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Brian Kennett
Amateur Chef and Boozy Traveling Foodie Extraordinaire
Cafe Colbar Singapore Review:
Colbar Review: Welcome, food lovers! Today, we’re taking you on a nostalgic trip back in time to a restaurant that is Singapore’s legendary canteen-turned-foodie-heaven that looks like it’s straight out of the 1950s. 🕰️✨
💥 What’s coming up in this historic taste-test experience?
🏚️ A restaurant frozen in time – Will we find a menu written on a chalkboard? Maybe some old-school soda bottles? Let’s find out! CASH-ONLY remember!!!
🍛 British Hainanese comfort food – Curry rice, chicken chops, gammon ham egg and chips and possibly the most old-skool Western food in Singapore!
😂 Is the food worth the trip? – Or will we leave saying, “Ah, at least the nostalgia is free”?
Cafe Colbar Review: Contents
Cafe Colbar Singapore Review 2025
Cafe Colbar Singapore Review, short for ‘Colonial Bar’, is a charming eatery located at 9A Whitchurch Road, Singapore 138839. Originally established in 1953 as a canteen for British military personnel, it has since evolved into a beloved spot that offers a nostalgic glimpse into Singapore’s past. The rustic decor, complete with vintage memorabilia, transports you back in time, providing a unique dining experience that contrasts with the city’s modern landscape: fast growing up around it.
Cafe Colbar Menu
The Colbar menu features a mix of Western and Asian dishes, reflecting its historical roots. One standout item is the chicken curry, which has garnered praise for its rich and flavourful sauce.
Another popular choice is the fish and chips, noted for its light batter and fresh fish. According to a review on ‘Atas Cheapo’, the fish was “crispy on the outside, and moist and tender inside,” emphasizing its quality preparation.
Customer reviews further attest to Colbar’s appeal. On TripAdvisor, the restaurant holds a rating of 4.0 out of 5, based on 117 reviews. One patron commented on the “nice environment” and recommended the “chicken curry“ and “pork chop” as must-try dishes. Another reviewer on Yelp appreciated the historical significance of the place, stating it’s “a cultural colonial landmark” and “a must-see on my SG list.”
While some visitors find the food to be “mediocre and less-than-exciting,” as mentioned in a review in a food blog, others are drawn to Colbar for its nostalgic ambiance and the opportunity to experience a piece of Singapore’s history. Whether you’re a history enthusiast or simply looking for a unique dining spot, Colbar offers a distinctive experience that harks back to a bygone era: it is NOT Michelin Star, and remember: it is CASH-ONLY!!!
This is possibly the best chicken curry you’ll have crossed your lips. Super-savoury, with warming heat and just umami goodness. We get this with toast and chips and dip away in the sublime sauce. As a Brit, this reminds me of boozed-up end-of-nights with the boys and getting a Chinese Chip Shop Curry and Chips to eat on the way home. This cannot be beaten and is a MUST-TRY.
Now, this dish reminds me of my dear grandfather, Joe. Whenever Mum would take us to the countryside for a pub lunch, Joe would always order the ham and eggs. And that ‘tradition’ now lives on in me and my kids. Another MUST-TRY. Get some salt and vinegar on this, and then dip it in HP Sauce. I am getting emotional haha…
What a smorgasbord that is and shows the variety here of East meets West. Kway Teow, Chicken Curry, Ham Egg and Chips, Lamb Chops, Toast and even a TsingTao beverage: WOOF!!!
Cafe Colbar Review: final thoughts for 2025
Cafe Colbar is one of those places that feels like stepping into a time capsule, where the pace slows down and the food is served with a side of nostalgia by a three-generation family. It’s not the flashiest spot in Singapore, but that’s exactly what gives it its charm. The menu sticks to simple, well-loved classics, and while some dishes shine brighter than others, the experience is about more than just the meal.
Whether you’re here for a plate of old-skool Western fare, a quiet escape from the city, or just to soak up the vintage vibes, Colbar delivers something special. As one TripAdvisor reviewer put it, “It’s like dining in a living museum—if museums served beer and Hainanese pork chops.” So, if you’re looking for a spot with history, character, and a curry that has people talking, this is a MUST-TRY for your list. We love you Colbar!!!
Cafe Colbar Review: I cannot believe it has been a full seven years since we last visited Colbar. I searched iPhotos, and the last I could find was when our BFF Gordy left us to move to Malaysia. Clarky, Woody, Kev, Paul and all the ladies and kids were present, and we had a stonking afternoon. But it was before Jude.
It really was that long ago which is just crazy. I really cannot quite believe it. So today we change that. We’re off to the Natural History Museum, see that blog on ninakennett.net which is sort of across the road from Colbar. So it made perfect sense to visit. We hit them hard. We were the 2nd arrivals for them today, rocking up at 1130am. And thank goodness for that as it got rammed about midday, like RAMMED!!!
I absolutely noticed an increase in the $$$ status of the place. When you have individual dishes up around the $35 mark, you really are expecting best-of-best and potential fine dining. But for those who have been here, that is not what this is. It’s punchy now on the $$$ front, and it is in the middle of nowhere, so add $50++ of taxi fares, and it is not a cheap date. But I suppose you pay for the entire experience, not silver-service, but what do you expect from Colbar.
