How do I find the entrance to MO Bar?

The bar is on the fifth floor of Mandarin Oriental Wangfujing. Go in through the hotel at street level and take the hotel lift, because the mall escalators stop at the fourth floor. The door is hidden, and visitors say you press a button by a window to open it. If you get stuck, ask at the hotel front desk.

Do I need to book at MO Bar?

No. People walk in, and you don’t need to be staying at the hotel. The bar sometimes closes for private events, so phone ahead if your evening depends on it. The number is in the At a glance box.

When should I come for the sunset?

About an hour before sunset. Check the time on the day, because it moves a lot through the year. After dark you can’t see the Forbidden City, only Tiananmen and the Great Hall of the People lit up.

Is the terrace open in bad weather?

Rain closes it, and on cloudy evenings the sunset may not show at all.

Is there a minimum spend at MO Bar?

Not indoors. The terrace, which is where you see the palace roofs, has a minimum spend. It was ¥2,000 when we went, and some visitors report more since, so ask before you sit down. Even without sitting outside, you are welcome to walk out and look at the view.

Alipay and WeChat Pay both work. We haven’t checked yet whether foreign credit cards are accepted. Both apps let you link a foreign card, so set one up before you travel.

What is the nearest metro station to MO Bar?

Jinyu Hutong on Line 8 and Dengshikou on Line 5 are both within about ten minutes’ walk. Wangfujing on Line 1 is a little further.

How do I get to MO Bar by taxi?

Use DiDi, China’s main ride-hailing app, which has an English version. English place names often don’t come up in its search, so paste the Chinese address into the destination box: 东城区王府井大街269号王府井文华东方酒店

MO Bar Beijing Review: Rooftop View of the Forbidden City

Our take

We first came in summer 2021 and have been back a few times since. Come for the view. From the terrace at the top of Mandarin Oriental Wangfujing you can see the golden roofs of the Forbidden City, and on a sunny autumn afternoon it is one of the best views in Beijing. You only get it outside, and sitting on the terrace comes with a minimum spend. Even if you sit indoors, you can walk out and have a look round. The terrace is big, with at least twenty tables. The drinks are fine but not the reason to come. They are low in alcohol, so you won’t get drunk, and since the bar handed its menu to an outside team they have felt ordinary to us. The menu itself clearly cost a lot. Every drink plays on something from Beijing or China, and it reads brilliantly, but when we had the Drunken Tai Chi early in 2026 the drink didn’t live up to the words. Order one of the past signatures the menu keeps on instead. They stayed because people liked them. Unlike most Beijing bars it adds a service charge, so the bill runs higher than the menu suggests. The service is what you would hope for from a luxury hotel, and it is very good. Even the lift has a sofa in it.

What we drank

Spicy chicken (辣子鸡). It used to be very good. On our last visit it was not as good as before.
Fries. There used to be thick potato batons with a chocolate dip, an odd pairing that really worked. They have been dropped for ordinary fries, which are not the same.
Drunken Tai Chi (醉太极). The menu makes it sound wonderful. The drink was ordinary.
The welcome drink. Didn’t leave much of an impression.

When to arrive at MO Bar

4pm–5.30pm · Best chanceAutumn afternoons are quiet. Walk in and pick a terrace seat before the sunset crowd.
5.30pm–10pm · Some waitTerrace full on weekends and holidays. Short waits, often indoors first.

The bar opens at 4pm. Most people come for the terrace at sunset, so check the sunset time on the day and aim to arrive about an hour before it.
In late September and early October, people who arrived just before 5pm or at 5.20pm walked straight onto the terrace before the bar filled up.
By sunset on weekends and holidays the terrace is full. Waits are usually short. You may start indoors, and staff will move you outside when a table frees up.
After dark you can no longer see the Forbidden City itself. What you see is Tiananmen and the Great Hall of the People lit up.
The terrace depends on the weather. Rain closes it, and thick cloud hides the sunset. If the sunset matters to you, keep a spare evening.
The tables along the terrace edge carry a minimum spend that can run into thousands of yuan. Ask before you sit down.

What to order at MO Bar

The current menu is themed on Chinese intangible heritage, and visitors say it is about to change, so some of these may be gone. The drinks over carved ice sit on a hidden list. The Chinese names are there so you can point.

SavourySweetLightRich1Northern Brew 2Drunken Tai Chi 3Major Heat 4Corner Tower 5Drum Tower

Placed by us from how drinkers describe each drink. We will move them once we have tasted them ourselves.

1Northern Brew北境酿: Cinnamon-infused whisky, apple and aged Shanxi vinegar. Sour and surprisingly well joined up. The drink people most often call their favourite.
2Drunken Tai Chi醉太极: Gin washed with black truffle oil, with elderflower and Lillet. Drinks like a dry, rich Martini, and the truffle comes through strongly.
3Major Heat大暑: A summer solar-term drink on passion fruit with real chilli in the glass, not just a hint of spice. Most people found it too hot. One loved the smoky heat. It may already be off the menu.
4Corner Tower角楼: From the hidden list, served over ice carved into the Forbidden City’s corner tower. Pale yellow and peachy. Sweet and light, and some say it is more for photos than for drinking.
5Drum Tower鼓楼: Light and easy. Some call it balanced, others say it drinks like a fruit soda.

