QC orders temporary closure of Katipunan bar over multiple violations

Establishment cited for alleged ordinance, zoning, liquor, and fire safety violations.

A bar on Esteban Abada Street in Barangay Loyola Heights has been ordered temporarily closed by the Quezon City government over multiple alleged violations.

“Kasama sa mga nilabag ng speakeasy bar ang Revenue Code, Liquor Ordinance, at Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance ng lungsod,” the city government said in a Sept. 6 Facebook post.

“Nilabag din nito ang Philippine Fire Code dahil walang naipresentang Fire Safety Inspection Certificate ang pamunuan ng establisyimento mula sa QC Fire District,” it added.

In the comments section, the establishment was identified as Lan Kwai Speakeasy & Hong Kong Cuisine.

Its interiors in tagged Reels and photos on Instagram match those shown in the city government’s post. A menu in its photos also matches the one featured in the bar’s Instagram Story Highlights.

Hours before the city government’s post, the bar shared an Instagram Story entry that read, “We are closed temporarily.” It did not mention the closure order.

Katipunan nightlife staple

Established in 2017, Lan Kwai first shut down in October 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic before reopening in May 2023.

Known for its Hong Kong-inspired aesthetic, the venue has a seemingly ordinary Chinese restaurant facade that opens into a neon-lit bar upstairs.

It has become a familiar spot in the Katipunan nightlife scene, drawing students from nearby Ateneo de Manila University, University of the Philippines Diliman, and Miriam College.

The bar is known for its large cocktails in fishbowls and “no EDM” policy—with lo-fi, funky, and jazzy house music as its preferred soundtrack.

radar reached out to Lan Kwai for comment but has yet to receive a reply.

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