What Makes A Bar A Good Bar ?

[H2oDunc]

Greetings all. I have a friend here on holiday who lives in Monaco. I took him for a walk around Chawang last night. As we walked about he commented on the fact that some bars were quite full yet others were empty. He is a mathematician and very logical in his thinking. As we sat drinking he was trying to figure out why this was so. Was it the girls, the music, the look ? At the end of the night he still could not see a pattern in any of this. I know what I look for in a bar but even this did not explain the reason some bars were full and others empty ? I was just wondering what other people looked for in choosing a place to have a drink ?

Edited February 11, 2011 by H2oDunc

[maccaroni man]

value for money, for me there is no bigger turn off then odering a whiskey neat and getting a few drops in my shot glass i look for a min. 30ml if i dont get that i dont go back.

[carmine]

As to how good a bar is generally relates to the attitude and personality of the person that runs it. Secondly smiling friendly staff and reasonably priced drinks.

It shoulb said that the reason that a lot of bars are empty is because there are simply too many of them. Did'nt i hear on this forum that three new bars had opened in Banrak in the last month!!!!

Why don't people understand.....There's simply not enough punters.

[smokie36]

As to how good a bar is generally relates to the attitude and personality of the person that runs it. Secondly smiling friendly staff and reasonably priced drinks.

It shoulb said that the reason that a lot of bars are empty is because there are simply too many of them. Did'nt i hear on this forum that three new bars had opened in Banrak in the last month!!!!

Why don't people understand.....There's simply not enough punters.

Some good pointers there carmine from a customer perspective....from the bar's perspective keeping your most alcoholic customers happy is always going to be a bonus as well....

Don't worry they're all too pissed to read this anyway!

[robsamui]

I think what we, as people who live here, look for in a bar is quite different to what attracts visitors. This hit me last year when my daughter came here to get married and brought 19 other people with her. Witness 1 resident and 21 tourists in the Soi Green Mango .....

All of them were universally drawn to bars that looked lively, friendly and fun in the first instance. Bars that were quiet and almost empty weren't even considered. The second factor was somewhere where they could hear each other speak. (There is a Thai line of thought that goes: the LOUDER your bar is the more it attracts custom - for some curious reason. Even if it's screeching with distortion ... which the Thais are totally oblivious to.) It's noisy enough in the street without having your ear drums bashed where you actually sit down, too. Thus, after a wander about for a while the group consensus was that (am I allowed to use names here? Better play safe) was that the African-style bar was the best. It was wide, allowing a good street view throughout, it was full of interesting people to peer at inside, the girls were attractive and bouncy and it also had tables outside - not too noisy and easy to watch the fun on the street.

(It's also worth mentioning that visiting females like to see bargirls strutting around and showing off. They can tut-tut to each other about how terrible Thailand is whilst comparing themselves/looks/make-up/dress-sense to the girls on the quiet, and then moralise about their shameless behaviour while still being fascinated by it all.)

After several visits over 3 weeks by several combinations of the group - a couple of pairs of older people, 8 or 9 in their 20s - there were just 2 bars that got used. The one already mentioned and the another one more "soulful" near the Green Mango (simply cos it was quieter earlier on and looked hip). The over 40s hated the whole street and found one of the nearby sports bars/pubs on the main road much more to their liking. Nowhere, at any time at all, did the subject of prices crop up, other than to mention how cheap everything was. They couldn't have cared less whether rum and coke was 80 baht a glass or 200 baht - it was still pennies to them.

But people who live here have a totally different measuring stick. My own personal demands are a)music - it has to play the sort of music I like and if the Issan staff suddenly start playing pong lang, hooting and doing that thing with their fingers like they're combing a goat then I drink up and move on. If I want that I'll go to Udon. (Although I have to say that visitors who have never seen this before find it ethnic and interesting and like to see it.) b)An open and genuinely friendly owner (any nationality)and not one who is just being a 'host'. (Along with that, other regulars who are also the same and I can look forward to seeing again.) c) Low prices. I don't care about 10B or so over the odds but there's no way I'd regularly hang out where the beers are 100 baht a bottle etc.

