For over 15 years, BK Magazine has been covering and supporting Bangkok's dining scene. One of our most-loved (and controversial) features is our weekly restaurant reviews—completely unannounced and paid for by the reviewers themselves (see BK Magazine Restaurant Reviews: Your Questions Answered). 

Our reviews range from negative to positive and have a star rating. Four stars is as high as we, the reviewers, can go. It’s for totally awesome places. (It's complicated, but that fifth star you see on the website is only for the annual Top Tables’ top 10, which is voted on by a panel of foodies and industry experts.)

Of the 100+ restaurants we reviewed in 2016, here are the only ones we gave full marks not only for the food, but also for service and atmosphere. 

Mitsumori of Tokyo (February)

We said: "The fresh ingredients star here, resulting in food that’s all but impossible not to love. That’s why the house is full with Japanese diners and why you really have to make a reservation to get a seat."

Prai Raya (March)

We said: "This branch is run by [Raya Phuket] owner’s niece, Panicha “Prai” Chessadawan, who says she doesn’t sacrifice authentic Southern flavors to accommodate Bangkokians’ sweet palates. The outcome has clearly won over locals, since the cream, Sino-Portuguese-referencing house is packed with customers from across the social spectrum—first jobbers, executives, young families."

Menya Kouji (July)

We said: "This guilty, cholesterol-fueled (but surprisingly palatable) pleasure is something worth trading your monthly fitness regime for."

Bunker (August)

We said: "It was the hottest place in town when it opened back in March, and Bunker still feels like the right place to be. Dining at Bunker isn’t just fashionable; it’s properly good."

Ba Gaa Din (September)

We said: "At Baa Ga Din, Thitid Tassanakajohn (Le Du, Baan) teams up with American chef Chandler Schultz with the aim of redefining Thai street food. The outcome is a menu that’s familiar but full of surprises."

Touche Hombre (September)

We said: "While the two story, semi-alfresco Mexican restaurant swaps the usual gaudily painted walls, sombreros and pinatas for black-and-white collages, maroon banquettes and a pinball machine, the food lays to bed any fears about legitimacy." 

Meatlicious (September)

We said: "Gaggan Anand’s Meatlicious sees the 2015 and 2016 winner of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants steering away from the delicate and high-tech cuisine of his Langsuan restaurant in favor of a beef-heavy menu cooked using only wood and coal."

Cafe Parisien (October)

We said: "The menu has been put together in consultation with Bangkok’s favorite Gallic chef, Herve Frerard (formerly of Le Beaulieu, #12 in Top Tables 2015), who hasn’t lost his touch. Frerard may have more innovative compatriots in town, but no one nails tradition quite like him." 

The Dining Room at the House on Sathorn (November)

We said: "House on Sathorn is inventive, unique, casual yet still special—or, to channel our inner [chef Fatih] Tutak, a true “sensory culinary experience.” 

See also: 2015's full-star reviews