Mudan (牡丹)

Mudan (牡丹, 'peony') is one of the open-air gay bars ringing the Red House plaza in Ximending, Wanhua District, part of the outdoor bar cluster that is one of the largest of its kind in Asia. It's an easygoing, affordable spot for a drink at an outdoor table, with a mixed and mostly local crowd. The terraces fill up from early evening and are busiest on weekends, when the whole square turns into one big gay bar. It's a good first stop before the dance clubs, and Ximen MRT station is right next to the plaza. Google rating 4.2 from about 290 reviews.