Classic Lounge Bars In Bangkok

[sorensen]

I have got a taste for some of the nicer and relaxing lounge style bars in Bangkok, and thought I would share:

V9 - Really nice wine bar at the 39th floor at the Sofitel at Silom. Wine is roughly the same price as in Villa Supermarket, but food a bit expensive.

Longtable - Very impressive bar at Asoke soi 16. Hard to find but worth a visit.

Sirocco (State Tower) - Nice place if you want to impress first time visitors, but not so trendy anymore

Top floor at the Dusit Thani - very quiet, but nice aquarium

If you know of any similar bars or lounges, please share and add to the list.

[thecatman]

There are a few pretty cool places listed here.

http://www.lifestyleasia.com/guide_drink_11.htm

[dantilley]

The 360 Bar in The Millennium Hilton is excellent. Great views of the river and a nice, relaxed atmosphere.

Wine Pub in the Pullman Hotel, near Victory Monument, is a very nice place also. No river view but some nice wine and tapas.

By the way, how can you say this about Long Table:

Hard to find

- there's a massive sign on the side of the building, visible from miles around!

[sorensen]

I will definetly check out the 360 bar, I have always wondered what was up there.

Good to hear that there is a sign for Long Table now. I was there during the first week they opened and it was a bit hard to find.

Robert

The 360 Bar in The Millennium Hilton is excellent. Great views of the river and a nice, relaxed atmosphere.

Wine Pub in the Pullman Hotel, near Victory Monument, is a very nice place also. No river view but some nice wine and tapas.

By the way, how can you say this about Long Table:

Hard to find

- there's a massive sign on the side of the building, visible from miles around!

[bkkjames]

I will definetly check out the 360 bar, I have always wondered what was up there.

Good to hear that there is a sign for Long Table now. I was there during the first week they opened and it was a bit hard to find.

Robert

The 360 Bar in The Millennium Hilton is excellent. Great views of the river and a nice, relaxed atmosphere.

Wine Pub in the Pullman Hotel, near Victory Monument, is a very nice place also. No river view but some nice wine and tapas.

By the way, how can you say this about Long Table:

Hard to find

- there's a massive sign on the side of the building, visible from miles around!

360 is nice, great views of the river, as expected not cheap though.

Re: The Long Table, nice big ugly sign on the side of the office building - evokes class

[sorensen]

360 is nice, great views of the river, as expected not cheap though.

Re: The Long Table, nice big ugly sign on the side of the office building - evokes class

James, when you say 360 is not cheap, is it out of this world expensive or like V9?

I really find V9 very resonable.

Robert

[bkkjames]

James, when you say 360 is not cheap, is it out of this world expensive or like V9?

I really find V9 very resonable.

Robert

It's been almost a year but if I recall standard drinks were 180-250 baht ++ so if you drink as fast as i do, it can add up quickly

[ziggyinthai]

Similar to Sirocco, open air bar and restaurant, Vertigo at the top of the Banyan Tree Hotel!

map at www.lost-in-bangkok.com/ENG/Bangkok/Silom/Vertigo.asp

[bkkjames]

Thanks for the review. Next time, could I advise you to spend 18k on booze and food and upgrade your phone?

[jcon]

James....

The Quintessential Man as defined by jcon does not include the phone as an important accessory. A fine timepiece, fine shoes, and a bespoke suit (at the very least, MTM) define this Quintessential Man.... phones are for girls....

But yes, my phone is crappy. And who said I paid?

[girlx]

Atmosphere: as one of my friends put it, "it's like going to an event" a.k.a some cocktail party arranged by xyz business at xyz place...

went to scirocco last night as well.

-nice overall ambience but i agree with jcon that it feels too much like a business event center

-excellent service

-also agree it is overly bright, also nothing to block the wind

-was not remotely impressed by the sky bar- it is too small with too little seating area, and chock full of tourists. i felt like i was at one of those overpopular monuments like the christ the redeemer statue in rio, minus only the cheap trinket stands

-didn't eat so can't comment on the food. drinks very expensive but that's to be expected. wine 600-1500b per glass.

-overall impression, good for tourists or pretentious hi-sos. not my first choice for a date. spectacular views but i can visit my friend's penthouse apartment and have the same views for less money and more atmosphere.

another crappy pic (can't do the 360 views justice):

next time i'll make my date take me to vertigo or the 360 bar....

Edited January 10, 2009 by girlx

[jcon]

Must have been freezing girlx... did you get one of the pink/purple scarves/blankets? They must have been running out that night because I assume every woman wanted one! Even when I went it was rather cold, but this weekend it was crazy cold (for Thailand, err... Bangkok).

Vertigo will be equally as cold, and quite windy as well, exp by the bar, but they have those standing heaters IIRC. Maybe they got rid of those by now.

For your next date go to 360 instead, better views, inside, and nice and dark. Good drinks, nice all around lounge.

