Wanderlust: Cocktail Bar in Da Nang

There are plenty of spots to drink a cheap beer, but there isn’t a proper cocktail bar in Da Nang. Wanderlust is about to change that. But before I tell you how awesome this place is, here’s some backstory on rise of the first legit cocktail bar in Da Nang:

The Wanderlust Story

Tuấn, the manager and head bartender of Wanderlust, got his start bartending right here in Da Nang. He first worked as a bartender at OQ and later took a management job at On The Radio. Soon after, he hit it “big time” when he got offered a job at the Intercontinental, arguably the best hotel in Da Nang. But he found the 5-star environment stuffy, and wanted to do something on his own. Lacking the capital to open his own place, he did what so many Vietnamese people do well: he improvised. He made a portable bar that could fit on his motorbike, and started selling cocktails down by the beach.

Along the way, Tuấn also entered an open bartending competition at the Intercon. His winning cocktail was The Lotus, pictured below. It was also here that he introduced Da Nang to the Smoked Old Fashioned, soon-to-become Wanderlust’s signature drink.

The Lotus – winning cocktail

Smoked Old Fashioned

Eventually Tuấn’s bar prowess caught the attention of a Mr Shota from Japan, who put up the capital for Tuấn to open his own brick-and-mortar joint. Wanderlust Bar in Da Nang officially served its first cocktail on August 6th, 2017.

The Bar

Wanderlust is open and relaxed, with funky tunes playing all night. Prices are reasonable, with most cocktails between 80-90,000 VND. The also do some tasty bar snacks like French fries with rosemary and garlic. At the moment they’re still in their “soft opening” period, though the bar is open every day from 5 pm. The official opening date is slated for October 7th.

If you want to try the best cocktail bar in Da Nang, head to Wanderlust.

Address: There’s no number yet, but Wanderlust is on An Thượng 30, between An Thượng 31 and An Thượng 32, on the ground floor of the Dominika Apartment building.