The Madhouse Taproom

The Madhouse is a ground-floor taproom at 16 Yim Po Fong Street in Mong Kok, and it stands apart from most Hong Kong craft bars by building its list around beer it imports itself. Rather than leaning on local kegs, the team sources directly from breweries abroad and is the official Hong Kong distributor for Norway's Amundsen, Scotland's Tempest, Wales's Polly's Brew Co and Cornwall's Verdant. Expect Norwegian stouts, Scottish wild ales, Dutch IPAs and Belgian lambics rarely seen elsewhere in the city, with the occasional Hong Kong guest.

There are 20 rotating draught lines, split between those core imports and guest taps from local brewers, plus craft ciders. The list changes constantly and is steered by a team with genuine knowledge of styles, history and dispense, so it is worth asking what has just gone on. Fresh beer can go home with you too: The Madhouse says it is Hong Kong's only craft venue with a counter-pressure bottle filler.

The kitchen makes a point of cooking without MSG or chicken powder, and the menu is built to stand up to big beers: Chinese braised snacks made to a family recipe, Evil Spam Fries, pork belly nachos, spicy wings and other Hong Kong fusion bites. The compact but lively room fills from the after-work crowd onwards and stays busy late; the bar's own site lists opening from 3pm daily, until 1am Sunday to Thursday and 2am on Fridays, Saturdays and the eves of public holidays. Tables can be reserved through the website, which is sensible for groups at weekends.

This is the original and smaller of two branches; the other, The Madhouse CWB, is in Causeway Bay. Mong Kok suits drinkers who want something they have not tried before, and who are happy to trade a little elbow room for one of the most distinctive tap lists in Kowloon.