What’s New in Bangkok: 20 Bars, Clubs, and Restaurants That Recently Opened This October - December 2018
The final three months of the year is always welcomed by enthusiasm and excitement surrounding the upcoming new year. Most of us take this occasion to plan a memorable vacation to celebrate with our loved ones.
We believe that, however, some of us is still unsure where to be during this upcoming new year’s holiday or just decided to just stay home and catch up on some sleep they’ve missed out on in the past 12 months.
If you’re certain that you’ll be staying put in Bangkok for the holidays, we’ve got for you 20 brand-new restaurants, bars, and nightclubs that just recently opened in October-December (or Q4 of 2018) that you should check out.
Whether you love food, fancy a nice glass of cocktail, or down to celebrate all night long, our list has everything that you need to get out of the comfort of your room and find yourself a landing spot before the year ends!
(Not arranged in any particular order)
PENTA
This brand-new nightclub in Ekkamai just had its grand opening at the beginning of December, and it’s all about Hip-Hop music.
The club features a raw interior design using a dominant black color tone and numerous lightning and laser, resembling an underground clubbing experience and bringing out the party animal in all of us.
The DJ booths and bars on both floors help create a seamless clubbing experience where you catch music and grab a drink anywhere you go in the club.
If you’re already a fan of the Bangkok Invaders, then there’s even more reason to drop by Penta whenever you can. Other than hosting events and parties that features the artists from one of Bangkok’s biggest party crew, the club also houses exclusive performances by both local and international Hip-Hop acts from time to time.
Recent shows saw artists like Young Bong, Mighty Crown, Thaitanium, Antriks Manaoat, Stresh Perso, and JFB take the stage.
Peak-A-Boo Cafe
If you take some time to wander around the Victory Monument area, you will catch a sight of a massive green neon sign that reads “Peak-A-Boo” in no time. This cafe/rooftop bar will give you a pleasant view of the Victory Monument and the sky trains passing by.
The mood and tone of this place focus on the “Mint Green” color which gives a different feeling depending on the time of day. The daytime cafe serves tea, coffee, bakery, and sweets, while the nighttime bar serves Thai fusion dishes and light bites.
We highly recommend the Seafood Tom-Yum Rice with Omelette (155 THB), Grilled Pork Neck Basil Stir-Fry with Lava Omelette on Rice (155 THB), Assorted German Sausages (220 THB), Savoury Steamed Egg (159 THB), and Seafood Tom-Yum Soup (199 THB).
The bar offers a variety of creative and colorful shots and buckets which you can enjoy through a number of Drinking Games that you play with a group of friends including the Chess Drinking Game (450 THB/game), spinners, Jenga, and many more.
For all you music lovers, Peek-A-Boo Bar offers daily live music for you to enjoy. The will be 1 band during Sunday - Wednesday and 2 bands on Thursday - Saturday with the genre being predominantly easy-listening Pop and Indie.
Red Square Rooftop Bar
Red Square Rooftop Bar is all about serving up to best-infused vodka for the fans of this colorless liquor to enjoy.
Inspired by the iconic Red Square in Moscow, Russia, this modern industrial style bar features a predominantly bright red color tone that is perfectly complemented by the surrounding Sukhumvit-Wireless Road city views.
Located up high on the 25th floor of the Novotel Bangkok in Sukhumvit 4, you’ll be able to take pleasure in the beautiful Bangkok night sky along with some soothing Hip-Hop and R&B all night long.
The bar, as we mentioned, focuses on serving infused vodka made from all types of assorted types of vodka from around the world. Each menu is presented with a unique name that tells its own story and its journey from its originating country all the way to being placed in front of you.
The drinks are best paired with Western tapas dishes, skewers, and cold cuts which are best enjoyed with a group of friends. We recommend the Fresh Burrata (310 THB) - a generous portion of Burrata cheese on a bed of sliced tomatoes and drizzled with balsamic dressing.
Dumbo Bangkok
Inspired by the Dumbo district in New York City where you can catch a remarkable view of the Brooklyn Bridge, the owners of Dumbo Bangkok look to recreate what left them feeling impressed on this rooftop bar.
