Lake Mapbrachan

[expatgaz]

As my place out that way will be finished early next year and Lake Mapbrachan will welcome its latest resident Iam trying to find what are the best bars out that way and also restaurants.

Not to bothered abt ''girlie bars'' just good places to relax over a few beers and a good atmosphere.Heard the Irish bar out there isn't bad,can't remember the name.

Any advice on watering holes most welcome....

EPG.

[doctormann]

As my place out that way will be finished early next year and Lake Mapbrachan will welcome its latest resident Iam trying to find what are the best bars out that way and also restaurants.

Not to bothered abt ''girlie bars'' just good places to relax over a few beers and a good atmosphere.Heard the Irish bar out there isn't bad,can't remember the name.

Any advice on watering holes most welcome....

EPG.

Mulligan's Lakeside is the (pseudo) Irish bar. Don't expect draught Guinness though. Live music on Friday evenings - if it's still happening as it has been very quiet there on the last two occasions I visited. Last time was about one month ago.

If you like Indian food I can recommend the Tandoori Garden at the Fisherman's Rest. The setting is a bit rough and ready but the Indian food is arguably the best this side of Bangkok.

Khun John's Restaurant is supposed to be OK but I've never tried it.

The Lakeside Restaurant and Deli Bean coffee shop also get good reviews.

The Magnolia is a fairly new venue but always seems empty during the day. Maybe livens up at night but never been so I can't say.

Quite a few smaller bars round the back of the lake. I believe that the Escape Bar sometimes has live music.

Mobi could probably give you some better info as he lives out that way. You could always PM him.

Cheers

DM

[patsfangr]

As my place out that way will be finished early next year and Lake Mapbrachan will welcome its latest resident Iam trying to find what are the best bars out that way and also restaurants.

Not to bothered abt ''girlie bars'' just good places to relax over a few beers and a good atmosphere.Heard the Irish bar out there isn't bad,can't remember the name.

Any advice on watering holes most welcome....

EPG.

The best advice I can give you, EPG, is to read through a thread here titled "The Darkside". It is specifically dedicated to discussion of our best local restaurants here on the eastside of Sukhmvit. To get you started, in addition to those mentioned by DM, I think you'll find The Courtyard, Cafe Uno, and Dao Cafe among the best. Details on those, and others in the thread noted.

[Mobi]

Welcome to the Darkside

Of course it's each to their own taste, but yours truly, along with countless others, these days tend to gravitate toward the Rendezvous, which is between Scott's Corner and the peacock bar and Motel.

The Rendezvous owner has cared enough to make a very nice, well decorated, tasteful bar, where prices are reasonable, and the staff are friendly. There is a pool table, and a large upstairs "Sports Bar" where you can watch live sport on a large TV screen.

But the best part of all is the food, which you can eat at the Rendezvouz bar or the "Legend" restaurant next door (same owner). Probably some of the cheapest prices around, but the food is excellent, with large portions - sometimes too large! An extensive menu of Farang and Thai food, and some of the best English sausages I have had in Thailand (homemade by the owner's wife). The breakfasts must be amongst the best value in Pattaya.

Last but not least, there is an English bakery on the other side which does pretty good meat pies, amongst other stuff.

No I don't have shares in it, so for the sake of balance:

I would mention Manneke Pis, also a friendly, tasteful bar, and some very good Belgium Food, but these days a little over priced, but nice for a change.

Then there is Lakeside - been there twice - great ambiance, excellent service and good food, but a little pricey.

Then there si the Courtyard, again tastefully done, with an inside A/c'd bar and restaurant and also a garden bar and tables. Very popular with some of my friends, but I've not really taken to it. It's all a matter of taste I guess.

One of the best restaurants on the Darkside IMHO, is Ticinos, with great Italian/Swiss food and lovely ambiance. Again, very good service.

There are many more, which you will find on the "Darkside Thread", but the above is a few to be going on with.

We are very blessed with places to eat drink and "do "other naughty things" on the Darkside. And with virtually no tourists, the prices are reasonable and most Thais have a much better attitude than their 'cousins" on the "bright side".

Maybe we could use this thread for folk to post their favourite Darkside places?

[bunta71]

Welcome to the Darkside

Of course it's each to their own taste, but yours truly, along with countless others, these days tend to gravitate toward the Rendezvous, which is between Scott's Corner and the peacock bar and Motel.

The Rendezvous owner has cared enough to make a very nice, well decorated, tasteful bar, where prices are reasonable, and the staff are friendly. There is a pool table, and a large upstairs "Sports Bar" where you can watch live sport on a large TV screen.

