Cebu Bars

[SergeantRay]

I went with a friend there. The food was outstanding, and at a very reasonable price. Furthermore, the waiter was very attentive, a rarity.

I miss the place, and the shell / souvenir stalls on Briones St.

[Sxxxx]

Since we are on the fascinating topic of Cebu History, can anyone elaborate on St Moritz Hotel and Eddie of Eddie's Log Cabin and Eddie's Hotel?

St Moritz Hotel is still in business. I plan to do a FR soon. X Man.

Could write a lot about Eddy, his log cabin and his Hotel.

Log Cabin was first coffee shop in Cebu. Eddie in Phils war time, after which, he set himself up as a road / bridge builder, war salvage lad, real estate investor, etc etc. Piled up millions of dollars. Spent many times with him in coffee shop (Log Cabin) , including when one of his nine wives fronted. Lung cancer got him. He had a sign up on the Log Cabin wall: "Smoking. You can breath in, but not out" . Character Eddie, claimed to be of Red Indian stock, supposed painting of his father hanging in coffee shop, in full Indian regalia. Last time I saw him, he gave me a lift in his car to show me his new Eddies Hotel. Had to carry an oxygen cylinder with him everywhere he went. Laying on one of his hotel beds, attached to a cylinder, he smiled and said farewell. He was dead, next time I called in to Cebu. St Moritz yeh, belonged to that era too.

Oops, forgot. Eddie told me Imelda stayed at his house once, and the inevitable happened. He always told you these stories with a cheesy grin. I never knew if they were fact or fiction. When young and already wealthy he claimed to 'know' many Miss Philippines too, LOL. Gave me tips on how to score with quality ladies and so on. But I wasn't rich and handsome like Eddie.

Too many stories, too little time, LOL.

[Omega 3]

Since we are on the fascinating topic of Cebu History, can anyone elaborate on St Moritz Hotel and Eddie of Eddie's Log Cabin and Eddie's Hotel?

St Moritz Hotel is still in business. I plan to do a FR soon. X Man.

X Man,

In response to your question.

First arrived Cebu in the early 90's. As I recall, at the time, there were only two or three "5-star hotels" in Cebu City, including the Magellan, where I stayed the first day, with a golf course (but which hotel subsequently burned down) and the Cebu Plaza up in Nivel Hills, which years later became the Marco Polo Plaza.

At the time, a friend of mine suggested I might have more fun by transferring to the nearby but much smaller St Moritz, which I did. He was right. At the time, St Moritz had an attached bar, with a half-dozen young women dancers, similar in concept to some small clubs in Angeles. Informal and friendly. Rooms were on the noisy side at night, from the loud music from the bar. Attached restaurant served German food, which attracted some German and other European guests.

Didn't really care much for Cebu at the time, and so didn't return to Cebu for many years. Haven't been back to St Moritz since the original visit. St Moritz was a bit on the run-down or shabby side at that time, so can only imagine what condition it is in now, more than 20 years later. Also, can only guess that the friendly young women there are long gone. Location relatively close to what is now Ayala, in the general direction of the Elizabeth Hotel, but perhaps in a small side street or run-down area? Frankly, I wouldn't expect much.

Don't know about Eddie's.

Hope that helps!

OM.

[Red Kilt]

Since we are on the fascinating topic of Cebu History, can anyone elaborate on St Moritz Hotel and Eddie of Eddie's Log Cabin and Eddie's Hotel?

St Moritz Hotel is still in business. I plan to do a FR soon. X Man.

It's good to know it's open again X.

It was closed for quite a long time between around 2010 - 2015 (my dates are fuzzy, but it was definitely closed down).

[X Man]

Since we are on the fascinating topic of Cebu History, can anyone elaborate on St Moritz Hotel and Eddie of Eddie's Log Cabin and Eddie's Hotel?

St Moritz Hotel is still in business. I plan to do a FR soon. X Man.

[Ms Account]

I arrived on the Phils sex scene early 1970's, been going there regularly ever since. Nice girls and pretty girls sold pussy via the bars and working girl houses (Casas) those days. Some freelancing too. Along came 'cable TV' , then Internet, and the gradual disappearance of really pretty girls with nice attitudes working in bars. Subjective, the way I see it..