Not sure what you want? Tell the bartender what you like and let them make something. Of everything people order here, this gets the most consistent praise.
The last page of the menu looks blank. Ask staff to light it up and you will see the hidden carved-ice drinks.
The carved-ice drinks are sweet and low in alcohol. If you want something stronger, order from the main menu or ask for a classic.
Expect about ¥168–180 a drink, plus a 15% service charge.

Where people disagree

The questions visitors argue about. Tap one to see both sides.

Are the carved-ice drinks worth ordering?

Worth itJust for photosSplit down the middle

Worth it

The ice carved into Beijing landmarks is the photo everyone wants.
Fans of the corner tower find it gentle and balanced.

Just for photos

They are sweet and low in alcohol, and several people found them too sweet.
Plenty of visitors remember the look and not the taste.

Our verdict: Not tested by us yet.

Is the chilli drink a good idea?

YesNoLeans no

Yes

One visitor loved the smoky heat and called it a highlight.

Most people who ordered it found the real chilli too hot and too odd.
One felt the whole solar-term set was poor value next to the main menu.

Our verdict: Not tested by us yet.

Is the view as good as the photos?

YesNot quiteLeans yes

Yes

The terrace faces west, so at sunset the light falls across the palace roofs.
One regular calls it their favourite rooftop in Beijing.

Not quite

The bar is only five floors up, and the mall’s own roof fills much of the view.
From the low sofas indoors, glass gets in the way.
After dark the Forbidden City disappears, and rain or cloud can spoil the sunset.

Our verdict: Yes, from the terrace. Go on a sunny autumn afternoon, when the light is on the golden roofs. Indoors you lose most of it.

Is the service as good as people say?

YesNot alwaysLeans yes

Yes

Staff ask what you like and recommend drinks one at a time.
Small touches come up often, from generous free shots to a small gift for the table.

Not always

When the bar is full, service slips. People mention forgotten orders and nobody at the door.
On a rainy night one visitor had to carry their own drinks inside and find a seat.

Our verdict: Yes. Every time we have been it was proper luxury-hotel service.

Good to know

How do I find the entrance to MO Bar?: The bar is on the fifth floor of Mandarin Oriental Wangfujing. Go in through the hotel at street level and take the hotel lift, because the mall escalators stop at the fourth floor. The door is hidden, and visitors say you press a button by a window to open it. If you get stuck, ask at the hotel front desk.
Do I need to book at MO Bar?: No. People walk in, and you don’t need to be staying at the hotel. The bar sometimes closes for private events, so phone ahead if your evening depends on it. The number is in the At a glance box.
When should I come for the sunset?: About an hour before sunset. Check the time on the day, because it moves a lot through the year. After dark you can’t see the Forbidden City, only Tiananmen and the Great Hall of the People lit up.
Is the terrace open in bad weather?: Rain closes it, and on cloudy evenings the sunset may not show at all.
Is there a minimum spend at MO Bar?: Not indoors. The terrace, which is where you see the palace roofs, has a minimum spend. It was ¥2,000 when we went, and some visitors report more since, so ask before you sit down. Even without sitting outside, you are welcome to walk out and look at the view.
Does MO Bar have an English menu?: Yes, in our experience.
How do I pay?: Alipay and WeChat Pay both work. We haven’t checked yet whether foreign credit cards are accepted. Both apps let you link a foreign card, so set one up before you travel.
What is the nearest metro station to MO Bar?: Jinyu Hutong on Line 8 and Dengshikou on Line 5 are both within about ten minutes’ walk. Wangfujing on Line 1 is a little further.
How do I get to MO Bar by taxi?: Use DiDi, China’s main ride-hailing app, which has an English version. English place names often don’t come up in its search, so paste the Chinese address into the destination box: 东城区王府井大街269号王府井文华东方酒店

What other drinkers say

31: visitor posts we read, from 2021 to 2026
74%: are positive overall (23 of 31). Three are mixed, none are negative, the rest are too short to tell
20: write about the terrace and its view of the Forbidden City
11: mention the drinks served over carved ice
6: are from people who had been before
¥168–180: per drink, as quoted in 2025 and 2026 posts

What the 31 posts talk about

The room20
Signature drinks14
Seats and crowds12
Most talked-about drink11
Service6
Price6
Finding it4
Food3
Complaints3

Finding it

Take the hotel lift

4 posts describe the way in

The bar is on the fifth floor of the Wangfujing Central mall building, but the mall escalators stop at the fourth. One visitor explains that you need the hotel’s own lift. Another notes that the fifth floor also holds two of the hotel’s restaurants.

