29 Best Bars in Bangkok, Thailand

The entrance to this secret salsa lair is a fake telephone booth in a dark unsuspecting alley across from the Frasier Suites Sukhumvit. Inside you'll find a diverse crowd shimmying to Afro-Cuban beats, sipping Cubra Libres on leather couches, and smoking in the cigar lounge, harking back to Havana before the revolution. Free salsa dance classes are held on Sunday evenings.

The views are staggering at the Banyan Tree Bangkok's 61st-floor alfresco bar, and the cost of cocktails is up there, too, but for the vistas alone it's worth the splurge. Come a bit before sunset—the bar opens at 5—to get the best view from the low-slung seating. If the weather is clear, you can stargaze using the bar's telescope. If the weather's bad at all, Moon Bar will be closed.

This downtown rooftop bar atop the Bangkok Marriott Hotel Sukhumvit is known for its 360-degree panoramas and for reasonable drink prices compared to other rooftop bars.

There's nothing else quite like this bar on the 63rd floor of one of Bangkok's tallest buildings. Head toward the pyramidlike structure emitting eerie blue light at the far end of the restaurant and check out the head-spinning views. The place's most famous concoction, the Hangovertini, was made famous by the Hollywood film (The Hangover II) shot here.

The New York--born impresario behind the late Q Bar opened this unique establishment in a funky three-story corner building with spiral staircases that feels more Berlin or Paris than Bangkok. There's an open-air rooftop hangout and the second floor is sceney, but downstairs is the place to be to appreciate the French and Vietnamese antiques, the owner's impressive contemporary art collection, and the traditional absinthe spigots. Bartenders know the classics but can improvise to taste. Smalls is the only bar in Bangkok where you can hear straight-ahead jazz and free jazz, rather than hotel lounge jazz or tired standards. Bands play on the ground floor on Wednesdays and Thursdays.

From this 12th-floor bar that overlooks the Royal Bangkok Sports Club, you can watch the horse races while sipping a Siam Mary, the Bangkok version of the Bloody Mary. The bar also offers a list of eight other Bloody Mary variations, including the original Red Snapper from St. Regis New York. At 6 pm nightly, the staff continues the age-old St. Regis tradition of Champagne sabering (opening a bottle using a saber). The afternoon tea here, with tiers of colorful treats, is also impeccable.

Hidden behind an old-fashioned Indian-style door in Chinatown, the gin bar Teens of Thailand has helped kick off a renaissance of trendy cocktail bars and art galleries in the area. Choose from a list of different gins and tonics for your perfect libation; otherwise the chalkboard cocktail specials change daily.

This rooftop bar on the 33nd floor of the Frasier Suites Sukhumvit offers sweeping views of the city in sophisticated surrounds. Order a pisco sour and some Japanese-Peruvian snacks, like ceviche and sushi, and enjoy the DJ's beats.

This legendary narrow shophouse bar has been hosting top-shelf blues and R&B bands for over two decades. Get there before 9 pm if you expect to get an indoor seat. Otherwise, there is standing room at the bar, as well as outdoor seats near the door.

Sometimes the party spills out onto the street at this bar that overlooks the crowds along Soi 4. Balcony has a friendly staff and one of the best happy hours on the soi.

This legendary watering hole hosts international musicians playing easy-on-the-ears jazz. Expensive-looking animal print–upholstered furniture and dark wood create an upscale yet cozy space for listening to music and enjoying Thai-inspired cocktails.

Behind Buddy Lodge on Khao San itself, Brick Bar is an ever-popular venue known for live shows by professional bands as well as DJs in an eclectic mix of genres. It can fit a pretty big crowd.

Boutique beer lovers flock to this hip outdoor spot where, as you can guess from the name, all the brews are 100% craft. Along with the largest selection of craft beers in Bangkok---hundreds of brands rotating on 40 taps, plus bottled brews from 20 different countries---there is an excellent food menu with everything from pastrami sandwiches and rotisserie chicken to Thai and Mexican food. There's a daily happy hour from 3 to 6 pm.