Part of the decoration drew some inspiration from the district of Dumbo, resulting in a rustic, yet, classic rooftop bar surrounded by a superb view of Bangkok city.
While the daily live Jazz feat is a rarity in Bangkok, we couldn’t deny that the best part of Dumbo is their thoughtful homemade American recipes that the owners designed from scratch.
A few menu that are definitely worth trying after you’ve made your way up 6 flights of stairs are the Penne Cheezy Creamy Shrimp (320 THB), a generous portion of Penne with rich shrimp cream sauce, cheddar, and mozzarella, seasoned with white wine paprika, and lemon, and the Dumbo Wings (180 THB), secret recipe fried chicken served alongside homemade tartar sauce.
The drinks menu feature a remix of New York-styled cocktails, mocktails, and wines that were made to better fit the taste of Thai people.
Feelingbar Ari
Feelingbar aims to tap into the urge to hang out and have a drink with our friends every time we get off work or when the weekend rolls around. This stand-out neon bar in Ari district offers a daily dose of fresh music that changes every day.
Focusing on international music, Tuesdays are reserved for “Feeling Relaxed” easy-listening music, Wednesday for “Feeling Missed” oldies from 90’s-2000’s, Thursdays for “Feeling Blues” heartbreaking R&B songs (complimented by the sounds of trumpet and saxophone that added a light element of Jazz), Fridays for “Feeling Happy Friday” all-time hits, and Saturdays for “Feeling Excited” current chart toppers.
The food menu offers an adaptation of Thai cuisine that takes inspiration from Japanese and European food as well. One dish that stands out in both taste and presentation is the “Yum Boran” or “Ancient Spicy Salad” (240 THB) - a classic recipe glass noodle spicy salad decorated with a pink lotus flower.
The drinks here, especially the cocktails, mainly uses Thai ingredients such as local liquor, fruits, herbs, and spices. Aside from the 4 signature cocktails that you must try, there are also a selection of beers, whiskey, and Hi-Ball that you’ll enjoy.
The Garrison
Drawing inspiration from classic English pubs in the 1890s as well as “The Garrison Pub” from a crime drama TV series set in Birmingham in the aftermath of the Great War called “Peaky Blinders”, you can find all sorts of cool wooden furniture and antique decorations.
Being a remake of an Irish Pub that was made to better fit the needs of Thai patrons, the pub offers a variety of daily live Classic Rock and Acoustics from 8 pm onward.
The food menu primarily features Fusion and Thai cuisines. We recommend the Beef Tongue Stew (280 THB) made with slow-cooked beef tongue, various spices, and red wine, the “Larb Nuea” or “Spicy Thai-Style Minced Beef Salad” (240 THB) and “Moo Lob Daed” or “Fried Salty Pork” (160 THB) served with Thai-style dip, and the Fried Rice with Salty Pork (160 THB).
Each menu was made to perfectly compliment an ice-cold glass of beer. If you’re not so much into hops, then you can also find a nice selection of Scotch whiskey, Single-Malt whiskey, classic cocktails, brandy, ciders, and shooters that will kick start your night with all the right notes.
Starting in 2019, The Garrison Pub will be open for business during the day as well and will be adding Coffee and Tea to their menu.
Club Bootleg
This brand-new Hip-Hop nightclub is tucked away on the 2nd floor of Badmotel in Soi Thonglor. One feature that makes it stand out among others is a decoration that plays with yellow, red, and blue in a color blocking style. Add in a colorful set of neon, and you’ve got yourself a fun night before the party even began.
This compact nightclub is the perfect place to get your daily dose of Hip-Hop music, because other than the residential DJs that work their magic every night, you’ll also have a chance to witness special performances from guest artists in events and parties organized by Club Bootleg now and then.
Artists that used to raise the roof at this nightclub includes Twopee, Bangkok Invaders, Diamond, Younggu, FIIXD, Youngohm, and Henri x 19Tyger.
Mikkeller Ari
From the original location in Soi Ekkamai 10, Mikkeller has finally expanded its branches into its second location in Ari. A 2-story wooden house was transformed into a homey craft beer bar with a Thai-twist decorated with old school Thai basketwork and a few potted trees.
