Click here for the best bars in Thonglor/Ekkamai or Siam/Phloen Chit

BK's annual B.A.D. Awards celebrate all that's good in Bangkok nightlife. While the central section of Sukhumvit—taking in Nana, Asoke and Phrom Phong—has no shortage of watering holes, some are best left to the tourist masses. Here are our favorite spots to drink and party along Bangkok's busiest road.

ABar  

Rooftop/Cocktails. Don’t let the fact that this is a hotel rooftop bar put you off, as here they really know what they’re doing. The drinks alone prove that they’ve done enough homework to compete with any Bangkok standalone.
37/F, Marriott Marquis Queen’s Park, 199 Sukhumvit Soi 22, 02-059-5999. Open daily 6pm-1am.

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About Eatery 

Wine. Hailing from Turin, Italy, Giulio Saverino turns conventional wine culture on its head at his rustic Bangkok bistro, instead educating his customers on the beguiling characteristics of natural wine. The menu—as thick as a phone book—is chock-full of biodynamic, natural and organic rarities that’ll challenge your perception of what wine should taste like.
G/F, Ocean Tower 2, Asoke 3, 02-665-2772. Open Mon-Thu 11:30am-2:30pm, 5:30-11pm. Fri-Sat 11:30am-2:30pm, 5:30-midnight. Sun 5:30-11pm.

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Above Eleven 

Rooftop. On top of its great views of the city skyline, another thing Above Eleven has going for it is its adventurous menu. While most other rooftop venues play it safe with homogenous international dishes, here the focus is on Peruvian-Japanese fusion cuisine (aka Nikkei cuisine). In small plates like acebichado rolls (seabass, ika karage, avocado) and skewers of anticucho beef heart, you’ve got a wonderful accompaniment for the views, bettered only by their signature Pisco Sour. 

33/F, Fraser Suites, 38/8 Sukhumvit Soi 11. 02-207-9300. Open daily 6pm-2am. BTS Nana.

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Aire Bar

Rooftop. Hyatt Place enters the rooftop-bar fray with this no-frills, Benjasiri Park-view venue that’s ideal for after-work drinking. All signature cocktails are B280, which in the world of rooftop bars is a steal—try the North Star, a fruity, Plantation Pineapple, pomegratnate and bitters. The list of 30 wines also does not disappoint.
28/F, Hyatt Place, 22/5 Sukhumvit Soi 24, 02-055-1234. Open daily 5pm-1am.

Bangkok Heightz

Rooftop. Situated on 39th floor of The Continent Hotel, Bangkok, the signature cocktails here play around with local flavors. The “Cha Yen” will wow you with three kinds of Thai whiskey—Sangsom, Mekhong and Regency—along with Thai tea, sweet cream, Bailey’s and milk. While the “Tuk Tuk” made with Thai vodka called Bangyikhan, lemongrass syrup, lime juice and lychee, served with luk chup (fruit-shaped mung beans). 

39/F, The Continent Hotel, Bangkok, 413 Sukhumvit Rd., 02- 686-7000. Open daily 6pm-midnight 

The Bar Upstairs 

Wine. The folks behind Havana Social and Above Eleven provide refuge from Soi 11’s party spots at this casual wine bar atop their French restaurant Brasserie Cordonnier. 150+ labels of wine and dainty French nibbles.
3/F, 33/30 Sukhumvit Soi 11, 02-821-5110. Open Sun-Thu 5pm-midnight; Fri-Sat 5pm-2am.

Exclusively for Citi credit card members: : Exclusively for Citi credit card members Get a complimentary chocolate mousse valued THB 200 when spending THB 1,000 or more / sales slip (limit 1 dish /card / table /sales slip) Today - 31 May 19

Brew, Beer & Cider

Beer. The Thonglor institution may have closed, but the Soi 11 follow-up is still going strong. Here, you can find some 300 imported bottles from familiar importers Beervana, Brewdog, Hopsession and more. To go with, you can't beat a Daniel Thaiger burger. 

