Best Bars in Bangkok

What to Expect at Bangkok Bars

Expect the unexpected. You might start your night at a speakeasy hidden behind a laundromat door, wind up at a rooftop with 360-degree city views where your cocktail costs more than your hotel room, and end at a street-side bar where a bucket of Chang costs less than a coffee back home. Bangkok's bars don't just serve drinks – they serve experiences. Think creative cocktails infused with Thai ingredients like lemongrass, chili, and tamarind, DJs spinning everything from EDM to Thai pop classics, and crowds that range from gap-year backpackers to Thai billionaires in Ferraris. The dress code varies wildly: flip-flops at street bars, designer shoes at sky bars. One constant: the people are friendly, the nights run late, and nobody judges your dance moves.

Top Areas for Bars in Bangkok

Sukhumvit's Sois (especially 11 and 55) pack in hundreds of bars from sleek wine bars to rowdy sports pubs – it's bar crawl paradise. Silom and Sathorn host the sophisticated side: rooftop bars with strict dress codes where cocktails cost as much as a hostel bed but the Instagram photos are priceless. Thonglor and Ekkamai are where Bangkok's beautiful people party, with trendy bars that change themes faster than the weather. RCA (Royal City Avenue) is where the night never ends – literally, many 'close' at 2am then reopen as 'restaurants' minutes later. Khao San Road remains the backpacker headquarters with cheap buckets and terrible decisions. And hidden throughout Riverside, Chinatown, and Ari are neighborhood gems where locals outnumber tourists 10-to-1.

Insider Tips for Visiting Bangkok Bars

• •Happy hours typically run 5-8pm – some bars offer buy-one-get-one deals that make imported spirits surprisingly affordable. Stack deals: order two sets of BOGO at 7:59pm
• •Rooftop bars have dress codes: no flip-flops, no shorts, no tank tops. Come prepared or get turned away by security who've heard every excuse
• •The best bars aren't always the fanciest – some hole-in-the-wall places serve the coldest beer, hottest conversation, and remember your name after one visit
• •Thai whiskey (Sangsom, Hong Thong) mixed with soda and lime is the local way to drink – cheap, refreshing, and gets the job done. Don't knock it until you've tried it
• •After midnight, many bars become 'restaurants' to skirt licensing laws – same drinks, different sign, everyone pretends to care about the fried rice on the menu
• •Ice in drinks is safe in proper bars – Thailand's ice production is industrial and clean. The ice is often cleaner than the tap water
• •Closing time is officially 1am (bars) or 2am (clubs), but enforcement varies by neighborhood, police mood, and how much the owner pays in 'tea money'
• •Tipping isn't mandatory but 20-50 baht for good service goes a long way – bartenders remember generous customers

Bar Culture in Bangkok & Thailand

Thailand's drinking culture is uniquely social and democratic. Thais rarely drink alone – it's about 'sanuk' (fun) and community. The tradition of 'chon gaew' (clinking glasses) before every drink isn't just polite; it's essential. Skip it and you're the weird one. You'll see locals mixing their whiskey with soda water and ice in a distinctive Thai ratio (roughly 1:3), topping up each other's glasses constantly (never let someone pour their own), and ordering communal towers of beer where everyone shares. The phrase 'chok dee' (cheers/good luck) will become your second language. There's no stigma around drinking – Buddhist monks don't drink, but laypeople absolutely do. What's frowned upon is public drunkenness and aggression. Thais value 'jai yen' (cool heart) – keep your composure even when drunk.