If someone were to ask you “What is your favorite bar?”, the answer would probably be varied. Some people like the lively atmosphere, the thumping music and the flashing lights. Others are fascinated by breezy rooftops where the city below seems like just a backdrop for a fancy cocktail.
But then there are also a few souls who are easily tired, need a place to stay, just want to find a small corner to let themselves down and listen to themselves - they will say: "I like a small bar, dim light, hand-mixed cocktails and music as gentle as breathing".
At The 9H Affair, there's nothing too much, just a little music, a little light, a few words, a few handwritten cards and hand-crafted cocktails with all the meticulousness and heart. "We want customers to feel close to the shop, not the bright lights of the bustling place outside. It's not that the shop lacks lights. We just turn on enough so that whoever stays feels comfortable and wants to stay a little longer" - Mr. Chinh, the shop owner, shared.
The 9H Affair space
Quiet and melodious space
On the dark walls are prints of Van Gogh's paintings, quiet but vibrant, carrying with them the swirl of emotions and loneliness that is very human. The whirlwinds in "Starry Night" seem to reflect the inner psyche of those who visit the cafe: souls trying to dialogue with themselves.
On quiet evenings, the small screen in the corner of the bar shows an old movie. You can sip a cocktail and let your eyes follow the story as it slowly passes, as if you are living in your own movie - a movie that doesn't need a climax, just needs to be real. And if you want to learn more about your heart, the bar has a space for tarot reading with an enthusiastic reader not to predict the future, but to open up a deeper conversation with yourself.
Van Gogh's Curtain
Tarot reading space
A cocktail at The 9H Affair is not simply a combination of alcohol, fruit, ice and syrup. It is a story told through scent, touched gently by taste buds and sometimes even memories. Each cocktail here is handcrafted, meaning the bartender will make each glass one by one, not in a hurry, not following a formula, but according to the emotions and individual requests of each guest. From a Negroni with a deep bitter taste, to a classic, cold Martini, or a light, refreshing Mojito - each glass has its own story, a silent version of the emotions we have experienced.
The bartender here is not a mixologist, but a storyteller. Someone who knows when to be quiet and let you feel it yourself, and when to play some classic jazz to please your wavering heart.
The space is small, but every detail is taken care of. From the arrangement of wine glasses, the gentle sound of stones and glass colliding, to the melodious music coming from the small speaker hidden behind the bookshelf. All create a gentle picture where you don’t need to be anyone, just be yourself.
The 9H Affair chose a light enough tone. Enough to see the golden brown shimmering in the glass of wine. Enough to recognize the eyes of the person opposite. And enough for you to look in the mirror not to fix yourself, but to realize that you are in a place where all flaws can be forgiven, all scratches in the soul can be soothed.
A place to relax after a tiring day
The dim light is to help you forget the flashing deadlines, the Zoom meetings, the thousands of phone notifications every day. It is to help you remember the eyes you once loved, the long nights you spent awake, and the unfinished conversations you always wanted to continue.
A small shop, a little privacy, one day closed
"The shop is not open on Mondays because our bartender is often sad on the first day of the week" - Mr. Chinh confided. Perhaps all of us have had that feeling, cold Monday mornings, the coffee is not strong enough, the sun is not warm enough and the mood is gloomy for some unknown reason.
The shop is not open, not for resting. But for sadness - in the true sense. A day to reorganize the soul, to slow down, to listen to oneself. So that tomorrow, when the shop lights up again, everything can start again with a new joy.
Love is like a cocktail, a blend of many emotions. Each ingredient from spicy, bitter, sweet to salty contributes to create a unique and seductive flavor.
There are gentle loves like Mojito - fresh, sweet, with the scent of mint and lemon like a gentle touch in early summer. There are passionate loves like Manhattan - spicy, warm and classic. There are also intense loves, sometimes full of hurt, like a glass of Negroni - a blend of red Vermouth, Campari and Gin, with a bitter aftertaste that makes people both fascinated and haunted forever.
Love is like a cocktail, never just one taste. It is a delicate blend of expectation and disappointment, of joy and tears. But like a cocktail, once you taste it, you will always want to drink again. Not because you are not drunk enough, but because you have fallen in love with the feeling of being a little adventurous, a little excited, and a little unsure of what will come.
The 9H Affair doesn’t try to be a perfect bar. It doesn’t cater to the masses, it doesn’t follow trends, it doesn’t have LED signs or fancy glasses for check-in photos. It’s simply a place for those who are tired, empty, or carrying an unnamed sadness.
Here, you can sit alone. Or with someone. Or just quietly contemplate your cocktail and write a few lines on the small card on the table. Each card is a message - maybe to an ex-lover, someone you haven't had the chance to tell, or an old part of yourself that you can't let go of.
Some people come here to get drunk. Some come to sober up. Some come to forget, but end up remembering more. No matter who you are, you will find a place to sit - where the lighting is warm enough, the music is soft enough, and no one asks you why you are there.
