Good Places To Drink In Chiang Mai

[tom21]

Things change, bars and pubs come and go. I don't see any reason to be rude to someone for asking a legitimate question it's an open blogsite as long as a person stays within the rules/boundaries. If its been done to death over the years, then according to your philosophy there must have been an awful lot of boring contributers in the past - maybe including yourself?

Talking of rude, There is an almost identical thread running here, why have two? Visit My Websitehttp://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=112385

have you been drinking?

[JohnJohn]

I have found a new realy nice place, Magic Club, opposite Prathu Thapae, facing Sunday Market Plaza.

A place for relax, clean, live music performing every other day.

Excellent variety of drinks and cocktails, friendly staff.

A good place in the heart of Chiang Mai.

[sabaijai]

Daret's was originally just another rice shop that sold fruit shakes that got popular with backpackers. It was inside the moat back in the 70s, didn't occupy the current huge place outside the moat till the 1980s. It was never a pub. Oldest still operating pub in CM is probably The Pub ...

[MaeRimMan]

I've been in chiang Mai a few months now and enjoy going out for a drink or three. I like good old fashioned pubs. to my mind there are 4 or 5 gems in town: places where you can go and have a beer with a few like minded souls and where the landlord is generally present and likes a drink and a chat. These are my pitches for the best pubs in town in alphabetical order so as not to appear biased

The Blackpool Bar: Lens a great bloke and although he calls himself a bar its a pub in every sense

The Laughing Leprauchaun: What a shame its closing Domonic's a first class guy

The Olde Bell: The most like an old English pub. Pedre the landlord is a pleasant chap to talk to

O'Malley's: Good pool table, Sometimes indifferent staff, Scott is often not there

The Pub: The Granddaddy of them all! nice bar, recently refurbished, a bit out of the way and a bit of a dinosaur crowd. Graham's worked hard at improving the place.

The Queen Victoria: Great food, if a bit expensive, poor location, great owner, Ian

The Red Lion: Great location, Kevin's usually there later on. Football's the main topic of conversation.

Other contenders: Mad Dogs is almost a pub, but a pub needs walls and Nick hasnt got them, I know Tuskers is popular with the Thai Visa people, but it isnt a 'pub' as such, The What - again almost a pub and Steve's a top host, no draught beers doesn't help.

Ahh what fun I've had researching all this. I'm beginning to enjoy Chiang Mai now my debt problems are sorting themselves out!

[jackr]

O'Malley's and Red Lion are the best pubs in the world

[Crow Boy]

I have merged the "Bars and Pubs" thread with this one to reduce duplication

Crow Boy

[KevinHunt]

O'Malley's and Red Lion are the best pubs in the world

And they both sell Burgers.

[MaeRimMan]

I put up a post about good PUBS in Chiang Mai Last night. I was trying to get people to comment on the Pubs in town and to differentiate between pubs and bars. Now I find that Crowboy, who has participated in a thread about BARS. has linked my thread with that one. A PUB is very diffferent from a BAR in my opinion. Would you please read my thread Crowboy, accept that it is different and separate it form the one you have merged it with. you might then want to ask yourself whether you should be moderating threads that you are contributing to. Thank you

[Dustoff]

People:

Trouble, oh we got trouble,

Right here in River City!

With a capital "T"

That rhymes with "P"

And that stands for PUB!

[Sledge71]

I've been in chiang Mai a few months now and enjoy going out for a drink or three. I like good old fashioned pubs. to my mind there are 4 or 5 gems in town: places where you can go and have a beer with a few like minded souls and where the landlord is generally present and likes a drink and a chat. These are my pitches for the best pubs in town in alphabetical order so as not to appear biased

The Blackpool Bar: Lens a great bloke and although he calls himself a bar its a pub in every sense

The Laughing Leprauchaun: What a shame its closing Domonic's a first class guy

The Olde Bell: The most like an old English pub. Pedre the landlord is a pleasant chap to talk to

O'Malley's: Good pool table, Sometimes indifferent staff, Scott is often not there

The Pub: The Granddaddy of them all! nice bar, recently refurbished, a bit out of the way and a bit of a dinosaur crowd. Graham's worked hard at improving the place.

