Alfa isn't the first Beijing nightlife spot that tries to be all things to all people, but it certainly doesn't rank last. Like many of the newer watering holes flooding the city, the establishment is a cross-pollination of a bar, club and lounge, and does well as each and all.

The most unique part of the building is the front courtyard where sheets of metal mesh filled with stacked stones provide privacy from the hutong in which it's located.

Inside, the building is a maze of nooks and crannies where a mostly young and foreign crowd hole up to drink up before hitting the smallish dance floor.

DJs mix it up from 10pm until 2am four nights a week. Wednesdays and Thursdays feature hip-hop and R&B, most Fridays are 80s nights, while Saturday offers a cornucopia of funk, electro and house.

Surrounding the dance area's periphery is a series of small tables with low-backed cloth barstools.

Upstairs, a little labyrinth of rooms offer reprieve from the hustle and hustling of the lower level. Here, loft-sitters can grab a sofa overlooking the dance floor, which can be viewed through a series of stylishly designed glass panels.

The northernmost upstairs area is especially laidback, where beds covered with unusually thick mattresses and giant red silk pillows are separated by pink gauze privacy curtains. These areas are flanked by VIP rooms costing 1,000 yuan per night, which proffer an eight-person dining table and bed setup.

Bar-goers can select beers and cocktails, which range from 25-45 yuan, from a 20-page drink list, grab a bite of Southeast Asian finger-food for 35-45 or puff a stylish cigar for 55-180.

Those looking for a bit of everything Beijing nightlife has to offer will find Alfa leads the pack of multitasking drinking spots.

Alfa
Open time: 5pm-late.
Location: 5 Xingfu Yicun, Chaoyang District.
Tel: 010-64130086