Opened: December, 2009

The buzz: The name clearly hints at beer, but no micro-brewery here­—not even a long list of imported brews (sorry but Hoegaarden doesn’t count). Located in Silom’s Food Channel, an enclave of flavorless franchises or franchise-like restaurants, Barley will appeal to office workers in search of a place to knock back a few whiskey sodas on the cheap before heading back home.

The décor: The bar is a sizeable air-con room done up in a “modern chic” style, which in this case means a dark dual color scheme, leatherette sofas, grey walls covered in stencil art and barley stalk-shaped décor items. There’s a rooftop but the fourth story views are blocked by high-rises on all sides.

The music: An acoustic band (every Wed, Sat, Sun) rolls out pop and jazzy tunes for the good part of the evening before a slightly upbeat playlist finishes off the night.

The price: Cocktails B180, wine B220 (glass), beer B130, whisky B1,300 and mixers B30. Thai fusion food starts from B80.

The crowd: First jobbers and off the clock nine-to-fivers from the neighborhood.

Why you’ll come back: Face it, Silom is a seriously crap neighborhood to just catch a drink. At least here the booze is cheap and you won’t be surrounded by creepy white men. Free wifi and happy hours add another couple of points.