The Queen Victoria: Great food, if a bit expensive, poor location, great owner, Ian

The Red Lion: Great location, Kevin's usually there later on. Football's the main topic of conversation.

Other contenders: Mad Dogs is almost a pub, but a pub needs walls and Nick hasnt got them, I know Tuskers is popular with the Thai Visa people, but it isnt a 'pub' as such, The What - again almost a pub and Steve's a top host, no draught beers doesn't help.

Ahh what fun I've had researching all this. I'm beginning to enjoy Chiang Mai now my debt problems are sorting themselves out!

Do any of them give credit ?

[KevinHunt]

I put up a post about good PUBS in Chiang Mai Last night. I was trying to get people to comment on the Pubs in town and to differentiate between pubs and bars. Now I find that Crowboy, who has participated in a thread about BARS. has linked my thread with that one. A PUB is very diffferent from a BAR in my opinion. Would you please read my thread Crowboy, accept that it is different and separate it form the one you have merged it with. you might then want to ask yourself whether you should be moderating threads that you are contributing to. Thank you

Caaaaaalm down!!!

To be fair, you mentioned all of the pubs in town that fall under your definition, although there may be a few in the back sois, so there isn't much to comment on except other peoples views on said places.

The Red Lion and O'Malley's thread went on forever and gained a cult following, so what's left? Although we Brits distinguish between a pub and a bar, most people don't see the difference. I've even heard Aussies (God bless 'em) refer to my pub as a hotel!!! Even when they know I don't have rooms for rent. Northern Territory thing, I think?

[Ulysses G.]

Pubs serve food and bars don't (other than a few snacks). Would that be the jist of it?

[KevinHunt]

Pubs serve food and bars don't (other than a few snacks). Would that be the gist of it?

No. Most pubs don't sell food, other than snacks.

Pubs are more civilised.

[miltonbentley]

The difference between a bar and a pub is largely one of perception and therefore is completely down to individual opinion.

The phrase 'pub' derives from public house which has its origins in middle age England. In those far off times certain people in villages and towns gained reputations for throwing good parties and serving decent drink, usually ale and mead in the front room of their homes (the house' bit.) As things developed a good host realised he could make a bob or two selling alcohol all the time and they became open to the public on a daily basis. Pub is just a shortened form.

The phrase bar originated from the old French barre which simply means bar, whether it be a counter top or the hand rail used in ballet practice. It then became generally used to describe anywhere which served alcoholic drink without people having to eat. Although now many bars serve an extensive food menu.

As we all know there are many types of pubs and bars and while generally every one may agree that a certain establishment is a pub (eg the Red Lion) and another a bar (eg Darling) there are many places which could quite happily be called either, or indeed both and I would include Tuskers in that category along with Number 1 and many others in CM.

At the end of the day it's only terminology and the important thing is that you can get a drink

[Crow Boy]

Last night (Thursday) I went to The Guitarman. I intended to leave fairly early but the resident guitar wizz Boy informed me that he was doing a special show with his guitar teacher from Bangkok. Boy learned with his Uncle "Tuk" and then this other teacher "Chi". Chi wandered in looking like a Thai version of Billy Gibbons with knitted cap and beard but plays a Fender strat - or more to the point plays a Fender strat to an inch of its life. Boy mainly took the backseat role playing very nice rhythm patters and let Chi take the box seat then with a couple of numbers into the set they started to do a lot of interplay. One of the many things I like about Thai musicians is that they usually don't let their ego get in the way of having fun and playing together. They like to strut their stuff but do so in a banter rather than a battle. Chi played some interesting solo inversions using the lower strings to bend and has a very

nice vibrato technique that is very similar to Eric Clapton.

The set was fun and interesting with different styles of playing and they were obviously enjoying it as much as the audience. Chi does come up every now and then so if you see a flyer around town advertising the show do your best to see the man. You will not be disappointed.

