Manila

[QUOTE=Starchild2012; 1108070]LOL. . You got me wrong bro. Perhaps, I should have posted more clearly. I said "to check the place out" not sit upstairs. Most of the first timers don't go upstairs but are curious what goes on there. When they hear the 100 pesos fee, they go down. Some folks like girls upstairs who are more geared towards Koreans others don't.

As Richard was going for the first time. I suggested that he could "check the place out" without paying 100 pesos fee as I wrote before. Why pay the fee's if you only want to see around as a first timer? Thats not been cheap charlie. In my book its unfair. When you know a way around?

I was advising him as a newbie not to worry about paying the fee just to have a look upstairs. The girls are understanding, they ain't going to call security, if you look around and go down stairs.

New year greetings to you too. Good luck[/QUOTE]For the small fee you get a stamp on your wrist, then can check out upstairs a hundred times that night if you want to.

Sometimes there is a guy standing nearby to make sure folks pay. I have noticed this, and from my viewpoint, quite right too.

Problem is for MBC, some guys would say "check the place out", then stay upstairs. Girl can not leave her spot to call guy back.

If you stand next to the girl and do not enter, you can look to your right and left and see what is going on upstairs, no problem with that.

I prefer to pay, they have huge overheads. They provide such a good service for us, I do not mind paying P100 or P150 some special band nights, for multiple check outs and maybe stays upstairs. The girls at MBC do not drink or drink very little. Would take a lot of drinks to pay for even the overheads. No one, quite rightly, eats there. I feel for MBC, and being a retired business person, appreciate the costs involved in running businesses, add to that in Philippines, regular bribes to keep officials at a distance. Their most recent legal fees, regarding closure, must have cost a fortune. Fortunately they had the money to pay the legal bills and we can now enjoy the place all over again. P100 is not much more than the cost of one beer, so I pay.

Anyway, as they say in Thailand "up to you". You have given your opinion, I have given mine. No problem with that.

Psdai and Nail the World,

Thank you for your helpful comments.

Canyon

Nail the World,

I looked on the maps which were very helpful. However, I noticed that Pasay seems to be just the next town over from Makati City down the EDSA Freeway. It didn't look that far. Am I mssing something? Also, there's a Padre Burgos St. Near Rizal Park near the US Embassy which would be close to MBC. Then I noticed another much smaller street also named Burgos just off Makati Ave. What's going on? I also noticed a Paseo de Roxas by Makati, then another one by the water near the US Embassy. This is very confusing.

[QUOTE=Canyon; 1108308]Nail the World,

I looked on the maps which were very helpful. However, I noticed that Pasay seems to be just the next town over from Makati City down the EDSA Freeway. It didn't look that far. Am I mssing something? Also, there's a Padre Burgos St. Near Rizal Park near the US Embassy which would be close to MBC. Then I noticed another much smaller street also named Burgos just off Makati Ave. What's going on? I also noticed a Paseo de Roxas by Makati, then another one by the water near the US Embassy. This is very confusing. [/QUOTE]Canyon, I did not attempt to answer Burgos St! I never went there. I only attempted to answer MBC and edsa complex. And yes, Pasay City is right there close to Makati.

Canyon,

If you do a Google Maps search for the Royal Bellagio Hotel, or Oxford Suites Makati, it will take your right to the correct area for the bars on P. Burgos Street.

I am uploading a screen print of the Google Map showing a broad coverage of Manila. I have indicated in RED the general locations of the major bar areas discussed in Manila.

From the point on the map where Makati is indicated, P. Burgos Street is almost due North, the EDSA Entertainment Complex is slightly Southwest, and Malate (MBC / LA Cafe and other bars) is Northwest.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]143957[/ATTACH]

I hope this is helpful to you and many other mongers.

Enjoy!

HW

[QUOTE=Nail The World;1108312]Canyon, I did not attempt to answer Burgos St! I never went there. I only attempted to answer MBC and edsa complex. And yes, Pasay City is right there close to Makati.[/QUOTE]Manila sucks big time. And is the craziest place for traffic.

One time from ermita to ortigas it took two hours through heavy heavy traffic.

Insane.

But if you are not driving then don't worry about it. Let the taxi drive deal with it but pick the times that are not as much heavy traffic.

Someone else can tell you better the hours but generally I think communte hours are the worse. Before 9am and between 4 pm to 7 pm?

But everyday is very bad as far as I am concerned. The taxi drivers know where to go?

If you go p burgos I think you take a taxi?

