At a wild party at Beamcube on Wednesday, BK Magazine launched the BAD (Bangkok After Dark) Awards for 2024, sponsored by Beam, Seara Sports Systems, Okonomi, Flow Inter, Chalong Bay, X Rated Fusion Liqueur, and OG Kratom. 

The BAD Awards are decided by the staff of BK Magazine and a panel of carefully chosen voters from the city’s nightlife spots, F&B industry, journalists, and influencers. This is Bangkok’s only homegrown, English-language nightlife awards, and while we’re excited to see so many returning names in this guide, you’re in for a few surprises.

Follow this link to find all the winners as well as finalists for the categories, and stay tuned for next year’s event as BK starts making notes for BAD 2025. 
 

Bar of the Year: Opium

For a second year, Opium has retained its well-earned title. Standing on the Michelin pedigree of Potong, the “Liquid Surreality” of this venue is beyond unique, the service is impeccable, and the drinks are expertly crafted. The journey at Opium begins in the lobby, which is more like a museum from the future than a waiting area for one of the hottest dining and drinking spots in town. From here, you take a tiny (and temperamental) elevator up to the fourth floor, opening to the dark, chic Opium. Split into the categories of apéritif, sparkle, acid, acid+, solo, and duo, the drinks are complex, thoughtful, and delivered with care and alacrity. The award-winning Just One More Sip takes top billing on their menu, morphing the margarita into a potion of Cointreau and tequila with a bell pepper cordial and jalapeno pickle brine; on the side, there’s a serving of oyster salt placed inside the shell to complete the curiously maritime flavor.

Best New Bar: Funkytown

Edging out stiff competition this year, this one comes from the crew behind the beloved Aussie-Singaporean Sarnies. Funkytown (stylized F*nkytown) is their newly opened bar above Sarnies Sukhumvit 27. The space is old-school and disco-inspired. Helmed by head bartender Pae Ketumarn, their drinks are inventive, be it their savory Caesar salad cocktail or sweet pain au matcha—and did we mention they’re incredibly strong? The Sarnies juggernaut has taken Bangkok by storm, and this new spot proves they’re more than food and coffee. That said, don’t miss out on their fun take on a corndog using sai oua from Chiang Mai.

Best Cocktail Bar: Bar Us

From the team behind Messenger Service Bar, Bar Us is leading the pack when it comes to savory cocktails. The venue is akin to a laboratory for libations, called the “drinking room.” The space is dimly lit with large, dark wooden tables and bartenders in lab coats. Their offering is structured around a tasting menu concept, divided into starters, mains, and desserts. The cocktails take on a meal-in-one vibe; a standout is the Beef and Onion, highlighting beef jerky infused with Ketel One vodka, creating an earthy, meaty tang balanced by the zesty jalapenos—kind of like drinking a cheeseburger. You can work your way to dessert with the likes of the Pandan and Jackfruit, with nutty and vanilla notes to compliment the jackfruit’s sweet undertones. The cocktails here are far from simple, but there’s something very refreshing about them.

Bartender of the Year: Ronnaporn ‘Neung’ Kanivichaporn

A former actor, television host, and boy band member Mahaniyom’s Ronnaporn ‘Neung’ Kanivichaporn tried on many hats in his 20s before earning the title as one of the Bar World’s 100 Most Influential Industry Figures in 2023. He found his passion for bartending at 33, building up an appreciation for the craft after years of sipping cocktails at some of the city’s iconic venues. In 2014 the host turned mixologist joined the Diageo World Class and took the 11th spot out of 50 other countries. 

Eventually, Neung honed his skills and took it all the way to the win in 2017. Finally hitting a stride, he took top honors at the Bacardi Legacy award in 2019. As a multi-award winning global mixologist, Neung’s repertoire is stacked with some of the city’s most beloved drinking spots: Find the Locker Room, Nuss Bar, and Mahaniyom Cocktail bar which made its way up to the top 20 on The World’s 50 Best Bar list in 2023. 

Neung is proficient in crafting movie inspired cocktails, a niche he expressed through signature cocktails at the movie-inspired bar OFTR. Shaking up the city with cocktails that are named after nose to tail ingredients like Orange and Squid, the sustainable and innovative menu at Mahaniyom is just the spot to explore this bartender’s range.

Best Pub: Royal Oak

You can throw a rock on Sukhumvit Soi 33 and hit about four pubs. Last year, the trusty Royal Oak did a revamp—and not the way you’d think. The classic pub went for light blues and very (very) British portraits. The remodel turned the dark woods into brighter, friendlier space. This is, however, the Royal Oak; it’s still very much a solid pub with solid pub grub. It’s a great way to kick off a weekend—doubly so if you want to head upstairs for some comedy with the Comedy Club Bangkok.