Honest and just so good, no-frills food. That’s what you get!!! That’s why people keep going back again and again.
Let’s have brunch and a look at:
Colbar Review: seven years ago...
This place is timeless. It really does not change. It does not age. And that includes the staff/owners. Nan and her granddaughter were here today, and they look EXACTLY the same as they did 7 years ago. Quite amazingly so, actually. Makes you wonder if Colbar is in some time-warp thingy like the series DARK from Netflix. Looking good, ladies!!!
Everything is the same. The boards with the Japanese Kanji from the occupation during WWII, to the picnic chairs and tables. It is exactly the same. I told you we got there early, and it was empty apart from one guy on his own who was on the hooch at 11 am, bless.
It’s so quirky here, AKA retro. Sort of 70’s hits 80’s. Long may it stay this way. It’s just charm. It’s the ethos of Colbar. It’s why you love it. Can’t quite put your finger on it, but you just love it. All ages.
You’ve got to love those fridges. One of the most-stocked cider & real-ale restaurants on Red Dot, if you don’t mind it from the bottle, that is. They have an incredible array of different brands and flavours. I had Tsingtao to start & a cloudy lemon cider to finish. There’s either end of the scale as an example. I think the library of books might a wee re-stock though.
Here’s the Uncle with his flawless system of ordering and taking payment – still religiously ONLY accepting cash with a hand-written ticket system for the kitchen. But he did mess up our order today as we had a beef bee hoon arrive by mistake and no mushroom soup as ordered. Looking at the scribblings, I cannot comment. Maybe flawless is the wrong word to use…
But when you get the chicken curry, all is forgiven. This thing is just off-the-charts the best chicken curry ever. It really is. Goodness only knows what secret ingredients they have put in this? It’s all in the sauce. I have this with chips and toast. It reminds me of Margate days after a good night out getting curry and chips from the local Chinese.
Memories flood back. This is just exceptional. Jude Jude had a go at this with me too bless him, and it is quite pokey on the chilli front. Proud to say the 6-year-old loved it too. It is a stellar dish. I and #1 are purists at Colbar, and both of us had this today.
I also ordered this beauty. I have to get malt vinegar on something when I eat at Colbar, and there is nothing better than this dish for that. It is heavenly. Angels sing when this all gets muddled together. Some salt, the vinegar, the bacon & beans and some egg yolk and then spuds…
Holy sh!t it is amazing!!! My two dishes would keep me coming back. Again, I am bemused as to why it has taken seven bloody years. Perhaps due to all my mates leaving Red Dot?
Strawberry Blonde goes hard on the Pork Chop with chips and peas. Another simple dish, but a dish of simple beauty. So bloody good.
Wifey & Jude Jude decide to share lamb chops, but Jude Jude ends up eating all my lovely vinegar and salted chips and my bacon to boot. Love my co-pilot, so that’s all good, always of course. Wifey said lamb was OK… Read into that what you will.
11th October 2020. No more than five. Masks if not eating/drinking. Distancing. Almost no talking…
2013. Darling Buds of May sized family tables, all on it, having fun, sharing, shouting, laughing and giggling – damn you Covid-19!!! Missing our mates too!!!
Colbar Review Final Thoughts
And this crew at Colbar for it all from here. I am seriously impressed, gentlemen of the kitchen. You rock!!! Not a sous vide in site either, which I love to see haha!!!
The food was just so very good. It really was. So sad now to have left it for 7 years. But looking back at those photos and seeing the mates and family crew that no longer reside here in Singapore, I kind of get it. It really was a family gathering back in the day – you know who you are. It was a gang of us that used to frequent here. But they are now all spread to the four winds in the UK, Portugal, New Zealand and the like.
We do miss our mates. But since then, there has also been new stuff, including our very own Jude Jude, of course. One day we’ll all have a reunion, I am sure, and I am certain that Nan, Mum and Daughter will still be serving, only taking cash and serving up the best chicken curry a $ can buy. If you have never been, it is an institution that you must try one day. It is a MUST!!! Just do it and ENJOY!!!
What is good at Colbar?
Hainanese Pork Chops at Colbar are highly recommended and considered an institution of the restaurant. It is a dish that visitors should try if they only eat one thing there. Additionally, Colbar is known for its old-school selection of Hainanese western food and Chinese zhi-char dishes.
What is the history of Colbar Singapore?
Colbar Singapore was established in 1953 as a canteen for the British army and their families stationed in the Wessex Estate area of Singapore. The establishment was named “Colbar,” short for “Colonial Bar,” due to its history as a gathering spot for colonial-era expats in the area
Does Colbar Take Credit Cards
No, No, No… Colbar is strictly CASH-ONLY. They do not even accept PayNow. Old-Skool, folks. I have been a few times with no cash, and they allow me to come back and pay the next time we visit: true story!!!
Colbar Contact Details
Telephone: 6779 4859
Colbar Opening Hours
- Tuesday to Sunday: 11:30am-8:30pm
- Monday: closed
Colbar Address
Address: 9A Whitchurch Rd, Singapore 138839