Two posts mention a trick door. You press a switch to get in, which one visitor compares to an escape room, done under the eye of a security guard. Another describes walking down a corridor of art and books before finding the entrance.

Xiaohongshu post, Sep 2024 · Xiaohongshu post, Apr 2021 · Xiaohongshu post, Nov 2024 · Xiaohongshu post, Sep 2026

Most talked-about drink

Landmarks in ice

11 posts mention the carved-ice drinks

The drinks people photograph most come over ice carved into Beijing landmarks. The shapes change. A 2021 post had The Lion, after the bronze lions at the Forbidden City, and 翡翠天宫 (Jade Temple of Heaven). In 2023 there was a lion and the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests. The winter 2025 set was a corner tower, a panda and a qilin. By June 2026 one visitor found the jade-seal drink gone and a terracotta warrior, a corner tower and an azure dragon in its place.

These drinks are often off the printed menu. Visitors describe a blank last page that staff light up with a UV lamp or a highlighter pen to show the hidden list, and in 2024 one was told to order them by QR code instead.

On taste, opinions split. The 2021 visitor found both drinks good and explains that the ice is frozen fruit and flower juice, so the drink gets lighter as it melts. A 2025 visitor found all three hidden drinks low in alcohol and sweet: the corner tower like hawthorn juice, the qilin less sweet and a little sour, and the panda a chocolate drink they rated the best of the three. Three posts say the look stayed with them more than the flavour, and a commenter under another post was blunter still.

“The ice was so pretty the taste stopped mattering.”
Xiaohongshu post, Jun 2023

Xiaohongshu post, Apr 2021 · Xiaohongshu post, Sep 2024 · Xiaohongshu post, Feb 2025 · Xiaohongshu post, Jun 2025 · Xiaohongshu post, Jun 2026 · Xiaohongshu post, Nov 2024 · Xiaohongshu post, Sep 2026

Signature drinks

Beijing in a glass, mostly

14 posts review the menu drinks. 10 like what they had

The menu changes by volume, and the recent ones are built around Chinese places, food and culture. The Vol. 5 menu, from late 2024, took a drink from each of China’s great regional cuisines. One visitor scored them: Min · Amorous has a milk foam on top, like a boozy cheese tea. Zhe · Fragrance smells of tea and comes with a fan pressed into the ice. Hui · Antique and Sweet is bitter but very pretty. Another post notes the Shandong drink is flavoured with Zhangqiu scallion.

The current menu, launched in autumn 2025, is themed on intangible heritage, from shadow puppets to the legend of the White Snake. The surprise favourite in one October 2026 post was the vinegar drink, 北境酿 (Northern Brew), with cinnamon whisky, apple and aged vinegar. Another visitor liked a drink of erguotou and hawthorn, which tasted of Beijing to them. A regular who had been away for a while wrote in March 2026 that the menu had gone up a level.

Not everyone agrees. One visitor found 鼓楼 (Drum Tower) so light it drank like a fruit soda. Another found the menu fun to read but could not recall how anything tasted. A visitor from out of town ordered eight drinks in one night and said the three signatures were the ones not to miss.

“Never thought the vinegar one would be my favourite.”
Xiaohongshu post, Oct 2026

Xiaohongshu post, Oct 2026 · Xiaohongshu post, Feb 2025 · Xiaohongshu post, Sep 2026 · Xiaohongshu post, Mar 2026 · Xiaohongshu post, Sep 2026 · Xiaohongshu post, Sep 2026 · Xiaohongshu post, Sep 2026

Service

Attentive, with small gestures

6 posts praise the service

One visitor describes staff who ask what you like and then recommend drinks one at a time. One visitor named two bartenders, Jack and Nate, to thank them. Another says the free shots were generous. A guest in June 2025 was chatting in Chongqing dialect, and the server brought over a Sichuan-themed coaster as a gift.

Two practical notes. A September 2026 post says a 15% service charge is added to the menu price. Another visitor says you can ask the bartender to play a song.

“They heard my Chongqing accent and brought a Sichuan coaster.”
Xiaohongshu post, Jun 2025

Xiaohongshu post, Oct 2026 · Xiaohongshu post, Sep 2026 · Xiaohongshu post, Sep 2026 · Xiaohongshu post, Sep 2026 · Xiaohongshu post, Nov 2025 · Xiaohongshu post, Jun 2025

Food

Bar snacks, and spicy chicken

3 posts mention the food

Food barely features. One visitor ordered 辣子鸡 (Sichuan dry-fried chilli chicken) to go with four drinks. The free snacks, according to another, are taro crisps, dried chillies and olives. A third liked the dried okra.

Xiaohongshu post, Oct 2026 · Xiaohongshu post, Sep 2026 · Xiaohongshu post, Feb 2025

The room

The terrace is the point

20 of 31 posts are about the terrace and the view

Most posts are about one thing: sitting outside and watching the sun go down behind the Forbidden City. The terrace faces west, so the light falls across the palace roofs at sunset. One visitor declares it the best terrace in Beijing, and a regular calls it their favourite rooftop.

