11 brand new bars to check out in Bangkok this May
It's a long, long weekend. You could do with a drink.
9 years ago
HYPE
From the Bollywood-themed Bombay Blues and Desi Beats to the classic Bangkok Bar Infinity and fancy shisha bar Glam, Opus Building is something of a one-stop nightlife venue. Now, the ground floor has welcomed this molecular cocktail-centric bar. The low seating, breezy soundtrack and moody lighting suggest a laidback drinking spot. Aside from the brief dinner menu, there’s a lengthy list of cocktails—total Instagram material, and not just the usual smoke and mirrors. Recommendations include the signature Taste of Marley (B350), a rum-based drink served in a glass pot; I See You (B350), served in a saline solution bag; and Sharing is Caring (B600), vodka infused orange in a skull-shaped bottle with mixers and a side of liquid nitrogen for four.
G/F, Opus Building, Thonglor Soi 10, 095-961-3993. Open daily 5pm-2am. www.fb.com/hypethonglor
PICK ME UP
The prime, though some might say cursed, spot on the corner of Thonglor Soi 10 has a new occupant following the departure of German sports bar Brotzeit. This new Thai-international bistro and bar serves cocktails like Thaijito (B350), a twist on the mojito that comes with cashew nut, lemongrass, chili and kaffir lime. The food menu is more straightforward, spanning Caesar salad with poached egg (B250), spaghetti carbonara (B250), spaghetti arrabiata with river prawn (B350) and Wagyu Rossini (B950). Corner of Thonglor Soi 10, 02-714-8820. Open Mon-Thu 3pm-midnight and Fri-Sun 4pm-1am. www.fb.com/PickMe-UpThonglor10
MOIRE BAR
Opened just a week before Songkran, this bar goes back to basics with standard booze, daily live music and good ol’ Thai drinking food. The decor is industrial—bare red bricks, exposed ceiling, vintage bulbs—while the short food menu turns out pretty tasty dishes like the deep-fried king mackerel with spicy mango salad (B170), fresh prawn in spicy dressing (B160) and yum sam krob (crispy fish salad, B140). Stick to bottle sharing with some Johnnie Walker Black Label (B2,100/1liter) or your old friend Sangsom (B290/375ml).
Phahon Yothin Soi 5 (Soi Ratchakru), 081-646-0537. Open Mon-Sat 5pm-1am. www.fb.com/moirebar
22 STEPS BAR
Since opening in January, Langsuan’s Hotel Indigo has won admirers for its well-priced, no-frills Thai restaurant Metro on Wireless, and now it’s getting in on the nightlife action. Located on the mezzanine floor between the lobby and the restaurant, 22 Steps Bar is a librarythemed bar which goes for the after-work crowd with appealing happy hour deals. From Mon-Thu, you can get buy-one-get-one-free on cocktails, beer and wine from 5-9pm. Wednesday ladies’ night offers free-flow sparkling wine for the girls from 9-11pm, while come Friday everyone can enjoy free-flow cocktails, wine and beer at B599 per person from 6-9pm.
81 Wireless Rd., 02-207-4999. www.fb.com/indigobkk
HOUSE 10 THONGLOR
Adding some variety to the night scene at Eight Thonglor, House 10 Thonglor has taken over the space that used to be Harlem Shakers. Like the old establishment, it offers both a lunch and dinner spot with a party vibe. The bar is open all day long offering Thai spicy dishes with set menus starting from B220 for lunch, while the evening la carte menu is served alongside a full list of booze and toe-tapping music. Live performers play Thai and international covers from Thu-Sat.
G/F, Eight Thonglor Building, Thonglor Soi 8, 081-837-1133. Open daily 11am-1am. www.fb.com/house10thonglor
BROTHER’S BAR N’RESTAURANT
Located on the top two floors of the colorful three-story building that also houses Indies Kitchen and Jimjoom Jomyut, this new spot brings some quality brews to Sala Daeng. Open almost around the clock, the day starts with breakfast sets and snacks (we recommend the deep-fried pork toast, B135), but is best suited to after-work drinks. Enjoy top-shelf craft beers like Japan’s Hitachino Nest and a range of Brother’s ciders outside with a modest view of Silom Road. Inside, there’s a stage where you can catch live music—and even take the microphone yourself.
