Unveiling Bangkok’s best kept secrets!
BY AIDEN JEWELLE GONZALES
We love of a good mystery, especially if we can figure out the ending ourselves. In this case, the ending is being ensconced in an intimate atmosphere, with a delicious cocktail (or two) at our elbow. The speakeasy trend isn’t going any time soon, and if you’re in the mood to visit one of these local watering holes, here are some haunts that you should well, haunt – after all, the spirits there are sure to be good.
UNTITLED
From the minds of YOLO Group, who’ve brought the likes of famed watering holes, Teens of Thailand, Asia Today Bar, TAX and Independence Bar to Bangkok, Untitled is located in Thong Lo Soi 10 and is spearheaded by well-known mixologists Niks Anuman Rajadhon, Gunn Leelhasuwan, and Attapon De-Silva. Although the bar is three-storeys high and the building is hard to miss, it’s disguised as a pawnshop with bright neon signs so only those in the know will be able to locate the hidden gem within. Despite the kitschy exterior, the inside is luxe and welcoming, with three different rooms that you can sip on their innovative, weird, but strangely delicious cocktails.
Instagram: @untitled.thonglor
THE KEY ROOM NO. 72
Tucked into the Josh Hotel in the heart of Ari, The Key Room No. 72 can only be unlocked with a special key card given to you by the hotel’s concierge, where you have to request, aptly, the key to room number 72. After scanning yourself in the same way you would a hotel room, you’re ushered into a wood-panelled room in sumptuous shades of red and brown, and treated to a cocktail menu inspired by the sensory experiences of the fictional Mr. Josh’s global travels. For example, Mr. Josh Journey is comprised of a classic old fashioned on the rocks, but topped with sugar flakes to offset the bitter aroma of the whisky.
Instagram: @thekey.joshhotel
RAY COCKTAIL & BITE
Located on the Ground floor of Building C of The Salil Hotel Riverside Bangkok, Ray Cocktail & Bite is hidden behind a door that fits seamlessly into the wall, behind which is a hallway that seems to end in a dead end. Beyond the heavy curtains, however, is a cocktail bar with deliberate Japanese touches, and a large, marble bar that winds around the room in an eye-catching design. This allows everyone to sit and watch the magic happen, or nibble on delicious Japanese bites as they wait for their cocktails. Another project of the team behind the Sugar Ray franchise, the cocktails are expectedly delicious, and they are divided into three categories:Simple, with refreshing, easy-to-drink options; Sophisticated, with more complex flavours; and Japanese Classics, whose name speaks for itself.
Instagram: @ray.cocktailandbite
008 BAR
Found in MUU Bangkok in Thong Lo, the entrance to 008 Bar deliberately brings to mind a wartime bunker, replete with olde-worlde furniture and a typewriter, but when you pull back heavy curtains on the other side, you’re led into a cosy speakeasy with golden recessed lighting and dark-panelled walls. However, the stunning views of the city stop it from feeling claustrophobic, and their collection of rare whiskies is impeccable. Make sure to also sample their ‘Prohibition-era’ cocktails, “made for the refined palate,” such as their Golden Age 20 which uses Whitley Neill Dry Gin and is evocative of a negroni, but easier to drink. Instagram: @008bar
SALON DU JAPONISANT
Also in Phrom Phong, in Sukhumvit Soi 39, is Salon du Japonisant, a Japanese-themed, ‘omakase’ style bar. The entrance is obscured by a dark wall that serves as a screen, but it’s not too hard to find, although its discrete nature and lack of signage mean that the building could easily be mistaken for the entrance to the home of any of the Japanese families living in the area. Once you’re through, the space is homier than expected, with modern Japanese screens and a selection of pictures up on the wall. As expected, the bar boasts an impressive selection of sake and whisky labels, and make sure to ask for the innovative ‘Floating Technique’ when trying their whisky, which will separate the layers of smooth single malt and water in a glass, allowing for a transcendent sipping experience.
