FREE-FLOW HOTELS

Shed your indie prejudices and put these hotel bars on your radar to cash in on some of the best free-flow deals in town.

Maya

Bangkok’s most elevated Indian restaurant sits in a striking cantilevered structure on the 29th floor of the Holiday Inn hotel, where it specializes in Northern Indian cuisine with a modern twist. Maya also doubles as a cocktail and cigar bar. 

The deal: Cocktail buffet for B499 on Thu (6-9pm) and wine buffet for B699 on Fri (6-9pm).

29/F, Holiday Inn Sukhumvit, Sukhumvit Soi 22, 02-683-4888. Open daily 6pm-1am

Medinii

The sleek Italian restaurant atop The Continent hotel has a lot going for it, not least the amazing city views.

The deal: Brace yourself—their nightly B999 promo gets you not only free-flow wine, beer, cocktails and soft drinks but also one main course, unlimited pizza and pasta, and one dessert. Available daily 6-11pm (last order at 10pm).

35/F, The Continent Hotel, 413 Sukhumvit Rd., 02-686-7000. Open daily 6am-midnight

Ambar

This hotel’s rooftop pool terrace turns into a dedicated party zone at night, complete with lounge-y daybeds and an easygoing after-work crowd. 

The deal: On Wednesdays, women get free-flow wine and select cocktails from 7-9pm.

8/F, Four Points by Sheraton, 4 Sukhumvit Soi 15, 02-309-3000

Woo Bar

W Bangkok’s signature lobby bar buzzes with glitzy purple decor, chic electronica and creative cocktails. And once you’ve cashed in on the drinks deals here, House on Sathorn’s to-die-for cocktails are just across the courtyard. 

The deal: Free-flow sparkling wine for gents on Wed and ladies on Thu is offered for exactly that— free! Something that has not gone unnoticed by the Silom gay scene. Head there 7:30-9:30pm. 

Lobby/F, W Bangkok, 106 Sathorn Rd., 02-344-4000. Open daily 9am-midnight. BTS Chong Nonsi

ALL-YOU-CAN-DRINK IZAKAYA

Salarymen know how to drink. What’s more, they know how to drink on the cheap, and Bangkok’s best Japanese taverns are happy to provide. 

Kansai Izakaya

This retro, warehouse-like spot does all the izakaya staples, from takoyaki to yakitori. The highlight, though, has to be the ice-cold Asahi, which you can get free-flow at a super-cheap price.

The deal: B299/2 hours (Asahi draft beer only) and another B399/2 hours for food buffet, available after 8:30pm and before 10:30pm. 

Ratchada Soi 4, 083-692-2442. Open Mon-Fri 11am-1:30pm, 5pm-11pm; Sat 5pm-11pm. MRT Thailand Cultural Centre

Katsu Shin 

This poky restaurant off Silom Road is the perfect spot for a marathon drinking session. With its dark wood, narrow shop-house location, long bar and dim lighting, the place has the cozy, tavern-like atmosphere of a true izakaya. The katsu (from B240/set) is one of the best in town—almost an inch thick, not the least bit oily and perfectly tender—and the high-balls just taste so much better in the midst of drunken salarymen.

The deal: B600/2 hours (draft beer, sake, soju peach, whiskey soda) from 6-10pm.

9/1 Silom Soi 6, 02-237-3073. Open Mon-Sat 11am-2pm, 6-11pm; Sun 11:30am-2:30pm, 5:30-10:30pm

Sekai no Yamachan

Taking over the former spot belonging to Carl’s Jr. in salaryman’s haven Soi Thaniya, this fried chicken wing (from B130/five pieces) specialist from Nagoya does a proper list of drinking snacks. Be warned: The low-ceilinged room at the back gets pretty boisterous. Another branch on Sukhumvit Soi 39.

The deal: B499/90 minutes (Asahi draft beer, sake, shochu, chuhai, whiskey high-ball, acerola, soft drinks)

The Manor, Sukhumvit Soi 39, 02-662-5541. Open daily 5:30pm-12:30am, Sat-Sun 11:20am-2:30pm 

YSK Building, Soi Thaniya, Silom Rd., 02-632-8338. BTS Sala Daeng

Shakariki 432

This late-night izakaya chain, now with three Bangkok branches, is known for its warm, down-to-earth ambience and hearty fare like katsu udon and okonomiyaki (Japanese-style pizza)—best washed down with copious booze. 

The deal: B432/1.5 hours (bottled Asahi, red/white wine, cold sake, whiskey high-ball).

PS Tower A, 36/1 Sukhumvit Soi 21, 02-664-0927. Open daily 5pm-3am

440/10 Sukhumvit Soi 55, between Thonglor soi 14 and 16, 02-381-8432. Open daily 5pm-3am

Canapaya Riverfront, 888 Rama 3 Rd., 086-321-8423. Open daily 5pm-3am

Teriyaki Bar Kelly’s 

Named after the silver screen icon Grace Kelly, this retro, tavern-like bar and restaurant should be on your hit-list if you are a Suk 51 regular. Expect affordable izakaya-style comfort food, headlined by teriyaki skewers. Leave it to the chef to select your meat (B315/five, B498/eight), while you focus on getting the drinks in.