CB

[KevinHunt]

Last night (Thursday) I went to The Guitarman. I intended to leave fairly early but the resident guitar wizz Boy informed me that he was doing a special show with his guitar teacher from Bangkok. Boy learned with his Uncle "Tuk" and then this other teacher "Chi". Chi wandered in looking like a Thai version of Billy Gibbons with knitted cap and beard but plays a Fender strat - or more to the point plays a Fender strat to an inch of its life. Boy mainly took the backseat role playing very nice rhythm patters and let Chi take the box seat then with a couple of numbers into the set they started to do a lot of interplay. One of the many things I like about Thai musicians is that they usually don't let their ego get in the way of having fun and playing together. They like to strut their stuff but do so in a banter rather than a battle. Chi played some interesting solo inversions using the lower strings to bend and has a very

nice vibrato technique that is very similar to Eric Clapton.

The set was fun and interesting with different styles of playing and they were obviously enjoying it as much as the audience. Chi does come up every now and then so if you see a flyer around town advertising the show do your best to see the man. You will not be disappointed.

CB

A great night. This place is playing some of the best live music in Chiang Mai. It derserves to be busier, so get down there and see (hear) what it's all about.

[Crow Boy]

Last night (Thursday) I went to The Guitarman. I intended to leave fairly early but the resident guitar wizz Boy informed me that he was doing a special show with his guitar teacher from Bangkok. Boy learned with his Uncle "Tuk" and then this other teacher "Chi". Chi wandered in looking like a Thai version of Billy Gibbons with knitted cap and beard but plays a Fender strat - or more to the point plays a Fender strat to an inch of its life. Boy mainly took the backseat role playing very nice rhythm patters and let Chi take the box seat then with a couple of numbers into the set they started to do a lot of interplay. One of the many things I like about Thai musicians is that they usually don't let their ego get in the way of having fun and playing together. They like to strut their stuff but do so in a banter rather than a battle. Chi played some interesting solo inversions using the lower strings to bend and has a very

nice vibrato technique that is very similar to Eric Clapton.

The set was fun and interesting with different styles of playing and they were obviously enjoying it as much as the audience. Chi does come up every now and then so if you see a flyer around town advertising the show do your best to see the man. You will not be disappointed.

CB

A great night. This place is playing some of the best live music in Chiang Mai. It derserves to be busier, so get down there and see (hear) what it's all about.

It's strange - some nights the place is packed and other times near empty. According to Nick (the owner) the previous night was great with a full house checking out the Tonic Rays. I think the prospect of rain may have influenced people to stay at home. On my way back after the show I noticed many other places with only a few customers.

CB

[sceadugenga]

I put up a post about good PUBS in Chiang Mai Last night. I was trying to get people to comment on the Pubs in town and to differentiate between pubs and bars. Now I find that Crowboy, who has participated in a thread about BARS. has linked my thread with that one. A PUB is very diffferent from a BAR in my opinion. Would you please read my thread Crowboy, accept that it is different and separate it form the one you have merged it with. you might then want to ask yourself whether you should be moderating threads that you are contributing to. Thank you

Caaaaaalm down!!!

To be fair, you mentioned all of the pubs in town that fall under your definition, although there may be a few in the back sois, so there isn't much to comment on except other peoples views on said places.

The Red Lion and O'Malley's thread went on forever and gained a cult following, so what's left? Although we Brits distinguish between a pub and a bar, most people don't see the difference. I've even heard Aussies (God bless 'em) refer to my pub as a hotel!!! Even when they know I don't have rooms for rent. Northern Territory thing, I think?

Probably a throw back from the old days when all pubs had rooms to rent upstairs and a "front bar" and a "lounge bar" downstairs. Even now pubs in Australia are often listed in the phone book under "Hotels" whether they have rooms or not.

A pub can contain several bars, a front bar for the sweaty workman, a saloon for the more genteel and a lounge which used to be for ladies who were not allowed to drink in the front bar. The lounge is now usually full of poker machines.

Pub grub is a tradition in Australia and quite often very good.

[anonymouse]

I went down to the Northgate last night and caught the last band on around elevenish, a nice varied jazz set and packed out

if you like a bit of jazz, I'd recommend it.

[Crow Boy]

I went down to the Northgate last night and caught the last band on around elevenish, a nice varied jazz set and packed out

if you like a bit of jazz, I'd recommend it.

