10 Neon Bars in Bangkok to Light Up Your Night
We millennials love going out with our friends after work. We eat, drink, and enjoy life’s little pleasures; it’s the culture we’ve adopted as a part of our lifestyle.
Some of us enjoy tasting delicious food, exploring new genres of music, or trying new kinds of drinks. Others are perfectly happy just chilling at a bar with fresh vibes and snazzy decor.
This is especially true for our city today. New bars and hangouts are always popping up around many nightlife areas in Bangkok such as Sukhumvit, Ari, RCA, and Charoenkrung.
As consumers, this is exciting news. With an ever-evolving list of bars, we can spend our evenings out at a different place every weekend.
Looking for a place to relax with a unique ambiance? Siam2nite recommends these 10 neon bars in Bangkok guaranteed to make your night as luminous as any city light!
(In alphabetical order)
Cat On The Roof
Being at Cat On The Roof on the 6th floor feels like partying at your friend’s on the rooftop.
Its decor leans heavily towards rustic neon with materials like cement, wood, and bricks. The unrefined look is completed with bare light bulbs and multi-color neon lights.
Seatings are available for both indoor and outdoor zone. Take in the view of BTS Skytrain speeding through towering buildings in Saphan Kwai.
Going down to the 5th floor, Cat On The Roof manages to keep its neon glow. The stairs and entrance are plastered with funky neon arts. (Girls are often found taking selfies in this area.) On this floor, you’ll find the hidden ‘attic’ zone dubbed “Tiger X Club”.
Suddenly, the bar’s personality shifts from a lazy, lounging cat to a ferocious tiger.
The interior walls of Tiger X Club are painted black, which contrast with the red neon lights. The venue promises super-cool graffiti arts available as photo-ops once they’ve finished decorating. At the neon-bathed bar counter below, you can sip on cold drinks while enjoying live music.
The main difference between those two zones is their playlists. Cat On The Roof features 1-2 musicians playing international tunes with occasional Thai hits thrown in. At Tiger X Club, though, you get to enjoy a full band with more energizing acts.
Live music is available every day starting from 8PM.
Another difference is that Tiger X Club focuses on beers. From draft beer from the tabs to various bottled and canned craft beers, the bar keeps rotating their selection to guarantee their patrons fresh tastes for every visit.
As for the food, both zones offer the same menu of mostly snacks and appetizers. The first recommended item is Khong Prod Maew or “Cat’s Favorites” (145 THB) - dried squid, dried shrimp, crispy whitebaits, and peanuts toasted and tossed with seasonings, served in a tray.
Another one is BBQ skewers (55-75 THB each). First, choose your meat: shrimp, pork, chicken, or chicken hot dogs. Then, choose your doneness level and sauce: Tom Yum, Salt & Butter, Mala, Jaew, Japanese Style, or Cat’s Special Sauce.
Other options include Fried Shrimp Salad (195 THB), Grilled Pork Jowls with Jaew Dip (165 THB) and Salmon Spicy Salad (230 THB); all spicy and flavorful dishes to match Thai drinkers’ palate.
Feelingbar
Going for a night out has a distinct feel to it; something that drives us to venture out in search of the best bars and nightclubs. This is the concept behind Feelingbar, a neon bar situated in Ari and an irresistible temptation for any passerby.
The neon lights bathe the venue in a hot pink glow. At every turn, you can see eye-catching neon signs in shapes and quotes. For example, ‘How are you feeling tonight?’ at the front window, or the humorous ‘Whai Pa’ (“You OK?”) in bright yellow at their restroom entrance.
Those aren’t all of their cool features, though. Inside, the bar is decked out with sculptures, bare bricks, quirky tableware, and minimalist-yet-stylish furniture. We think Feelingbar is a must-go for ladies looking to snap a shot or two, or ten.
Every day at this bar can feel different with their featured “Feeling” live music of mostly international tunes; the theme changes according to each day of the week.
Tuesday - “Feeling Relaxed” with easy-listening tracks.
Wednesday - “Feeling Missed” with 90’s - 2000’s tunes.
Thursday - “Feeling Blues” with sad songs and R&B (with trumpet and saxophone for extra jazz flavor).
Friday - “Feeling Happy Friday” with a mix of new and classic hits.
Saturday - “Feeling Excited” with the newest hits.
The menu is mostly Thai dishes with Japanese and European twists presented with an original flair. One of their highlights is Yum Borarn or “Olden Days Spicy Salad” (240 THB) - a classic glass noodles spicy salad served on a bed of sacred lotus petals.
Another one, Rak Sarm Sao or “Love Triangle” (120 THB), is a trio of mackerel ‘sushi’ on sticky rice with Wasabi Mayo, Nam Phrik Phao, and Nam Phrik Khee Ka sauce.