Yes some will try to jack up the price. I tell them to use meter and then give them decent tip but not too much and not too little. What ever that is? Hahaha been there many times and still not sure.

Its good to know where you are going other wise you look like a deer caught in headlights. (first time I went to p burgos) and then the vultures come out and after you for everything. Its crazy.

But p burgos in makati off of makati ave or the edsa complex is good for girls. Too expensive for me but some real nice and naughty girls.

Distances may be close but the traffic to me is a total night mare. I hate the traffic. I do drive but when I go to manila I hire a driver or a taxi,

I bought a gps map that I can use while driving and that has gotten me lost also.

[QUOTE=Starchild2012; 1108070]As Richard was going for the first time. I suggested that he could "check the place out" without paying 100 pesos fee as I wrote before. Why pay the fee's if you only want to see around as a first timer? Thats not been cheap charlie. In my book its unfair. When you know a way around?

[/QUOTE]Well, when I handle door security for a bar here, I hear the same story. Our answer "We are good, if you want to take look-see, go some other place. No window shopping". As a matter of fact a lot of guys just do that. Window shop.

[QUOTE]I was advising him as a newbie not to worry about paying the fee just to have a look upstairs. The girls are understanding, they ain't going to call security, if you look around and go down stairs.

New year greetings to you too. Good luck[/QUOTE]The girls in MBC know that 100 peso is nothing for a serious punter. After all, there is a band playing, and if you can't afford, and repeat what you just said, next time listen carefully. There will be a quite word "KURIPOT". .

If you run bars, you will know, it is not fair to walk in and walk out. Atleast get an SMB and walk out.

Above all in jest. No offence to nobody.

Hairy,

Thank you very much.

Canyon.

[QUOTE=Hairy Wonder; 1108344]Canyon,

If you do a Google Maps search for the Royal Bellagio Hotel, or Oxford Suites Makati, it will take your right to the correct area for the bars on P. Burgos Street.

I am uploading a screen print of the Google Map showing a broad coverage of Manila. I have indicated in RED the general locations of the major bar areas discussed in Manila.

From the point on the map where Makati is indicated, P. Burgos Street is almost due North, the EDSA Entertainment Complex is slightly Southwest, and Malate (MBC / LA Cafe and other bars) is Northwest.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]143957[/ATTACH]

I hope this is helpful to you and many other mongers.

Enjoy!

HW[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=Canyon; 1108308]However, I noticed that Pasay seems to be just the next town over from Makati City down the EDSA Freeway. It didn't look that far. Am I mssing something?
[/QUOTE]

The Edsa Complex is very close to Makti, but Manila traffic is a bit on the insane side usually, especially during the day / early evening. That is why in my post I listed possible taxi time as 10 minutes to 90 minutes!

[QUOTE=Sxxxx; 1108233]For the small fee you get a stamp on your wrist, then can check out upstairs a hundred times that night if you want to.

Sometimes there is a guy standing nearby to make sure folks pay. I have noticed this, and from my viewpoint, quite right too.

Problem is for MBC, some guys would say "check the place out", then stay upstairs. Girl can not leave her spot to call guy back.

If you stand next to the girl and do not enter, you can look to your right and left and see what is going on upstairs, no problem with that.

I prefer to pay, they have huge overheads. They provide such a good service for us, I do not mind paying P100 or P150 some special band nights, for multiple check outs and maybe stays upstairs. The girls at MBC do not drink or drink very little. Would take a lot of drinks to pay for even the overheads. No one, quite rightly, eats there. I feel for MBC, and being a retired business person, appreciate the costs involved in running businesses, add to that in Philippines, regular bribes to keep officials at a distance. Their most recent legal fees, regarding closure, must have cost a fortune. Fortunately they had the money to pay the legal bills and we can now enjoy the place all over again. P100 is not much more than the cost of one beer, so I pay.

Anyway, as they say in Thailand "up to you". You have given your opinion, I have given mine. No problem with that. [/QUOTE]You are right. I din't think that way. Thanks

[QUOTE=Sxxxx; 1108233]For the small fee you get a stamp on your wrist, then can check out upstairs a hundred times that night if you want to.

Sometimes there is a guy standing nearby to make sure folks pay. I have noticed this, and from my viewpoint, quite right too.

Problem is for MBC, some guys would say "check the place out", then stay upstairs. Girl can not leave her spot to call guy back.

If you stand next to the girl and do not enter, you can look to your right and left and see what is going on upstairs, no problem with that.

