
Another awesome detail from this Eater.com profile
Writer: Details like thousands of pennies superglued to the floor, nickels on the bar, and all of them are facing the same direction. Some would say you have OCD. What would you say? Hop Sing Laundromat review
Lê : The pennies thing has been done, but not correctly in my opinion, as they’re usually all mixed up and facing different directions. If someone came along and did it after us, we would be asking ourselves why we didn’t think of it first. I don’t want to ask myself that question late. You aren’t the first person to mention I might be OCD.
Want to see Hop Sing's Happy Hour menu? - CLICK HERE!!!
Hop Sing Laundromat’s Happy Hour Menu :
Happy hour at Hop Sing Laundromat is Tuesday through Friday, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturdays from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Espolon Añejo Tequila
$3.50
Forty Creek Double Barrel Reserve Canadian Whisky
$5.55
Gosling’s Family Reserve Old Rum
Don Q Gran Añejo Rum
Cabo Wabo Añejo Tequila
$6.66
Maker’s Mark Cask Strength Bourbon Whiskey
Booker’s Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey
Glen Grant 16 years old Single Malt Whisky
Laphroaig Quarter Cask Single Malt Whisky
Wild Turkey Rare Breed Bourbon Whiskey
$7.77
Russell’s Reserve Limited Release 6 years old Rye Whiskey
$8.88
Auchentoshan Three Wood Single Malt Whisky
Bowmore 15 Year Darkest Sherry Cask Single Malt Whisky
Laphroaig 18 years old Single Malt Whisky
Laphroaig 10 years old Original Cask Strength Whisky
$9.99
Bowmore 18 years old Single Malt Whisky
$12.12
Auchentoshan 21 years old Single Malt Whisky
Wild Turkey Master’s Keep 17 years old Bourbon Whiskey
$19.99
Bowmore 25 years old Single Malt Whisky
$39.99
More quotes from that amazing Eater.com profile piece by Colin Flatt
Writer : You’ve got 1,200 different bottles of liquor on the wall. Do you think you’ll really need all of them?
Lê : What I’ve learned on my research trip, driving 33,000 miles in 70 days through 48 states, is that every cocktail bar thinks their version of a classic cocktail is the best version ever made. They all stock their establishments with a limited selection of spirits to make their own versions of these cocktails. That’s a mistake.We just can’t assume people will be satisfied with our choice of gins, so why not carry as many brands as possible? Our guest’s version of any cocktail is and always will be the best version of them all. The perfect drink.
What should you drink at Hop Sing's? - CLICK HERE!!!
Elijah Craig 12 year, Licor 43, Honey Liquer, Cream, Coffee, Mint
Double Cross Vodka, Green Grape Juice, Orange Juice
We also tried a gin-based cocktail. This one was sweet from the Honey liquer and tart from the fresh lime juice, with the mint providing a nice herbaceousness to break it all up.
This particular rum-based drink was slightly tart from the lime and pineapple, with the apricot liquer bringing forth even more saccharine notes..
And from there, the ladies wanted to end with tequila, so that’s what we did.
Henry “Box” Brown (c/o Winemag)
Recipe courtesy Lêe, owner of Hop Sing Laundromat, Philadelphia
This drink—named after a Virginia slave who escaped in 19th century by mailing himself in a wooden crate to Philadelphia abolitionists—features three deliciously simple ingredients.
2½ ounces El Dorado 15 Year Old Special Reserve
3¼ ounces fresh-squeezed red-grape juice
2 red grapes, for garnish
Combine the first 2 ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Add five large ice cubes and shake vigorously for 8–10 seconds. Strain the mixture into a double Old-Fashioned glass filled with ice (or a single large ice cube). Garnish with grapes.
