The Elephant Room's new cocktail menu is its most approachable yet – here's what we have to say about it

What Is The Elephant Room and Why Is Everyone Talking About It?

The Elephant Room is Singapore's most celebrated spice-forward cocktail bar, helmed by bar director Darius Oon, and its newest menu — the most accessible the bar has ever produced — is already drawing queues at its Ann Siang Hill address. If you've ever been intimidated by the bar's reputation for complex, polarising builds, this is the menu that finally invites you in without dumbing anything down. The Elephant Room is located at 20 Teck Lim Road, Singapore 088391, and is open Tuesday to Sunday from 6pm to midnight.

For the uninitiated, The Elephant Room is a bar that built its name on Indian-inspired spice profiles — think cardamom, tamarind, curry leaf, and turmeric doing heavy lifting in cocktails that had no business working as well as they did. It earned a spot on Asia's 50 Best Bars list and became shorthand among Singapore's cocktail community for serious, thoughtful drinking. According to Asia's 50 Best Bars 2024 rankings, The Elephant Room placed among the top 50 bars across the entire continent — a benchmark that puts it in rare company.

The Elephant Room
📍 20 Teck Lim Road, Singapore 088391
⏰ Tue–Sun, 6pm–12am
🗺 View on Google Maps

What Has Changed With the New Cocktail Menu?

The new menu marks a deliberate pivot toward approachability — and that is not a criticism. Darius Oon and his team have pulled back on the more abrasive spice combinations that occasionally alienated first-timers, instead letting singular ingredients lead each cocktail rather than layering complexity for its own sake. The result is a menu where every drink has a clear identity and a clear entry point, even for guests who usually stick to gin and tonics. This is the bar maturing, not retreating.

The philosophy behind the menu is rooted in restraint. Where previous iterations leaned into contrast — bitter against sweet, heat against acid — the new builds favour harmony. Familiar spirits like rum, whisky, and vodka anchor most of the drinks, with the spice elements playing a supporting role rather than demanding centre stage. It makes for a more relaxed drinking experience without sacrificing the bar's distinctive South Asian identity.

"This is the menu where The Elephant Room stops being a dare and starts being a destination for everyone — not just cocktail nerds."

What Should You Order From the New Menu?

You should start with the Madras Mule, the standout of the new lineup and the drink most likely to convert a sceptic. It leads with ginger and black pepper on a vodka base, finishing with a tamarind sourness that lingers without overwhelming. It is the cocktail equivalent of a firm handshake — confident, warm, and immediately likeable. Here is a breakdown of the must-orders from the new menu:

1. Madras Mule ($26): Vodka, black pepper shrub, tamarind, ginger beer — the signature dish of this menu. Bright, spiced, and endlessly drinkable.
2. Chettinad Sour ($28): Scotch whisky with curry leaf oil, lemon, and egg white — sounds confronting, drinks like a revelation. The curry leaf is subtle, almost herbal.
3. Bombay Bramble ($24): Gin, rose, cardamom, and blackberry — the most floral drink on the menu and the easiest gateway for wine drinkers.
4. Turmeric Highball ($22): Japanese whisky with turmeric tonic and a yuzu finish — clean, long, and deeply satisfying on a humid Singapore evening.
5. Kerala Negroni ($27): The bar's riff on the classic, using coconut-washed Campari and a touch of black cardamom. Bold but balanced, and the best argument for the bar's original spice-forward DNA.

Price range sits between $22 and $30 per cocktail, which is on par with comparable bars in the Ann Siang Hill and Club Street corridor. Given the craft involved, it represents solid value. The bar also runs a small snack menu — the masala peanuts ($8) are non-negotiable as an accompaniment.

Is The Elephant Room Worth Visiting in 2025?

Yes — and this new menu makes it more worth visiting than at any point in the bar's history. The Elephant Room has always been technically excellent, but it occasionally felt like a bar that rewarded the already-converted. The new direction under Darius Oon fixes that without erasing what made it special in the first place. If you have been putting off a visit because you were unsure whether you'd enjoy the flavour profiles, 2025 is the year to stop hesitating.

The space itself remains one of the more atmospheric in Singapore's bar scene — low lighting, warm timber, and a compact layout that forces a kind of intimacy you don't get at larger venues. It seats roughly 40 guests, so walk-ins are possible on quieter weeknights but a reservation is strongly recommended on Fridays and Saturdays. The service is knowledgeable without being preachy, and the team is genuinely happy to guide you through the menu if you're unsure where to start.

What to Watch: Key Dates and What's Coming Next

The Elephant Room has signalled that this menu will evolve seasonally, with limited-edition additions tied to Indian festival periods — Diwali in October being the most anticipated. The bar is also reportedly planning a collaboration series with regional distilleries across South and Southeast Asia, which would mark its most ambitious programming push yet. Keep an eye on the bar's Instagram for reservation windows, which typically open 48 hours before the weekend and fill within hours. If the new menu is this good, the collaboration releases are going to be worth planning around. Book early, order the Kerala Negroni first, and let the rest of the evening take care of itself.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does The Elephant Room take walk-ins?

Walk-ins are possible on Tuesday through Thursday evenings, but the bar fills quickly on weekends. Reservations are strongly recommended for Friday and Saturday visits, and can be made through the bar's official website or Instagram DM.

How spicy are the cocktails at The Elephant Room?

The new menu is the bar's most approachable yet, with spice used as a background note rather than a dominant flavour. Drinks like the Bombay Bramble and Turmeric Highball are very mild, while the Kerala Negroni and Chettinad Sour have a more pronounced spice presence for those who want it.

What is the price range at The Elephant Room?

Cocktails on the new menu range from $22 to $30. Snacks are available from $8. There is no minimum spend, but the bar is a cocktail-focused venue and does not serve a full food menu.

Who is the bar director at The Elephant Room?

Darius Oon is the bar director at The Elephant Room and the creative force behind the new cocktail menu. He has been instrumental in shaping the bar's South Asian spice-forward identity since its early days.