The drinks menu consists of 20 different local and international craft beers on tap and 45 more by the bottle. The list changes from time to time, so you can experience a new beer every time you come around.
Other than beers, there’s also cocktails, spirits, and soft drinks as well as Thai-style snacks like Fried Fish Cakes (120 THB) and Deep Fried Chicken Wings with Herbs (140 THB) that pairs perfectly well with a pint of Lager.
Over Seoul
Over Seoul is the meeting point between the different definition of a perfect bar of each co-owner and the culture of K-Pop. Housed behind the bare cement walls is a neon bar that K-Pop enthusiasts fell in love with so deeply.
The daily music played here is, of course, primarily essential Korean hits from as far back as 2007 onward. Friday-Saturday nights also see a live DJ mixing things up on the dance floor from 9 pm until closing time.
Aside from the music and decoration that makes you feel as if your hanging out in the city of Seoul, the food and drinks are also undoubtedly Korean in every way.
Even though the flavor has been adjusted to better fit with Thai people’s taste, it still maintains the intensity unique to Korean cuisine. Some of the “can’t miss” menus include Pork Belly and Thai-styled Pickled Fish Hot Plate (201 THB), Doshirak Lunch Box (211 THB), Fish Egg Soup (321 THB), and Naengmyeon or Korean cold noodles (181 THB).
Every dish also comes with a lot of sides common to Korean cuisine. For the drinks, you can find Soju, Makgeolli, cocktails, beers, and whiskey. Some of the specials include Yogurt Soju (341 THB) - Soju mixed with drinking yogurt, soft drinks, and more, and Makgeolli Original (321 THB).
Frank Mansion
Some of you might’ve been to Frank Mansion already since it’s been open for a soft opening since March. The bar just had its grand opening this past November, and now it’s operating at full steam, serving up all sorts of food, drinks, and live music every week.
The casual setting, the industrial loft element, and a lovely view of Ari district makes Frank Mansion extremely popular with the local patrons.
The bar serves a nice variety of fusion food and up to 8 signature cocktails all made from scratch. There’s also a number of draught beers on tap that you can enjoy along with some live music of all genres including Soul, Indie Rock, Jazz, and R&B starting from 19.00 all the way to 23.00 everyday.
Saucey Chicken and Beer Bomb
Fried chicken and beer, one of the most iconic pairings in the world. Saucey brings the office district of Sathorn a brand-new casual dining option with its “beach bar” atmosphere inspired by the owner’s love of travel and outdoor activities. Inside, you’ll find yourself transported to a seaside escape away from the hectic city life.
The highlight of the food menu here is the “7 flavors fried chicken” consisting of Original, Hot BBQ, African Teriyaki, Jaew Bomb, Saucey Signature, Soul Sauce, and Buffalo Wings (starting at 159 THB/6 pieces). Talk about being “saucy”.
If the fried chicken is the hero at Saucey, then you can’t miss out on the heroine like the Beer Bomb (placing a shot glass on chopsticks above the beer glass and hitting the table to make it fall into the beer). You can choose from a multitude of beers types and brands for a base as well as all types of shots like Soju, Umeshu, Red Bull, Gin, and Jägermeister (starting at 190 THB).
The point is to have a good time with your friends, and the beer bomb is not a bad way to get the party started. There’s also fruit slushies (infused with vodka after the sun sets) and some cocktails as well as some Disco music in the background from the live DJs every Fridays and Saturdays.
Kuthai Bar
After enjoying some impressive use of local products in vacation places like Bali, Indonesia, the founders feel like Thailand can also do something similar with its basketwork, potteries, and artwork.
This marks the beginning of Kuthai Bar; a bar presents modern Thai aesthetics in a fun and loving ways with its decorations, food menu, and drinks. The concept is simple: “Thai with a twist”. A good example of this concept is infusing northern Thai tea with seasonal fruits to create a sensational line-up of signature cocktails (all of which uses Thai brandy as a base).