As for drinks, we recommend the four signature drinks of the bar: Sorn Sa-nay (“Secret Seduction”), Sao Laew Ngai (“Hurtin’ but Don’t Care”), Tai Tuen Toom (“Jumpy Rabbit”), and Warn Chuen Jai (“Sweet & Refreshing”), all 240 THB each.
The drinks use only Thai ingredients from the alcohols, fruits, syrups, to the herbs.
Feelingbar also provides drinking games such as Jenga, Pinball, darts, Penguin Pile-up, and Crocodile Dentist for you to enjoy with friends throughout the night.
NOMA
NOMA a.k.a. Now Our Mother’s Angry is a house bar that loves to invite everyone to party and crash at their place; hence the name. This concept shapes the bar’s unique decor and cocktail menu.
To make NOMA feels like a friend’s house, homey and laid-back, the materials for their interior accents and furniture are mostly wood. The place feels cozy yet elaborate.
Every detail acts as an art piece that complements the bar’s edgy vibes; from the lamps, cocktail glasses, posters, picture frames, movie projections, to the red-and-blue neon lights.
If you like to explore the more obscure side of music, as opposed to the mainstream, NOMA puts on alternative playlists for most nights. Though, they’re known to add some hip-hop, pop, rock, punk, metal, and Mor Lam to the mix.
The reason is the partners who established the bar wants to expose their customers to new kinds of music.
Various DJs play music at NOMA every Thursday to Saturday. What’s more, Thursday nights feature ‘New Face’ where the bar lets aspiring DJs, or music fans who’d like to share, submit their playlists through the official page or email to discuss details.
If the playlist seems interesting enough, NOMA happily provides lessons and equipment for you to mix the tracks and entertain other customers. Each week will feature brand new DJs; this is to support a new generation of young artists.
NOMA’s signature cocktails are absolutely worth a try. Their mixologist use pantry items found in most kitchens like Nutella, yogurt, mint, and jellies to create the drinks, which are named after their music concepts and projects.
We tried Dirty Staches (180 THB) - bourbon, pineapple juice, scented candle coconut milk, almond syrup, and lemon juice, served in a Nutella-rimmed glass; and Psycho Tropical Yoghurt (160 THB) - gin, kiwi yogurt, lychee juice, and lemon juice, garnished with a slice of pineapple.
Other cocktails and soft drinks are also available.
Over Seoul
Over Seoul captures the essence of Seoul’s nightclubs in their bar/restaurant at Sanam Pao.
The place is the result of the partners’ knack for bars management and love for K-Pop; a chic hangout loved by many Thais. Even though the venue is rather compact, it still packs a mean, South Korean punch.
Upon exiting the elevator on the 3rd floor and entering Over Seoul, the first thing you’ll see is a ceiling-to-floor mirror wall. The mirrors make the bar looks much more spacious.
Plaster walls and polished cement floors complete the raw, industrial loft look, while pink and icy blue neon lights add character to the place. Thanks to these designs, Over Seoul has become one of the most recognizable venues in just a short while.
K-pop fans will surely love their playlists, which include K-pop hits from 2007 by pioneers like Bigbang, Girl’s Generation, 4 Minutes, and Wonder Girl, all the way to the latest by ITZY, which debuted just a few weeks ago. Feel free to dance the night away till the closing hours.
The menu consists of classic Korean dishes with added heat to match Thai preference for bold and explosive flavors.
Examples include Jeotgal Pork Belly Hot Plate (201 THB), Doshirak or “School Lunch Box” (221 THB) that needs to be shaken well before eaten, Cod Roe Soup (321 THB), and Korean Style Cold Noodles (181 THB), extra spicy and served with assorted condiments.
There are also several drink options like soju, makgeolli, cocktails, beers, and whiskeys.
Over Seoul’s specials include Yogurt Soju (341 THB) - a special mix of soju with drinking yogurt, soda pop, and other ingredients; and Makgeolli Original (321 THB) - original Korean rice wine served in an adorable white teapot.
Pink Flamingo Bar by Prelude
Founders of Prelude, the French restaurant that explores Asian ingredients and flavors, proudly present Pink Flamingo Bar by Prelude - a cute new cocktail bar hidden away at the back of the restaurant. The bar still focuses on using local ingredients to create drinks with an extra Je Ne Sais Quoi.
The interior design keeps to the 80’s retro theme, inspired by the activities and music of the era. As you walk in, you’re greeted with over a dozen flamingos hanging from the ceiling; a sweet and warm welcome indeed.