30 Sukhumvit Soi 11, 02-255-5532. Open daily 11-2am

Brewski

Rooftop/Beer. This beer bar offers 30th-floor views of Sukhumvit. Along with a free and easy party atmosphere, Brewski offers an international selection of beers, with choices ranging from American craft beers to Belgian classics. There's also a decent selection of ciders (try the Zeffer Crisp Green Apple Cider from New Zealand) and Thai-style bar munchies like sai krok Isaan (Thai-style pork sausages with fresh chilli, ginger and peanuts).

30/F, Radisson Blu Plaza, 489 Sukhumvit Soi 27, 02-302-3333. Open daily 5pm-1am.

Exclusively for Citi credit card members: : Exclusively for Citi credit card members Get a complimentary Brewski Hot Dog valued THB 350 when spending THB 2,000 or more /sales slip (limit 1 dish /card /table /sales slip and subject to availability, except special events and blackout dates are applied) Today - 30 Jun 19

Bottle of Beers

Beer. This friendly bottle shop-slash-bar has one of the best craft beer selections in the city. What’s more, a big proportion of the bottles are from local breweries that you won’t find many places. Grab a slightly fruity Stone Head Koh Kong pale ale from the fridge and join the international crowd of regulars at the communal counter. Adjoining restaurant, The Meat Pan, whips out burgers and other meaty dishes. If you’re not down with the communal seating downstairs, there’s some private tables up on the mezzanine too. 

Sukhumvit Soi 34, 02-040-0473. Open daily 5pm-midnight

Changwon Express

Beer. Craft beer enthusiast Ted Ahn pairs craft beer with Mexican-Korean fusion food at his restaurant-slash-bar, located right next to MRT Petchaburi. The second branch, above urban surf park Flow House, sticks more to burgers and pizzas to go with a drinks list showcasing Thailand’s burgeoning craft beer industry. Changwon Express’ pride and joy is their own brew, the Asoke Pale Ale; golden, hoppy and citrusy, it slips down nicely. 

Character

Whiskey/Cigar. A hardwood and leather homage to the Oriental Express, this den of cigars and single malts is a slick operation. Fedora-wearing attendants are quick to prep or relight your hand-rolled cigar (Nicaraguans, Hondurans, Dominicans), while there’s an exhaustive list of Scotch for company.
32/F, Compass SkyView Hotel, 12 Sukhumvit Soi 24, 02-011-1133. Open Mon-Sat 5pm-midnight.

Coastal

Cocktails. Basically just a bamboo shack on the lawn of Kram restaurant, Coastal serves tropical cocktails that demand you to get drunk in the daytime while spread out on one of their easygoing lawn chairs—perfect for curing your hangover and quietly catching up with friends from Blaq Lyte the night before.

113 Sukhumvit Soi 39, 098-253-9356. Open Tue-Fri 6pm-midnight, Sat-Sun 3pm-1am.

Craft

Beer. The semi-outdoor stall exclusively sells craft beers, with over 40 beers on tap for Sukhumvit branch rotating monthly and 50 bottled varieties. Expect familiar names like Deschutes, Rogue and Anderson Valley, with a particular focus on hoppy, high-alcohol-content IPAs. One of our picks, The Anderson Valley Blood Orange Gose, is made from an ancient German recipe and has a unique salty-grapefruit like flavor. 

Dim Dim

Cocktails. This tiny Chinese-themed bar hidden in the back roads of Phrom Phong offers the perfect cozy, intimate experience. Cocktails stay in keeping with the Chinatown theme, like the Jasmine tea-based Zhen Chen Martini, mixed with gin and white wine, or the Ong, which mixes salted plum, apple, raisin, cinnamon and lime with cognac and gin.

27/1 Sukhumvit Soi 33, 02-085-2788. Open Mon-Sat 6:30pm-1:30am.

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Drunken Leprechaun

Sports. The wood-dominated beer bar is decked out with both sofas and high bar stools with a huge screen for live matches. Beers on tap include the tried-and-trusted names such as Stella Artois, Hoegaarden, Asahi and Guinness. 

Four Points by Sheraton Bangkok, 4 Sukhumvit Soi 15, 02-309-3255. Open daily 10am-1am.

Escape

Rooftop. Swanky EmQuartier dedicates some fifthfloor, mall-top space to a venue that’s part tapas bar, part tiki bar and wholly committed to its “downtown beach club” theme. Instagram-ready nooks litter the huge, tropical-plant and pink-flamingo festooned area.
5/F, The EmQuartier, 693,695 Sukhumvit Rd., 02-258-6515. Open daily 5pm-midnight.

