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Angeles Angeles/Clark - the gateway to Northern Luzon and the entertainment capital of the Philippines - and for the night owl a destination in its own right. Mt. Pinatubo, from which the area rose like the proverbial Phoenix, is now one of the area's major tourist attractions.
There are many fine high star hotels and restaurants, offering some of the best value for money in Asia!
Angeles
The legendary night-life varies from Casinos, an amazing number of Karaokes, and good old go-go bars. Even committed night owls would have a problem to visit them all in a week, let alone go back to the ones they like! Evening sets in early in Angeles, as many of the establishments open from lunch time onwards. It is hard to see where you are, entering a club, as your eyes adjust to the sudden change from dazzling sunshine to moodily lit - air-conditioned - comfort.
Publishing a map and guide to Angeles - or more precisely Balibago, where most of the entertainment and tourist establishments are – is a problem, as new bars, restaurants and hotels open (and sometimes close) so quickly. Even Hong Kong in its hey-day would be pressed to match this mushroom syndrome.
Our review starts off at the Fil-Am Friendship Bridge, finally re-built after being damaged by lahar flows from Pinatubo, and years of neglect by the city government.
Just by the bridge there is a cluster of bars under the Nifty’s/Club Rio group- Luscious, Pit Stop, & The Jolly Frog - certainly worth a visit. A couple of Western oriented pub/restaurants – Crystal Burger, Cold Drop & Simple Asia. The predominant influence is Korean (including Halla, Arirang, Shilla, &Gyuu) and Japanese (Ichi-ban & Hana Mi), in the form of restaurants, hotels and KTV establishments.
Coming back onto Perimeter Road, there is a great Tex-Mex restaurant – El Mexican, and a couple of neighbourhood bars, which makes the trip worthwhile.
The next cluster of establishments start from the Clarkton Hotel, Cottage Kitchen Restaurant, Lost in Asia, Cadillac Jacks Bar, down to the local VFW (a really good restaurant), Patio V and the Blue Boar Inn/La Casa Hotel.
Further down a cluster of bars – Honey Ko’s, Hang Out, and Thi-Hi all established favourites. “C” Italian Restaurant and Bubbles are close by before the next cluster. These include T Times, 24 Hour Massage, Top Hat, Nasty Duck and Foxy bars.
Close to the Phoenix Hotel -where Piggy rules a stylish hotel which offers all the facilities you would expect of a first class hotel - swimming pool, 24 hour restaurant, plus internet ready rooms, with broad band connection. The bar & restaurant is one of the most popular in town, and a great meeting spot - is Matrix Brawn bar (one of my personal favourites), and around the corner Sweety, Nifty’s & Club Rio continue to entertain. Garfields a popular expat watering hole, American Legion Post 10, the venerable Caddy Shack & Illusions bars, and Zapata’s Mexican Restaurant.
Getting closer to Check-point the bars get thick and fast. Emotions, although a little further out, is a really popular place. The Gentleman’s Club is a AH3 favourite. Brass Knob, Cherry’s Bar & Stampede Bar. Since the closure of Jerry’s Café, the regular crowd moved around the corner to the Wobbly Boot on San Angelo (21st) Street. The Wobbly Inn, and the new Angeles Beach Club Hotel end this small but entertaining strip.
The gemutlich Tyrolean atmosphere of Edelweiss restaurant, a popular dining spot for over 25 years! and the daily special 5-course meal is a 5 star air-conditioned bargain. Their new in-house Enzian Stub'n offers one of the best little bars in town. Attractive and attentive waitresses, gro’s and dancers have quickly established this as the place to go.
Almost at Checkpoint is the 12:30 Pizza (formerly Domino’s). Streaky’s Bar and Swagman Travel complex.
Margarita Station is at Checkpoint proper, and being right opposite the Jeepney Terminal is a natural meeting point, famously so. Swagman Travel have another office close by, and the start of the Fields Avenue strip.
The first block contains the venerable D’Club, Insomnia, Lanies Meeting Point, and Alaska Bar. Then Classroom 2, Bunny Ranch, Brown Sugar & Camelot.
At the next block Angel Witch, Salvatories Italian Restaurant, and the famous Roadhouse, one of the first Manila bars to re-locate to Angeles. In the same building down Constantine Street is Butterfly Rock, and Bar Hopping. Alongside is Chequers Bar.
On Raymond Street we come to an original Angeles bar – Stinger, followed by Las Vegas, and Blueberry Hill. Roy’s Bar, another Manila relocate is the British pub in Angeles, with Wet Bar at the end of the road.