Not only that, but other corners of Pink Flamingo are also full of flamingo everything: dolls, paintings, swim rings, lego, pink neon signs, and many more. It’s a tropical bar in the heart of Thonglor. (We’re convinced girls would love to take a couple of photos with these birds).
Along with the decor, the music rotation adds to the 80’s mood with old school hip-hop, soul, funk, and disco.
There are also secret DJ events every Friday where you’ll find out which DJ will be entertaining you with electronic music as they hit the stage.
The cocktails at Pink Flamingo are designed and created by their head bartender, Calvin, who has studied at the Culinary Institute of America (CIA). He uses local Thai ingredient as the main body of the drink, resulting in cocktails that are complex in both flavor profile and appearance.
The bar’s must-try item is their Mystery Box (350 THB). It’s basically a cocktail omakase; leave it to the bartender to create a special drink for you.
Not a fan of cocktails? Pink Flamingo also has a wide selection of craft beers, red wines, and white wines available. They rotate their wine list every month, so you and your friends will most likely be trying new drinks whenever you choose to drop by.
Pocha Ekkamai
In Korean dramas, the protagonists are often seen knocking back soju shots at a tented food stall. The red tent sits on the side of the street as it rains softly outside.
These tented food stalls are called pojangmacha. They mostly sell simple street food paired with alcoholic beverages and are extremely popular with young office workers looking for a place to unwind after a long day.
Pocha Ekkamai is recreating that same ambiance by bringing the red tent and Korean vibes to Bangkok. You’ll get to experience the authentic Korean drinking and culinary culture.
Dark-colored walls make you feel like sitting at a pojangmacha at night, complete with red tent canopies, plastic curtains, and artificial ‘rain’ showers. The decorative fake Beot-kkot, or Korean Cherry Blossom, and the red neon lights take you right to the streets of South Korea.
Of course, we’d have to mention K-pop when talking about Korea. Pocha Ekkamai fills their playlists with latest and classic hits for a night of non-stop K-pops. To add to the atmosphere, Korean movies and dramas are also projected onto the dark walls.
Pocha Ekkamai offers homemade-style Korean dishes; mainly snacks and appetizers. We tried the filling Tteokbokki (280 THB) - rice cake in Korean red chili sauce topped with deep-fried snacks like squids, mashed potatoes, dumplings, and kimbaps.
We also tried Mixed Sauce Fried Chicken (300 THB) - original and spicy sauce chicken served on a wooden cutting board. It’s a perfect dish to share with your chingu (“friend”).
The drink menu is full of Korean classics like flavored sojus, makgeolli, and Korean beers, but also Thai beers and soft drinks. At Pocha Ekkamai, you’ll get to experience a slice of Korean young adult life.
Pour
Pour, the cocktail bar in Lat Phrao, puts the extra in extraordinary. The owner started by painting a small commercial townhouse white, then add some character and gimmick to the place with pink and blue neon lights. It’s a bar straight out of sci-fi movies.
Going inside Pour, the first you’ll see is an open bar counter. The center counter area has been cut out to make just enough space for a lightbulb. When the bartender sets a glass on that bulb, it’s time to enjoy some quality mixology session in the dazzling lights.
The drink list is displayed on the board behind the counter, detailing the ingredients in each drink. Pour changes their menu regularly; sometimes daily, weekly, or monthly, depending on when the ideas for new cocktails would strike.
So whenever you and your friends want to sip on cocktails at Pour, you can always expect new items.
Pour uses three methods to create drinks. One, use seasonal ingredients and fruits. Two, use ingredients from wherever the bar owner recently visited, both local and abroad. And three, make custom drinks from the customer’s order.
Whatever ingredient you bring to Pour, the bartender can make it work.
We tried their ‘unnamed’ cocktail (240 THB) - rum with the juice of kumquat (a citrus fruit similar to mandarin orange and yuzu), garnished with slices of orange.
Before it’s served, the glass is covered with a plastic box and briefly smoked with cherry wood. The wood provides a hint of sweet, caramel scent.
Another one we tried is Genie Sung (260 THB) - a glowing blue cocktail of vodka, jasmine syrup, lime juice, and orange liqueur, served from a teapot that looks like a genie’s lamp.
As mentioned, the cocktail menu is constantly changing. We can’t promise these two items will still be available on your visit, but you’re guaranteed to gain a new drinking experience every time.
Ross Kitchen
Ross Kitchen, the Thai restaurant on the 4th floor of Akara Hotel, takes local dishes from Thailand’s four main regions to a new level. At its entrance is a small bar section with a captivating concept and design.
The bar is a diorama of Thailand in the 1950s, particularly the urban cinema architecture. The vintage vibes are so strong, we’re sure people of all ages won’t be able to resist its charms. Taking some photos here is a must.
