BANGKOK BAR

Iron Balls Parlour

Phrom Phong welcomes a branch of the steampunk gin distillery.

The buzz: Ashley Sutton’s back! He of Iron Fairies fame has opened a second branch of his gin distillery, Iron Balls, right beside another of his creations, Sing Sing Theater.

The decor: Snug between Sing Sing Theater and Quince, you might overshoot the entrance on your first pass. Don’t be fooled by the meek facade; inside are all the extravagant hallmarks of an Ashley Sutton drinking hole. The marine theme makes the room feel like an exclusive and cozy ship cabin. The ceiling is composed of thousands of layered bottles that catch the light of the room’s chandeliers and candles. With this ceiling, Sutton was out to recreate the sea’s surface from below as seen when he went diving in hard-hat dive gear. There’s plenty of standing room as well as cushy nooks.

The drinks: The main base here is, of course, Iron Balls gin, but we’ll take any drink mixed by bartender Carson Quinn. The standard G&T (B380 45ml; B450 60ml) is fresh and deliciously simple, made with Fever Tree Mediterranean tonic and Iron Balls gin, and garnished with pineapple and Thai basil. Beyond gin, there’s the Lunazul Reposado tequila-based, S.S. All Big-Gun (B390) that comes with clove syrup, aromatics and coconut husk smoke, all topped with a slice of blowtorch-caramelized orange. The Spitcock (B360) is the customer favorite, a mix of Iron Balls gin, fresh passion fruit, roselle syrup, meringue and a light topping of cinnamon powder. We’re obliged to follow the crowd on this one—it’s simply excellent.

The crowd: Part Quince customers over for a post-dinner drink, part Sing Sing Theater crowd over for a pre-party drink or a break from dancing, and a smattering of other well-to-doers out for a refined cocktail.

Why you should care: Besides the beautiful decor and drinks, the bar feels like the sort of venue that can accommodate whatever drinking mood you’re in, whether all-out-party or contemplative wind-down.

Step inside this second branch of Iron Balls:


Venue Details
Address: Iron Balls Parlour, Sukhumvit Soi 45, Bangkok, Thailand
Phone: 063-225-1331
Website: www.fb.com/ironballsparlour
Area: Phrom Phong
Opening hours: daily 7pm-1am
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