Off to our final destination for the evening – Fubar. The Workers Stadium in Beijing is a 65,000 person stadium in Beijing, just next to Sanlitun. BotF attended a game between Beijing Gou’an and the Newcastle Jets last year. The Worker’s Stadium area, known as Gongti, is quite distinct from Sanlitun and has a array of bars, clubs and restaurants in or around it. If only there was this sort of thing happening at Sydney’s Olympic stadium.
Fubar is in the stadium and accessible via a viable hotdog shop called Stadium Dog (see first photo). You walk past the serving counter, and are confronted by a grey brick wall (see second photo). Press the little button and you a heaving, pumping bar with DJ, two levels and plenty of noise. Eric had hit the jackpot. He pointed out the owner – an American – who I have to say has one of the more distinctive chrome domes I’ve ever seen (3rd photo). Tony and I ordered Snakebites – Beer, Cider and Cassis (photo 4), whilst Eric generously ordered another cocktail to ensure that the Cantina has yet another souvenir (photo 5).
I didn’t notice the cassis at the bottom of the glass and my first sip was ergh sweet, but once stirred vigorously, the snakebite went down a treat.
Overall, Fubar was the el primo bar of the evening. There’s plenty more of these places in Gong Ti and Sanlitun. BotF looks forward to the next meeting of the January 2009 Beijing Collective.
2022 update: Unfortunately Fubar closed in 2018, ahead of a massive renovation of the Worker’s Stadium. Beijing Boyce, one of the great documenters of Beijing Bar’s paid tribute here.
back of the ferry 