2-3/F, ChongkoSmosorn Building, 12/1-2 Silom Rd., 080-905-3053. Open daily 7-4am. BTS Sala Daeng. www.fb.com/brothers.tugubkhao
23 BAR & GALLERY
The guy behind Bar 23, the legendary dive bar on Sukhumvit Soi 16, has sold up and opened this altogether more arty affair near Chinatown. Set in an old shop-house on the burgeoning Soi Nana (Cho Why, El Chiringuito), the similarly-titled 23 Bar & Gallery keeps the same focus on cold local beers, basic house pours and a soundtrack that flits between 90s Britpop and Rastafarian sounds. The walls are lined with the owner’s own art (with more exhibitions upstairs—the next, from Kongsak Poonpholwattanaporn, opens on May 7) and while the seating is basic, that just
means you can turn your attention to the intriguing hustle and bustle of the street.
92 Soi Nana, Charoenkrung Rd., 080-264-4471. Open Wed-Sun 6pm-midnight. MRT Hua Lamphong. ow.ly/Ktolw
O’GLEE
Situated a few steps from Salt Smoke on Ari Soi 1, this is not your average Irish bar. The decor is rustic enough, with a few industrial twists in the form of nicely-designed steel and wood table sets, but the beer selection is possibly the best this side of town. Highlight bottles including Mikkeller’s Not Just Another Wit (B305/330ml) and Hoppy Joe amber ale (B245/330ml) to Rogue Dead Guy Ale (B260). The draught list is ever-changing, but on tap right now you can get Rogue Hazelnut Brown Nector (B280/pint) .
Ari Soi 1, 02-619-5354. Open daily 5:30pm-midnight. www.fb.com/ogleeari1
NORI’S BAR
Noriaki Tsuboshi of Hanakaruta’s original Sukhumvit Soi 39 branch—the bar that made handcrafted ice balls popular in this city—has left his old business to begin this more intimate watering hole for serious drinkers. Nori’s offers a small snack menu, but the main draw is his list of cocktails, personalized creations, homemade plum wine and Japanese whiskies. Don’t be surprised to find some of Bangkok’s best musicians in there holding impromptu concerts—the talented conductor Trisdee Na Patlung and Kijjazz from the Monotone family are both regular customers and put on instrumentals from time to time.
3/F, Baan 47/1 Building, Sukhumvit Soi 49, 085-147-7085. Open daily 8pm-2am. www.fb.com/norisbarbkk
BAAN PUEN
Joining late-night party institution Dark Bar at the long-standing-yet-always-happening Ekamai Shopping Mall, Bann Puen lives up to its name, which literally translates to “friend’s house.” The new rooftop bar’s wallet-friendly prices are matched by a low-key, semi-industrial decor of hanging ferns, beanbags and even a wooden double-bunk bed. However, the main draw is the semi-roofed alfresco zone. The owners look to offer a folksy, toned-down alternative to Ekkamai’s hi-so clubs with a focus on live indie music that reminds us of the dearly-missed Stu-Fe. Bands perform daily under different themes, including jazz on Thursday and pop on Fri-Sat. Don’t expect fancy craft beer, here. The main brew is Singha, starting from B115 for a glass, B285 for a jug and B690 for a tower.
3/F, Ekamai Shopping Mall, Ekkamai Soi 10, 061-824-1747. Open daily 6pm-2am. www.fb.com/baanpuenekamai
BEHIND THE SCENE LOUNGE & BAR
This bar is located on the lobby floor of the theater-themed hotel Play Haus Thonglor, which is modeled after four legendary plays—Romeo & Juliet, Mary Poppins, Aladdin and Thailand’s See Pan Din. Decorated to resemble a fantastical dressing room, the narrow space offers five sets of Louis XIV velvet sofas facing a counter bar made from a wooden jewelry display cabinet and a liquor shelf surrounded by backstage mirrors. The drinks menu sticks to the theme; we recommend the Romeo & Juliet-inspired Obstructed Love (B240), a mix of Disaronno liqueur, Sailor Jerry rum, Malibu and pineapple juice. The short food menu offers the likes of Aladdin chicken (roasted in curry sauce, B159) and Isaan cheese balls (B159), but do expect a wider range including steaks, sausage platters and dim sum soon.
L/F, Play Haus Thonglor, 205/22-23 Sukhumvit Soi 55 (Thonglor), same alley as Thonglor Pet Hospital, 02-712-5747. www.playhausthonglor.com
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