Bangkok bars and pubs guide
Many pubs boast bands, ales on tap and happy hours
Bars in Bangkok are plentiful, as the locals like to relax over a beer or bottle of whisky just as much as tourists and expats. The city has loads of choices; upmarket pubs, outdoor Thai venues with live music, trendy lounge places and, of course, the go-go variety that are confined to some areas. In all of them you’ll find good value for money.
Bangkok bars are typically atmospheric and scattered all over the city centre, though the most popular with foreigners are confined to neighbourhoods such as Sukhumvit Road, the Silom area and Khao San Road.
Whether you seek Bangkok bars full of girlies, or a place for some traditional English pub grub, there is something for everyone. The range is excellent and clusters of places make it easy to stumble from one to another. In some places you might feel in another world, while others will make you feel like you’ve never left home.
For a complete run down on the nighltife in Bangkok, check out this page this page. There are plenty of places to mingle with Thais and meet locals, as well as exclusive places with drinks prices in the same league as a big European city, keeping the ‘riff-raff’ out.
Generally, in Bangkok, the bars and pubs near the Sukhumvit area are likely to have more facilities and better service, yet will cost you a lot more, while some tatty places off Khao San Road are atmospheric but strictly for the bohemian crowd.
Bangkok bars in the Silom area
Vertigo: great place to go for unprecedented views over the city, Vertigo, at the top of the five-star Banyan Tree Hotel, comes at a price but is well worth it. Open: 17:00-01:00; Banyan Tree Hotel & Resort (61st Floor), 21/100 South Sathon Road, tel: (02) 679 1200.
Home: house music and a good cocktail bar bring in a mixed crowd to this trendy Silom bar. Silom Soi 4 (Sala Daeng BTS station).
Molly Malones: large pub on two floors with copious amounts of Guinness flowing and other beers on tap. Predominantly an expat crowd, a friendly bunch at that, and has regular live music and good food. Use Sala Daeng BTS station. 1/5-6 Soi Convent Road, Silom, tel: (02) 266 7160-1.
Upmarket bars in Bangkok
Bamboo bar: located in the Mandarin Oriental, it has a nice colonial tropics theme with a romantic and intimate feel. Live music nightly. 48 Oriental Avenue, tel: (02) 659 9000.
Living Room: a luxurious jazz bar with deep, comfy couches, uncrowded, and a discerning middle-aged clientele. World-class jazz outfits are often booked to perform live sets for the knowledgeable crowd here. Open: 09:00 to midnight; Sheraton Grande Hotel, 250 Sukhumvit Road, tel: (02) 649 8888.
Three Sixty: atop the Millenium Hilton, this bar offers excellent 360-degree views of the Bangkok skyline. Soft Jazz is played, furniture is very comfortable and the atmosphere is serene. Open: 17:00-01:00; 123 Charoennakorn Road, Klongsan, tel: (02) 442 2000.
Go Go bars in Bangkok
When talking about Bangkok bars, we shouldn’t neglect the many go go bars that make the city famous and are an attraction in themselves. These tend to be clustered in certain red light zones, some of which can appear quite sleazy and in your face.
Their sole purpose is to hook you up with a ‘bar girl’ for the evening and you will be faced with a troupe of forward, provocatively-dressed girls the moment you walk in, and hustled to buy a drink almost immediately. Drinks aren’t a bargain in these places and it won’t be long before one of these girls has sat herself down next to you and asked for a drink.
Either you can oblige and make a new friend, pass her up in favour of another you have your eye on, or tell them you’re not interested, in which case they soon leave you alone. Read more on go go bars.
Can you bring girls back to your hotel?
Some hotels don't mind you bringing bar girls back to your room as long as you are discreet, while others forbid it or will try to charge you extra. To save you the embarrassment we've enquired with all of them and listed those that are suitable for bachelors: see the list, rates and booking here (opens in a new window).
Bangkok bars in the Sukhumvit area
Gullivers: huge, air-conditioned bar with a large range of reasonably priced drinks and good Western food. Great for watching sport on the big screen. There's a couple of branches, one on Sukhumvit and the other Khao San Road. Lots of freely available ‘company’ but discretely behaved. Sukhumvit branch - 6 Sukhumvit Soi 5, Wattana, tel: (02) 655 5340-2; Khao San Road branch - 2/2 Khao San Road, Taladyod, Phranakorn, tel: (02) 629 1988.
The Bulls’s Head: very authentic British-style pub, with real ale and Guinness on tap. Ask for the congenial much loved manager Billy, and score 50 per cent discount deals on Sunday evenings ‘Toss the Boss’. 595/10-11 Sukhumvit Soi 33/1, Klongton, tel: (02) 259 4444.
The Cat House: located inside Nana Plaza, this non-go go bar has a happy hour from 19:00-21:00 in which you can drink as much beer as you like for 250 baht. Sukhumvit Soi 4 (Nana BTS station).
The Bus Stop Bar: a good escape from the chaos of nearby Nana Plaza, this ‘clean’ bar has a large open-air seating area and a good mix of Thai and expat customers. Sukhumvit Soi 4 (near Nana Plaza - Nana BTS station), tel: (02) 215 9222.
