Spread out the map of Zhongli’s night and paint it in five colors.
Each block has different people, lights up at a different hour, and prices differently. This piece does not run a timeline; Zhongli Friday night did that. It only writes each block plainly: for whom, when, who to warn off. Names and numbers come from the Zhongli registry.
Deep gold: Zhongyang West Rd, the old drinking turf
Sec. 1 and 2 of Zhongyang West Rd, plus Xingguo Rd beside it.
Sec. 2 of Zhongyang West Rd 120-5, 叁匠居酒屋, over 1,090 reviews, 4.4 stars; Xingguo Rd 67, 禾豐居酒屋(複合式), over 1,400 reviews, 4.8 stars, and No. 45, V bar 酒吧, over 380 reviews, 4.9 stars. For a massage after drinking, Sec. 1 of Zhongyang West Rd 131, 太上皇泰式按摩養身館, over 1,300 reviews, and Nos. 73 and 75, 謙守足體按摩行館-中央店（原天川養生會館）, over 2,700 reviews.
For whom: office workers, over thirty, people who want to sit and talk. When: eat at seven, switch to a bar at nine. Warn off: anyone wanting to dance or shout, this block has none of that.
Station front: Datong Rd, one road does it all
Out of TRA Zhongli, Datong Rd, numbers climbing.
No. 28, 鳥一番居酒屋, 670 reviews. No. 61, 路人養生館, a perfect score, over 1,840 reviews. No. 62, 玖貳零920lounge bar, 110-plus reviews. No. 105, 1F, 一點酒意 · 桃花源 / 1.91 BISTRO, over 320 reviews. No. 136, 凱悅 中壢店, 4.8 stars, over 3,470 reviews, the highest-rated of Zhongli’s five regular KTVs.
A hundred-odd addresses and eat, drink, sing, massage are all there. For whom: train arrivals, people who do not want to think, anyone chasing the last train. Last TRA train around midnight; singing until half past eleven is when to check your watch.
Around SOGO: rooms and SPA
The SOGO area at Yuanhua Rd 357. Zhongyang East Rd 88, 錢櫃 中壢中央店, over 4,400 reviews; Sec. 2 of Zhongmei Rd 137, 好樂迪中壢中美店, over 2,300 reviews; Sec. 1 of Zhongmei Rd 5, Eunice SPA 中壢中美館, over 1,800 reviews; Sec. 2 of Zhongmei Rd 144, 貳拾酒居酒屋, over 920 reviews.
For whom: parties of ten or more, family parties, drivers who park at SOGO. When: weekday afternoons have the lowest slot prices; book ahead after eight on Friday and Saturday. How to walk this block is in SOGO area at night.
One warning: Saturday at eight without a booking, do not circle this block, all five KTVs are full.
Chung Yuan: student prices
Daren 2nd St 31, 中原貳貳壹 bistro 「暢飲專門店」, a perfect score and over 2,020 reviews, the most-reviewed bistro in Zhongli. No. 15, 1F, #15Bistro 拾伍號餐酒館-暢飲, 210-plus reviews; Daren 5th St 2, LOCAL LAZE ｜餐酒館｜求婚、包場活動｜, 710-plus reviews.
All-you-can-drink, under NT$500 a head, posted prices rule. Weeknights fill in term time, especially after the September start; breaks are looser. For whom: early twenties, tight budgets, big groups. Late snacks continue at Chung Yuan Night Market, and Chung Yuan night market supper lists the stall zones.
Anyone over thirty-five will find it loud. That is not a flaw, it is the setting.
Qingpu: for people sleeping by the HSR
Sec. 1 of Qingfeng Rd 59, 夜更かしBar - 青埔餐廳、青埔餐酒館、青埔酒吧、鐵板燒酒吧、青埔早午餐｜朝の部, over 910 reviews, 4.8 stars; No. 55, M3 Bistro 餐酒館 | 人氣餐酒館 酒吧 美食餐廳 調酒 水煙 DJ BAR restaurant, over 390 reviews; Yongneng Rd 5, 睦月餐酒 青埔店, 660 reviews. Finish at Sec. 2 of Gaotie South Rd 265, 全壘打尊爵養生館 {HOMERUN MASSAGE}, over 1,690 reviews, 4.9 stars.
For whom: Qingpu residents and business travelers off the high-speed rail. About fifteen minutes by taxi from downtown Zhongli; a special trip does not pay.
Last train and designated drivers
TRA around midnight, Airport MRT A22 and A23 about the same. Four of the five blocks serve alcohol.
Open one and call a designated driver, leave the car. Pickups are easy late by the station and around SOGO; Qingpu takes a few minutes longer.