There are caveats. One visitor points out the bar is only five floors up, so much of the view is the mall’s own roof, with the palace further off. On a windy day the terrace was only good for a few photos.

Indoors, posts mention R&B, a DJ, lighting that feels right, and no live singer, which one visitor missed. One September 2026 visitor found the room a little dated for a luxury hotel.

“Probably the best place to face the Forbidden City head-on.”
Xiaohongshu post, Jan 2026

Xiaohongshu post, Jan 2026 · Xiaohongshu post, Oct 2026 · Xiaohongshu post, Sep 2026 · Xiaohongshu post, Sep 2026 · Xiaohongshu post, Sep 2026 · Xiaohongshu post, Jun 2025 · Xiaohongshu post, Mar 2026

Seats and crowds

Beat the sunset

12 posts talk about seats, timing or booking

If you want a terrace seat, arrive before sunset. One visitor found the outdoor seats full on both evenings they came. Another suggests checking the sunset time and arriving an hour early, which leaves time to order before the light goes. One arrived at 5.20pm, as the sun began to drop, before the bar filled up. Another found the afternoon quiet.

Four posters say you can simply turn up without booking, and you don’t need to be staying at the hotel. One poster adds that the bar sometimes closes for private events, so phone first. Guest-bartender nights are another matter. One visitor at a Bar Leone night in May 2026 found it packed from opening.

Minimum spend comes up in the comments of three posts. One poster replied that in September 2024 the edge terrace seats had no minimum for four or more, but understood that smaller groups faced a minimum in the thousands of yuan, so the two of them sat elsewhere. Inside, the bar counter is usually quiet. One visitor sat there alone all evening. Another enjoyed watching the drinks put together right in front of them.

“Every young person in Beijing turned up.”
Xiaohongshu post, May 2026

Xiaohongshu post, Sep 2026 · Xiaohongshu post, Sep 2024 · Xiaohongshu post, Feb 2025 · Xiaohongshu post, Sep 2026 · Xiaohongshu post, Sep 2026 · Xiaohongshu post, May 2026 · Xiaohongshu post, Apr 2021

Price

About ¥190 with service

6 posts quote prices

A June 2025 post paid ¥180 a drink and thought it worth it. A September 2026 post had 鼓楼 (Drum Tower) at ¥168 plus the 15% service charge, so a little over ¥190. The September post’s title, and a comment under the June one, reach for the same joke: ¥180 a glass is a famous line from a 1990s Spring Festival Gala comedy sketch about an overpriced “palace jade wine”.

One poster said the carved-ice drinks cost more than the rest, which were mostly over ¥100, a little above the Beijing average. Another put spending at ¥200–300 a head in 2024. A 2021 post quoted ¥100–200 a drink.

“The priciest cocktail I’ve had, and the best-looking.”
Xiaohongshu post, Feb 2023

Xiaohongshu post, Sep 2026 · Xiaohongshu post, Jun 2025 · Xiaohongshu post, Feb 2025 · Xiaohongshu post, Nov 2024 · Xiaohongshu post, Feb 2023 · Xiaohongshu post, Apr 2021

Complaints

Pretty, but not always memorable

No negative posts, 3 mixed

Nobody in our sample had a bad night. The three mixed posts each have a different complaint. One visitor paid a little over ¥190 for a drink that tasted like fruit soda. Another found the room dated, the view partly blocked, the terrace too windy that day and the drinks forgettable, though the shots were generous. A third loved the bar seat in the afternoon, came back the same night and liked it less.

Across other posts the recurring gripe is that the drinks look better than they taste, or are sweet and light. That applies mostly to the carved-ice drinks.

Our counts only cover Xiaohongshu.

“Every drink looked beautiful. I can’t recall how any tasted.”
Xiaohongshu post, Sep 2026

Xiaohongshu post, Sep 2026 · Xiaohongshu post, Sep 2026 · Xiaohongshu post, Oct 2026

We searched Xiaohongshu, China’s main lifestyle and review app, for every post about MO Bar at Mandarin Oriental Wangfujing we could find. We set aside posts about MO Bar in Shenzhen and the Qianmen hotel, hotel-stay posts, posts by brands and the hotel, invited launch-party posts and posts with no text, which left 31 by visitors. We read each one ourselves to make the counts. Some posts only show a short preview, so treat the numbers as a minimum. The summaries and translated quotes are ours, and the links go to the original posts. Last checked 2026-10-10.

