To all the Thai review pages out there: just because a bar isn’t on the main road doesn’t make it a “hidden bar.” Here’s a look at truly hidden bars in Bangkok that are worth going to (once you find them).
Apart from the food and the shopping, one of the things Bangkok is certainly known for is the nightlife. We’re spoiled for choice when we hit the streets looking for a good drink, and a popular trend that hit the city in recent years is the “hidden bar.”
A location with minimal signage, loyal customers, hidden in plain sight—there may be more of these than you imagined, so let us let you in on some of the secrets.
Hidden bars in Bangkok that are actually hidden
Rabbit Hole
There’s a lot to love about Rabbit Hole: it’s a chilled-out space with serious cocktails, five-star service, and a sophisticated urban vibe that never feels contrived or pretentious. The three-storey venue is cosy and contemporary with a masculine feel expressed in monotones of brushed concrete, ironworks, glass, dark wood, leather sofas and chairs. The bar dominates the first floor, and the drink menu is divided between craft, vintage, whiskey cocktails and martinis.
Our personal recommendation is “Boyz in the Hood,” an attractive cocktail made with Thai rum mixed with tomato juice, banana liqueur, honey water, Verjus, apple cider, and vinegar.
You can find more information at Rabbit Hole.
Find The Locker Room
If you see the rows of lockers as pictured above, you’ve Found The Locker Room. And to even get there, you’ll need to take your chances walking into a random, small, dimly lit hallway in Thonglor, and we know what happened last time we did that.
Once you do manage to enter, you’ll be greeted with great drinks and excellent service that will linger with you for a long while. Plus, from personal experience, please, pretty please try the shrimp dumplings.
Over on the cocktail side, the must-try drink is the “Who Wear Short Shorts,” a drink inspired by the 70s, with three layers. You can taste each individually or all at once—both are equally great. It’s actually the favourite drink of their beverage director.
You can find more information at Find The Locker Room.
Opium Bar
Set in the premises of the Michelin-starred restaurant Potong, you’ll need to walk into one of the sois off Yaowarat Road to find this one. Then, you’ll need to look for a small sign as you stroll through old row houses—it’s quite a small venue that’s easy to miss. It’s so small that you’ll need to be mindful of steep stairs and an elevator that holds one person at a time.
The bar manager Matteo Cadeddu is in charge of the inventive menu at Opium. Our personal recommendation is the “Isabella.” It’s sweet and sour, with heat that packs a punch.
You can find more information at Opium Bar.
Tax Bar
“Nothing is certain but death & tax” is the message you’ll see in front of the set of stairs leading you to Tax. It’s quaint, with a little bit of punk elegance, but doesn’t feel pretentious. Run by the same team behind Teens of Thailand, Tax is the group’s response against the Thai government for their lack of financial support, as well as the unfair treatment of the bar industry, during the pandemic. The result is a cocktail bar with an inventive menu, with a spotlight on house-made vinegar. The menu states, “you can tax all our booze, but you cannot tax our vinegar.”
You can find more information at Tax.
Falcon Secret Bar
Once you press the number 33 on the elevator, you must find the emergency exit of the building and then walk up from there. Falcon Secret Bar is quite hard to find especially the first time around. But if you manage to find it, every spot provides a photo opportunity. The velvet chairs, the gorgeous view from the 34th floor, even the emergency stairs adorned with flowery paintings—make sure your cameras are ready.
The drink you must try is “Between the Love.” Like a love story between East and West, the cocktail is made using brandy, earl grey-infused rum, peach, lemon, and, of course, garnished with sweet Thai golden threads. An unconventional combo that strangely works very well.
You can find more information at Falcon Secret Bar.
Havana Social
Entering Havana Social is an experience in itself. You arrive in a dimly lit soi. In the midst of the sea of massage parlours, you get into a phone booth that’s slightly less dimly lit, and you enter the password. Next thing, you know, you’re in!
Stepping into the venue takes you back to 1950s Cuba, with three floors of activities, walls with chipped paint and exposed bricks, as well as vintage furniture to match. The first floor contains a big dance floor that you will surely join once you’ve had enough drinks. I mean, who could resist Hips Don’t Lie at 11:00 pm?
Figure out the password, pop in, order one of their famous Daiquiris, and you’re set.
You can find more information at Havana Social.
Midsummer Night’s Dream Bar
The mouthful name of this bar also brings a great story to your drinks. Named after Shakespeare’s play, the bar (not typing it all out again) is located above a serene little flower shop called Wynnwood. Walking up, you’ll be greeted with flora and fauna, like escaping into another world. The drinks menu also reflects this, as all cocktail names play on references from Shakespeare.
Our favourite drink is undoubtedly the “Theseus Morning Hunt,” a drink made from Niam White Pampero Rum, custard, Caribbean pineapple liqueur, and topped with mulled wine foam, palm sugar, and plant-based bacon. You heard that right, and it’s very good.
You can find more information at Midsummer Night’s Dream Bar.
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Hero and Featured Image: Courtesy of Midsummer Night’s Dream Bar and Havana Social/Facebook
This article first appeared in Lifestyle Asia Bangkok