Not a big jazz fan myself but the band is good and the Northgate supports them which is great for live music in CM

CB

[sabaijai]

Last night (Thursday) I went to The Guitarman. I intended to leave fairly early but the resident guitar wizz Boy informed me that he was doing a special show with his guitar teacher from Bangkok. Boy learned with his Uncle "Tuk" and then this other teacher "Chi". Chi wandered in looking like a Thai version of Billy Gibbons with knitted cap and beard but plays a Fender strat - or more to the point plays a Fender strat to an inch of its life. Boy mainly took the backseat role playing very nice rhythm patters and let Chi take the box seat then with a couple of numbers into the set they started to do a lot of interplay. One of the many things I like about Thai musicians is that they usually don't let their ego get in the way of having fun and playing together. They like to strut their stuff but do so in a banter rather than a battle. Chi played some interesting solo inversions using the lower strings to bend and has a very

nice vibrato technique that is very similar to Eric Clapton.

The set was fun and interesting with different styles of playing and they were obviously enjoying it as much as the audience. Chi does come up every now and then so if you see a flyer around town advertising the show do your best to see the man. You will not be disappointed.

CB

A great night. This place is playing some of the best live music in Chiang Mai. It derserves to be busier, so get down there and see (hear) what it's all about.

It's strange - some nights the place is packed and other times near empty. According to Nick (the owner) the previous night was great with a full house checking out the Tonic Rays. I think the prospect of rain may have influenced people to stay at home. On my way back after the show I noticed many other places with only a few customers.

CB

The Tonic Rays are hoping for another big night this coming Thursday. See them while you can, they're talking about moving to the big city (Bangkok) to earn more money.

[sabaijai]

Quick update: I'm told that The Tonic Rays' final performance at Guitarman comes next Thursday, 15 May.

[Crow Boy]

Quick update: I'm told that The Tonic Rays' final performance at Guitarman comes next Thursday, 15 May.

Their normal start at 10:30pm?

I will be away from Chiang Mai then but I hope it turns out to be a bumper party for those that can attend.

CB

[sabaijai]

Yes 10.30pm. I'll be going.

[Crow Boy]

Yes 10.30pm. I'll be going.

I'll be in Pattaya and unfortunately miss the show. Hope the Tonic Rays tear up the place - say hello to Nicky for me.

CB

[sabaijai]

Last chance to see the T-Rays in Thailand will be tomorrow night, Sat the 17th, at Be-Bop in Pai, if anyone's interested.

[prancer]

My girlfiend and I just went to a great new bar in Chiang Mai the other day. It's called "Bartender". The owner said it's not really new but just changed owners recently. It's a really chilled out place to have a drink and the guy behind the bar is super friendly and speaks great english. When we were there it was a nice mix of both Thai and foreigners. "Bartender" is located opposite Heaven Beach on that small soi behind the Irish pub. I reccommend it to anyone who wants to relax in comfortable chairs and chill out with a drink.

[marhas1]

The good places are sometimes difficult to discover. That's why I put Chiang Mai's nightspots with live music and other music to a Google Map:

Cool nights in Chiang Mai

[stament]

Anyone found any new places they can recommend?

Been a while since any postings on this thread so thought it would be a good idea to bring it back to life

[chiangmaioldhand]

The Laughing Leprechaun is, IMHO, one of the unsung gems of Chiang Mai.

It is a regular bar/restaurant with excellent food and well tended Guinness on tap, Dominic, the host, is one of the friendliest and nicest people you could hope to meet. Added to which he is Irish which as far as owners/managers of Irish bars in these parts is concerned is quite a novelty! It's not a bar for those on a quest for the cheapest Beer Chang in town but it is excellent value for money when you take into account the quality of the grub.

On the occasions that the place is busy Dominic is always on hand to keep the punters happy and consequently creates a great atmosphere . . . . unfortunately it is often very quiet and I really don't understand why? Anyone got any insights?

Stuck in the UK right now, freezing my proverbials off and looking forward to getting back to, amongst many other things, decent Guinness and a decent fry up at a decent price - see you soon Dom.

JxP

Quite a few comments about Laughing Leprechaun, but newbies may want to know that it no longer exists.

Sold to the hotel next door.