Bar entertainment in Thailand
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A
Tuba
Part storage room for over-the-top vintage furniture, part friendly local boozer, this bizarre bar certainly doesn't lack in character. Indulge in a whole bottle for once and don't miss the delicious chicken wings.
reviewed
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B
Samui Shamrock
More classic than chic, Samui Shamrock is a good-times pub where house bands belt out dated cover tunes that inspire the tipsy crowd to sing along. At some point in the night you’ll hear ‘Hotel California’, the ultimate foreigner tribute song.
reviewed
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C
Bar Solo
A sign of things to come, Bar Solo has future-fitted Chaweng's outdoor beer halls into an urban setting with sleek cubist decor and a cocktail list that doesn't scream holiday hayseed. The evening drink specials lure in the front-loaders preparing for a late, late night at the dance clubs on Soi Solo and Soi Green Mango.
reviewed
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D
Ship Inn
Only steps away from Soi Cowboy but a world away in ambience, Ship Inn provides a mature embrace for a quiet drinking crowd. The mock-Tudor bar is as well stocked as a ship captain’s quarters, and the music is gracefully at conversational volume.
reviewed
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E
Koi
The bar of this trendy sushi restaurant is packed with models posing as if real life were a photo shoot. The convergence of so much eye candy is no accident, Koi lures in card-carrying models with freebies, creating a spectacle in its own right.
reviewed
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F
After Beach Bar
It’s difficult, make that impossible, to overstate how glorious the view is from this stilted, thatched, patio bar hanging off a cliff above Kata. Think 180-degree views of the sea, rocky peninsulas and layered palm-dappled hills. Now turn on the Bob Marley and you’ve got the best reggae bar in Phuket. The menu is packed with northern and southern Thai faves, at sunset the sky performs a light show, and when the fireball finally drops, the lights of fishing boats blanket the horizon. Not bad at all.
reviewed
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G
Rockin’ Angels
This small but colourful Old Town bar is decorated with framed singles and LPs – Peter Frampton, Stevie Wonder, Van Halen, Survivor, Oasis and the Village People are all represented (yes, the Village People may have invented phone sex). Weekend nights can get wild when Patrick, the Singaporean-born owner, jams with his house band and whoever wants to sit in. The beers are cold, the drinks are cheap, and the crowd composed of Thai and expat locals.
reviewed
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H
Water Bar
Every new arrival should learn the whisky-set routine, a drinking tradition more at home at Thai family gatherings than in flash hotels. At this misnomered bar, a short walk from Victory Monument, the Sang Som set still reigns as the tipple of choice. The attentive waiters will keep your glass filled to the right proportions (three fingers whisky, a splash of Coke, the rest soda), after which you should offer up a toast and drain the night away.
reviewed
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I
Wong’s Place
An odd choice for an institution if there ever was one, this dusty den is a time warp into the backpacker world of the early 1980s. The namesake owner died several years ago, but a relative removed the padlock and picked up where Wong left off. Wong’s works equally well as a destination or a last resort, but don’t bother knocking until midnight, keeping in mind that it stays open until the last person crawls out.
reviewed
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J
John's Place
Another old-school spot, John's dominates the triangular wedge of Th Ratchamankha and Soi 2 with neon and beer bellies. Climb the stairs past the faded posters of Thai scenery to the roof deck where a cold beer is good company at sunset and beyond. The downstairs bar is the place to park yourself if you want a chat with the locals (local expats that is).
reviewed
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K
Coyote on Convent
Forget the overpriced Tex-Mex cuisine; the real reason to visit Coyote is for its 75-plus varieties of margaritas. On Wednesdays from 6pm to 8pm and Saturdays from 10pm to midnight, the icy drinks are distributed free to all women who pass through the door.
reviewed
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L
Crossroads
This friendly bar-restaurant is a crossroads in every sense, from its location at one of Mae Hong Son's main intersections to its clientele that ranges from wet-behind-the-ears backpackers to hardened locals. Oh, and there's steak.
