About Us
The Rum Doodle is one of Kathmandu’s oldest and most recognized meeting points.
Born of the necessity of providing a world class watering hole and wholesome, home-style fare to returning trekkers and mountaineers, the Rum Doodle has been actively fulfilling its role since the late 70’s, when it was founded.
Beginning its life as a Bar and Restaurant in Kathmandu’s Thamel district and as Kathmandu’s first ever Ice Cream Parlor on Kantipath, the Rum Doodle has gone through several metamorphoses since the early days. The Ice Cream Parlor was closed. And the Bar and Restaurant has changed locations several times- a new experience each time for returning customers- but we have retained our original ethos of providing a world class drinking experience and a wholesome and varied Bill of Fare.
The Rum Doodle remains under its original ownership and continues it tradition of welcoming back climbers, adventurers and travelers from around the world.
Rum Doodle, at 40,000 ½ feet, is the highest mountain in the world. Conquered trough the courage, bravery and skill of a handful of eccentric English mountaineers, with equally eccentric names – Ridley, Prone, Constant, Jungle, Shute and Wish. Rum Doodle
stands as a heroic monument to mountaineering-despite the seditious efforts of the expedition’s Yogistani cook “Pong”.
Since 1979, The Rum Doodle, its 40,000 ½ ft. Bar and Restaurant have been
a Kathmandu dining landmark. Although, originally opened in Kathmandu’s tourist district of Thamel, the earthquakes of April and May 2016 precipitated a move to Kathmandu’s new business district of Naxal.
Our new location,
opposite the Nepal Police Head Quarters has a garden setting, is fronted by wide, well-lit streets and footpaths, with parking for up to eight cars. It is close to prime residential areas, the shopping areas of Bhatbhateni
Superstore, City Centre Mall with its up market shopping experiences and cine-plexes and close to exciting new hotel and retail developments.
“The Ascent of Rum Doodle” by W.E. Bowman provided the inspiration for this Bar
and Restaurant. The book is on sale, ask to see a copy.
An evening at the Rum Doodle is truly an “on top of the world experience”. Here the tales are as tall as the mountains and the cocktails as bizarre as their names,
with one to suit every taste. A fine, cross section of international cuisine awaits you in a relaxed atmosphere, which speaks for true Nepalese hospitality.
There is more to the Rum doodle than inspired food and cocktails
with attitude.
As soon as you walk in you will notice them. Large white footprint cutouts with names, love songs, and the occasional swear words. Look closer. These were left by travelers, much like you, who visited the Rum Doodle and left their mark and advise for those that come after them, These footprints have been collected over a period of more than three decades and speak volumes. In fact, each footprint has a story to tell.
Square wooden boxes filled with signatures adorn one whole wall. This wall is, to the climbing community, what the “Hollywood Walk of Fame” is to the acting community. This “Wall of Fame” bears testimony to and is a tribute to
those select heroes of mountaineering – that select club of Everest Summiteers. Started many years ago around the autograph of Sir Ed. Hillary, the numbers have grown to include Uemura, Messner, Tabei, Ang Rita, Hall, Ball,
Viestures and Hinkes among 600 + others to form the largest collection of Everest Summiteers’ signatures in the world.
We have played host to other famous personalities as well. Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and Rosalyn
Carter were here. Former Japanese Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto visited frequently. Look out of these signatures among a host of others. Famous, infamous, notorious or otherwise.
In their October 7, 1985, issue Newsweek Magazine
named The Rum Doodle one of the best drinking places in the world.
In the February 1989 issue of Outside, the foremost outdoor magazine in the world, the Rum Doodle’s 40,000 ½ ft. Bar featured in a supplement entitled” Drinking”.
On
October 9 1989 Rum Doodle was presented the “Ballantine Award of Excellence”.
On 29 May 2003, live telecasts were made from the rooftop of the Rum Doodle by CNN and other international television channels on the occasion
of the 50th Anniversary of the conquest of Mt. Everest.
The Rum Doodle has featured, more recently, in The Travel Channel’s “The Booze Traveller” series.
Social Commitments
We firmly believe in business with a social conscience and to this end we are happy to take up collections for the Himalayan Rescue Association, a not for profit organization which is involved in the
research and alleviation of High Altitude Sickness and runs trekkers aid posts in Pheriche and Manang.