The deal: B480/2 hours (beer, cocktails, whiskey, umeshu) from 5:30pm-midnight.

46 Sukhumvit Soi 51. Open Mon-Sat 5pm-12pm. BTS Thong Lo

Woodball

The karaoke dive bar to end all karaoke dive bars is mushrooming all around town. The setup is basic: raucous bar downstairs, karaoke rooms upstairs—where you can snare a pretty affordable, three-hour all-you-can-drink and all-you-can-sing deal. We’ll plump for the original venue, on the corner of Sukhumvit Soi 53, where in our experience they’re most accommodating of non-Japanese.

The deal: B600/3 hours per person with at least five people (karaoke, whiskey, cocktails, draft beer). 

2 Sukhumvit Soi 53, 02-662-4549. Open 6pm-2am. BTS Thong Lo

2/F, 58/14, Soi Thaniya, Silom Rd., 02-652-4936. BTS Sala Daeng

595/15 Sukhumvit Soi 33/1, 08-9001-8532

ALL-YOU-CAN-DRINK RESTAURANTS

Booze deals like these are not to be attempted on an empty stomach. 

Kram

Retro house, big garden, unfussy Thai dishes—a classic Bangkok restaurant formula that sadly seems to be in decline. This place does it just right with great dishes such as gaeng kua poo bai chaploo (curry with crabmeat and wild betel leaf). 

The deal: B399/2 hours of Singha draft beer or B450/2 hours wine, available daily. 

113 Sukhumvit Soi 39, 02-258-8170. Open Mon-Fri 11am-2:30pm, 5:30-10pm; Sat-Sun 11am-10pm

Vogue Lounge

The glam rooftop bar at MahaNakhon doesn’t just have chic, ‘20s-meets-modern decor going for it. The kitchen does a super-tasty line of fancy burgers (get the teriyaki burger with wasabi mayo), while Francesco Moretti’s cocktails taste as good as they look. 

The deal: Every day from 5-9pm, Fashion Hour gets you buy-one-get-one-free on all standard drinks (B340).

6/F, MahaNakhon Cube, Narathiwat Ratchanakarin Rd., 02-001-0697. Open daily 5pm-midnight. BTS Chong Nonsi

Wine Connection

Rain Hill mall is probably the ubiquitous wine bistro’s coolest branch, offering plenty of alfresco seating as well as the brand’s reliable menu of cold cuts and European classics. 

The deal: Unlimited wine and beer for B499, every Wed, 7-9pm.

1/F, Rain Hill, Sukhumvit Soi 47, 02-261-7217. Open daily 11-1:30am  

BAR DEALS

From Thonglor to Sathorn, these buzzing nightlife hot spots should be on the radar of anyone looking for a good time.

Maggie Choo’s

Still standing and still packed every weekend, Ashley Sutton’s vision of a Chinese opium den trading with the British is one of Silom’s very best drinking spots.

The deal: Daily 7:30-9pm, Victory Hour provides 50-percent discount on selected drinks.

Underground/F, Hotel Novotel Bangkok Fenix Silom, 320 Silom Rd., 091-772-2144. Open daily 7:30pm-2am

Beer Belly

Probably 72 Courtyard's most easygoing spot comes with a pool table, ping pong table, dart board and other games like Jenga, chess and beer pong. 

The deal: Their beer buffet costs B799 and lasts for any two-hour period between 5-10pm Mon-Tue. Take your pick from Hoegaarden, Vedett IPA, Guinness, Erdingers, Menabrea, Coronado and Bear Republic. 

G/F, 72 Courtyard, 72 Sukhumvit Soi 55 (Thonglor), 02-392-7770. Open daily 5pm-2am

Le Cafe des Stagiaires

Bangkok’s Gallic community can’t shrug off their love of this Sathorn Soi 12 mainstay, and for good reason. One of the street’s liveliest drinking terraces as well as rock-bottom booze prices even outside happy hours are hard to dispute. 

The deal: Every last Tuesday of the month is the "new Friday" at this bustling Sathorn bar. Get free-flow pouring liquors with mixers at B699 from 6:30pm-9:30pm. 

142/21 Sathorn Soi 12, 086-840-8934. Open daily 4pm-2am

Revolucion Cocktails

The Shanghai-born bar pitches itself to the party crowd, and has just opened its backyard and vodka bottle-shaped swimming pool to complement the regularly packed-out terrace. 

The deal: From 5-9pm, Mon-Fri, get 50-percent off cocktails and tapas dishes at this Latin American-themed bar. 

50 Sathorn Soi 10, 02-235-4823. Open daily 5pm-2am

Bottles of Beer

This friendly bottle shop-cum-bar has one of the best craft beer selections in Bangkok, at some of the best prices. The Singaporean owner wanted to create a place where people can feel comfortable just rocking up, pulling a few bottles from the fridge and kicking back. 

The deal: If you buy six bottles you get wholesale prices, which most often sit at B150-200—that's a steal compared to most bars in town. Expect names from Japan's Hitachino to rarer finds like California's Heretic and Australia's Holgate.

2/7 Sukhumvit Soi 34, 02-040-0473. Open daily 5pm-midnight