Bar recommendations for a jaded farang?

[Will E Vormer]

Bangkok has certainly changed in the last few years. Many well known bars and bar areas have sadly disappeared. Also Hotels, streetfood areas, markets, even whole neighbourhoods!

 

What still exists, which new places havent I discovered? I'm getting older, so this post will reflect a demographic.. ie  too old for Level's or Demo.

 

Reminiscing, Cheap Charlie's was one of the first places I remember, with its mad toy train track! A new CC's opened, nr an On Nut shopping mall. Its not quite the same. And the long closed old Check Inn, down that dark corridor in Nana, being greeted by Mama Noi. There's a new Check Inn, up nr Emporium, which I still havent visited. I hear it's doing well. 

More upscale, Iron Fairies is still going, and that very secret bar next fo it, if you know which gym locker to pull..

Wong's Place is going strong.. Sam is still Sam. Either a mate for life or chasing you with an iron bar on first visit. Madrid in Patpong, clinging on, but v quiet. The same ladies working there, probably since the 80s. Pretty sure one is wearing the same hotpants since the 80s.. Viani's, another bar in Patpong, is still good for an occasional visit, partly cos I fancy Lek, The Old Other Office in same street, a relic, but still interesting to visit and chat with the lady owner. 

 

Middel age. Shd one be checking out some of the famous Hotel bars such as Bamboo bar? Or will it bore me stiff? Are there some fun dive bars I've missed and shd check out, with characters and misfits? Let me know. And some 'homely' pubs, other than Chequers and Robin Hood?

Or do I need to get out of BK altogether? 

 

 

[brokenbone]

drink beer outside a 7/11 until you come up with a plan,

most places will appear better after a while for most men.

its all about motivation, and motivation can be forced,

though i admit i have also seen men entirely content

with sitting outside a 7/11.

good for them, life would be better if we were content from

such a simple thing, i'd try it out myself if it came

with ac, a comfortable sofa, some go-go dancers,

and bordeaux

[CharlieH]

flame post and responses removed.

[Will E Vormer]

1 hour ago, brokenbone said:

life would be better if we were content from

such a simple thing, i'd try it out myself if it came

with ac, a comfortable sofa, some go-go dancers,

and bordeaux

Motivation and balance, the latter at 2am after paying the tab.

[beautifulthailand99]

I fear that the 7/11 step is a step to far......a.k.a Living the Dream Bar that said it's a good place to meet dogs...

 

 

Edited March 29, 2019 by beautifulthailand99

[setbkk]

There's a nice dive bar on Suk U-Thit Alley, just off of Sukhumvit 71.  Open very late.  I'm serious, that's the name of the street.

[yellowboat]

A nice neighborhood bar that had an Irish name on Soi Ekkemai  closed for "renovations"  then reopened as the Ekkemai Beer house I Believe.  The prices are okay, the service is good, and there is a nice mix of expats and locals.   

 

I also really like Check Inn 99 of the same reasons.  It is on Sukhimvit 33 on left 100 meters up. 

 

Still like Titanium too.

[1FinickyOne]

On 3/29/2019 at 5:02 PM, Will E Vormer said:

Or will it bore me stiff? Are there some fun dive bars I've missed and shd check out, with characters and misfits? Let me know. And some 'homely' pubs, other than Chequers and Robin Hood?

Or do I need to get out of BK altogether? 

Go back 20 years and hang out at the bars in what used to be Wash Square... is that a viagra substitute, getting bored stiff? I think it would just put me to sleep...

 

But, sure, there is a big world beyond Kreung Thep Mahanakorn.... get out of town, better than waning on what was... and will not be again. 

[Ulic]

Sounds like you should be in Pattaya. Sit on any bar on Soi Buhako and watch the world as it passes by. Always interesting. 49 baht beer and inexpensive food at Cheap Charlies. 

[atyclb]

On 3/29/2019 at 8:13 PM, beautifulthailand99 said:

I fear that the 7/11 step is a step to far......a.k.a Living the Dream Bar that said it's a good place to meet dogs...

 

 

 

 

ha ha check out some well known tourist hotspots and you will yearn for that 7/11 dog.

