Time to knock back a cold one at some of the best beer bars in the city. These selections were the highest rated venues in the BAD Awards 2023—BK Magazine’s yearly nightlife awards curated by a panel of bar enthusiasts, venue owners, and problem drinkers. 

 

 

It should be no surprise that one of Bangkok’s oldest craft beer heavyweights still tops the list of the city’s best beer bars. Between the gargantuan beer list sourced from 17 countries, the food menu, weekly deals, and beer-focused tasting events, the ’50s-era Thai house on Ekkamai Soi 10 that Mikkeller calls home feels more like a craft beer embassy than a humble bar and restaurant. Serving from 30 taps and a startlingly diverse range of bottles, Mikkeller is home to people who care about beer and friends just enjoying the green, open space.
26, Ekkamai Soi 10, 082-283-1274. Open Mon-Fri 5pm-midnight; Sat-Sun 11am-midnight.  

 

 

What do you think of when you think of craft beer? That’s right, a morgue. The design here is striking to say the least, but in between the mortuary slabs sits one of Bangkok’s best selections of taps, featuring round-the-world craft brews, ’80s movies on the TV, and rock/metal providing the tone. This place takes beer seriously and hosts tastings for the craft beer aficionado. There are two locations, with the OG location in Ploen Chit, and the larger two-storey space in Phrom Phong that will also mix you some fun gin drinks and bring you brekkie from Breakfast Story. 
2/F, Mahatun Plaza, 888/26 Ploen Chit Rd., 02 650 7589. Open Mon-Sat 5pm-midnight. 

 

 

This humble craft beer dwelling sits just a couple steps from BTS Thong Lo, but we suspect it doesn’t get many random walk-ins. The space is nearly invisible from the mouth of the small soi, but brave your way past the nearby izakaya into SK Tower and you’ll find it. Inside, scant seating is forgiven by a 100-strong craft beer selection that updates almost daily—a must visit for Bangkok beer heads. 
G/F, SK Tower, 858 Sukhumvit Rd., 092-887-7141. Open Tue-Sun 11am-2pm, 5-11pm. 

 

 

 

For this one, you might need a designated driver. Just north of Nonthaburi, this stilt-bar brewpub hub has been the best reason to visit Koh Kret for over a decade. Found on a river island, Chitbeer looks out over the quiet Chaophraya of Bangkok’s north, providing a lowkey nightlife oasis—but they take their beer seriously. Bangkokians should note, though, that the new year brought a fresh iteration, Chit Hole, closer to downtown (see below). 
219/266, Baan Suan Palm, Koh Kret, 089-799-1123. Open Sat-Sun noon-9pm. 

 

 

 

Ever wanted to rub shoulders with Thailand policymakers over a couple of craft brews? Well this is your spot. Code Craft’s proximity to the Parliament building means more than a few of the city’s legislators knock back beers here after work. The space might be tiny (when we say rubbing shoulders, we mean it), but packs in a respectable beer fridge in between its small white tables and has a rotating selection of craft beer on tap—including Thai favorites Devanom and Mahanakhon. The bar sits just a short jaunt away from Tao Poon MRT and is impossible to miss thanks to its neon hued window signage and sticker-laden walls. 
17, 8 Pracha Rat Sai 2 Rd., 095-549-0945. Open daily 6pm-midnight. 

 

 

 

In Bangkok, there are two types of craft beer bars: those selling the latest high-priced imports, and those aiming to support local brewers. Saphan Kwai’s fantastic Eight Days a Week Home Bar, from the founders of the defunct Head Over Heels, falls within the latter. Hidden in the parking lot of a business complex off up-and-coming Pradipat Road, the bar sells only Thai craft beer. Order a beer, get some gap gleam like spicy Sichuan wings, and settle in for low-key live music or chats with the friendly owner.
2 Pradiphat 13, 082-463-9561. Open daily 5pm-midnight.

 

 

 

This dimly lit, space-themed bar is a beer enthusiast escape pod. It sits so close to Sanam Pao BTS that you can see the stairway from the bar’s giant porthole-style window on the second floor of its shophouse perch. Room here is sparse, but the space does a good job of cornering off little nooks to make the tight quarters feel private.  Every Mon-Thu you can score B200 on all taps from 5pm-8:30pm, which by craft beer standards is a mighty good deal. 
2/F, 226/7-8 Phahonyothin Rd., 091-808-4338. Open daily 5pm-midnight. 

 

 

 

This spacious beer room has been holding it down in 72 Courtyard for nearly seven years, and boasts a hefty 26 beers on tap. This isn’t a craft beer specialist as much as it is an import specialist. Expect to see the likes of Guinness, Asahi, Budweiser, Hoegaarden, Vedett, and Sapporo mixed in with the occasional foreign craft beer like Heart of Darkness. There's bar seating and tables outside for when the weather's fine, while inside has larger spaces suitable for playing games like jenga, chess—all available to play for free. You'll also find a pool table, ping pong table and a dartboard. 
G/F, 72 Courtyard, 72 Sukhumvit Soi 55 (Thonglor), 063-237-6093. Open daily 5pm-late.

 

 

 

With Bangkok developers seemingly hell bent on tearing down every old building in the city and replacing it with a giant, shiny cube of sleek apartments, it’s downright wholesome to know a spot like Dok Kaew House Bar exists. Taking over an 80-year-old, two-story house out the back of Rama 6, this beer bar not only boasts arguably the best selection of local craft brews this side of town, but also some pretty good Thai food—to go with a few creepy claims of ghosts. A must-visit if you find yourself near the Ari neck of the woods. 
71 Rama 6 Soi 28, 089-993-1663. Open Mon-Sat 5-11:30pm.
 

 

 

Whenever you talk with people about going to Koh Kret, the first stop (and last) stop on your list is always Chitbeer. Thankfully, this January owner Wichit “Chit” Saiklao opened a second iteration of the beloved beer abode just over the river north of Thonburi by Krung Thon Bridge. Unlike the cramped but friendly over-river spot in Koh Kret, this new venue boasts a lot more space.  Found next to the Royal River Hotel (which has parking), the bar can be accessed through the lobby. 
Chithole Bar at Royal River Hotel, 219 Soi Charan Sanitwong 66/1.