Titanium Vodka Bar: cool vodka bar - literally! Features a room with sub-zero temperatures in which shots of Russian vodka are sold and knocked back very quickly before returning to the relative warmth of the air-con in the main bar. Sukhumvit Soi 22 (Phrom Phong BTS station), tel: (02) 258 3758.
Cheap Charlies: as the name suggests, the main selling point of this place is the cheap beer! Little more than a wooden bar on the Soi with tables and chairs in front of it, this place gets surprisingly busy. Open: 16:00-01:00; Closed Sundays; 1 Soi Sukhumvit 11, Klongtoey (Nana BTS station), tel: (02)253 4648.
The Dubliner: lively, bustling Irish style pub with regular live music. Expat crowd, not the kind of place for a quiet drink but great for a dance and a few pints of Guinness. 440 Sukhumvit Road, Washington Square, Soi 22, tel: (02) 204 1841-2.
Old Skool: playing the hottest tunes from the 80s to present, Old Skool is a new hip hop, house and dance tunes venue in the trendy Ekkamai area. Happy Hour: 20:00-23:00 (buy 2 get 1 free and 50% off Asahi draft); Ekamai Road (between Ekamai Soi 12 and 14).
Bangkok bars in the Khao San Road area
Gazebo Bar: this large, popular and lively venue was recently voted among the best bars in the world in a Lonely Planet/Singha list. It features live music, DJs, food, pool tables, shishas and a busy dancefloor and usually gets going late. Get there before 23:00 for free entry. 44 Rooftop, Jakrapong Road, Pranakorn, tel: (02) 629 0705.
Lava: one of the more popular Khao San Road bars, this funky place plays mainly mainstream R&B and hip-hop. Typically of Khao San, the crowd is mainly tourists with a few groups of Thais joining the dance floor. Open: 20:00-02:00; 249 Khao San Road, tel: (02) 281 6565.
Suzie’s: popular with Thais, this long-running Khao San Road pub is well worth including on your pub crawl. Located down a small covered lane towards the ‘Burger King end’ of the street. East end of Khao San Road, tel: (02) 282 4459.
Brick Bar: often busy, nice atmosphere of travellers and party Thais in an open-air terrace (upstairs or vault-like downstairs) with its beer hall benches. Some great reggae, ska and funk is played here. Behind Buddy Lodge; 265 Khao San Road, Taladyod, Pranakorn, tel: (02) 629 4556.
Bangkok bars in other areas
Saxophone: well worth seeking out for the excellent live music, this buzzing place is situated right by the Victory Monument. Open: 18:00-02:00; 3/8 Victory Monument, Phayathai Road, tel: (02) 246 5472, email: saxophonepubbkk@hotmail.com.
The Rock Pub: a famous music venue that has been open since 1987 and features live original and cover bands nightly. You can sample local rock talent here and learn more on their website about gigs. They provide all kinds of Rock music from 1970's to today ranging from soft to Metal. Close to Siam Centre, it also serves food. Hollywood Street Building, Radchatewee (opposite of the Asia Hotel), tel: 081 493 5580.
Sarasin Road: is a strip of bars that have become trendy with the youthful crowd and has quite an atmosphere by night. It presents a good opportunity to go and party among the Thais, avoiding the more expensive tourist places. Bars like The Room, 70s Bar, Ad Here and Brown Sugar are some notables with funky décor, hip music and a fun crowd. Sarasin Road, north side Lumphini Park (BTS Ratchadamri station).
Gay and lesbian bars in Bangkok
Silom Road Soi 2, Soi 2/1 and Soi 4 is the main clusters of gay bars in Bangkok, where outdoor balconies line this pedestrianised cul-de-sac. Silom Soi 2 is the most popular, as it hosts DJ Station, while Silom Soi 2/1 features G.O.D. night club (after hours). The saunas here are well designed and clean.
@Richards: is a favourite, a genuine and friendly crowd active in the local gay scene. Open: 18:00 to midnight; 60/17 Silom Soi 2/1, Bangrak, tel: (02) 234 0459.
G.O.D. NightClub: Silom’s only gay, after hours nightclub. Open: to 06:00; Silom Soi 2/1 (next to @Richard’s Pub).
Telephone: on the mixed Silom Soi 4, this pub has regular beauty contests and monthly Mr and Mrs Telephone awards. 114/11 Silom Soi 4, tel: (02) 234 3279.
The Balcony: also on Silom Soi 4, this friendly place is generally busier than Telephone. 86-88 Silom Soi 4, tel: (02) 235 5891.
DJ Station: for a more energetic, lively gay venue try DJ Station on Silom Soi 2, (Sala Daeng BTS station). Open: 22:00-02:00; 8/6-8 Soi Silom 2, tel: (02) 266 4029.
Utopia: features Ladies Night on Friday, Valentine’s dinners and other special events. Sukhumvit Soi 23 (Asoke BTS station), Open: 22:00-02:00.
Updated and correct: January 2012