We tried the Plum Wave (370 THB), a lightly aromatic mixture of Gin and plum tea infused with egg white, lemon, and vanilla. On the food side, the bar serves up a number of popular Thai street-food items such as Grilled Pork Neck, Northeastern Sausage, Spicy Glass Noodle Salad, Raw Shrimps in Fish Sauce (180 THB) presented in a small silver bowl inside a bamboo basket.
You can drop by on Fridays for a unique musical experience with a live traditional Thai band playing some international hits alongside your usual guitars and drums. Saturdays are reserved for live DJs to put on some old-school R&B and Hip-Hop from the 90s-2000s.
The sad part is, however, that Kuthai Bar is currently just a Pop-Up Project and will remain open only until the end of February 2019. Good news is that is will continue to pop up in another location, so be sure to follow them close if you want to know where they’ll head to next.
Baby Bar Bangkok
As a nice contrast to the Craftsman Hotel’s cool and collected representation of a gentlemen, the cafe and bar represents the diversity in the female character, including the Innocent Baby - an outdoor coffee bar that also serves milk tea and an all-day breakfast, and the Sassy Baby - an indoors cocktail bar that opens up in the evening.
The overall decoration features a retro-industrial style with a hint of Wes Anderson. The Orange-tinted Pink tone and chic curtains compliment the Soulful, Electronics, Brit-Pop, and Jazz sounds that fill the air every day. Fridays are also reserved for a live Pop band from 20.00 till 23.00.
The entire food menu is Thai with a twist. We recommend the Zaap Oyster (90 THB/piece) - fresh oyster topped with Thai-style sauces and condiments, Shrimp Paste with Salted Egg Spaghetti (185 THB), and Fried Gyoza with Kani Miso Dip (180 THB) - crab roe Gyoza topped with a special recipe miso sauce and salmon roe.
For the drinks, the menu focuses on the signature cocktails with all the names relating to the “Baby” theme such as Grumpy Daddy, Baby Shower, Birthday Suit, and Friend Zone.
We recommend the Day Dreaming (300 THB) - a drop shooter made with a vodka base and dropped with syrup, liqueur, wine, lemon juice, and edible glitter on the shot glass.
Felicita Rooftop Bar & Grill
Felicita is a Mediterranean restaurant and bar inspired by the name of a female Russian spy. The story goes that Felicita owns a small restaurant in a Paris train station.
After becoming popular for serving up some extremely delicious food, Felicita moved to Thailand and opened this restaurant and bar. Right after you walk out of the elevator, you’ll see a drawing of Felicita right at the front of the place.
The French-style decoration focuses on a Blue-Black color tone. The restaurant and bar are sectioned with the outdoors bar being right next to the hotel’s swimming pool and adorned by the nighttime Bangkok city view.
You can get hold of the exclusive signature cocktails called the Tiki Cocktails like the Jerrito Tequila (350 THB) that features elements of lemon, orange juice, Aperol, and salt.
There’s also a nice variety of beers, wines, Sangria, spirits, smoothies and many more to choose from. You can also catch some upbeat House music from a live DJ every Friday and Saturday.
Trap Thonglor
As you walk deep into the Liberty Plaza, you’ll catch sight of some cool graffiti along the extended wall. This is all part of a new nightclub called Trap Thonglor that’s made especially for the after-party crew to end the night in the wildest ways possible.
Whether you catch the resident DJ or a guest DJ, they’ll all be putting on non-stop high-energy Trap, Bass, Hip-Hop, and Hard Style that party animals and headbangers will definitely enjoy.
Trap Thonglor has also been hosting special events featuring international DJs with the latest act to take the stage being DJ Tuan and Dual Shark from China. Don’t forget to explore their extensive list of drinks and add some fuel to your night out.
YOLO Ekkamai
The name YOLO or “You Only Live Once” comes from the intention of the founders that want young millennial to live life to the fullest at their bar. They intend to achieve this goal through the variety of music they offer throughout the week including Pop, R&B, and Acoustic from different bands every day.
You get two bands every day with a DJ break in between. Whether you’re going to hang out after work or after class to enjoy some quality music in this comfortable loft-style bar, don’t forget to snap a picture with the bright red neon sign out front (the YOLO landmark as some would call it!).