MO Bar menu archive

Vol. 5, December 2024 — China’s eight great cuisines, with vinyl

Chuan · Spicy Storm — Spiced erguotou, chilli powder
Su · Flowy — Tequila, guava, apple, perilla
Min · Amorous — Havana 7, coconut water, glutinous-rice leaf
Xiang · Huo La La — Cumin, pounded chilli, ginger, lime, maple
Hui · Antique and Sweet — Maofeng tea, pomegranate, apple vinegar
Yue · Lingnan Feature — Mango, grapefruit, pandan coconut
Zhe · Fragrance — Jasmine tea, sour plum, green grape
Lu · Taste Mellow — House Zhangqiu scallion, olive brine

Also on this menu: ice carved as the Forbidden City corner tower, a qilin and a panda, and alcohol-free old-Beijing drinks.

Mandarin Oriental Wangfujing on WeChat: Vol. 5

Vol. 4, autumn 2022 — Cocktails inspired by food trends

Zen Counters — Soju, sencha, distilled yuzu kosho, sea grapes, tomato syrup
Royal Snack — Rice-wine juice, rum, bird’s-nest almond tofu
Street Delight — Maofeng-tea whisky, soy milk, red bean. A nod to lü da gun
Calm Whistle — Avocado vodka, cucumber, monk-fruit syrup
Pride of Prairie — Distilled kumis, pine-nut spirit, absinthe, salted mushroom liqueur. The strongest on the list
Wood and Yellow — Martell VSOP, Beijing yoghurt, pea-cake syrup
Alley Flashbacks — Champagne, hawthorn
Tang — Erguotou, roast-duck-fat-washed white rum, cucumber, apple vinegar
Sesame Punch — Vodka, black sesame, pear, milk-washed with Greek yoghurt

Plus four Mojitos pairing four rum regions with four mints.

Mandarin Oriental Wangfujing on WeChat: Vol. 4

Hand-drawn menu, winter 2022 — Hot drinks

Valley of the Wind 风之谷 · ¥168 — Malbec mulled wine, spices, honey, citrus, Fernet-Branca Menta
Mont Saint-Jean 圣让山 · ¥168 — Cognac, mulled wine, rosemary, ginger beer
Beijing Macaron 京派马卡龙 · ¥168 — Havana 7, sesame paste, chocolate milk, caramel liqueur, lime leaf
Cocoa Encounter 邂逅可可 · ¥168 — Amaro, hot chocolate, strawberry cream

Prices plus 15% service charge.

Mandarin Oriental Wangfujing on WeChat: hand-drawn menu

Vol. 3, September 2021 — The Music Menu: drinks made with Beijing musicians

Slick Cars — Distilled lychee liqueur, white vermouth, coconut liqueur, Campari, Suze, oolong
Lotus Rock & Roll — Lotus-leaf vodka, coconut water, ginger, cacao liqueur, strawberry, salt
Cross The Pond & More — Sesame-oil-washed rum, strawberry vermouth, Chartreuse, distilled perilla soy
Blue — Centrifuged tomato and green pepper, blue curaçao, perilla vermouth
Old Beijing — Spiced erguotou, dark rum, hawthorn, cherry liqueur, egg white
Ketchup Negroni
Role Model Colada
Soul Search

With White+, PQ, Xiyou, Mojohand, Carsick Cars, Doug Martin and DJ Eric Lee.

Mandarin Oriental Wangfujing on WeChat: The Music Menu

Signature: The Lion V2, 2021

The Lion V2 — Peated whisky, pandan, sous-vide sour plum, pea shoots, sour-plum drink, honey, sea salt, over ice shaped like the Forbidden City’s bronze lions

Mandarin Oriental Wangfujing on WeChat: The Lion

Vol. 1, spring 2019 — Cocktails through art and landmarks

Eurasian · ¥128 — Potato vodka, erguotou, Beijing pear, vermouth, whey, lemon
Two Wrongs Make a Right · ¥128 — Bourbon, cognac, apple butter, lime, ginger
90 Seconds of Frame · ¥148 — Sweet white wine, bourbon, IPA
Sunset Hunter · ¥118 — Rum, Fernet Hunter, lime
Amaretto · ¥88 — Alcohol-free: Seedlip, almond croissant

Mandarin Oriental Wangfujing on WeChat: Vol. 1

Our take

What we drank

Spicy chicken (辣子鸡). It used to be very good. On our last visit it was not as good as before.
Fries. There used to be thick potato batons with a chocolate dip, an odd pairing that really worked. They have been dropped for ordinary fries, which are not the same.
Drunken Tai Chi (醉太极). The menu makes it sound wonderful. The drink was ordinary.
The welcome drink. Didn’t leave much of an impression.

When to arrive at MO Bar

4pm–5.30pm · Best chanceAutumn afternoons are quiet. Walk in and pick a terrace seat before the sunset crowd.
5.30pm–10pm · Some waitTerrace full on weekends and holidays. Short waits, often indoors first.