reviewed
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M
Nathalie’s Art Palace Bar
You’ve got to hand it to German TV personality Nathalie Gutermann for her unabashed self-promotion. She’s turned a hillside apartment into a boutique hotel and bar, which primarily promote the cult of Nathalie and her ‘fabulous’ lifestyle. Curious about the life of an expatriate claiming aristocratic origins? Stop by for a sunset cocktail, Friday night barbecue or some of the special party events.
reviewed
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N
Barbican Bar
Surrounded by massage parlours with teenage prom queens cat-calling at Japanese businessmen, this is a straight-laced yuppie bar where office crews come for some happy-hour drinks and stay until closing time.
reviewed
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O
Easy Time Bar
Too old for techno, too young for bed? Then you might be an eternal flower child in need of a dive bar. This closet-sized spot obliges with graffiti on the wall, dreadlocked bartenders and requisite Bob Marley tunes. Globetrotting regulars describe it as a ‘grassroots’ reggae bar and a good conversation starter is an inquiry into your stool mates’ travel itinerary.
reviewed
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Loft Bar Cafe
After hustling through the crowds in central Chaweng, you’ll feel like you’ve landed in the boonies once you reach the quieter southern stretch. To enjoy the relative peace and quiet, climb the wooden stairs to this second-storey bar overlooking the street. Happy-hour cocktails are sensibly priced and make a cheap date when paired with the snack-sized Thai dishes.
reviewed
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P
Amorosa
It may be the only bar in the area, but that doesn't mean it's any sort of compromise; Amorosa's rooftop location packs killer views of Wat Arun, making it one of the best spots in Bangkok for a riverside sundowner.
reviewed
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Q
Shades of Retro
As the name suggests, this eclectic place takes the vintage fad to the max. You’ll have to climb around Vespas and Gnawgahyde sofas to reach your seat, but will be rewarded with friendly service, an eclectic domestic soundtrack (the people behind Shades also run the domestic indie label Small Room) and a drink menu that includes the elusive Beerlao Dark.
reviewed
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R
Hopf Brew House
Moodily authentic in dark wood, the Hopf Brew House is a haven for middle-aged beer aficionados. Beers and pizza are brewed and wood-fired on-site.
reviewed
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S
O'Neill's Irish Pub Irish
Pretty authentic for being so far from the Blarney Stone, O'Neill's does cheap draught specials and live sports on several tellies.
reviewed
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T
Sky Train Jazz Club
A visit to this comically misnamed bar is more like chilling on the rooftop of a stoner guy’s apartment than any jazz club we’ve ever been to. But there are indeed views of the Skytrain, jazz on occasion and a likeable speakeasy atmosphere. To find it, look for the sign and proceed up the scary graffiti-strewn stairway until you reach the roof.
reviewed
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U
Overtone Music Cave
One of Bangkok’s premier rock venues, this place has hosted the likes of Jimmy Page and the occasional international touring act. Overtone is decorated with Thai and international rock paraphernalia, boasts a great sound system, and on Wednesday and Thursday nights hosts a high-quality open-mic session, and on Sundays, a blues jam.
reviewed
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V
Sripoom Espresso Bar
During the day this industrial-themed hole in the wall serves a variety of coffee drinks and homemade baked goods. At night the lights dim and espresso morphs into some of the best mixed drinks in the area. There’s a diverse soundtrack, and the room upstairs allows you to challenge your drinking mates to a game of Nintendo Wii.
reviewed
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W
Glass Onion
Tucked away at the far end of the walking mall is this small lounge bar outfitted in '60s-style mod fashions. While the barely legals try to blow their eardrums out at Nimmanhaemin's dance clubs, this is the domain of grown-ups desiring cocktails and conversation. The bar also enjoys a gay-friendly reputation. Friday night is ladies night and 7pm to 9pm is happy hour.
reviewed
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X
Tiger Entertainment
The strangest building in Phuket features concrete cave styling and a menagerie of unsettling - and extremely well-endowed - anthropomorphic tigers. More a congregation of go-go bars - topped with a nightclub - than a single entity, this is the first, and often last, stop on any odyssey through Patong's bar scene.
reviewed