Great wisdom from a long experience. Shame it is embedded down in the Cebu bars thread.

The bar scene for me is exciting. Dating sites are frustrating, even for younger guys.*......... Patience is required, if you want to succeed via internet, and preferably a photo of yourself 10/20 yrs ago, too LOL. The old saying: "Nothing worth having, ever came easy".

I have been heavily plowing the dating sites (mainly within Cebu and less so Manila) for 2 years (and less intense for 2 years before that) and to tell the truth I have had enough. Its hard work. I have been flamed before for saying it is not easy. I get told its like shooting fish in a barrel. I prefer the analogy of trying to herd cats. But in Cebu you have no choice. I would be spending 3-4 nights per month in the Cebu bar scene and very rarely do I encounter a girl I would want to barfine. In recent times I have developed a strong referral network within Cebu but that has taken a long time and my standards for accepting a referral is lower than what I would accept from an internet dating site (mainly because the referral is so easy).

In 2060 someone will be talking about the "good old days" in 2017 , LOL.

I am an economic and political doomsayer. You have experienced the Philippines through the great era of globalised peaceful prosperity. I envy you. Wish I had been around in those days. I am not sure the next 20 years will be as peaceful and prosperous. Sounds melodramatic but I am not sure the Philippines will be conducive to mongers in the future. Maybe we a re closer to the Spanish sitting on his porch in 1898 than the period 1970.

[Sxxxx]

Sorry, I left out Pimps in my previous post. In addition to Bars and Casas (working girl houses) they were significant suppliers of girls, but also faded away to an extent once Internet was established. From a pimped girl you could make contact with say students, who then brought their classmates around, especially when they need exam fees, LOL. College and University girls, of legal age. Contacts, other than straightforward ugly pimps, are still a source, if you know how (experience). Flexibility, innovation, patience = success, even in 2017.

[Wicked Roger]

I have always seen all of these Clubs / KTV's on AS Fortuna Street from the taxi on the way to the airport. So over the last few trips to Cebu I have explored this street. Most of this information certainly has not been written up before.

(8) I have never saw a Westerner customer in these places but they tell me they do get them.

AS Fortuna Street is a few kilometres long. I will describe the places I have visited starting from the end closest to Mactan / Old Bridge:

So what is actionable from this FR? Ok maybe give the pure Japanese KTV's a miss. But Club Hannabi although expensive is a place to experience given the volume of girls.

Nice and comprehensive FR Ms A. I have been the odd white man in the KTVs mainly to see ladies I know who work there and not for any other reason. I went so I could show support in staying an hour and chatting etc (kudos for them as a white guy they told me). Some are now married to Koreans / Japs who are 99% the clientele of these places.

KTVs are not for me but worth a visit as Ms A did just for hell of it. There are many rules, you will feel like a fish out of water, but Ferrari and Hannabi are better ones but KTVs are still not my style or flavor.

The girls are a mix and some are clearly looking for a way out and some truly dislike the drunken behaviors of many of the clients (and many were drunk trust me) - is why a white guy was welcome (if also rare).

[Sxxxx]

Wow good to get the exact history and correcting my mistaken impression he started Vikings. Talking to a bar owner in Burgos (he bought in 2001), his view is that the ability for guys to meet girls on the internet has destroyed the bikini bar. Maybe that is why the Koreans / Japanese dominate the KTV / bar scene as they don't have the ability to use dating sites as easily as English speakers. Sxxxx, would you say the pre internet era was better or worse for the goal of meeting prospective girls? Was bars the only source back in the 80/90's?

Peter to most, if not all, at Kentucky Bar, which was next door to Peters Viking Bar, and a nice guys Brown Bear bar (3 together) . Peter was in my opinion objectionable, when he drank at Kentucky. If ever I found myself sitting next to Peter, I just shut my mouth and smiled. Peter was gifted at starting an argument, LOL. Hence folks shooting him, and maybe poisoning him (thin, wasted away, died of 'unknown' causes).

Well, I am sure he started Vikings at the original and old location, further up Mango near corner of F. Ramos St. All three bars at that location, Kentucky, Vikings, Brown Bear were located on a 'squatters' block of land. Peter was the first out of the block to re-locate to where Vikings is today. He was the first to set up there, others followed over time. Kentucky and Brown Bear were eventually squeezed out to allow for 'development'.

