The centerpiece of the bar is probably the speakers. Even some of the sealed liquor bottles are from my personal collection. The vintage stuff is from my dad, who is an avid audiophile so I was lucky. All of the art, records, and hi-fi equipment came from home (so our audio corner at our house is empty). My wife is a non-practicing interior designer so it was mostly her who made it look the way it does right now. The old space was actually a salon before. But of course, being Filipinos, the social aspect is also very important, so we also want it to be a place where you feel comfortable catching up with friends or getting to know people. It's inspired by Japanese kissatens, hole-in-the-wall bars where you can just go in by yourself and listen to records. It's everything we love all in one place-art, music, drinks, family, friends. I think a friend described it perfectly when she said it was an extension of our home. Describe to us what Fat Cat the jazz bar is. Ron happily responded to our questions about Fat Cat, silver linings, and the persistent allure of MCS.Ī pair of vintage Klipschorn speakers is the centerpiece of the bar. “The entrance to the bar is smack dab between a cellphone shop and Sakura restaurant,” explains Ron Cruz, a copywriter who runs the joint with his wife Felicia, a “non-practicing interior designer” who basically created the Fat Cat’s look. It’s just beside the mall entrance on Amorsolo Street, next to KFC. Which might be the biggest surprise of all-possibly bigger than the fact that one of the hottest bars of the moment, Nokal, has made MCS, now Makati Central Square, one of Manila’s most popular night spots.īut the commercial center’s latest hangout seems more attuned to its image as a hobbyist’s haven: Fat Cat, a jazz bar where aficionados and late converts alike can listen to vinyl selections on hand while enjoying a cocktail or a cup of coffee.

Despite its enduring image of faded glamour, it continues to renew itself, attract the cool and the curious, and so 40 years after it opened for business, it’s still thriving and we’re still talking about it. Makati Cinema Square never lacked in surprises.

Fat cat jazz club review