I prefer to pay, they have huge overheads. They provide such a good service for us, I do not mind paying P100 or P150 some special band nights, for multiple check outs and maybe stays upstairs. The girls at MBC do not drink or drink very little. Would take a lot of drinks to pay for even the overheads. No one, quite rightly, eats there. I feel for MBC, and being a retired business person, appreciate the costs involved in running businesses, add to that in Philippines, regular bribes to keep officials at a distance. Their most recent legal fees, regarding closure, must have cost a fortune. Fortunately they had the money to pay the legal bills and we can now enjoy the place all over again. P100 is not much more than the cost of one beer, so I pay.

Anyway, as they say in Thailand "up to you". You have given your opinion, I have given mine. No problem with that. [/QUOTE]GREAT ATTITUDE AND POST! I am with you on this. I for one appreciate the service they provide and always pay the fee for me and my girl even when I pick up from downstairs. We must support these places otherwise well, people know what happened when it was closed down.

[QUOTE=Mc Don;1108512]GREAT ATTITUDE AND POST! I am with you on this. I for one appreciate the service they provide and always pay the fee for me and my girl even when I pick up from downstairs. We must support these places otherwise well, people know what happened when it was closed down.[/QUOTE]Bloody hell, you and Sxxxx will have me in tears, hurting for the poor MBC. Maybe we should have a whip round on ISG for them or perhaps suggest to them that they register themselves as a charity. They could rename themselves St Mongers Home for Bewildered Punters or some such thing.

Despite their overheads and undoubted large kickback payments, I think that the prices they ask for food and drink would more than covers things and I'd wager that their balance sheets are still very healthily in the black. I imagine that their turnover is probably 5-10 times higher than most other bars of equivalent size in the area or indeed, all of Manila. Not bad for a down at heel sports bar in an insalubrious part of town.

Just wish that they had a serious competitor, rather than the virtual monopoly they seem to hold.

[QUOTE=Cunning Stunt;1108552]Just wish that they had a serious competitor, rather than the virtual monopoly they seem to hold.[/QUOTE]Now there is the question of the day / week / month / year. Given the fact that MBC is generally busy, why were places like Amazonia really not able to step into the void when they were closed. Realistically, FL bars that are decent bets boils down to MBC, Amazonia and maybe G-point. Amazed that others have not been able to get trade. I was in Southern Cross about 3 months ago. Both available ladies were just unacceptable, whereas MBC had at least a dozen that were decent enough.

CS has the facts right. Any insight on the reasons?

[QUOTE=Cunning Stunt; 1108552]Bloody hell, you and Sxxxx will have me in tears, hurting for the poor MBC. Maybe we should have a whip round on ISG for them or perhaps suggest to them that they register themselves as a charity. They could rename themselves St Mongers Home for Bewildered Punters or some such thing.

Despite their overheads and undoubted large kickback payments, I think that the prices they ask for food and drink would more than covers things and I'd wager that their balance sheets are still very healthily in the black. I imagine that their turnover is probably 5-10 times higher than most other bars of equivalent size in the area or indeed, all of Manila. Not bad for a down at heel sports bar in an insalubrious part of town.

Just wish that they had a serious competitor, rather than the virtual monopoly they seem to hold. [/QUOTE]My 2 cents: They are in business, and if I am to believe the kickbacks they had to fork out for the last couple of harassments they got, it will take them 3 years to recover it. Anyway, MBC does not over-charge, in my opinion, for food and drinks, and those who complain about the price of the food maybe haven't had mid-class meals in Philippines (I said Mid Class- not high end meal.)

After all, I am not a big spender, but spending about half the price of a similar meal for what I pay in Singapore, is not bad in my eyes, though many would beg to differ and insist that the price should be 1/10th. . Well, that's me.

As for monopoly- honestly, they do have competition, in other areas, and if another one comes up within walking distance to MBC, one of them's going to kick the bucket and we will be back to square one. That area can't have space for more than one MBC. And not that they are alone, they do have company. Di ba? Amazonia, G Point. Etc. .

[QUOTE=Econo Tech;1108849]And not that they are alone, they do have company. Di ba? Amazonia, G Point. Etc. .[/QUOTE]I think the general meaning of competition here is more bars within reasonable walking distance of EDSA. The closest known place to EDSA would be the Ms Universe and that is over 15-20min walk, and you can't even walk to G-point, Amazon as its a taxi ride or 12min jeepney ride there. So, unfortuately, EDSA is still a stand alone complex with very little to fear from others at this point. Of course back in the good old days before Mayor Lim crackdown and ruin Ermita / Malate it was a whole different story.

Just my own thoughts.

FZ