 

the tai obesity epidemic is everywhere

[coops]

2 hours ago, yellowboat said:

A nice neighborhood bar that had an Irish name on Soi Ekkemai  closed for "renovations"  then reopened as the Ekkemai Beer house I Believe.  The prices are okay, the service is good, and there is a nice mix of expats and locals.   

 

I also really like Check Inn 99 of the same reasons.  It is on Sukhimvit 33 on left 100 meters up. 

 

Still like Titanium too.

Before you try Ekkaai Beer house, you could try something a bit more different - and it's opposite, on t'other side of the street in the Park Lane place, Orihara Shoten.

 

https://bk.asia-city.com/nightlife/bangkok-bar-club/orihara-shoten

 

There's a Yakitori restaurant right next door too, if you want - and plenty of food choice in the bar too... but mian draw is a huge selection of excellent sake - a line of fridges full to choose from, as well as Highball whisky soda if you prefer etc.

 

they were having a 'buffet' offer as well, which was god value....

 

 

[emptypockets]

_{Sadly Checkinn99 is a shadow of its former self. After MOTH band left it has never been the same. I don't think I'll be going back there again.}

[Khaeng Mak]

Hanoi.

[mike787]

...depending on the individuals perspective...aren't they all bars a dive?  Really!  After seeing so many, more or less it's one big drunken blur.  

[moe666]

Some people have romatic idea about hanging out wirh the likes of Bogart but in the morning they all smell of sour beer, puke, and smoke.

[stephen tracy]

There's a good student type bar on Suan Plu just after Soi 1 if you're coming from Sathon on the right. It opens at around 4 or 5 pm and is great for people watching as it spills onto the street from inside. I also quite like Viva Aviv in River City as I enjoy sitting on the river on a Sunday afternoon with a good book and few cold ones. For that same reason Also like the Mandarin Oriental terrace but that's a bit of a different kettle of fish. But you're right, a lot of places have gone over the last 5 years or so. My favourite place used to be an outdoor terrace in Siam Square but it's also long gone. In fcat Siam Square doesn't bear any resemblance to its former self at all. They even took away the Siam Radio that used to permeate the area. 

[connda]

Are you still too old to walk.  That's how I spent my first six months in Bangkok.  I took the buses, the Sky Train, the metro - and I walked, and walked, and walked. 

I found some gems, and some sh*thole - the the gems outweighed that others.  Sure, Bangkok has changed, Chiang Mai has changed, all cities and provinces have changed - that's the nature of things.
But, if you're legs work and you are willing to explore - well, life is good.

[Thainess]

The answer is simple. If you're "jaded" with Bangkok or Thailand in general, just book your ticket and head back to your home country. Don't bother returning either because you'd feel even more "jaded" if you did, because you'll be even older and Thailand will be even newer. Hope this helps.

[richard_smith237]

14 minutes ago, Thainess said:

The answer is simple. If you're "jaded" with Bangkok or Thailand in general, just book your ticket and head back to your home country. Don't bother returning either because you'd feel even more "jaded" if you did, because you'll be even older and Thailand will be even newer. Hope this helps.

A rather random and somewhat unrelated response... Takin your username a little too far don't you think?

 

OP: An interesting place is Tuba (at the Petchaburi end of Ekammai)... W-District is also pretty relaxed and decent with friends.

[grifbel]

2 hours ago, moe666 said:

Some people have romatic idea about hanging out wirh the likes of Bogart but in the morning they all smell of sour beer, puke, and smoke.

Here's looking at you kid.

 

[spoon1967]

5 hours ago, Ulic said:

Sounds like you should be in Pattaya. Sit on any bar on Soi Buhako and watch the world as it passes by. Always interesting. 49 baht beer and inexpensive food at Cheap Charlies. 

I agree, I love sitting on Bukhoew watching the world go buy, always someone to chat to if you want to, cheap beer and watch the girls heading off to work at 5pm.

Edited March 31, 2019 by spoon1967

[steven100]

yes ... cheap charlies has gone, Sarah went also, Check inn was long gone ... pool bars, Absolute bar, I've seen them all come and go ... from Queen park plaza to soi nana to On Nut and most.

I've seen farang stagger and fall over the stool while leaving ... I've seen the drunks throwing up in the street ...   it's all gone ... only the memories live on.