So, I would credit Peter with the establishment of Vikings where it is today. But no credit for Vikings development. He scared people away from his bar, if anything, LOL.

Bar scene:

I arrived on the Phils sex scene early 1970's, been going there regularly ever since. Nice girls and pretty girls sold pussy via the bars and working girl houses (Casas) those days. Some freelancing too. Along came 'cable TV' , then Internet, and the gradual disappearance of really pretty girls with nice attitudes working in bars. Subjective, the way I see it.

In recent years these pretty girls are becoming a rare-ity in bars. Maybe its because I am now a 'fossil' , and not young myself nowadays. They don't see me, and I don't see them, LOL.

Its a question I keep asking myself: "Where have the pretty girls gone" ?

My theory is, nice girls in 2017 , do not have to stand in a skimpy bikini, publicly (bars) , and be stared at by all and sundry strangers anymore. Plus risk the chance of Police Raids, being hauled off to prisons. They must have a fear of their police raid mugshot showing up in newspapers, family and friends really do know what they are doing in that far away city, then. Nice looking girls can get on the dating sites, and even get money without having sex with anyone, and without bearing 'all' in a public beer house (bar). For the girl, its private and controlled via dating sites. No one knows she if fucking in hotels and making pussy money. Its discreet. And those Internet 'money for nothing' Sponsors must be a treat and a great motivator for the good looking girls to earn via dating sites.

There are pretty girls in bars today, but they are harder to find. In "the good old days" they were much more numerous in the bar scene. Subjective. And in the good old days I was much younger = easier to score with pretty young things.

The bar scene for me is exciting. Dating sites are frustrating, even for younger guys. Suggest you make contact say about two weeks before your arrival in Phils. Internet conversation longer than that might lead to "the sick caribou" (spelling?) or other money requests. Dating site girls will arrive late or not at all, at your Hotel. If not careful they will arrive at same time you have another girl in the room. Nothing beats 'vibes' which you can only assess in a personal meet, face to face eg Bars. Patience is required, if you want to succeed via internet, and preferably a photo of yourself 10/20 yrs ago, too LOL.

The old saying: "Nothing worth having, ever came easy".

For a young guy say up to 40 (or 50 but looking 40 in their eyes) Internet must be good. For old guys, bars are a cinch, but girl quality is down, compared to pre Internet. Freelancers in the 2nd millennium, are a risk, and I never partake nowadays. Got some nice freelancers in the innocent 1970's. Aaah "the good old days".

In 2060 someone will be talking about the "good old days" in 2017 , LOL.

Disclaimer: Everything is subjective. Different guys will have a different take on the same subject. Guys, no good sitting in mumma's cellar. Get up, buy that air ticket, and find out for yourself, at the' Front. Stop sponsoring girls on the Internet, too, LOL.

[Ms Account]

Sure did meet him, Peter the Viking, as he was called. with Peter it was one dormant bar. With him out of the way, she spread her wings and became the dominant bar owner around town......Never met her. She might even be dead by now, and siblings running the show. Don't know, don't care. She's the force behind Vikings success anyway, not Peter.

Wow good to get the exact history and correcting my mistaken impression he started Vikings. Talking to a bar owner in Burgos (he bought in 2001), his view is that the ability for guys to meet girls on the internet has destroyed the bikini bar. Maybe that is why the Koreans / Japanese dominate the KTV / bar scene as they don't have the ability to use dating sites as easily as English speakers. Sxxxx, would you say the pre internet era was better or worse for the goal of meeting prospective girls? Was bars the only source back in the 80/90's?

[Sxxxx]

The Filipino lady (who I have never met or seen in any of her bars) that was married to the now deceased Norwegian who started Vikings has ..........................................

Sure did meet him, Peter the Viking, as he was called. His original and only bar was further up Mango near corner of F. Ramos St (near start of Robinsons). He was usually drunk and very aggressive. We kept clear of him, he was not good company at neighboring bar to his, Kentucky Bar, where we all drank. Kentucky was the top bar of Cebu, top all time bar, ever (Cebu). For me personally anyway, LOL. Uncle Neil from Kentucky bar had to be airlifted back to Kentucky where he died. Phils kills, if you let it, LOL.