For a bit more people-watching, there is To Die For in H1 Thonglor, on the outside couches, it won't be as cold because it's on ground level and there are buildings to block the wind... small, and the food is quite good IMO, and not too expensive (compared to the present company of place - thought it's not a wine bar nor a lounge, but you can get a loungy feeling on some nights... just make sure you get a good couch (bali-style couches)on the outside section because it's kind of sterile inside. It's a nice place, but not as private as 360 and not as 'nice.' But a nice change from the 'view' dates which can get boring (we're not tourists all of the time, you know). I hope it's still open. Or try Prime or the other restaurants in the Millenium Hilton before you head up for drinks.

Or try Zense Central World. Or Face Bar Suk 38 (but drinks overpriced... nice and dark tho)... Or Sring/Summer Suk 49...

Dang this weekend at Sirocco, 64 floors up.... brrrr.... Don't do Vertigo till it warms up a bit...

[RAZZELL]

Went to Sirocco last night, haven't been in some time, here's my review as it stands now:

Food, average.

Price: well 2 people, dinner, drinks, mid 20k THB.

I think dropping £400 on an "average" dinner and a few drinks is taking the pi$$... especially in Bkk.

RAZZ

[jcon]

Went to Sirocco last night, haven't been in some time, here's my review as it stands now:

Food, average.

Price: well 2 people, dinner, drinks, mid 20k THB.

I think dropping £400 on an "average" dinner and a few drinks is taking the pi$... especially in Bkk.

RAZZ

Sorry Razz, being a good old UmMerican, I am not used to the slang 'taking the piss'... I've always understood it as something like 'messing with you.' So I don't get what you're saying here...

I did say that the food was average (but the implication was 'average' with respect to its peers, not 'average' as in compared to Burger King). What made the night was the 'occasion,' not the food or the drink or the view, etc. So the night was not 'average' my any means. It was an amazing evening, I would say. So, to borrow a term from the famous credit card commercials... priceless.

[girlx]

i think he meant that scirocco was taking the piss out of you by charging so much for average food

[sunsamourai]

For a bit more people-watching, there is To Die For in H1 Thonglor, on the outside couches

I'm not going out out that much any more, but been to that place a few times, and found it quite pleasant. Primarily because finding a piece of a garden becomes less frequent in bangkok.

Relaxed and friendly atmosphere, warm smooth lights, prices ok for the kind of place.

++ ^^

[side]

nice thread and i generally agree with the comments about the sciroccos and vertigos of bkk but that's how they make their money and as long as there are people happy to part with that cash for an underwhelming f&b experience but an overwhelming "look-at-me-i'm-da-man!" experience, they will thrive.

that's not a rant, i love all that jazz at times too.

however, my big fat tips for the right kind of atmosphere, meals and prices (and it's all subjective remember) are:

1. INDIGO, an outstanding french bistrot/brasserie inside/outside number, secluded off soi convent, you know where - that little lane. dam_n it if they don't serve up veal kidneys in a mustard sauce to rival "the ivy" in london or some confit de canard straight from the city of luuuurve.

2. EUGENIA, go with your significant other, it's defo not for you and your mates. sukhumvit soi something, can't remember, but my gf knows so ask her or google it. it's relais & chateaux if that means anything to you and they somehow mix up this sort of refined version of french paysan dishes with some funky thai twists, all very smooth, quiet and moodily-lit. i never expected this in bkk but then they never expected the spanish inquisition in spain way back either did they?

Edited January 18, 2009 by side

[Zzinged]

Anyone tried the Latitude Lounge in the Banyan Tree? It's on the 51st floor. You have to go through the Saffron restaurant to get to it. It's mainly drinks with no food of it's own, but it's a nice place to chill

[jcon]

Anyone tried the Latitude Lounge in the Banyan Tree? It's on the 51st floor. You have to go through the Saffron restaurant to get to it. It's mainly drinks with no food of it's own, but it's a nice place to chill

This is a place I'd like to check out.... I've never been, just passed it and just now looked it up. Is the floorspace large? Lighting bright or dark? A pic seems like it's outdoors, maybe on a terrace of sorts... If it was nice and dark and private a la 360, definitely worth checking out. Any idea on drink prices?

And somebody else mentioned Indigo - nice food and I rather like the atmosphere, but it doesn't have wow-factor or the privacy that these other places can have...

I like this thread. Hopefully we can have more contribute... it is after all in the Bangkok forum, and with so many ThaiVisa millionaires on this site, I can't believe that so few have been out to sample the finer places... maybe they are just too pre-occupied with their chinese hi-so wives. Not.

[bkkjames]

Anyone tried the Latitude Lounge in the Banyan Tree? It's on the 51st floor. You have to go through the Saffron restaurant to get to it. It's mainly drinks with no food of it's own, but it's a nice place to chill

This is a place I'd like to check out.... I've never been, just passed it and just now looked it up. Is the floorspace large? Lighting bright or dark? A pic seems like it's outdoors, maybe on a terrace of sorts... If it was nice and dark and private a la 360, definitely worth checking out. Any idea on drink prices?

And somebody else mentioned Indigo - nice food and I rather like the atmosphere, but it doesn't have wow-factor or the privacy that these other places can have...

I like this thread. Hopefully we can have more contribute... it is after all in the Bangkok forum, and with so many ThaiVisa millionaires on this site, I can't believe that so few have been out to sample the finer places... maybe they are just too pre-occupied with their chinese hi-so wives. Not.

I am in fact.