I had long heard of Problem Child in drinking circles, usually spoken about in the same breath as Manila’s more irreverent nightlife spots. But despite the buzz, I had never really found the chance to visit. A recent invite by Maya Black finally afforded me the opportunity to tumble down the rabbit hole and find out whether this latest “problem child” was really all it was cracked up to be.

Last April in Makati, the bar shed whatever familiar skin it once had and transformed into something far stranger and far more theatrical. The takeover was built around what organizers called “the green menu.” The space glowed in eerie absinthe-green hues, with lights bouncing off walls, hallways, and even the restrooms.

The crowd moved through the venue as if inside an immersive set piece, each room carrying the same mischievous visual language. Early in the evening, the atmosphere felt social and loose, with groups settling into cocktails and conversation. As the night deepened, the energy shifted. The music grew louder, the room denser, and the venue slowly transformed into a dance floor.

Behind the music was Margachi, whose selection of music kept the crowd animated well into the night. The soundtrack was chill and vibey without feeling forced, the sort of playlist that could make strangers sing together after a few rounds.

And there were plenty of rounds to go around.

The drinks menu leaned adventurous, playful, and occasionally absurd. One cocktail came with a gelatinized figure of a male member trapped atop a clear ice cube. With every sip, one had little choice but to awkwardly kiss the frozen figure Juvenile? Absolutely. Funny? Also absolutely. The crowd seemed to appreciate the joke.

Still, beneath the gimmicks was a drinks program that showed real creativity.

The Okane highball, inspired by a viral song and named after the Japanese word for money, mixed sake with muscat grapes, carbonation, and an assertive hit of wasabi. It sounded chaotic on paper but came together surprisingly well, balancing fruitiness with sharp heat.

Chartreuse? delivered something cleaner and brighter, combining gin, herbal liqueur, pickle brine, verjus, and soda water into a cocktail that felt both savory and refreshing. Green Stacks pushed things further with aged rum, seaweed distillate, kosho, salsa verde, and lime, resulting in a layered drink that tasted almost like a cocktail interpretation of umami.

For those wanting something gentler, Emerald softened the night with white rum, mint, cacao butter, and oat fermented with koji, all rounded out through milk clarification for a smoother finish.

Problem Child’s food held its own against the drinks. Too often, nightlife menus feel like an afterthought, but here, the kitchen understood the assignment. I had oodles of the bar’s sushi bake, which quickly became one of the night’s standouts. Rich, indulgent, and dangerously easy to keep eating between cocktails, it is a must-try for first-timers.

What makes Problem Child interesting is that it understands modern nightlife is no longer just about drinking. People now want spectacle, humor, atmosphere, music, and food that can sustain a long evening. This collaboration with Maya Black delivered all of that in unapologetically maximalist fashion.