Houhai Area

The Buffalo, the biggest bar and restaurant at Lotus Lake Market
By Annie Wei

When I first saw The Buffalo’s purple-colored sign opposite Yashou market, I thought it was another real estate ad, but it turned out to be an advertisement for a spacious bar. As I remembered, when the establishment opened in Houhai after Lotus Lake Market launched in 2004, it had only one store with impressive delicately-carved wooden doors and windows. Now, it has expanded and become the biggest bar and restaurant around the Houhai area.

Why is the bar called The Buffalo? According to the bar manager, the name is derived from the stone buffalo, which represents fortune and grains in the US Midwest. The Beijing Buffalo bar owner used the name and tried to build a haunted house for the Beijing celebrities from his imagination. So, there are two buffalos in Beijing’s famous Houhai lotus lake market. One represents the past and one the future.

Many bars tend to use cheap materials to decorate their premises, but The Buffalo spent some real money. For example, each chair and table is made from one-hundred-year-old wood, placing the value of each chair in excess of 1000 yuan. There are lots of hanging green plants and lace that create a mysterious Southeast Asian style.

The most special object in the bar is the ice container. The manager said there were only two of its kind in the world, another is in a Las Vegas’ casino. You should also check out the basement where you’ll discover many big and small candles as well as floating water lilies to create a very mysterious atmosphere.

Last weekend, I was showing a Canadian friend around and we walked through the over-crowded Lotus Lake Market. There were many visitors sitting outside The Buffalo, enjoying their Houhai night. The newly-expanded areas of the place are decorated in different styles and seem quite spacious for customers to sit and not be bothered by the wandering crowds.

It can be a good place for some fun dates, enjoying the breeze from the lake and the romantic atmosphere created by the glowing candles. Here are my tips for successful dating at this expensive place: do not take someone who wants to rush into marriage and is wondering if you will make a suitable future spouse or somebody boring who is always trying to figure how much you make per month. Take someone who is fun, relaxed and a little sexy and you will definitely have a good time at The Buffalo.

Buffalo
Where: 6 Hehua Shichang, Xicheng
Open: 11am to late night
Tel: 6617 2146