Back on Fields DMZ Bar, one of the few original Fields bars left, Doll’s House, Gecko’s, Lollipop, Ziggy’s, La Bamba (another personal favourite) and Rhapsody take you to Santos Street on one side, and Angels, Owl’s Nest & Pash on the other. To complete the tour of the Block we turn down Santos, and turn right into Real Street where we find Midnight Rodeo popular for its live County and Western bands, Tom Cat, Confetti, Anchorage Hotel (the meeting point for the Angeles Hash), Big Easy and Black Jack.
Santos Street is changing but one side still remains, starting with Black Pearl, another Angeles institution, Shadows, Wontok, Blue Parrot, Honky Tonk, Cock n’ Bull, and Niagara. The last, but far from least is another Angeles original The Flaming.
Back on Fields Kokomos dominate the corner, with its inhouse Kokonutz, and next door – Dirty Duck. Opposite is Lancelot, Azzaro, Tender Touch, Treasure Island, Typhoon, Welcome Inn & Champagne. Then the Royal Amsterdam Hotel, & Blue Nile Hotel / Molly Malones Pub/Misty’s.
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New and Old. The new Hotel Royal Amsterdam (above), 
and the refurbished (Genesis/Tropicana) Blue Nile Hotel 
The new Casino Filipino on McArthur Highway 
The new wing at the Clarkton Hotel 
The re-located Salakot, Bayanihan (Astro) Park 
Man about town, Dennis Rodman's father Pilay 
Mt Pinatubo flexing her muscles 
Wild Orchid Resort After the Orange Lion Hotel, and Bourbon Street, is the Viper Room, Cambodia, Bedrock, Nero’s, & Blue Nile Clubs. Opposite the Chic n’ Ribs Restaurant is The Zone and Jack n’ Bulls excellent Soul Food Restaurant. Good reports on the Bohemian Restaurant round the corner on MacArthur after Al’s Mall.
On the way to Diamond, The RUMPA on Surla Street continue to serve a good American menu ((the breakfast is great). John’s Peso Bar has re-located from the Square close by. Rosalino’s on MacArthur is a favourite haunt serving good value, tasty food, and the Casino Filipino is 100 metres away. On Diamond Subdivision, in Swagman territory Pearly Gates, Moon’s Bar and Helsingborg are located on S R Lim Street, and The Pea Eye Bar is close to Marble Inn, The Patio, Koala Lodge, and of course the Swagman Narra Hotel are located on S L Orosa Street. The Swagman is still one of the best places to catch up on the latest in Angeles, and of course is the hub of the Fly the Bus transportation network from Manila, and on to Subic and La Union. The Ponderosa Hotel has changed not only it's name to Ponderosa Hotel, but has also undergone renovation, and is under new management. Free hourly bus plies to and from the Fields Avenue entertainment district, making this one of the Philippine expat’s more popular hostelry. There are several reasons to visit Hensonville, apart from the Hidden Vale Sports Club and the Villa Modesto Hotel. - Ray's 1 Stop Cafe & Tavern, with its daily blackboard specials, and Wednesday evening BBQ. Angeles changes so fast, even one month after mapping all the hotels an bars, names change, and new builds completed. We recommend you visit the Harry the Horse, Margarita Station, and Blue Book websites linked here for the latest up-dates. For the British Consulate in Angeles city visit: http://202.69.170.14/dougalp/consular.html www.phoenixhotel.com.ph
www.edelweissph.com
www.margarita-station.com
http://www.ponderosa-angeles.com | There is still much to be discovered in Angeles, famous for its beautiful and friendly people, food and entertainment. Also a thriving arts and crafts industries make it a veritable paradise for souvenir hunters and avid shoppers . There is a long string of cafes, discos, bars and clubs from the downtown area to Fields Avenue all the way to Friendship Highway, and new bars seem to pop up like mushrooms every month - so hurry up and visit this night owl's paradise. Papilon Angeles & Clark Hotels (International) + Area = (63) 045
America 652 6086
Anchorage Inn 892 0250
Century 322 5946
Clarkton 322 3424
Europhil 322 2470
Fiesta Gardens 322 1147
Hana 892 6666
Holiday Inn 599 8000
Koala 892 0891
Lafayette 322 3848
Maharajah 322 2372
Marble Inn 892 0901
Marquis 322 4714
Marlim Mansions 322 1898
Oasis 322 3301
Orchid Inn 322 0370
Patio Inn 322 4272
Phoenix 888 2195/6
Ponderosa 892 1200
Premiere 888 2755
Southern Star 892 6269
Sunset Garden 888 2312
Swagman Narra 322 5133
Blue Nile 332 1822
Villa Modesto 892 6062
Woodland Park 892 1002
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