"Speakeasy" originally meant an illicit Prohibition-era bar with a hidden entrance. The modern meaning has loosened to cover any cocktail bar with a small footprint, an obscure entrance, and craft-cocktail-grade drinks. By that working definition, Petaling Jaya has a healthy speakeasy scene, with several venues that have earned strong reputations in the Klang Valley.
What "speakeasy" means in PJ in 2026
Modern Malaysian speakeasies share four features:
1. Hidden or obscured entrance. Behind a phone booth, behind an unmarked door, above another business, through a kitchen, down an alley. Finding the door is part of the experience.
2. Small capacity. 20-40 seats. Bartender knows your name by visit two.
3. Craft-cocktail focus. Not just bottle service. Fresh juice, hand-built infusions, classic-cocktail-canon competence.
4. Quieter than a nightclub. Music plays; conversation works. The point is the drink and the company, not the dance floor.
The PJ hidden-bar scene
Petaling Jaya is a particularly good speakeasy market because of three factors:
- Mixed-use neighbourhoods. Most PJ commercial streets have retail downstairs and offices upstairs. The "upstairs bar above a normal shop" template works.
- Cheaper rents than KLCC. Lets cocktail bars survive at independent scale.
- Loyal local crowds. A PJ bar with 30 regulars can hit Friday-night capacity without marketing.
Active speakeasy zones in PJ:
- Damansara Kim: a row of small craft venues on Jalan SS20/11 including Dissolved Solids above MyNews.
- Damansara Uptown / Utama: bigger venues, some hidden behind retail.
- SS2: small-format bars including Soluble Solids on Jalan SS2/24.
- Section 14, 17, 19: emerging cluster of bars above kopitiams and corner shops.
- Sunway / Bandar Sunway: craft bars attached to retail malls.
Dissolved Solids and Soluble Solids: are we speakeasies?
By the modern working definition: yes. By the original Prohibition definition: no (alcohol has been legal in Malaysia continuously for Muslim-majority adults). Our positioning:
Dissolved Solids · Damansara Kim: above MyNews on Jalan SS20/11. Small footprint (about 30 seats including the bar), horseshoe-shaped counter, no street-level signage, accessed by a staircase next to the convenience store. The Edge Malaysia described us in 2022 as having "a secretive speakeasy vibe" once the sun goes down.
Soluble Solids · SS2: small format on Jalan SS2/24, accessed via stairs. No fixed cocktail list; the bartender builds bespoke. Very local-coded; first-time guests usually arrive on a recommendation.
Both fit the "small, hidden-ish, craft-cocktail-led" profile. Neither leans on the Prohibition aesthetic (no phone booths, no password doors). We are craft cocktail bars that happen to be hidden, not theatrical speakeasies.
How to behave in a PJ speakeasy
Three short rules:
Reservations are encouraged but not required at most. WhatsApp the bar (or the reservation form). Walk-ins are usually welcome except on Saturday after 8pm.
Dress code is "considered casual". No singlets, no flip-flops at the higher-end venues. KL casual works at most.
Talk to the bartender. Bartenders at PJ speakeasies are pour-craft-trained and enjoy talking about the drink. "Surprise me with something gin-based" is a fair ask and produces a better drink than ordering off the menu.
What makes a great speakeasy experience
The drink, obviously. But also: arriving without having to fight for a parking space, not getting bumped by a passing waiter, the bartender remembering your last order. Small venues over big ones. Independent over chain. Bartender-led service over template-based.
The PJ scene rewards regulars. Walk in. Order the bartender's choice. Tip if you liked it. Come back. By visit three you have a regular bar.
Tatler recognition
For credentials: Dissolved Solids is listed in Tatler Asia's Best 20 Bars Malaysia in both 2025 (#6) and 2026 (#9). The Tatler list is the most-cited Malaysian bar ranking and includes the major PJ hidden-bar venues. Full press log here.
Common questions
Are there speakeasies in Petaling Jaya?
Yes. By the modern meaning of speakeasy, a small cocktail bar with an obscured entrance and craft drinks, Petaling Jaya has an active scene. Zones include Damansara Kim, Damansara Uptown, SS2, Section 14, Section 17 and Bandar Sunway. Dissolved Solids in Damansara Kim sits above a MyNews convenience store with no street level signage.
Are Dissolved Solids and Soluble Solids speakeasies?
By the modern working definition, yes: both are small, hidden craft cocktail bars. Dissolved Solids in Damansara Kim is up a staircase next to a MyNews, about 30 seats. Soluble Solids in SS2 is a small upstairs room with no fixed menu. Neither leans on the Prohibition aesthetic. They are craft cocktail bars that happen to be hidden.
Where are the hidden cocktail bars in PJ?
The active speakeasy zones are Damansara Kim on Jalan SS20/11, Damansara Uptown and Utama, SS2 on Jalan SS2/24, Sections 14, 17 and 19, and Bandar Sunway. Most sit above a normal shop or behind retail.
Do PJ speakeasies take reservations or walk-ins?
Most welcome walk-ins. Reserve for Friday and Saturday after 8pm or for larger groups. For Dissolved Solids WhatsApp +60 11-4008 7607. For Soluble Solids WhatsApp +60 11-1682 8651.
What is the dress code at a PJ speakeasy?
Considered casual. No singlets or flip-flops at the higher end venues. Smart casual works everywhere in the PJ scene.
How do I find Dissolved Solids in Damansara Kim?
It is at 43-1 Jalan SS20/11, above the MyNews convenience store. Take the staircase next to the shop. There is no street level signage. Street parking and a covered municipal car park are within a few minutes walk.