Best Live Music Bar: Jam

This venue has been a bit of a rollercoaster over the past year. Roaring back after Covid, things took a dark turn in September 2023 when troublesome neighbors had the joint closed for live events—which curbed most of the venue’s operations. But it didn’t take long for Jam to make its comeback. Punk, techno, metal, experimental, even occasional karaoke, it’s all on at this under-the-overpass dive. This isn’t just where Bangkok bands play. It’s where Bangkok bands are born. This (mostly) standing room only, cozy bar covered in band stickers is the spirit of live music in Bangkok—long may it reign.

Best Alfresco Bar: The Deck

It’s a cafe, bar, and restaurant all rolled up in one Balinese box. The Deck captures tropical vibes and shapeshifts into a warm and welcoming day-to-night hangout spot, perfect for meeting up with friends, family, and you can even bring the pets. The outdoor area is enclosed but maintains the tropical vibe. Don’t miss their comfort food and daily happy hours.

Best Rooftop Bar: Bar.Yard

Situated on the 40th floor of the Kimpton Maa-Lai, this tropical escape is fitted with a day club and rooftop bar. The atmosphere is a tiki bar combined with an American backyard BBQ that eventually turns into a garden party. With tropic-inspired decor, this day-to-night spot is mellow and relaxing, with a view of Lumpini Park. The food is a twist on the classic barbeque with signature farm-to-table dishes. For drinks, think tiki cocktails and beers on tap. DJs hit the decks on the regular, playing everything from electro-funk to contemporary hip-hop. Stay up-to-date with their monthly themed events, such as paella Sundays or taco Tuesdays.

Best Hotel Bar: BKK Social Club

This Four Seasons’ crown jewel needs no introduction, garnering international plaudits year after year. It’s the spot to get glammed up and slip right into the luxurious belle epoque interior. Led by bar manager Philip Bischoff, who honed his skills at Singapore’s Manhattan Bar, the signature cocktails are an homage to Buenos Aires, a city that shares Bangkok’s melting pot of culture and electric nightlife scene. Go for the design, stay for the cocktails.

Best Dive Bar: Fatty’s Bar and Diner

If you’ve got a lot of music and a little Wisconsin in your blood, Fatty’s is the place to be. Beyond the friendly atmosphere, regular cool acts on their tiny stage by the door, and the best wings in Bangkok, Fatty’s is without a doubt the best bar in Din Daeng and a home away from home for no-frills drinkers across the city. The staff are invariably welcoming, and food is cooked with love—but, seriously, trust us on the wings.

Best Theme Bar: Havana Social

Havana Social was among the first to nail the speakeasy concept in Bangkok, but the interior is a colonial style Cuban bar smack in the middle of Sukhumvit’s nightlife district. Unlike a lot of the themes bandied about at bars, this place pulls it off—from their regular Latin music to a design that leans into the vibe. What’s more, this is a spot that has remained youthful, loud, and cool. DJ sessions bring the noise, and you can always rely on this space for high energy theatrics like Brazilian street carnival and salsa dances.

Best Beer Bar: Hair of the Dog

From the design to the fridge, Hair of the Dog takes craft beer seriously. Yes, it’s where you go for beers you can’t find anywhere else, but it’s also where you can chill to some metal and classic rock while watching old ’80s movies in a morgue-themed bar. With Breakfast Story upstairs and a little something for the gin crowd, what really puts Hair of the Dog in Phrom Phong over the top is their occasional beer tastings, bringing rare brews to the beer lovers of Bangkok in an entertaining, informative way.

Best Wine Bar: Mod Kaew

Mod Kaew Wine Bar is simply (and seemingly effortlessly) Bangkok’s best wine bar. Moving into their new space in June of last year, the concept is entertaining and friendly, with personalized service and an excellent wine selection. The space does not adhere to trends; it is a no-frills service. With an artistic and uniquely funky twist, this is a wine bar for everyone—whether you know your grapes or not. This is reflected in the list, which varies from some of the best low-intervention wines available in Bangkok to a selection of Spanish and French wines, including many difficult-to-find labels. You’ll also find that natty wines take up 30 percent of their menu.

Best New Design: OSS Bar

After renovations in Jim Thompson’s F&B wing, the newly minted OSS Bar was unveiled earlier this year with a sleek spy-theme, a reference to clandestine life of the eponymous silk king Jim Thompson. Entering the speakeasy, you feel like you’re being transplanted into a secret society lounge on a Hollywood film set. The jazzy ambiance in a Thai teak heritage frame along with the greenery below has become a hotspot to sip cocktails and scroll through the chapters of Jim Thimpson’s enigmatic life.

Best Nightclub: Sing Sing Theatre

Since its debut in 2016, Sing Sing Theatre has established itself as a premier party destination, thanks to its consistently high-quality programming and visiting acts—never too stuffy and always wild. They offer events throughout the week, with international DJs spinning the decks. Australian Ashley Sutton designed the venue, inspired by 1930s Hollywood visions of Shanghai, fitted with lanterns, painted umbrellas, wooden dragons, and plenty of neon lights. The space isn’t so big that you’ll lose track of your friends, and it’s intimate enough to dance with your crew.