The bar opens at 4pm. Most people come for the terrace at sunset, so check the sunset time on the day and aim to arrive about an hour before it.
In late September and early October, people who arrived just before 5pm or at 5.20pm walked straight onto the terrace before the bar filled up.
By sunset on weekends and holidays the terrace is full. Waits are usually short. You may start indoors, and staff will move you outside when a table frees up.
After dark you can no longer see the Forbidden City itself. What you see is Tiananmen and the Great Hall of the People lit up.
The terrace depends on the weather. Rain closes it, and thick cloud hides the sunset. If the sunset matters to you, keep a spare evening.
The tables along the terrace edge carry a minimum spend that can run into thousands of yuan. Ask before you sit down.

What to order at MO Bar

SavourySweetLightRich1Northern Brew 2Drunken Tai Chi 3Major Heat 4Corner Tower 5Drum Tower

Placed by us from how drinkers describe each drink. We will move them once we have tasted them ourselves.

1Northern Brew北境酿: Cinnamon-infused whisky, apple and aged Shanxi vinegar. Sour and surprisingly well joined up. The drink people most often call their favourite.
2Drunken Tai Chi醉太极: Gin washed with black truffle oil, with elderflower and Lillet. Drinks like a dry, rich Martini, and the truffle comes through strongly.
3Major Heat大暑: A summer solar-term drink on passion fruit with real chilli in the glass, not just a hint of spice. Most people found it too hot. One loved the smoky heat. It may already be off the menu.
4Corner Tower角楼: From the hidden list, served over ice carved into the Forbidden City’s corner tower. Pale yellow and peachy. Sweet and light, and some say it is more for photos than for drinking.
5Drum Tower鼓楼: Light and easy. Some call it balanced, others say it drinks like a fruit soda.

Not sure what you want? Tell the bartender what you like and let them make something. Of everything people order here, this gets the most consistent praise.
The last page of the menu looks blank. Ask staff to light it up and you will see the hidden carved-ice drinks.
The carved-ice drinks are sweet and low in alcohol. If you want something stronger, order from the main menu or ask for a classic.
Expect about ¥168–180 a drink, plus a 15% service charge.

Where people disagree

The questions visitors argue about. Tap one to see both sides.

Are the carved-ice drinks worth ordering?

Worth itJust for photosSplit down the middle

Worth it

The ice carved into Beijing landmarks is the photo everyone wants.
Fans of the corner tower find it gentle and balanced.

Just for photos

They are sweet and low in alcohol, and several people found them too sweet.
Plenty of visitors remember the look and not the taste.

Our verdict: Not tested by us yet.

Is the chilli drink a good idea?

YesNoLeans no

Yes

One visitor loved the smoky heat and called it a highlight.

Most people who ordered it found the real chilli too hot and too odd.
One felt the whole solar-term set was poor value next to the main menu.

Our verdict: Not tested by us yet.

Is the view as good as the photos?

YesNot quiteLeans yes

Yes

The terrace faces west, so at sunset the light falls across the palace roofs.
One regular calls it their favourite rooftop in Beijing.

Not quite

The bar is only five floors up, and the mall’s own roof fills much of the view.
From the low sofas indoors, glass gets in the way.
After dark the Forbidden City disappears, and rain or cloud can spoil the sunset.

Our verdict: Yes, from the terrace. Go on a sunny autumn afternoon, when the light is on the golden roofs. Indoors you lose most of it.

Is the service as good as people say?

YesNot alwaysLeans yes

Yes

Staff ask what you like and recommend drinks one at a time.
Small touches come up often, from generous free shots to a small gift for the table.

Not always

When the bar is full, service slips. People mention forgotten orders and nobody at the door.
On a rainy night one visitor had to carry their own drinks inside and find a seat.

Our verdict: Yes. Every time we have been it was proper luxury-hotel service.

Good to know

How do I find the entrance to MO Bar?: The bar is on the fifth floor of Mandarin Oriental Wangfujing. Go in through the hotel at street level and take the hotel lift, because the mall escalators stop at the fourth floor. The door is hidden, and visitors say you press a button by a window to open it. If you get stuck, ask at the hotel front desk.
Do I need to book at MO Bar?: No. People walk in, and you don’t need to be staying at the hotel. The bar sometimes closes for private events, so phone ahead if your evening depends on it. The number is in the At a glance box.
When should I come for the sunset?: About an hour before sunset. Check the time on the day, because it moves a lot through the year. After dark you can’t see the Forbidden City, only Tiananmen and the Great Hall of the People lit up.
Is the terrace open in bad weather?: Rain closes it, and on cloudy evenings the sunset may not show at all.
Is there a minimum spend at MO Bar?: Not indoors. The terrace, which is where you see the palace roofs, has a minimum spend. It was ¥2,000 when we went, and some visitors report more since, so ask before you sit down. Even without sitting outside, you are welcome to walk out and look at the view.
Does MO Bar have an English menu?: Yes, in our experience.
How do I pay?: Alipay and WeChat Pay both work. We haven’t checked yet whether foreign credit cards are accepted. Both apps let you link a foreign card, so set one up before you travel.
What is the nearest metro station to MO Bar?: Jinyu Hutong on Line 8 and Dengshikou on Line 5 are both within about ten minutes’ walk. Wangfujing on Line 1 is a little further.
How do I get to MO Bar by taxi?: Use DiDi, China’s main ride-hailing app, which has an English version. English place names often don’t come up in its search, so paste the Chinese address into the destination box: 东城区王府井大街269号王府井文华东方酒店

