Drawing in a young arty crowd, this warehouse-like gallery and bar was among the first to kick off the happening art and nightlife scene in the area. Downstairs has been rebranded as Soy Sauce Bar, serving as a Thai restaurant during the day and bar by night, welcoming live music to go with all the exhibitions. 

 

Located just across the street from Soy Sauce, this straightforward but stylish bar does just what you’d hope for. Live soul and funk bands fill the tiny front room every Tue-Sat, often continuing the party after the shutters come down, and the bar specializes in beer laced with Kombucha tea. Good news: they’ve just added food trucks to the mix. See Facebook for the schedule.

 

This charmingly retro, tiny tapas bar was the first to bring a taste of nightlife to residential Soi Nana. The kitchen rolls out a small selection of Spanish staples, which you can wash down with Xoriguer gin. The space also hosts the occasional art exhibition. 

 

This multi-floored and multi-disciplinary art space holds informal gatherings like photography/art exhibitions, documentary screenings and rooftop swing dancing nights. Note that it only opens when there’s an event happening, so check their Facebook page for updates before heading over.

 

One of a handful of recent openings citywide looking to infuse traditional Thainess into its drinks and music, this restored shop-house has plenty of raw appeal. A good line of home-infused ya dong (Thai herbal whiskey) is available by the shot or in refreshing cocktails mixed with Thai fruits, herbs and spices. The kitchen specializes in Thai tapas (as well as a few classics like pad Thai). Come nightfall musicians take the stage to play traditional music from the Central region.  

 

The guy formerly behind the legendary dive bar Bar 23, on Sukhumvit Soi 16, shifted over to Soi Nana with this similarly-titled, similarly-barebones affair. Expect the same focus on cold local beers, basic house pours, a soundtrack that flits between ‘90s Britpop and more Rastafarian sounds, and the odd exhibition. 

 

Hiding behind an ominous, heavy wooden door is a small, moody bar belonging to a who’s-who of Bangkok’s art and nightlife scene, from fashion photographers and party organizers to mixologists and musicians. The highlight is the vast collection of gin, from the must-try Hanami (the house pour) to the locally distilled Iron Balls. The decor is basic, mixing old shop-house charm with racy photography exhibitions. The menu changes every day, so do check with the barman for that latest arrival.

 

A hop, skip and a jump from Soi Nana is this new beer bar. Here, architect-turned- brewer Pieak Pipattanaphon, who founded Golden Coins brewery, and Avi Yashaya, the guy behind the Brewtopia beer meetups, serve a small selection of Thai-made craft brews on tap (starting from a pretty appealing B160, too). There’s also regular live music and a short list of classic pub grub.