But the best part of all is the food, which you can eat at the Rendezvouz bar or the "Legend" restaurant next door (same owner). Probably some of the cheapest prices around, but the food is excellent, with large portions - sometimes too large! An extensive menu of Farang and Thai food, and some of the best English sausages I have had in Thailand (homemade by the owner's wife). The breakfasts must be amongst the best value in Pattaya.

Last but not least, there is an English bakery on the other side which does pretty good meat pies, amongst other stuff.

No I don't have shares in it, so for the sake of balance:

I would mention Manneke Pis, also a friendly, tasteful bar, and some very good Belgium Food, but these days a little over priced, but nice for a change.

Then there is Lakeside - been there twice - great ambiance, excellent service and good food, but a little pricey.

Then there si the Courtyard, again tastefully done, with an inside A/c'd bar and restaurant and also a garden bar and tables. Very popular with some of my friends, but I've not really taken to it. It's all a matter of taste I guess.

One of the best restaurants on the Darkside IMHO, is Ticinos, with great Italian/Swiss food and lovely ambiance. Again, very good service.

There are many more, which you will find on the "Darkside Thread", but the above is a few to be going on with.

We are very blessed with places to eat drink and "do "other naughty things" on the Darkside. And with virtually no tourists, the prices are reasonable and most Thais have a much better attitude than their 'cousins" on the "bright side".

Maybe we could use this thread for folk to post their favourite Darkside places?

Kinda new in town and wondering how to find this lake

[monty]

Rather easy to find!

Coming from within Pattaya, take central road (the road with Carrefour and foodland on it) until you hit Sukhumvit.

Take a left towards Bangkok, and then at the first set of traffic lights turn right onto Soi Siam Country club road.

And then you keep on driving straight ahead for about 8 or 9 km and you'll hit the lake...

[patsfangr]

Maybe we could use this thread for folk to post their favourite Darkside places?

Why add another thread, Mobi? We have "The Darkside" thread. Nice, I think, to keep all restaurant and bar info in one place. Makes for easy refernence, doesn't it? Why split it?

[Mobi]

Maybe we could use this thread for folk to post their favourite Darkside places?

Why add another thread, Mobi? We have "The Darkside" thread. Nice, I think, to keep all restaurant and bar info in one place. Makes for easy reference, doesn't it? Why split it?

A couple of reasons:

The original thread is excellent but is very, very, long; in fact it is so long that I personally have given up using it as a reference point because it takes ages to find what I want, and sometimes I never find it. It is still a good thread for those new to the Darkside, but as I say, due to it's length it tends to become very time consuming to scroll through it and therefor somewhat counter productive.

A number of places written about in this thread have either closed, changed management, changed name, and in a few case even moved to a new location. So to some extent it is getting out of date. Certainly that is true of new places which I guess we have all got tired of trying to update.

My suggestion was for purely to have folk post their FAVORITE places - not every place, and certainly not places that people don't like. (We could keep that for the other thread).

If possible, the new thread should contains few additional comments as possible, so that we can have a clear choice of places that TV members can recommend, without having to wade through a long diatribes of people's likes and dislikes, and perceived "slights" by owners and staff. (Before you say anything I hold my hand up, as I too am guilty of doing this).

Maybe the original thread could be pinned?

Anyhow, just a suggestion - it's up to you, dear posters

[rocketmanbkk]

I tend to agree. I used to read and try to search 'The Dark Side' link but it is so long I have also given up!

I have a house in the 'darkside' also and am totally confused as to where all these places are!!!

[Digger]

Judging things purely by the number of cars parked at different venues I would hazzard a guess that there are only two who are doing ok/good - thats Rendevous and Lakeside, both seem to have a steady trade whenever I am driving past and/or eating in both. Both seem to be focused on different segments but they both look to be doing well. I have eaten in both and while the food is not comparable, nor is the price - neither are expensive IMHO for the relative quality/ambience they provide but they are not really comparable offering wise. Rendevous is somewhere you go to eat something like a cafe, Lakeside is a restaurant with a good wine list at excellent prices. One thing I like about both is that neither have ++ charges - the price on the menu is what you get charged, no service charges or VAT added. Also I see that Lakeside take credit cards now for those that want to go out and don't want to trek down to 7-11 to find the nearest ATM.