What other drinkers say

31: visitor posts we read, from 2021 to 2026
74%: are positive overall (23 of 31). Three are mixed, none are negative, the rest are too short to tell
20: write about the terrace and its view of the Forbidden City
11: mention the drinks served over carved ice
6: are from people who had been before
¥168–180: per drink, as quoted in 2025 and 2026 posts

What the 31 posts talk about

The room20
Signature drinks14
Seats and crowds12
Most talked-about drink11
Service6
Price6
Finding it4
Food3
Complaints3

Finding it

Take the hotel lift

4 posts describe the way in

Xiaohongshu post, Sep 2024 · Xiaohongshu post, Apr 2021 · Xiaohongshu post, Nov 2024 · Xiaohongshu post, Sep 2026

Most talked-about drink

Landmarks in ice

11 posts mention the carved-ice drinks

“The ice was so pretty the taste stopped mattering.”
Xiaohongshu post, Jun 2023

Signature drinks

Beijing in a glass, mostly

14 posts review the menu drinks. 10 like what they had

“Never thought the vinegar one would be my favourite.”
Xiaohongshu post, Oct 2026

Service

Attentive, with small gestures

6 posts praise the service

Two practical notes. A September 2026 post says a 15% service charge is added to the menu price. Another visitor says you can ask the bartender to play a song.

“They heard my Chongqing accent and brought a Sichuan coaster.”
Xiaohongshu post, Jun 2025

Xiaohongshu post, Oct 2026 · Xiaohongshu post, Sep 2026 · Xiaohongshu post, Sep 2026 · Xiaohongshu post, Sep 2026 · Xiaohongshu post, Nov 2025 · Xiaohongshu post, Jun 2025

Food

Bar snacks, and spicy chicken

3 posts mention the food

Xiaohongshu post, Oct 2026 · Xiaohongshu post, Sep 2026 · Xiaohongshu post, Feb 2025

The room

The terrace is the point

20 of 31 posts are about the terrace and the view

Indoors, posts mention R&B, a DJ, lighting that feels right, and no live singer, which one visitor missed. One September 2026 visitor found the room a little dated for a luxury hotel.

“Probably the best place to face the Forbidden City head-on.”
Xiaohongshu post, Jan 2026

Seats and crowds

Beat the sunset

12 posts talk about seats, timing or booking

“Every young person in Beijing turned up.”
Xiaohongshu post, May 2026

Price

About ¥190 with service

6 posts quote prices

“The priciest cocktail I’ve had, and the best-looking.”
Xiaohongshu post, Feb 2023

Xiaohongshu post, Sep 2026 · Xiaohongshu post, Jun 2025 · Xiaohongshu post, Feb 2025 · Xiaohongshu post, Nov 2024 · Xiaohongshu post, Feb 2023 · Xiaohongshu post, Apr 2021

Complaints

Pretty, but not always memorable

No negative posts, 3 mixed

Across other posts the recurring gripe is that the drinks look better than they taste, or are sweet and light. That applies mostly to the carved-ice drinks.

Our counts only cover Xiaohongshu.

“Every drink looked beautiful. I can’t recall how any tasted.”
Xiaohongshu post, Sep 2026

Xiaohongshu post, Sep 2026 · Xiaohongshu post, Sep 2026 · Xiaohongshu post, Oct 2026

MO Bar menu archive

Vol. 5, December 2024 — China’s eight great cuisines, with vinyl

Chuan · Spicy Storm — Spiced erguotou, chilli powder
Su · Flowy — Tequila, guava, apple, perilla
Min · Amorous — Havana 7, coconut water, glutinous-rice leaf
Xiang · Huo La La — Cumin, pounded chilli, ginger, lime, maple
Hui · Antique and Sweet — Maofeng tea, pomegranate, apple vinegar
Yue · Lingnan Feature — Mango, grapefruit, pandan coconut
Zhe · Fragrance — Jasmine tea, sour plum, green grape
Lu · Taste Mellow — House Zhangqiu scallion, olive brine

Also on this menu: ice carved as the Forbidden City corner tower, a qilin and a panda, and alcohol-free old-Beijing drinks.