Time? Mid 1980's in my case. Around that time Peter was riding his motorbike, another bike came up along side him, two pinoys on board, passenger fired two shots into Peters body. He survived.

His eventual death, maybe 1990 or thereafter, was slow and painful. He became very thin and very sick. Nobody seemed to know his ailment. Once argumentative Peter was out of the way (dead) , story goes wife met another foreigner who put money up for beginning of current Mango bars. To me she was smart, cause with Peter it was one dormant bar. With him out of the way, she spread her wings and became the dominant bar owner around town.

Never met her. She might even be dead by now, and siblings running the show. Don't know, don't care. She's the force behind Vikings success anyway, not Peter.

[Ms Account]

The site that once was Papillon has been renovated and has reopened. It has a new name, but I don't remember what it is. I heard that they are paying the gals 500 per day, which means they will likely have some good talent. I popped in but didn't stay. The layout is different. It is more brightly lit. The seating is sofa style, which is pretty common in Cebu and are better suited to large groups (I. E. , East Asians). There was no one on the dance floor. Again, it's common for Cebu. One or two dancers dance and then leave the dance floor. Sometimes it takes a minute for the next dancer to get up. It's pretty depressing if you've just come from AC where some bars have twenty or more girls on stage.

The Filipino lady (who I have never met or seen in any of her bars) that was married to the now deceased Norwegian who started Vikings has taken over both Papillion and Dimples. Papillion has reopened as Mango Bar and Resto about a month ago completely remodelled as reported by Xman above. Dimples is currently under renovation. So this means she will be running 6 bars: Vikings, BG's, Erik the Red, the reopened Red Lips now called Mango Bar and Restaurant, the reopened Papillion also called Mango Bar and Resto and soon to reopen Dimples (presumably also to be called Mango Bar and Resto). The decor she uses is consistent across all bars: the orange sofa seats in an open fairly bright room. Both Papillion and Dimples were dark with many private dark corners. So no hanky panky in her bars. I think she is stretching her stable of girls too thin as evidenced by XMan's comment about the amount of girls dancing. Not sure her new bar naming strategy is a good idea. But I agree with XMan, the enthusiasm and energy in Cebu Mango bars is sad compared to Manila and AC. Has anyone ever met the original Norwegian man or met his wife now running the bars. I heard from girls that he was constantly drunk passed out on the Viking sofas.

[X Man]

The site that once was Papillon has been renovated and has reopened. It has a new name, but I don't remember what it is. I heard that they are paying the gals 500 per day, which means they will likely have some good talent.

I popped in but didn't stay. The layout is different. It is more brightly lit. The seating is sofa style, which is pretty common in Cebu and are better suited to large groups (I. E. , East Asians). There was no one on the dance floor. Again, it's common for Cebu. One or two dancers dance and then leave the dance floor. Sometimes it takes a minute for the next dancer to get up. It's pretty depressing if you've just come from AC where some bars have twenty or more girls on stage.

I'd like to go back for more research, but so far my phone contacts have provided me with plenty of fine women who come straight to my room.

Yesterday's gal is one I hadn't had for over five years. Wow, I knew there must be a good reason I'd kept in touch with her. What a wildcat in bed. Life is good.

[Ms Account]

I have always seen all of these Clubs / KTV's on AS Fortuna Street from the taxi on the way to the airport. So over the last few trips to Cebu I have explored this street. Most of this information certainly has not been written up before.

To make it easier to summarise each place I will define a "pure" Japanese KTV as follows (as many follow this model):(1) sitting in an open public area but with discrete cubicles but still able to see stage (2) fixed amount per hour ranging from 400 pesos (some have a happy hour at this price) up to 600 pesos per hour that includes all you can drink (beers / whiskey / soft drinks / soju but no wine) and the company of one girl you pick from a show up (3) a girls drink usually cost 200 pesos but you don't have to buy a girls drink and they won't pester you to buy one (4) so realistically over an hour it would cost approx. 1000 pesos including two lady drinks (5) you have free entertainment of Japanese and Korean male customers going up to the stage and singing songs accompanied by their girl standing next to them clapping (6) the girl will have to follow strict rules like never sitting cross legged (Japanese men will think you are bad girl) other wise they get fined (7) there is strictly no barfine but depending on the girl they may give you their number if you ask or they may volunteer it with the convention they meet after closing or next day with 3000 fairly standard compensation. They don't seem to hide giving the number from the management and many places have specific name cards the girl writes their name and number on. I can't give a realistic assessment of how prevalent meeting customers outside is and whether it only pertains to certain places. Of the approx. 10 times I have visited these places I was given their number without asking maybe 6 times and I only actually met one. One only promised dinner and the other 4+ I wasn't really interested to pursue. (8) I have never saw a Westerner customer in these places but they tell me they do get them.