Ross Kitchen is an infuse bar designed to recreate Thai old-time drinking culture with both drinks and visuals. In the old days, people would gather in front of markets after the shops had closed up.
This is why there are facades of a pawn shop, a pharmacy, and a beauty salon with metal accordion doors drawn shut; it’s time for people to drink and relax. Red neon lights add to the bar’s striking appearance. The place looks like a scene from retro sci-fi flicks.
For the drinks, Ross Kitchen recommends their signature cocktails, which are mainly alcohol infused with local ingredients like Thai herbs and fruits. The drinks are designed and named with an ‘old-fashioned’ theme in mind.
Ross Uthai is a reddish pink cocktail with Mamaw/Markmaw juice described as “Sunny, cheery, with a hint of sexy sour. Absolutely enticing”. It’s sour, refreshing, and goes down very smoothly.
Another recommended item is Nuan Nang (“Temptress”) - a bright yellow drink with a sprinkle of curry powder said to be “Aromatic and alluring; one sip will have you begging on your knees”.
Sape Bar
Sape Bar at Phra Arthit Road takes pride in their Ya Dong - a traditional Thai liquor made by infusing (usually cheap) moonshine with various herbs.
It’s a Thai style bar with a modern twist in both their drinks and furniture design as they’re trying to keep up with the changing trends and attract younger crowds.
Visually, Sape Bar’s first floor and loft leans towards Thai (but not so) traditional style. You can see a lot of folk handicrafts like threshing baskets, serving trays, and chicken cages made from wicker, and also rattan chairs. Accent pieces are made from Pha Khao Ma and other Thai handwoven textiles.
Bamboo beds and Thai triangular cushions are used in seating area alongside leather sofas and black stone tables. Green ceramic tiles provide a brilliant contrast to the red and purple neon lights. Sape Bar certainly succeeds in turning the traditional vibes into a more fun one.
The music at Sape Bar is Thai classical with both traditional and contemporary arrangements. Their live band consists of Thai instruments like Khlui and Ranat with other international ones such as Cajon, Maraca, and Keyboard.
The band plays on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and weekend.
For braver souls, Sape Bar offers exotic meats like crocodile, frog, and larvae on their menu. These items are carefully prepared for easy consumption. But if that’s not your style, common Thai dishes and appetizers are always an option.
The highlight is, of course, their Ya Dong-based cocktails. The Ya Dong options include Nari Ram Phueng (“Weeping Woman”), Ma Krathuep Rong (“Bucking Bronco”), Doh Mai Roo Lom (“Hard On”), and Gam Lang Chaang Sarn (“Elephant Power”). They serve both classic cocktails and newer, more inventive ones.
For example, Long Khaek or “Debauchery” (280 THB) starts with a Ma Krathuep Rong (or Nari Ram Phueng) base and a classic liqueur.
Then, the bartender will light some Sambuca on fire and pour it down the stacked glasses. Finally, he’ll add a sprinkle of cinnamon and some Sprite to loosen up the flavor (and to put the fire out so you can drink it)
An excellent choice if you’re looking to share a drink with your friends.
There are also many other Ya Dong-inspired drinks reinvented to be more palatable with show-stopping presentations.
But if you’re really not a fan of Ya Dong, Sape Bar offers many other alcoholic and soft drink options.
Tailor Asok
Compared to Ekkamai and Thonglor, Asoke business district hardly seems like a nightlife hotspot. But since Tailor Asok opened in mid-2018, they have brought much buzz to the area.
The two floors are decked out with all the trimmings of a tailor shop. The inspiration comes from the building itself, which used to house a long-established tailor shop for over 40 years. This is why the bar tries to preserve as much of its history as possible.
Going inside Tailor Asok, you’ll see framed costume designs, cloth hangers, sewing machines, and suited mannequins. These curiosities serve as artful and tone-setting pieces to the venue.
Neon lights in shapes and quotes behind the bar counter on the first floor add a dash of modernity; waiting for your drink at the bar will no longer be boring.
The difference between the first and second floor of Tailor Asok is the stage. You can expect live music from well-known artists and bands. The 90’s - 2000’s hits will naturally make you want to sing along.
The upper floor offers a bit more privacy. Clear glass panes let you gaze out at the bustling Sukhumvit Road while enjoying the live music from downstairs.
The menu at Tailor Asok is a fusion of Thai and American dishes. Don’t forget to try signature cocktails crafted by their very own mixologist with tailor shop-inspired designs and names.
The bar also offers seasonal cocktails during Halloween, Christmas, and Valentine. No matter what festival you’re celebrating, you’ll always get the chance to try new flavors.