Your Local Pubs and Hangouts in Bangkok

[Sean Moran]

If you're up north in Bangkok towards Don Muang or Nonthaburi, the bar used to be called the Country Saloon but I believe they were doing some renovations just around the time I had to leave Thailand two years ago. Hopefully they've maintained the western style that was its trademark back then. It's in Lak Si on Chaengwattana, on the south side, just across the road from the Tesco Lotus if I remember.

Drinks and meals are well-priced and the staff are friendly without the sort of bother that some places around Sukhumvit might burden you with. It's probably a good thing to leave some sort of tip when you settle your tab, and if you sit at the bar alone there might be one of the staff on a break who'll drop by for a chat and a drink or two to keep you from getting bored, (until they get to know you don't need to practice your vocal pitch because the band is about to start in half an hour and you're ready to karaoke (mainly western covers for music: 70s+ rock sort of stuff)).

That's the best part of all. The house band that plays every night I remember after around 20:00 or 21:00. The keyboard player is a star, and the saxophonist gets on for quite a few numbers, as well as any number of freelance musos who might get on stage for a few songs. Lead vocalists tend to differ from night to night, but as you'd expect from a lot of Thai bands, the sound is always rehearsed to studio quality, even if some of the vocals might not get the pronunciation you're used to. These guys play from the sheet music!

Quite a way out north of Bangkok, but good value for money, no pressure, and first class live music.

[DocN]

I enjoy my nightlife in Hard Rock cafe st Siam Square.

Havent been there for ages!
Thanks for reminding me!

[fast eddy]

If you're looking for great live blues/jazz and funk, I can recommend Ad hoc which is on Samsen Rd, opposite soi 2 and just over the hump back bridge (on your left with your back to Khao San Rd). Get there early if you want a seat but there are many little bars along that first stretch of Samsen. Alternatively, go back towards khao San Rd to the crossroads and turn rigght into Pra Artit Rd and follow the road towards the river and around the bend opposite the white castle. Some lovely restaurants and bistros inhabited by students from Thammasat University. Quite a bohemian flavour to the area! Enjoy

[andy_karn]

If you're not going out to be seen, and don't want to spend a fortune on a German beer that you can't even pronounce the name of, and where you don't have to listen to the same rap song played by a dozen different artists who sound exactly the same, why not stop off at one of the tables along Sukhumvit Soi 13-15 from 11:00pm-6:00am(ish), where, for the price of B200, you can get a bottle of Sang Som, 2 cokes, a bucket of ice and sit back with the social classes passing by. I have done just this for many years...but now I am a degenerate pervert with a tendency to bark out of context at random occasions....but happy!

[David K]

With a carefully selected range of shops, J Avenue in Thonglor, Soi 15, must be one of the best upmarket hangouts in Bangkok. Being an outdoor shopping mall it has more vibrancy and character than the more uniform indoor malls.

With Au Bon Pain and iberry it has a 'cafe culture feel' ready to meet up with friends or discuss things over a notebook or two. With an Apple Store, art gallery on the top floor (next to Heineken Greenspace), international supermarket (Villa Market) and a spectrum of places to eat and drink. This is a cosmopolitan place appealing to media types and once you have your bearings there are other excellent restaurants, bars & spas in the surrounding district waiting to be discovered.

Plenty of places to park, if driving. And just under 1km from nearest skytrain BTS Thong Lo (take a taxi to/from Soi 15 for 35 Baht each way).

Expats from all over the world (i.e. not tourists) have been living in Thonglor for many years so there seems to be little pestering going on.

[gredang]

I like to go to a place called "Volk Bar" a lot.
It is right on BTS Ratchathewee (unfortunately DIRECTLY by the roadside, which spoils the atmosphere a little), opposite the Asia Hotel.

The food is good, mostly Thais come here...so you better bring a thai-freind, otherwise you might have difficulties to get what you want...but people are freindly the music is good...and it's easy to get there and away by BTS.

If you have a little more money to spend and you are an italian-food-fan: the BRIO'S at the Marriott Bangkok hotel, is the place to be!

Yes, i went to that pub also.. got to know the staffs there and they are indeed friendly... or maybe i'm a foreigner to them? hahaaa... but anyway the place there was ok, in the sense, maybe not as messy as the rest of the pubs in other places? Can i consider that as family pub? hmm..

There another pub that i always go whenever i visit Thailand.. is at Onut Soi 21/1, opposite the Toyota showroom. I pub name is called 'Ho Lap Pa' (spell something like that?) Well, it looks like a family pub, and i guess there wont have any foreigners visiting there as it is too outskirt? Got to know one of the waitress there but no longer working there now. Food there is very nice, esp the catfish salad and their prawn cakes... Of coz wat i like abt is that, the place has a live band which sings Thai songs.. Maybe i will prefer that?

guys!

[bangkoksimon]

I like a game of pool and a beer after work - my usual haunt is the Bamboo on Soi 3 ( Nana ) - 50 baht for all drinks from 7-9 make it a cheap early night out and no hassle from the ladies for drinks which makes a change from the normal Sukhumvit bars - and you can't beat Morning Night on Soi 4 for a loud roudy place - getting expensive for the beers though at 130 baht a pop now .
Bangkok Simon

[Sean Moran]

Welcome to the forum Simon , and thank you for the Soi 3 recommendation.

[sulasno]

Try Tawandaeng German Beer house. Food, entertainment, service and beer are great (brewed on the premises) and the prices are extremely reasonable. The live band switches from Thai Pop, Thai Country to Western music every other song so to get everyone going. I'm a regular there and strongly recommend.

The original one is on Narathiwat & \\ //// 3 intersection... 5-10 minutes from Silom & Sathorn road. Here's there web-site

http://www.tawandang.co.th

Have fun guys.

SARDINES

Have you been to the Ram Intra branch? seems a lot bigger than R a m a III

[vertigo05]

Sul,

The Happy Beer Garden, opposite Patpong, food is good and cheap, the girls who work there will take good care of you, gets really busy though, but its great for people watching.

The music bar in the middle of Patpong, is good (not a girlie bar), great live music and again a great place for people watching.

Vertigo Bar, Top of Banyan Tree Hotel, a dress code is implimented, views are fantastic, but is very expensive.

Silom Village, Silom Road, food great, Bangkok Prices, staff are very good, Live shows, good for people watching.

O'neals or O'Rileys (not quite sure), Irish Bar, Suraswong Road, great atmosphere and good place to watch Premier league football.

Street Market, Soi 9 (i think) Silom Road food is great