Review: Le Cyrcee in Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Le Cyrcee is a very well established Phnom Penh bar that is situated away from almost every other girlie bar in the city. The bar operates on a different model than every other bar in the capital and it has developed a loyal customer base. It could accurately be described as a short time bar.

For many years Cyrcee, also known as “the secret bar”, was located on Street 49 near the Central Market. Recently it changed locations and moved around the corner. It is now located on Street 130 but quite a distance from the more well known row of bars on the same street that includes Angry Birds. In its new location Cyrcee is not so secret since there is an illuminated sign outside of the bar projecting the bar name brightly in red and black.

Ladies at Cyrcee

There are no ladies seated outside of Cyrcee at any time. Unlike other bars the ladies at Cyrcee wait inside for customers to step through the frosted glass doors and into the small bar. Also unlike the other hostess bars in town the women who work at Cyrcee aren’t all that interested in lady drinks.

When customers enter Cyrcee they are usually surrounded by some of the twenty or so women on staff. The gals can get quite hands on while trying to get invited to join customers. They do accept lady drinks though as mentioned that’s not the ultimate goal.

Inside the bar

At Cyrcee the women are most interested in being taken out of the bar usually for a short time. Customers do have to buy one lady drink any lady they want to take out of the bar though the drink itself is more symbolic than anything.

While some customers like to have a few drinks and spend time in the bar most have a few quick gulps before selecting one or more of the gals on staff to sit and drink. Quickly after they usually pay a ten dollar bar fine for each girl they like and go across the street to a guest house that charges $7 USD for temporary use of a room.

The gals themselves can be reticent to ask for specific compensation for their time. Few can speak much English and even those who do seem to be partial to the nondescript price quote “up to you”. A sort of regular price scheme has been established overtime however so that most customers in the know give tips of thirty dollars to each woman they spend a short amount of time with. Of course there are others who give more including tourists who sometimes report paying up to three or four times the regular rate.

Services and skills

None of the women at Cyrcee are masters of the English language but most know enough small words and body language to navigate their sessions smoothly. Nearly all of the women are quite skilled at their work too and willing and able to perform orally along with covered full service.

While Cyrcee is known for the abundance and eagerness of women on staff the place is certainly not known for employing very attractive women. In fact the opposite could stated. At the same time there are definitively attractive women who work at Cyrcee including one or two who most men would probably describe as extremely good looking.

At any place that staffs twenty or so women every night of the week there is going to be variation. For the most part the women who work at Cyrcee are in their twenties. There are a few older gals who work the bar as well. Most all the ladies are height and weight proportionate though some show signs of previous pregnancies and a couple might even be overweight by local standards. Three-and-a-half stars.

Le Cyrcee. 182 Street 130, Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Click here for a map. Open every day from 6:00 PM until 2:00 AM. Website: http://www.cyrcee.com