An unsigned door in the Velaa Sindhorn Village complex opens onto a lush lounge of tiered red velvet-and-brass settees facing a stage where jazz, funk, and R&B combos play live nightly. Skilled bartenders create an impressive list of potent bespoke cocktails such as the Sax & Drum, with Tanqueray, mezcal, chardonnay, and jasmine, and the Guatemala Old-Fashioned, made with Zacapa 23 Rum.

Inside the Conrad Bangkok, this relaxed yet sophisticated bar offers well-made cocktails, plus a good wine and Champagne selection. The 5 to 8 happy hour is popular with staff from local embassies. Jazz ensembles perform live nightly.

Thai A-listers have made Distil, on the 64th floor of one of Bangkok's tallest buildings, their stomping ground. A full-time sommelier is on hand to take care of your wine desires, and you can order a Hangovertini, created one floor down at the Sky Bar for the Hollywood film Hangover II.

A young crowd packs this snappy-looking bar to bask in the "fun, lust, and joy." The B300 cover charge on weekends includes two drinks, while B150 on weekdays includes one. There's a dance floor and regular drag shows on weekends.

There's no menu at this hidden ultra-elegant speakeasy from legendary Bangkok mixologist Joseph Boroski: you simply tell the bartender what you're in the mood for and you'll get something special, made with dashes of rare ingredients.

This bar distinguishes itself with a tropical feel that is generally elusive in Bangkok—you can drink your cocktails by the river, either in a traditional sala or on outdoor sofas.

The craft-beer gypsy brewers from Denmark opened up shop in Bangkok at this hideaway in a residential garden home. Thirty brews come on tap, many of them experimental and avant-garde specimens found only at the world's few Mikkeller branches, as well as many bottled brews. The garden is a fine spot to relax in, and there is also a bottle shop and a popular fine-dining restaurant.

Inspired by Seoul dance clubs, MU:IN Bangkok showcases international DJs (spinning mostly EDM and house music) to create a rave or festival-like atmosphere with advanced sound and lighting. There is a B500 cover charge, plus a two-drink minimum purchase requirement.

This serious party house features top local DJs, plus occasional visiting artists from abroad, playing mostly house and techno. The bar is well-stocked and the bartenders are quick. It's pretty empty before midnight, after which the dance floor fills up and rocks past 3 am.

On any night of the week, Oskar is full of a mixed Thai and foreign crowd enjoying good cocktails and wood-fired pizzas, along with well-prepared French and European bites. The electronic beats spill out onto the street and eclectic DJs are regularly on board.

The sophisticated rooftop bar has marvelous skyline views and the finest perspective on vast Lumphini Park. It's the perfect spot to catch the sunset colors while downing a martini or glass of wine from the globe-trotting selection. Food is top-notch, as are the cocktails.

With many different beers on tap and in bottles, this very British pub tends to draw serious beer drinkers. There's a heavy emphasis on viewing sports on well-placed monitors, along with fun quiz nights on Wednesday.

Popular with locals and expats for over 30 years, the spacious Saxophone hosts some of Thailand's best rhythm and blues, jazz, blues, rock, reggae, and ska bands. There are bars on each of the three floors.

This stylish nightclub evokes 1930s Shanghai, with wrought-iron alcoves, spiral staircases, red lighting, and lanterns. DJs spin upbeat electronic music, beckoning some to squeeze onto the compact dance floor and others to lounge at tables and by the bar.

Perched on the 78th floor, this is the highest rooftop bar in the city (and allegedly the third highest in the world), offering 360-degree views, a minimalist decor, and a bar serving booze and bites from 4 pm to midnight. The bar is operated by The Standard Bangkok hotel, but you'll need a ticket for the Sky Walk to reach it. Last access onto the roof is 11 pm.

Bangkok's most venerable LGBTQ+ bar, the pub-style Telephone is hopping every night of the week. There are telephones on the table so you can chat up your neighbors, though very few people use them these days.