[Mobi]

Judging things purely by the number of cars parked at different venues I would hazzard a guess that there are only two who are doing ok/good - thats Rendevous and Lakeside, both seem to have a steady trade whenever I am driving past and/or eating in both. Both seem to be focused on different segments but they both look to be doing well. I have eaten in both and while the food is not comparable, nor is the price - neither are expensive IMHO for the relative quality/ambience they provide but they are not really comparable offering wise. Rendevous is somewhere you go to eat something like a cafe, Lakeside is a restaurant with a good wine list at excellent prices. One thing I like about both is that neither have ++ charges - the price on the menu is what you get charged, no service charges or VAT added. Also I see that Lakeside take credit cards now for those that want to go out and don't want to trek down to 7-11 to find the nearest ATM.

Agreed in pretty much every respect.

However, you get very good main course meals at the Rendezvous, so it is a little more than just a cafe, and their roast dinners are excellent and very large. I'm not that crazy about veg, but I always eat the ones at Rendezvous because they are so tasty and not overcooked.

Their Thai food is also very good and excellent value.

Also their restaurant is out of site of the bar, so it is suitable for families who have a problem with bargirl/waitresses.

Yes, Lakeside is in a different league. Nice place, and well run.

[patsfangr]

I haven't yet tried Rendezvous. I think I'll do so tomorrow. Is it before or after the left turn at the golf course entrance?

[Digger]

Judging things purely by the number of cars parked at different venues I would hazzard a guess that there are only two who are doing ok/good - thats Rendevous and Lakeside, both seem to have a steady trade whenever I am driving past and/or eating in both. Both seem to be focused on different segments but they both look to be doing well. I have eaten in both and while the food is not comparable, nor is the price - neither are expensive IMHO for the relative quality/ambience they provide but they are not really comparable offering wise. Rendevous is somewhere you go to eat something like a cafe, Lakeside is a restaurant with a good wine list at excellent prices. One thing I like about both is that neither have ++ charges - the price on the menu is what you get charged, no service charges or VAT added. Also I see that Lakeside take credit cards now for those that want to go out and don't want to trek down to 7-11 to find the nearest ATM.

Agreed in pretty much every respect.

However, you get very good main course meals at the Rendezvous, so it is a little more than just a cafe, and their roast dinners are excellent and very large. I'm not that crazy about veg, but I always eat the ones at Rendezvous because they are so tasty and not overcooked.

Their Thai food is also very good and excellent value.

Also their restaurant is out of site of the bar, so it is suitable for families who have a problem with bargirl/waitresses.

Yes, Lakeside is in a different league. Nice place, and well run.

Every one has different tastes - Rendevous reminds me of something like Rosie O Gradies or another Pattaya pub/bar serving food of large portions, cooked OK but not fine dining - nothing wrong with that at all - but if If I want to eat premium food, I go to Lakeside, the roasts are superb because of the quality of the meat. Having said that they are poles apart in terms of pricing lakeside is 350bt for roasts with seconds and thirds thrown in - not sure about Rendevous in terms of seconds I just remember getting a cheap bill - for my money I would and do frequent Lakeside more often as I much prefer the ambience and food as does my missus and she calls the shots later on when we get back home......

Patsfarang - Rendevous is on Soi Siam Country Club just after Mannekin Piss and Outback bar on right hand side - you cant miss it. Its before Peacock hotel if that helps.

Overall, I think both places have really lifted the offering around the lake - And that is a seriously good thing - Rendevous is catering for the large plate diners and Lakeside for more a la carte diners - both are excellent value for money and both offer good quality food at value for money prices according to their own segment. These and Ticino are helping eradicate any need to cross sukhumvit for a good meal anymore.

[suiging]

The Swiss place further up the road from Ticino has always been good. In the " season" ( if it ever comes) they do a very nice buffet on Fridays which gives you a chance to try a lot of their dishes from the main menu.

[JMS]

I haven't yet tried Rendezvous. I think I'll do so tomorrow. Is it before or after the left turn at the golf course entrance?

I heard many good things about Rendezvous so tried it out with a few friends and we all agreed we would not go back. Large portions but quality not good. Maybe the chef had an off day

[Pattayatony]

Welcome to the Darkside

Of course it's each to their own taste, but yours truly, along with countless others, these days tend to gravitate toward the Rendezvous, which is between Scott's Corner and the peacock bar and Motel.

The Rendezvous owner has cared enough to make a very nice, well decorated, tasteful bar, where prices are reasonable, and the staff are friendly. There is a pool table, and a large upstairs "Sports Bar" where you can watch live sport on a large TV screen.

