Chai Yo! Our Favourite Bars in...Bangkok
17 august 2023
As befits the world’s most visited city, Bangkok is positively bursting with bars, from cheap hole-in-the-wall joints serving cold bottles of Chang to chic, upscale hideaways where skilled mixologists conjure up bespoke cocktails on demand.
It’s impossible to list all the good ones in just one article, so our experienced team of barflies have put their heads together to come up with a list of ten of our favourites…
008
Eight floors up and overlooking the upscale enclave of Thonglor, 008 is intimate, stylish and the ideal spot for anyone looking for a relaxed, sophisticated night out without the noise or crowds. 008 is famous for its cocktails, and brings in guest mixologists from all over the world to keep things fresh. Live jazz provides the perfect finishing touch for a truly classy evening.
Biscuit Bar
In recent years Soi Nana, a once nondescript street of shophouses on the edge of Chinatown, has been turned into a hip nightlife hub, with tiny bars such as Teens of Thailand and jazz bar Brown Sugar pulling in the crowds. Biscuit Bar sits just off the main drag and is a narrow, welcoming little joint run by some of Bangkok’s best known old-school DJs – expect classic golden age hip-hop along with a range of local beers and craft cocktails.
Chit Beer
A cult favourite amongst Bangkok beer lovers, and the ‘beer’ element of our Bikes, Boats & Beer experience, Chit Beer is probably the hardest bar to get to on this list, but it’s worth the journey. Located on the island of Koh Kret to the north-west of the city, Chit is open weekends only and serves an ever-changing list of their own craft beers, in a beautiful riverside location. Throw in tasty Thai snacks, live music and even a cruise boat should you wish to drink on the water, and you have a truly unique drinking experience.
Doma
Oozing vintage chic from every nook and cranny, this converted shophouse in Bang Rak is a cosy, welcoming spot to enjoy classic cocktails, wines and beers amongst a young, fashionable crowd. Daily happy hours pull in the crowds early evening, with later hours livened up by DJs and occasional live bands.
Hair of the Dog
The last five years have seen an explosion in the number of craft beer outlets in the city, but the quality is highly variable. At Hair of the Dog you may be paying premium prices, but you’ll be drinking beers kept and served by passionate craft brew experts. 13 rotating taps, hundreds of bottles, great food and two central locations make HOTD the craft beer connoisseur’s choice.
Jack's Bar
However long a person stays in the city, it is inevitable that at some point they’ll end up in Jack’s. A Bangkok institution, this unassuming little wooden shack on the banks of the Chaophraya has been doing what it does best for over 20 years – serving up cheap, big bottles of local beer, a surprisingly extensive selection of wines, and great home-cooked Thai food to locals, expats and tourists alike. Come for the river views, stay for the often rowdy ambience. All human life is here.
J Boroski
Another Thonglor bar, J Boroski has been a fixture on Bangkok’s high end bar scene for over 12 years now, and has won multiple awards both for its drinks and for its gorgeous, opulent interior design. This hidden away bar has a real speakeasy feel to it, and its expert mixologists will craft drinks based on personal conversations with you. If you only visit one cocktail bar during your stay in the city, make it this one.
Smalls
Opened by New York photographer David Jacobson, founder of the infamous Q Bars in Saigon and Bangkok, Smalls has created an artsy, jazzy late night scene on its two small floors and open-air rooftop of an old corner shophouse off Sathorn road. Live DJs and jazz bands perform for Bangkok’s conversational crowd, a cool mix of writers, travelers, artists and F&B professionals.
Mahaniyom
This new Bang Rak cocktail bar leapt straight onto the hallowed Asia’s 50 Best Bars list thanks to its lavish rococo interior, innovative snacks, and most importantly, its highly creative cocktails, each named after its primary ingredient – if you’re feeling brave, try a glass of Squid or Cow (or go for something a little more conventional like Pineapple). Mahaniyom has made a big name for itself in a very short time and after your visit there you’ll see why.
Swing Bar
You may have noticed a distinct absence of rooftop bars on this list, despite Bangkok being famous for them. Each to their own we say, but whilst a visit to a rooftop bar may be on many tourists’ Bangkok bucket list, too many of them are overpriced tourist traps lacking that genuine bar ambience. But there are a few hidden rooftop gems, Swing Bar being one of them. The location – on the roof of a budget hostel – may seem unremarkable, but the views over Wat Suthat and the Giant Swing are spectacular, especially at sunset.