Edited March 31, 2019 by steven100

[Kinnock]

My favourite bar is Apotheka in Soi 11 - great live Blues bands, interesting beers, decent food.

 

Club de Havana just around the corner is also pretty good at the weekend.

 

And the new craft beer bar next to the Intercontinental on lower Sukhumvit/Rama 1 is good.

 

For a bar that's remained unchanged for over 10 years, with good live music and more 'mature' hostesses in Au yai Vietnamese dresses - try Titanium in Soi 22.

 

Slappers bar in the basement of the Grand Hyatt (or perhaps it's called 'Spasso') is another unchanged icon - good band, great people watching, good but pricey Italian food.

 

And leaving the best 'till last - Revolution Cocktail Bar, Silom - amazing atmosphere, bar staff juggling molotov cocktails, good DJ, excellent cocktails, good beers, buzzing at the weekend, young-ish crowd, but wide enough range of customers to not make you feel too out of place.  

 

[lamyai3]

On 3/29/2019 at 8:13 PM, beautifulthailand99 said:

 

 

What are we looking at here? It seems to be some kind of goat/ calf/ dog hybrid ????

[josephbloggs]

3 hours ago, lamyai3 said:

 

What are we looking at here? It seems to be some kind of goat/ calf/ dog hybrid ????

I think it's called a "farang". 

[Will E Vormer]

On 3/31/2019 at 9:58 AM, Khaeng Mak said:

Hanoi.

I went over recently. Dirt cheap direct flights on qatar! Big empty plane too. No entry visa needed, altho they will try to make you pay for one lol

I absolutely loved the place and will go back next month. Much cheaper than thailand, nice hotels in old quarter and great fun to explore. Not spoiled by over tourism.. yet.

Hotel tip : La castella, front facing balcony room on top 2 floors.

Drinks at Quan Bia Minh, a colonial building with large balcony overlooking street, or push the boat out at Madame Hien. Beer corner is crazy busy, but some nice places on the periphery. Hookers everywhere, many dressed in little leather miniskirts.

Hanoi can feel like a film set, v cool city

Edited April 3, 2019 by Will E Vormer

[Will E Vormer]

On 3/31/2019 at 12:55 PM, richard_smith237 said:

A rather random and somewhat unrelated response... Takin your username a little too far don't you think?

 

OP: An interesting place is Tuba (at the Petchaburi end of Ekammai)... W-District is also pretty relaxed and decent with friends.

Know it well! The same family own a large antiques warehouse in north Bk, i cant remember the bloody name. When you buy some antique furniture there, the owner insists you must have a drink from fridge. But the only way to open it is via a large dildo stuck on the door. 

 

[Will E Vormer]

On 3/31/2019 at 2:43 PM, Kinnock said:

My favourite bar is Apotheka in Soi 11 - great live Blues bands, interesting beers, decent food.

 

Club de Havana just around the corner is also pretty good at the weekend.

 

And the new craft beer bar next to the Intercontinental on lower Sukhumvit/Rama 1 is good.

 

For a bar that's remained unchanged for over 10 years, with good live music and more 'mature' hostesses in Au yai Vietnamese dresses - try Titanium in Soi 22.

 

Slappers bar in the basement of the Grand Hyatt (or perhaps it's called 'Spasso') is another unchanged icon - good band, great people watching, good but pricey Italian food.

 

And leaving the best 'till last - Revolution Cocktail Bar, Silom - amazing atmosphere, bar staff juggling molotov cocktails, good DJ, excellent cocktails, good beers, buzzing at the weekend, young-ish crowd, but wide enough range of customers to not make you feel too out of place.  

 

Thanks, great tips. Spasso's has been on my must go to list for too long. I've heard the ladies can often be a strange mix of high class freelancers and bored rich mid thirties predatory types

[Kinnock]

6 hours ago, Will E Vormer said:

Thanks, great tips. Spasso's has been on my must go to list for too long. I've heard the ladies can often be a strange mix of high class freelancers and bored rich mid thirties predatory types

Spot on.  Plus exotic imported models.  I've not taken any for a test drive as I'm happy with my locally built model, but I've been 'window shopping' many times.  ????