Speakeasy Bars in Bangkok to Satisfy Your Sense of Adventure
Whether you’re an alcoholic explorer or just want to really impress your next tinder date, we’ve got you covered with our top 3 speakeasy bars in Bangkok. Since arriving, you’ve crushed Khao San, smashed Soi Cowboy and raided rooftop bars. With an impressive range of watering holes under your belt, you’d be forgiven for thinking you’ve seen the best of the capital of Thailand’s night life. But sprinkled across the city are places that reward those who venture one step further. That’s right, we’re talking about Bangkok speakeasies.
Havana Social – Staff Favorite
Tucked away down a nondescript side alley and hidden behind a telephone booth, Havana Social is a short walk from our Bangkok location. Faded communist posters, vintage furniture and live Cuban Jazz all work together to transport you back to 1940’s pre-revolutionary Cuba, and the attentive staff create reasonably priced cocktails to keep you loose while you practice your Salsa Cubana.
It’s not too difficult to find, but getting in is definitely part of the experience. After arriving at the location given online keep an eye out for a phone box that is definitely out of place – since when did Thai’s refer to their phones as a Telefono? After entering the booth you’re going to need to enter the code on the dial pad to get in, so either hit us up on Facebook or at reception for the details.
J.Boroski – High End
Possibly the most prestigious bar on this list, J.Boroski is the love child of two separate but equally brilliant minds. The first is it’s namesake – mixologist extraordinaire and all-round Bangkok legend, Josef Boroski. The second is its designer, Ashley Sutton – a man responsible for some of the most beautifully realised bars in Asia from Hong Kong to Tokyo. Put the two together and you have a heady blend of understated class and bespoke cocktails. While prices may make the backpacker in you wince, when you step through the subtle yet imposing steel doors it’s worth reminding yourself that this is an experience like no other.
If you want another Ashley Sutton experience in Bangkok, check out his famous Iron Fairies bar!
Finding this place this place can be a bit of an adventure, especially as the bar itself is famously coy about revealing it’s exact location. That said a quick google search will get you almost to the door on Soi 55 in Bangkok’s Thong Lor district. As with many speakeasies in Bangkok there is no helpful signage, so a couple of wrong turns down side-sois are to be expected. Keep your eyes on the prize, and before you know it you’ll be standing in front of one of the city’s most sought after bars. Alternatively, ask nicely and we’ll join you!
Black Cabin – Bang for your Baht
Classy cocktails and exquisite interiors are great, but sometimes you just want to party hard and get down and dirty. This is where Black Cabin steps up to the plate with live music, an extensive drinks list and mandatory shot pounding every time the bar-side golden bell is rung. It’s best to hit this place between Thursday and Tuesday, so keep Black Cabin high up on your weekend carnage list.
Want to check this place out? Head over to Phra Khanon BTS station. From there, it’s a 10 minute walk. Follow your map to a (seriously tasty!) restaurant called Wild and Co before looking for the glow of red neon lights beckoning you just around the corner.
Speakeasy Bars in Bangkok are Everywhere
Bangkok boasts a long list of hidden gems, so don’t stop with our top 3. Don’t get caught up in the term “speakeasy bars” because there are local secrets all over the city. What if you’d have followed the muffled sounds of music a bit further down that passageway? Gone behind that out-of-place Thai silk curtain tucked behind the 7/11? Typed the right passcode into that phone box? Travelling off the beaten path takes on a whole new meaning in somewhere as dense as Bangkok, and speakeasies appeal to those with a sense of adventure.