I might also add that there have been several out-of-town bars in Bang Rak and Mae Nam that I've been attracted to the look of, but found that when I've sat down there were little cliques of obvious regulars in groups who totally ignored me with not even a nod. The rest was fine, but that kind of welcome for someone on their own (ie not in company or a group) I find verging on hostile.

R

Edited February 11, 2011 by robsamui

[Samui Coconut]

I think what we, as people who live here, look for in a bar is quite different to what attracts visitors. This hit me last year when my daughter came here to get married and brought 19 other people with her. Witness 1 resident and 21 tourists in the Soi Green Mango .....

All of them were universally drawn to bars that looked lively, friendly and fun in the first instance. Bars that were quiet and almost empty weren't even considered. The second factor was somewhere where they could hear each other speak. (There is a Thai line of thought that goes: the LOUDER your bar is the more it attracts custom - for some curious reason. Even if it's screeching with distortion ... which the Thais are totally oblivious to.) It's noisy enough in the street without having your ear drums bashed where you actually sit down, too. Thus, after a wander about for a while the group consensus was that (am I allowed to use names here? Better play safe) was that the African-style bar was the best. It was wide, allowing a good street view throughout, it was full of interesting people to peer at inside, the girls were attractive and bouncy and it also had tables outside - not too noisy and easy to watch the fun on the street.

(It's also worth mentioning that visiting females like to see bargirls strutting around and showing off. They can tut-tut to each other about how terrible Thailand is whilst comparing themselves/looks/make-up/dress-sense to the girls on the quiet, and then moralise about their shameless behaviour while still being fascinated by it all.)

After several visits over 3 weeks by several combinations of the group - a couple of pairs of older people, 8 or 9 in their 20s - there were just 2 bars that got used. The one already mentioned and the another one more "soulful" near the Green Mango (simply cos it was quieter earlier on and looked hip). The over 40s hated the whole street and found one of the nearby sports bars/pubs on the main road much more to their liking. Nowhere, at any time at all, did the subject of prices crop up, other than to mention how cheap everything was. They couldn't have cared less whether rum and coke was 80 baht a glass or 200 baht - it was still pennies to them.

But people who live here have a totally different measuring stick. My own personal demands are a)music - it has to play the sort of music I like and if the Issan staff suddenly start playing pong lang, hooting and doing that thing with their fingers like they're combing a goat then I drink up and move on. If I want that I'll go to Udon. (Although I have to say that visitors who have never seen this before find it ethnic and interesting and like to see it.) b)An open and genuinely friendly owner (any nationality)and not one who is just being a 'host'. (Along with that, other regulars who are also the same and I can look forward to seeing again.) c) Low prices. I don't care about 10B or so over the odds but there's no way I'd regularly hang out where the beers are 100 baht a bottle etc.

I might also add that there have been several out-of-town bars in Bang Rak and Mae Nam that I've been attracted to the look of, but found that when I've sat down there were little cliques of obvious regulars in groups who totally ignored me with not even a nod. The rest was fine, but that kind of welcome for someone on their own (ie not in company or a group) I find verging on hostile.

R

Value for money is surely a big plus, also atmosphere, cleanliness and friendlinss of staff/owner plays a vital role. Even if there are not enough customers around, I am pretty sure I could get them into my place. You need to look long-term....make them happy this time, they tell their friens and if they come back next year, they will visit you again. I guess service is the key word, same as most other businesses.

[smokie36]

<deleted> I spend ten minutes putting together a reply and it disappears.

Edited February 11, 2011 by smokie36

[canine79]

clean n dry cocktail/beer/wine w/e glass, int standard alcohol n spirits not some cheap liver damaging craps, clean toilets, nice n updated tunes no lady gaga or i gotta feeling craps, experienced and friendly bartender/ staff ....

[smokie36]

When a customer walks in a bar the owner should make them feel at ease. Whether that be by having a conversation or leaving them in peace is the judgement of experience. As to being ignored in any decent pub conversation flows freely between customers and whether you're part of a clique or a new face shouldn't matter at all.

It amazes me when I walk into a bar for the first time and am grunted at by the proprietor. Heck you never even met me before! (and if you did you would know how much beer I'm planning to consume!!!)