#FindThePhotoBooth  

Cocktails. Yes, this cocktail bar is located on Sukhumvit Soi 11, but don’t worry, you won’t be drinking Long Island Ice Teas here. Coming from the team behind The Locker Room, they keep up the speakeasy gimmick and definitely bring a touch of class to Nana.
2/F, 14 Sukhumvit Soi 11, 02-117-2636. Open daily 6pm-2am.

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Glow

Hailiang

Whiskey. Whatever anyone tells you about such-and-such bar having the best whiskey collection in Bangkok, unless they’re saying Hailiang, then they’re wrong. Be very careful which bottle you point to on Osaka-born barkeep Jay’s shelves—some of this stuff stretches well into six figures. Don’t be too afraid to enter though. He’ll warmly guide you to the perfect tipple within your price range, whether it’s a trending Japanese single malt or well-aged and hard-to-come-by bourbon.
4/11 Sukhumvit Soi 33, 02-662-1576. Open daily 6pm-1:30am.

Hanakaruta

Whiskey. Hanakaruta provides one of Bangkok’s ultimate Japanese whiskey experiences. If 21-year-old Hibiki is too rich for your blood, try some of the house-infused plum wines—or the hundreds of sakes and shochus that line one of the city’s most imposing (and beautifully wood-paneled) back bars.

Havana Social

Cocktails/Nightclub. Providing Bangkokians with a reason to still go down Sukhumvit Soi 11, the Cuba-referencing salsa speakeasy pulls in the neighborhood’s best crowd. Latin beats make way for foot-tapping chart fodder as the night wears on—and the telephone entry thingy has gotten old very quickly—but there’s still nowhere we’d rather drink around Nana-Asoke.

Sukhumvit Soi 11, 061-450-3750. Open daily 6pm-2am.

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Iron Balls

Cocktails. Ashley Sutton’s back! He of Iron Fairies and Sing Sing Theater’s fame has opened a second branch of his gin distillery. The marine theme makes the room feel like a cozy ship cabin, with the ceiling composed of thousands of layered bottles that catch the light. The main base here is, of course, Iron Balls gin, but we’ll take any drink mixed by bartender Carson Quinn.
Sukhumvit Soi 45, 02-662-4478. Open daily 8pm-1am.

Mojjo

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Q&A

Cocktails. Head barman Vipop Jinaphan pours drinks to be genuflected on at his gloriously polished bar. That might mean burning seaweed over mezcal and mixing the results with almond syrup for an intensely umami taste sensation, or cognac blended with cloves and ginger for something sweet and spicy.

235/13 Sukhumvit Soi 21, 02-664-1445. Open daily 7pm-2am.

Quince

Wine. Is there anything Quince can’t do well? Mediterranean dinners, coffee dates, complex cocktails, lazy brunches and, yes, awesome wines at the right price. Partner Kim Wachtveitl’s day job sees him fraternizing with the best small-batch producers in the world to bring their prod-ucts to Bangkok, making Quince a hub for local oenophiles.

Sukhumvit Soi 45, 02-662-4478. Open Sun-Thu 11:30am-mid-night, Fri-Sat 11:30am-1am.

Robin Hood

Sports. Even if it didn’t possess such a prime location just staggering distance from BTS Phrom Phong, we’d still seek out this long-running British-leaning boozer thanks to its Bodingtons on tap, giant racks of ribs in a proper sticky barbecue sauce, and well-thumbed photocopies of The Sun and Daily Mail (you don’t have to agree with it to still want to read it). Pitch up for any big match or race and you’re guaranteed there’ll be a TV in prime sight showing it.
597-597/1-3, P.B. Building, Sukhumvit Soi 33/1, 02-662-3390. Open daily 9am-1am.

Royal Oak

Sports. This long-running pub will make you feel like you’re cozied up in a traditional British boozer. Here, you’ll find plenty of rugby screenings and, of course, British people. They also have generous happy hours every day from 4-8pm and the Comedy Club Bangkok is placed on their upstairs with shows every Friday.
595/10-11 Sukhumvit Soi 33/1, 02-662-1650. Open daily 10-1am.