Mandarin Oriental Wangfujing on WeChat: Vol. 5

Vol. 4, autumn 2022 — Cocktails inspired by food trends

Zen Counters — Soju, sencha, distilled yuzu kosho, sea grapes, tomato syrup
Royal Snack — Rice-wine juice, rum, bird’s-nest almond tofu
Street Delight — Maofeng-tea whisky, soy milk, red bean. A nod to lü da gun
Calm Whistle — Avocado vodka, cucumber, monk-fruit syrup
Pride of Prairie — Distilled kumis, pine-nut spirit, absinthe, salted mushroom liqueur. The strongest on the list
Wood and Yellow — Martell VSOP, Beijing yoghurt, pea-cake syrup
Alley Flashbacks — Champagne, hawthorn
Tang — Erguotou, roast-duck-fat-washed white rum, cucumber, apple vinegar
Sesame Punch — Vodka, black sesame, pear, milk-washed with Greek yoghurt

Plus four Mojitos pairing four rum regions with four mints.

Mandarin Oriental Wangfujing on WeChat: Vol. 4

Hand-drawn menu, winter 2022 — Hot drinks

Valley of the Wind 风之谷 · ¥168 — Malbec mulled wine, spices, honey, citrus, Fernet-Branca Menta
Mont Saint-Jean 圣让山 · ¥168 — Cognac, mulled wine, rosemary, ginger beer
Beijing Macaron 京派马卡龙 · ¥168 — Havana 7, sesame paste, chocolate milk, caramel liqueur, lime leaf
Cocoa Encounter 邂逅可可 · ¥168 — Amaro, hot chocolate, strawberry cream

Prices plus 15% service charge.

Mandarin Oriental Wangfujing on WeChat: hand-drawn menu

Vol. 3, September 2021 — The Music Menu: drinks made with Beijing musicians

Slick Cars — Distilled lychee liqueur, white vermouth, coconut liqueur, Campari, Suze, oolong
Lotus Rock & Roll — Lotus-leaf vodka, coconut water, ginger, cacao liqueur, strawberry, salt
Cross The Pond & More — Sesame-oil-washed rum, strawberry vermouth, Chartreuse, distilled perilla soy
Blue — Centrifuged tomato and green pepper, blue curaçao, perilla vermouth
Old Beijing — Spiced erguotou, dark rum, hawthorn, cherry liqueur, egg white
Ketchup Negroni
Role Model Colada
Soul Search

With White+, PQ, Xiyou, Mojohand, Carsick Cars, Doug Martin and DJ Eric Lee.

Mandarin Oriental Wangfujing on WeChat: The Music Menu

Signature: The Lion V2, 2021

The Lion V2 — Peated whisky, pandan, sous-vide sour plum, pea shoots, sour-plum drink, honey, sea salt, over ice shaped like the Forbidden City’s bronze lions

Mandarin Oriental Wangfujing on WeChat: The Lion

Vol. 1, spring 2019 — Cocktails through art and landmarks

Eurasian · ¥128 — Potato vodka, erguotou, Beijing pear, vermouth, whey, lemon
Two Wrongs Make a Right · ¥128 — Bourbon, cognac, apple butter, lime, ginger
90 Seconds of Frame · ¥148 — Sweet white wine, bourbon, IPA
Sunset Hunter · ¥118 — Rum, Fernet Hunter, lime
Amaretto · ¥88 — Alcohol-free: Seedlip, almond croissant

Mandarin Oriental Wangfujing on WeChat: Vol. 1

MO Bar.

Our take

What we drank

When to arrive at MO Bar

What to order at MO Bar

Where people disagree

Are the carved-ice drinks worth ordering?

Is the chilli drink a good idea?

Is the view as good as the photos?

Is the service as good as people say?

Good to know

What other drinkers say

Take the hotel lift

Landmarks in ice

Beijing in a glass, mostly

Attentive, with small gestures

Bar snacks, and spicy chicken

The terrace is the point

Beat the sunset

About ¥190 with service

Pretty, but not always memorable

MO Bar menu archive

Vol. 5, December 2024 — China’s eight great cuisines, with vinyl

Vol. 4, autumn 2022 — Cocktails inspired by food trends

Hand-drawn menu, winter 2022 — Hot drinks

Vol. 3, September 2021 — The Music Menu: drinks made with Beijing musicians

Signature: The Lion V2, 2021

Vol. 1, spring 2019 — Cocktails through art and landmarks

MO Bar.

Our take

What we drank

When to arrive at MO Bar

What to order at MO Bar

Where people disagree

Are the carved-ice drinks worth ordering?

Is the chilli drink a good idea?

Is the view as good as the photos?

Is the service as good as people say?

Good to know

What other drinkers say

Take the hotel lift

Landmarks in ice

Beijing in a glass, mostly

Attentive, with small gestures

Bar snacks, and spicy chicken

The terrace is the point

Beat the sunset

About ¥190 with service

Pretty, but not always memorable

MO Bar menu archive

Vol. 5, December 2024 — China’s eight great cuisines, with vinyl

Vol. 4, autumn 2022 — Cocktails inspired by food trends

Hand-drawn menu, winter 2022 — Hot drinks

Vol. 3, September 2021 — The Music Menu: drinks made with Beijing musicians

Signature: The Lion V2, 2021

Vol. 1, spring 2019 — Cocktails through art and landmarks