[koheesti]

All of them were universally drawn to bars that looked lively, friendly and fun in the first instance. Bars that were quiet and almost empty weren't even considered.

There are a lot of good points have been brought up but IMO this is the key right here. Prices may be right, music good, staff friendly, food great - but if your bar is empty and a nearby one full, that's where people (sheeple) will go. Isn't this a chicken-egg story? How do you get the people in the first place in order to attract others? Friends of mine have a bar and it is often lively - with friends and family at first, then others start coming in. I remember one time I was there with another friend and commented how busy the place was. Then I noted that family and friends (myself included) made up the vast majority. That's the key. If you have enough of those two groups and can get them to hang out (and spend), you'll attract others. Family is important because then you are more likely to have males and females. To the casual passerby, they can't see relationship. They see men and women having a good time so something must be good in there. Whereas if you have something like pool competitions, you usually end up with mostly men which doesn't attract as many others to come in. It can actually keep some people out.

Of course, once you get them in the bar, you have to give them reason to stay and/or come back again.

As far as good music goes: My favorite place on Soi Reggae was Position 69. Music sucked - but so did, er, nevermind. However, next to it was/is a tiny place completely empty. They were playing AC/DC so I went in sat at the bar, told them I liked the music so I would have a drink. Finished my drink then went to someplace more lively.

Edited February 11, 2011 by koheesti

[BigC]

The bar bar can be many things in thailand.

If some bars are emtpy maybe the " girls " are bad and bad attidue. i think smashing a bottle over a customers head is not good business why what happened to someone a few weeks ago.

then u have the trendy pub style bars.

I would like to see english style pub copies have seen one in Phuket called the Green man and there is one on koh phangyan.

Also every bar should have a theme. something that is different from the rest. The friendlty and good looking wastresss are allot to do with any bar. even in the U.K the land lords like their watresses to be good looking abd chat up the locals.

some girls in the bars seem to be life less

[Nawak]

My own personal demands are a)music - it has to play the sort of music I like and if the Issan staff suddenly start playing pong lang, hooting and doing that thing with their fingers like they're combing a goat then I drink up and move on. If I want that I'll go to Udon. (Although I have to say that visitors who have never seen this before find it ethnic and interesting and like to see it.)

I have to say that listening to local music in Thailand doesn't offend me, I even listen morlam and lukthung at home and I like it.

Are we in Thailand or in some western club playing this terrible techno music ? Do the girls (most of them from Isaan) enjoy the music and therefore have more fun with the customers ?

<deleted>, you're in Thailand

[smokie36]

My own personal demands are a)music - it has to play the sort of music I like and if the Issan staff suddenly start playing pong lang, hooting and doing that thing with their fingers like they're combing a goat then I drink up and move on. If I want that I'll go to Udon. (Although I have to say that visitors who have never seen this before find it ethnic and interesting and like to see it.)

I have to say that listening to local music in Thailand doesn't offend me, I even listen morlam and lukthung at home and I like it.

Are we in Thailand or in some western club playing this terrible techno music ? Do the girls (most of them from Isaan) enjoy the music and therefore have more fun with the customers ?

<deleted>, you're in Thailand

Where does it say you must appreciate every single aspect of Thai culture? Each to their own.....

[itishothere]

What makes a good bar?

Well, if it doesn't have any of the following, then for me it is in with a chance.

1 Three miserable looking middle aged farangs who have been there since the early 70s, sat at the bar watching everything walk by.

2 More than 1 TV screen showing the same sports event.

3 Music so loud you cannot tell which country it is from.

4 Some young girl in cut-offs screeching at me as I pass by on the other side of the road.

I tend to stay home a fair bit.

Maybe me and BigC should do our own place.

[trashy]

Price

Choice of beers, Bottled/draught

Music

Pub atmosphere

No bar girls

[robsamui]

My own personal demands are a)music - it has to play the sort of music I like and if the Issan staff suddenly start playing pong lang, hooting and doing that thing with their fingers like they're combing a goat then I drink up and move on. If I want that I'll go to Udon. (Although I have to say that visitors who have never seen this before find it ethnic and interesting and like to see it.)

