Omakase + Appreciate

Omakase + Appreciate
As I sit on the plane writing this review, I am still confused and mind boggled how Omakase + Appreciate is rated and said to have Kuala Lumpur’s best cocktails. How? Still don’t understand.
People seem to really like the man behind the drinks, Karl Too, but during ALL of my interactions with him, he’s just extremely stucked up — like, ‘I know I’m the shit and make great cocktails, why do you want to order something off menu? Do you even know what you want?’ …
First of all, this place is Omakase and written in articles as a bar that you can leave it up to the bartender to make your drink, which I did, and I’d imagine they would want to make a drink for you after finding out what kinda drinks you typically like to drink or what you feel like having that night. Karl just did not seem pleased when I told him there’s a really good Pegu Club I like having back in HK and fires back that’s a really simple drink. Ok Mr. Karl Too, even if that is a simple drink to make, it still tasted better than what you made me. Then he goes and questions me to tell him what he ingredients are in the drink he made me and refused to tell me when I asked… I’m just a guest wanting to enjoy a good cocktail, but instead I got mediocre cocktail where I felt like the bartender was challenging me in every way possible with a terrible demeanor.
I tried giving him another chance. At first I ordered a whisky cocktail because they can’t seem to make me a gin drink without being sweet. Then after I told him the first drink is on the sweeter side and not strong enough, so he can decide what to make as my second drink with a gin base, the second drink was still just very meh. At that point I’m sure he can tell I’m not wowed but his drinks and he just ignored me and my friend and probably wanted us to leave his supposed speakeasy. And that we did. My friend was going to order another drink and that’s when I suggested let’s go to another bar for drinks, which my friend gladly agreed to and then we left. My friend wasn’t impressed with his drink either and when I tried it, I can tell why. It was completely watered down by tons and tons of ice. I felt like it was just water with a tiny bit of alcohol in it
This speakeasy is one I don’t plan to go back to nor would recommend it to anyone. While it is listed as having one of the best cocktails in KL, I’d have to say I beg to differ as the second location we went to had much better drinks.
Sorry I’m not sorry, Karl. Maybe next time you can treat your customers nicer, and with respect.
Drink: ²⁄₅
Service: ¹⁄₅ There were two girls here at the speakeasy, on top of Karl (making all the drinks). Making it it three people in the small shop. One of the girls didn’t seem to know what she was doing and the other girl didn’t seem to do much. My friend asked one of the girls what her favorite drink is at the bar, she didn’t have one. Then he proceeded to ask what her top three favorite drinks are at the bar, and she couldn’t answer that either… Ok then… Time to hit up a different venue!
Ambiance: ²⁄₅ Sitting at the bar seems cleaner and nicer than the other super old looking furniture they have in the bar
Overall: ¹⁄₅
Highlight: None
Verdict: Not planning on ever coming back. Subpar service for subpar drinks. I think I’ll just take my money elsewhere, to a place that I can actually enjoy the staff, drink, and ambiance.

Karl Too and Shawn Goh are the best mixologists in town, in my humble opinion. When they opened up this speakeasy-​style cocktail bar, I couldn’t be more thrilled.
Featuring a season-​changing cocktails menu, you can either choose a drink from Karl’s and Shawn’s specials or just leave it the guys to decide for you. Either way, you are in safe hands.
Drinks are spectacularly delicious and well-​balanced, leaving you wanting more after each glass. These guys are simply cocktails genius. A little bird told us that they’ve just opened up another speakeasy recently. And we can’t wait to find that new secret entrance.

I love Omakase + Appreciate for their guerrilla-​style cocktail making. I reckon it’s the most exciting bar in KL just for the bartenders’ ability to come up with something exciting on a whim. And they’re always doing crazy stuff using crazy ingredients — it’s the kind of place you want to go if you like experimenting with drinks, or you like to taste someone else’s experiment.
Omakase is a speakeasy so the entrance is disguised as a ‘no entry’ bar in Bangunan Ming Annexe. That’s another reason to love Omakase — every time you’re here, there’s a sense of mystery, like no one will be able to find you even if you’re sipping whiskies or cocktails in a bar. It’s definitely a hidden gem in the middle of the city.