But the best part of all is the food, which you can eat at the Rendezvouz bar or the "Legend" restaurant next door (same owner). Probably some of the cheapest prices around, but the food is excellent, with large portions - sometimes too large! An extensive menu of Farang and Thai food, and some of the best English sausages I have had in Thailand (homemade by the owner's wife). The breakfasts must be amongst the best value in Pattaya.

Last but not least, there is an English bakery on the other side which does pretty good meat pies, amongst other stuff.

No I don't have shares in it, so for the sake of balance:

I would mention Manneke Pis, also a friendly, tasteful bar, and some very good Belgium Food, but these days a little over priced, but nice for a change.

Then there is Lakeside - been there twice - great ambiance, excellent service and good food, but a little pricey.

Then there si the Courtyard, again tastefully done, with an inside A/c'd bar and restaurant and also a garden bar and tables. Very popular with some of my friends, but I've not really taken to it. It's all a matter of taste I guess.

One of the best restaurants on the Darkside IMHO, is Ticinos, with great Italian/Swiss food and lovely ambiance. Again, very good service.

There are many more, which you will find on the "Darkside Thread", but the above is a few to be going on with.

We are very blessed with places to eat drink and "do "other naughty things" on the Darkside. And with virtually no tourists, the prices are reasonable and most Thais have a much better attitude than their 'cousins" on the "bright side".

Maybe we could use this thread for folk to post their favourite Darkside places?

Ditto about The Rendezvous....

Cheers Tony

[monty]

Ate at RendezVous as well, my Western food was very good, both portion and quality wise, however my better half didn't even touch her food (Thai) as she saud is was awful. And she certainly is not finnicky on her food...

Then again, I've always have the same problem with Thai food as each and every Thai cook seems to have their own "idea" of how a certain Thai dish ahs to be cooked!

Best Thai food for me (and very cheap) is at Sri Jan, right hand side about 200 meters past Manneken Pis/Outback bar when going towards Pattaya on Soi Siam Country road.

[anothertorres]

Best Thai food for me (and very cheap) is at Sri Jan, right hand side about 200 meters past Manneken Pis/Outback bar when going towards Pattaya on Soi Siam Country road.

jeez, another restaurant that i never go to and i have no reason not to. went there once about a year ago. great food, pleasant experience, never went back.

sidenote, don't you just hate being the only customers at the restaurant? it doesn't ruin dinner for me because apparently i need to eat anyway, but... i'm big on atmosphere and i don't like being outnumbered by the wait staff.

[patsfangr]

sidenote, don't you just hate being the only customers at the restaurant? it doesn't ruin dinner for me because apparently i need to eat anyway, but... i'm big on atmosphere and i don't like being outnumbered by the wait staff.

Depends on the place, AT. I don't mind at Cafe Uno, because the owner, Craig, is usually there, and I enjoy chatting with him. I used to enjoy chatting with the staff at The Courtyard; but the girls who spoke fairly good English are now gone, so it's pretty dead there.

My usual routine is to bring a book with me everywhere I go. That way, if there's nothing going on, I just read until the food arrives. Once it does, however, I agree with you that it's a bit boring to eat without either conversation or, at least, observation.

[TheAceFace]

Is the Lakeside a family place, are kids welcome? Need to try one of their roast dinners.

[moo9]

Khun John's Restauant is a nice place and a nice location as well.

Edited October 18, 2009 by moo9

[monty]

Is the Lakeside a family place, are kids welcome? Need to try one of their roast dinners.

Yep, definitely...

No problem with the kids there!

[suiging]

Just about everywhere around the Lake is in some way family friendly. As I think Moby said, even the " Hostesses" on the DS are not as hard nosed as their counterparts in town.

[TheAceFace]

Thanks Guy's

Fancy a nice Sunday out with the family around there...few and beers and a nice meal. Do any of the above venues have a childrens play area?

[thaireddevil]

Did you mean you want short time bars........................as usual

Edited October 20, 2009 by thaireddevil

[IHateCaptcha]

Fancy a nice Sunday out with the family around there...few and beers and a nice meal. Do any of the above venues have a childrens play area?

Dao Cafe has a pool where you can dump the rug-rats while you sneak around to the back bar for some real fun

[TheAceFace]

Fancy a nice Sunday out with the family around there...few and beers and a nice meal. Do any of the above venues have a childrens play area?

Dao Cafe has a pool where you can dump the rug-rats while you sneak around to the back bar for some real fun

I hear you.....doubt my lead will go that far