I have to say that listening to local music in Thailand doesn't offend me, I even listen morlam and lukthung at home and I like it.

Are we in Thailand or in some western club playing this terrible techno music ? Do the girls (most of them from Isaan) enjoy the music and therefore have more fun with the customers ?

<deleted>, you're in Thailand

No - that's fine and fair enough. I stated it was a personal point of view and each to their own. I too enjoy listening to several sorts of Thai music, but I also like to choose when I do so. And when I go into a bar because it's playing my kinda tunes and because I'm in the mood to hear more, then that's when I get niggled by a switch to Thai music. I wouldn't even dream of complaining - what right have I got to do that! . But I've also got the right to take my custom elsewhere and thats the point when I do just that!

So that exquisite techno is "terrible" is it? Or is that just one of your personal dislikes?

R

[mca]

As to how good a bar is generally relates to the attitude and personality of the person that runs it. Secondly smiling friendly staff and reasonably priced drinks.

For sure. I went into an expat owned bar a few years back for some grub and the owner and what must have been his mate just sat at the bar staring at me. Then this sour faced teenage Thai girl scraped her way across the floor in her flip flops across the floor ( Christ that is a peeve of mine over here. Pick your frigging feet up! ) and just laid the menu in front of me with a semi scowl.

I left. No wonder the place was empty.

Edited February 11, 2011 by mca

[ParadiseLost]

On KP, the best bars (outside of Had Rin, non ladybar) tend to be popular with nationals of one country (usually the owner's nationality); French, German, Italian, etc. Whilst I don't have a problem with this, it does mean an english speaker such as myself can seldom have a conversation, understand the tv or sometimes even the music... English bars are unfortunately frequented by the umm more loutish (to put it mildly), where even less intelligent conversation is evident and music is dire in most cases.

On the whole, the music is by far the worst component of the bar scene here, with absolutely no live bands. Techno is fine for Had Rin and the party crowd but I prefer quality background tracks from eg. a sadly missed blues-rock era circa 1970s. My age must be showing

The second most lacking is quality beer. I find the local offerings sad, to say the least, imports are way overpriced and seriously limited. I thought Tiger was a big improvement but very quickly tired of that too.

In my case a lack of decent drinking spots (outside Had Rin, which I haven't been to in years) has resulted in me becoming a non-drinker. We're not talking tea-totaller but this year so far my total alcohol intake has been erm 3 beers. I was a pretty normal drinker when I arrived 6 years ago.

As you may guess, I don't have many 'friends' on the island as I don't spend my days propping up their bars

Thailand should take a page from the Aussie bar scene; I yearn to sit in the Great Northern (N Sydney) and listen to an 8 piece band belt out some good old AC/DC, drinking decent beer...

And no, I am not Australian :jap:

[BigC]

somewhere discreet where they have a back door so the misses has no vision of u entering or leaving .) also the sound of tescos in the back ground. and suttle but extremely nice ladies that can keep tight lipped. yes my perfect get away from stress. has to be in a discreet location lol only joking

[smokie36]

somewhere discreet where they have a back door so the misses has no vision of u entering or leaving .) also the sound of tescos in the back ground. and suttle but extremely nice ladies that can keep tight lipped. yes my perfect get away from stress. has to be in a discreet location lol only joking

In my post which never made it past the ping/censors I named the top ten bars on Samui.......one of them was the newish place halfway up Chaweng with entrances to the lake road and beach road...with decent amount of foliage for cover. The perfect bar for an errant bloke imo.

edit: forgot to mention its currently byo.

Edited February 11, 2011 by smokie36

[BusyBee123]

my mate maths dude jesus wept! what's he going to do figure out the floor space by drinks purchased to figure out the profit per beer consumed per square foot?

Edited February 11, 2011 by BusyBee123

[smokie36]

my mate maths dude jesus wept! what's he going to do figure out the floor space by drinks purchased to figure out the profit per beer consumed per square foot?

Hmmm new sign....no dogs no Irish no fat people unless consuming at least 150ml/minute. Thanks.

