In July 2022 we had the opportunity to explore some of the best bars in Bangkok in a post covid Thailand. Here’s a tiny little list of some of our favorites (and why we loved them).
If we missed any bars please let us know! We are always making bar-hopping bucket lists and looking for cool bars doing cool things.
Teens of Thailand
Where to find Teens of Thailand
Featured in Netflix’s “Midnight Asia” Documentary series as well as ranking 48th on Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2021, Teens of Thailand is THE cozy cocktail bar that put the Soi Nana strip on the map.
Here you’ll find imaginative twists on the ubiquitous Gin and Tonic with a local Thai twist. One standout was their Thai Tea G&T as well as an impressive collection of delicious gins from around the globe.
*sidenote* they were playing cool rap music from my hometown of Houston, TX which made me feel really at home and was the perfect vibe for the beginning of a night out.
Ba Hao 8
Situated just steps away from Teens of Thailand you’ll find Ba Hao 8, a suuuper vibey bar with a brilliant red neon sign and a focus on Chinese-inspired cuisine and cocktails.
Ba Hao’s upper floors also serve as a boutique hotel with gorgeous rooms that I wish I could afford.
I had the BEST general Tso’s chicken of my entire life. (I know what you’re thinking, really? general Tso’s chicken? YES IT’S GOOD OK!) The scallion pancake was also top-notch!
Stand-out cocktail was the “Five Rivers” which included rum, Drambuie, Fernet Blanca, and Chinese Five Spice. (fun fact: the cocktails recipe is by Dheeradon Dissara from Winner of Jamie Oliver’s Search for a Cocktail Star)
Asia Today
Our final stop on the tour de Soi Nana is none other than the famous Asia Today Bar.
Also featured in Netflix’s “Midnight Asia” documentary series, Asia Today is just steps away from the first two bars on our list and has a focus on cocktails using local honey sourced from all over Thailand.
Asia Today also holds a regular spot on Asia 50 Best Bars list and is a fantastic place to taste the varied and beautiful terroir of Thailand.
Some standout cocktails here were a Bee’s Knees made with wild honey and served in a hand-made beeswax cup, and the OG Honey Daiquiri (aka Honeysuckle) made with a house rum blend and wild honey.
Tropic City
Ok ok ok ok listen… Tropic City is SICK.
This was definitely one of the best bars in Thailand. From the atmosphere to the drinks, this place was exactly what we like to see in a cocktail bar.
Perfectly crafted tropical cocktails that take full advantage of Thailand’s wealth of beautiful flavors.
Tropic City was also featured on the 50 Best Bars in Asia this year but honestly, they are number 1 on any and every list as far as were concerned.
You really can’t go wrong ordering here, from their modern tropical creations to tried and true classics, Tropic City has GOT IT GOING ON.
*IMPORTANT NOTE* this bar had the best daiquiri of any bar we went to in Thailand. High praise from the Very Good Team.
Tichuca
Tichuca was by no means our favorite bar in Bangkok. To be perfectly honest, the drinks were just ok and the food even more so, but dang it if their investment in real estate didn’t pay off.
This bar makes the list purely for the view. As far as cities with incredibly beautiful roof-top bars, Bangkok probably ranks #1 in the world and Tichuca really delivered on the breathtaking views of the city.
Absolutely worth the wait in the lobby, no regrets.
Thaipioka
One of the only bars we went to multiple times while in Bangkok, Thaipioka was a hip-and-happening bar with a live DJ, young professionals on dates, woo girls, and clarified cocktails.
We found ourselves here at the end of the night as it is open slightly later than all the other bars on the list.
Overall, solid drinks and a lively atmosphere earned them a spot.
#FindTheLockerRoom
Where to find #FindTheLockerRoom
Find the Locker Room or FTLR for short (haha) is a speakeasy-style bar hidden away on the Thonglor strip.
FTLR is a small cocktail bar beyond a false set of lockers down a back alley in the heart of Bangkok.
I mean, what more do you want?
A very cool experience that’s worth checking out, FTLR has some very interesting cocktails on offer and a menu with really beautiful infographic diagrams.
A great way to escape a rainy Bangkok night, I can see how FTLR ranked 78th on the top 100 Bars in Asia.
*Note* This bar is pretty popular and it took us a couple of tries to finally get a spot so plan ahead!
Mahaniyom
The last stop on our bar hopping journey, and honestly our favorite.
Let me paint you a picture:
It’s a rainy night in Bangkok, and off a back street, there’s a cute little restaurant with a man closing up shop.
You walk in a bit nervous and ask about a bar. The gentleman stops sweeping and points kindly up a set of wooden stairs.
You walk up the stairs past a beautiful little sitting area and through a set of large, ornate wooden doors.
You float into a gorgeous cocktail bar filled with beautiful furniture showered in moody neon light.
You take a seat at the bar and are immediately greeted with a smile, a menu attached to a wooded plank, and a welcome drink in a decorative silver cup.
You’ve reached cocktail bar heaven. You’ve reached Mahaniyom.
Although, Mahaniyom translates roughly to “very popular”, the bar was a perfectly relaxing place to be.
The comforting pitter-patter of the rain on the tin roof above almost lulled me into a trance as I sipped some of the most impressive cocktails I’ve had in a very long time.
The menu at Mahaniyom is conceptually brilliant. Each cocktail is a celebration of a particular ingredient native to Thailand and uses said ingredient to its fullest, wasting nothing.
For instance, the “Squid”, my personal favorite, mixes mirin, ginger, tomato, and squid “dashi” into a clear concoction that is topped with a saline squid ink float! (I mean, come on this is like my cocktail dream come true.)
Another stand out is the “Cow” cocktail including wagyu fat-washed brandy and a blue cheese foam garnish! Sickkkkk.
If savory cocktails aren’t your thing (although you should give them a chance), they also offer 10 other signature cocktails including “Pomelo”, “Pineapple”, “Rice”, and “Banana”.
Unfortunately, we had just downed a huge meal of fried fish and crab curry prior to arriving so we didn’t have it in us to eat anymore, however, the bar food served at Mahaniyom comes from the beautiful Thai restaurant downstairs and sounded phenomenal.
All in all this place is an absolute MUST for cocktail lovers visiting Bangkok. A truly hidden gem with a bright future ahead of it.
Quickie Burger
Quickie Burger is a bright shining light in the dark Bangkok night!
Aside from having some INSANELY good smash burgers (trust us we know smash burgers), the Quickie Burger crew were some of the kindest and most hospitable people I’ve ever met.
Open 24hrs, this is THE spot for late-night eats.
Their burgers were, in a word, divine.
The CHICKEN SANDWICH THOUGH. Oh my god, it was perfect and crunchy and juicy.
They had the correct kind of fries of course: crinkle cut.
They sell delicious beer late night after all the bars have closed and there’s a secret backroom for parties I guess.
They even let me borrow a portable charger for my phone so I could call a Grab home.
If it isn’t perfectly clear, I absolutely LOVE Quickie Burger with all of my heart.
Long live Quickie Burger.