AS Fortuna Street is a few kilometres long. I will describe the places I have visited starting from the end closest to Mactan / Old Bridge:

Ferrari: this is not a pure Japanese KTV as described above. There have been a few FR's for this place including me. So I am not going to repeat the details refer back to those FR's. Ferrari does have girls dancing in two piece like a traditional Mango bar. Definite bias and favouritism towards Japanese / Koreans (like getting ignored).

Atami KTV (not walking distance from Ferrari) - cheaper pure Japanese KTV at 500 pesos per hour and 150 drink price. Run down and poorer selection of approx. 15 girls.

Lady Mysterious (long but walkable from Atami) - pure Japanese KTV at 600/200 pesos. Maybe 15 girls but an improvement in looks on Atami.

Club Hannabi (100 metres from Lady Mysterious) - not a pure Japanese KTV. It is 2000 pesos minimum charge per hour with drinks and food charged up against that minimum. Sitting with a girl will cost 800 pesos per hour which is included in the 2000 minimum charge but their drinks are standard prices as per menu. It would be hard to spend more than 2000 pesos in one hour so in effect the cost is 2000 pesos per hour for all food and drinks you can consume in one hour and one girl sitting with you. I usually sit in the public area but most customers go to a private room. Largest selection of girls in Cebu. I was told 110 work there but depending on what time you get there a show up might be 60-70 girls. This is a very busy place so the girls disappear quick. As you would expect with such a large volume of girls of course you get some decent looking girls. This is a bar fine place with 5500 bar fine. So combined with the 2000 per hour minimum charge this would mean 7500 to take a girl out which is comparable to Burgos. This I would have to add to the must visit places in Cebu given the volume and selection of girls.

Komachi KTV (taxi ride from Club Hannabi. I walked it once and it was too far) - a pure Japanese KTV with happy hour of 400 but usual 600 pesos. Seems more strict in not giving out numbers but that may have been the two girls I have met here. Maybe 20-25 girls and a few I would say were stunning (but always taken early).

Club Queen - (500 metres walking from Komachi) - pure Japanese KTV 600 per hour. Smaller with about 15 girls with lower quality girls than Komachi.

Club King (not exactly in AS Fortuna. A taxi ride around the corner opposite Country Mall) - a pure Japanese KTV with same owner as Club Queen with another one called Club Ace in Mabolo I have not been too. Quite large with maybe 30+ girls and definitely some I would have been interested in but all taken early.

There are other places in Mandaue other than AS Fortuna Street (like Boat Haus, SK2 and?) but this FR was more about AS Fortuna Street. I will defer Boat Haus to another FR.

So what is actionable from this FR? Ok maybe give the pure Japanese KTV's a miss. But Club Hannabi although expensive is a place to experience given the volume of girls.

[Buko Max]

Nice FR Ms Account! Yeah you pretty much summed it up for Mactan. There are a few more (Angel's and Evening across from Super Metro) along with a few local joints. There used to be a local bar down the street from Mermaids that had plywood floors and plastic tables and chairs. Only checked the place out once and that was enough. Drove by the former White Castle mansion and it appears the are rehabbing the place. Have heard some skuttlebutt on a few other places both western and Japanese style but you have to be in the fold to find them.

Mandaue used to be a great place to barhop in bars like Club Harem, Goldfinger, Bullfrog and the infamous Int'l. Bar Complex. But due to the political climate, have been shuttered. Mostly KTV style bars there now but make sure you visit the Boat Haus, one of my favorite all time bars! Looking forward to your FR.