[iSabai]

Of course tourists and expats have differing needs in bars they patronize. As a farang resident in Thailand I can live without the touristy type establishments that may be perfectly fine for others. I prefer to drink in a normally quieter 'neighborhood type' bar for my regular drinking and casual conversation needs.

That said, what I look for in a regular watering hole is:

Above all, a good and fair price, and a good and fair measure in my drink! (Yes, value!) The one thing that bugs me most in Thailand bars is when you get a drink with a tiny measure of liquor that you can't even taste, and pay premium price for! Or as someone already stated, if you drink it neat and get that same tiny measure in your glass! A proper measure is 1 1/2 fl. oz. (44 ml.) of alcohol (or close to it at least!). Anything less, especially for a premium price, is a rip-off imo. Teach your staff to free-pour a fair drink and stop with the thimble sized shot measurers! That is the main reason I'll usually stick to beer when drinking in many bars here.

Everyone has different tastes in music, so I'm not that picky that I only hear what I want to hear. But if it is ear-splitting loud, no matter what type of music, I'm outta there in a matter of seconds! Even 'bad music' is tolerable to me at reasonable volume levels.

Disinterested staff watching the Thai soaps and/or eating with their friends all night, with customers as an afterthought, is a turn-off. And <deleted>, if you're a regular spending and tipping customer, an occasional drink on the house goes a long way in establishing a bar as a friendly place, one that welcomes your business, and one that I will always return to - and bring my friends. A drink at their costs will amount to far less than my nightly tip, and makes me happy and feel like my business is appreciated.

Just my two satang...

[H2oDunc]

Isabai I agree that if you are a regular somewhere then the owner getting his hand in his pocket occasionally to buy a round goes a long way for me. Not that many do here that's the rub.

A bit of free finger food a few of the quieter nights also makes the regulars appreciated a bit as well. It doesn't have to be much it is more the thought.

The staff watching Thai soaps on an evening though is a no no for me though during the day it doesn't bother me much. Some good input and a lot to agree with. I would have liked to have seen a list of Smokies top ten

Mai Pen Rai as they say

[starcandle]

evryone has a different angle on this one, for instance, a few spotty youths who aint had many girlfriends back home are more likely to go in the scruffiest bar with the loudest music with

a bar girl wearing not much more than a belt and pay a kings randsom to have the attention of a well worn out old bar girl.

A couple pushing a baby buggy are more likely to use a more presentable looking establishment with music regardless of what it is played at a reasonable level, allowing you to talk,the girls are more likely to be uniformed and presentable.

now myself, when i'm out with the wife i'll drift about and use pretty much all the bars, but when I'm with my pals (yes I have more than 1) we prefer to err lets say use some cheekier bars.

lets remember we are all human and have different moods, if you have a lot on your mind the last thing you need is deafening music and some scruffy bird already pissed mithering for a drink,

if your half pissed and in a good mood then alls well

[Rooo]

Some good input and a lot to agree with. I would have liked to have seen a list of Smokies top ten

Mai Pen Rai as they say

FYI Smokie never posted a top ten. He lied to you

[smokie36]

Some good input and a lot to agree with. I would have liked to have seen a list of Smokies top ten

Mai Pen Rai as they say

FYI Smokie never posted a top ten. He lied to you

Not true....the post simply disappeared into thin air......will try to repost later.....

[Oliver Reed]

I usually try to avoid bars with mathematician looking tourists who travel thousands of miles to sit in a bar working out why the adjacent bar is empty

[maccaroni man]

there was a bar in lamie that is no longer open called Montana saloon, Jim who passed away not too long ago, did many of the right things i.e. good free pour on whiskey at least 45ml, free food on special occasions, and always happy to foot the bill for a round, and fare prices for food and beverage hence good value for money. He also did many things that were turn offs i.e. cliquish and sometimes not very friendly, tv too loud, or music too loud, talked politics and bashed anyone who did not agree with him but over all it was a fun place to go for a bite to eat and a good session. I dont know of any bar that could make everyone happy but for me i just look for a place i would retun to such as cat can do in ban rak for a quick drink and bite to eat.

[boney]

<deleted> I spend ten minutes putting together a reply and it disappears.

Happened to me too ????