Salon Du Japonisant

Cocktails. Liquor importer Bacchus Global presides over cocktails made with Japanese precision. Cushioned wicker armchairs surround a flowing, natural wood bar backed by bottles of shochu, sake, whiskeys and science lab-like equipment for a mind-blowing drinking experience.
36/5 Sukhumvit Soi 39, 083-019-9062. Open Mon-Sat 7pm-1am.

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Score Bar 

Sports. Tucked on the second floor of 8 on Eleven, the bar's glass walls allow you to overlook the chaos of Soi 11 without having to be involved in any of it. Here, as well as screening most sports on their five screens, they offer a pool table, foosball table and a very popular beer pong table. There's also a photo booth for taking random drunken photos (hint hint). 

2/F, 14 Sukhumvit Soi 11, 02-117-2636. Open daily 5pm-2am

Sing Sing Theater 

Nightclub. No matter how cool or hipster you are, or how much of the night you actually remember—yes, those dancers in weird animal costumes and dreamlike Shanghainese decor were real—busting out moves to cheesy house remixes on Sing Sing’s cramped mezzanine-cum-dancefloor is a Bangkok rite of passage. 
Sukhumvit Soi 45 (next to Quince), 063-225-1331. Open Tue-Sun 9pm-3am.

Sky On 20 

Take the small staircase up from the 25th floor and be greeted by an open-air space filled with a mix of circular couches and low seating in pastel grays. The laidback garden vibe is complemented with a few trees wrapped in fairy lights, but otherwise the decoration is toned down from your usual rooftop bar, allowing the views to speak for themselves. 

26/F, Novotel Bangkok Hotel, 19/9 Sukhumvit Soi 20, 02-009-4999. Open daily 5pm-2am.

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Sportsman

Sports. English? In Bangkok to witness their best World Cup performance since Lineker was in tight nylons? Then you’ll know that the Sportsman with its giant TVs primed for games from every angle was the place to be. Three lions on a shirt!
Trendy Building, 10/22 Sukhumvit Soi 13, 02-168-7241. Open daily 8-2am.

Sugar Ray

Cocktails. This speakeasy from the masterminds also behind Q&A and Thaipioka has left its homey digs in Ekkamai for Sukhumvit Soi 24.  Located inside the sprawling Octo Seafood Bar, this new incarnation of the bar (which first opened in 2014) swaps the original’s mix-and-match charm for something sleeker and more minimalist. On top of the classics, you can expect signature cocktails with Asian twists

88/2,88/9 Sukhumvit Rd. 24, 094-417-9898. Open Tue-Sun 7pm-2am.

Taproom

Beer. Located amid the greenery of Sukhumvit Soi 26, Taproom's selling point comes in the form of 26 rotating taps pouring premium brews from around the world. That means names like BrewDog, Stone, Coronado, Bear Republic, Hitachino, Flying Dog, EvilTwin, Heretic and Speakeasy. Every time a keg finishes (almost everyday), you can expect something new to be hooked up to the tap. The environment is friendly, weekdays see live acoustic bands take the stage, and come the weekend the place kicks into party atmosphere with DJs. There's another branch in Ari, too.

Wine Depot

Wine. Head to this bustling bistro for affordable wine mostly from the Old World (more 150 labels by the bottle, more than 40 by the glass), along with homey French and Italian cuisine. Thursday's ladies' night, with two hours' free-flow sparkling for under B500, is an enduring favorite. 

28 Sukhumvit Soi 22, 02-000-4238. Open daily 10am-11pm.

The Woodshed

Cocktails. Tucked inside rustic European restaurant Harvest is this mysterious jazz bar with a rollicking menu of craft spirits and cocktails. Bartender Suparb “Joe” Mopa does a fine introductory drink in Red: sloe gin, red currant, sparkling wine and lime. Invoke the lumberjack within with a Gintochoke of pickled artichoke with its briny juice, Whitley Neil gin and dry vermouth.
24/1 Sukhumvit Soi 31, 097-235-8286. Open daily 5:30pm-midnight. 

B.A.D. Awards is BK Magazine's annual guide to all that's good in Bangkok nightlife. Read the full list here or download the PDF version here.