YOLO also offers refreshments for those who haven’t had dinner with quick Thai dishes and snacks like Grilled Pork Neck over rice, Spicy Seafood and Glass Noodle Salad, Drunken Noodles, Brandy-glazed Pork Ribs, and Red Wine Chicken Wings.
The drinks menu consists of all the essentials like Whiskey, Gin, Vodka, Beers, Cocktails, and Shots.
Zay Music Bar
In the party district of RCA, Zay Music Bar (Zay from “Say Hi”) brings a fresh option to the cluster of nightclubs for the seasoned party-goers of Bangkok to enjoy.
Presenting itself as a contemporary live music bar (with a number of nice Installation Arts on the ceiling), the genres of music played here ranges from current international hits to classic Thai oldies from the ’80s. The bands taking the stage each day offers a different style of play with Fridays being reserved for up to 3 bands starting from 20.00.
This place is perfect for a casual dinner after work and the hangout session that comes after. The kitchen offers Thai classic dishes and snacks such as Spicy Seafood Noodles Hotpot (170 THB), Fermented Pork Ribs and Cartilage (130 THB), Salt and Pepper Squid (160 THB), and Spicy Chicken Salad with Lemongrass (150 THB) that is the bar’s very own special recipe of shredded chicken mixed with the right amount of lemongrass and spices.
The bar offers classic drinks like beers, whiskeys, spirits, cocktails, and wine. Soccer fans can also drop by on match days as Zay Music Bar puts on live matches on their TVs, while the others can also enjoy a game of pool at the pool table.
Clouds Across The Moon
This brand-new hip bar tucked away in the Phra Khanong area was inspired by a Synth-Pop song from 1985 by RAH Band called “Clouds Across the Moon”.
You’ll catch a vintage and Sci-Fi theme from the antique furniture, antique toys, cherry LEDs, a model moon shining brightly inside the bar, and a projector displaying a music video or movie from the 80’s on the wall. This fills the 1st floor and mezzanine with many Instagram-worthy spots.
We recommend getting one of the 6 signature cocktail designed especially for Clouds Across the Moon such as the bright yellow Honeymoon (240 THB) made with tequila, triple sec, honey, basil, and lemon juice.
You can also order your favorite cocktails, shots, beers, wines, and spirits and some light bites from the food menu like hash browns, wings, Edamame, and popcorn.
This bar puts on a fine selection of music genres including Disco, Indie Pop, Synth-Pop, Brit-Pop, Funk, Soul, and 90’s classics. Fridays and Saturdays are reserved for Indie Pop-Rock with The Jukks putting on a show with Brit-Pop, and Brit-Rock covers twice every month.
WhAB - While Away Bar-fe
During the day, WhAB or “While Away Bar-fe” is a cafe that serves up tea, coffee, lunch, and sweets. After 18.00, however, the cafe will transform into a bar that offers multiple genres of live music for you to enjoy every day.
The schedule is as follows: Mondays - Acoustic Surf Soul, Tuesdays - Indie Folk and Modern Rock, Wednesdays - Electro Funk and Groovy Pop, Thursdays - Soul Funk, Fridays - Reggae, and Saturdays - Indie Pop and Brit-Rock.
Aside from getting to enjoy quality music in a beautiful red neon bar, you can also enjoy some Thai food with a twist such as Steamed Seafood Curry, Fish Sauce Cabbage Stir-fry, and Herbal Soup with Fried Catfish.
Aside from the food menu, the drinks menu offers your regulars like beers, whiskey, brandy, cocktails, and mocktails.
The Lab Baar
The Lab Baar is a Futuristic-style restaurant and cocktail bar that just recently moved from Victory Monument to its new home in Ratchaphruek. Its minimal, but striking design using color-changing neon lights and dimmed lighting will make you feel like you’re wandering in a scene from a Sci-Fi movie.
Whether you opt for the creative signature cocktails or the classic cocktails, we all know and love, don’t forget to strike up a chat with the bartenders so they can adjust the concoction to your liking.
The food menu mainly consists of Western and American dishes such as spaghetti, pork ribs, barbecue, salads, wings, and french fries. With the food, drinks, and location all set, you can have a perfect night out at The Lab Baar without having to move anywhere else.