Instagram: @salon.du39
BAR 335
In the Metropole Residence Sukhumvit 39 in the heart of urbane Phrom Phong, Bar 335 is cleverly hidden by an ‘emergency exit’ door on the Basement floor, its scuffed appearance belying the classic and atmospheric interior. Beyond, Bar 335, which is brought to you by established speakeasy Bar Scofflaws in Ekkamai, is intimate but still luxe, with brushed concrete walls, sumptuous furnishings, and an eye-catching bar in pride of place. Inspired by Japanese aesthetics and flavours, the bar also has an impressive cocktail menu. Options include their signature Cherry cola, made with homemade cola bourbon, maraschino cherries, angostura bitters, and a spray of absinthe – an indulgent drink that’s sure to have you craving more. Instagram: @bar335bkk
#FINDTHEPHOTOBOOTH
Once a staple in Bangkok’s list of hidden bars, #FindthePhotoBooth, originally located in Sukhumvit Soi 11, closed during the pandemic, but it has recently re-opened its doors, this time in Bantadthong Road, near the Rama IV Road area. It continues its tradition of hiding its entrance behind a photo booth, although now there are a few of them, located in a mint-green shophouse. If you push on a hidden button on the wall of one, the panel opens to reveal the famed bar, led by a team of celebrated bartenders from around Asia. The menu is supposed to read like a music sheet and is tucked into a CD case, with chord names that musicians will recognise, such as their D-Sharp, made with grapefruit, strawberry milk punch, and rum. The same team is behind the #FindtheLockerRoom speakeasy, which is, as you can guess, hidden behind a ‘locker room’ in Thong Lo. Instagram: @findthephotobooth.bkk
BARLANCE BAR
Hidden in plain view in bustling Thong Lo, Barlance Bar is both one of the newest entrants and most fun entrances on this list. As you walk by a line of seemingly-innocuous ATMs, go to one of them and press a big red button where the keypad would be, and a secret door opens to usher you into a hidden gem of delicious cocktails, with a background of fun beats from a DJ perched on a mezzanine. With a stacked lineup of entertainment, this place is sure to be a great place to visit before painting the town red in Thong Lo, or simply to impress a date. Make sure to order any of their signature cocktails such as the Flying balloon, which has an interactive bubble that you can ‘pop.’ Instagram: @barlance.bkk
2463 SPEAKEASY
As its name proclaims proudly, 2463 Speakeasy (named after the year in the Buddhist calendar that coincides with 1920) embraces the best of Prohibition-era traditions, without breaking the spirit of the law. And speaking of spirits, the ones at the bar include some of Thailand’s top-shelf local labels, all used to make cocktails that honour the tastes and traditions of the Kingdom, with innovative twists. Sip on options such as Thaification, which is comprised of mangosteen and plum-infused vodka, and served with a slice of pork in the glass to nibble on. Instagram: @2463speakeasy
YOU KNOW WHERE
Near BTS Sala Daeng, You Know Where is another Silom entrant for those who are looking for a fun night out in that neck of the woods. The front looks like a vintage shop, of the kind you can easily find in China Town, and the entrance is marked by a subtle neon cocktail glass sign, through which you can see what looks like a door outlined in red but that’s a decoy – to the left through a wooden panel is the actual entrance, and through a curtain you’ll be ushered into a dark and intimate space with hanging planters serving as chandeliers. Try their fun cocktails, including a Barbie-themed one, and their Slim’s & sexy, comprised of watermelon, strawberry, peanut butter mix, gin, and Bianco vermouth. Instagram: @youknowwherebkk
THE SPEAKEASY ROOFTOP BAR
On the 24th and 25th floor of the Hotel Muse Bangkok – MGallery Collection, in the sophisticated Langsuan district, The Speakeasy Rooftop Bar has been lighting up people’s Instagram feeds since it opened not too long ago. Found behind a panel that features a lifesize painting of a 1920s-era couple replete with bobbed hair and fedora, you’re welcomed with stunning views of the cityscape and domed structures suggestive of European architecture. With both indoor and outdoor seating areas, I would suggest drinking and dining al fresco to take advantage of the picture-perfect ‘sky garden.’ The bar’s impressive lists of cocktails includes classic libations, as well as their new Speakeasy Sips collection, including options such as The girl with the curls, named after the fictional Mary Pickford, and comprised of Bulleit Bourbon, maraschino liqueur, chamomile tea, pineapple honey shrub, homemade grenadine, and a sprinkling of lemon. Instagram: @musebkk
SUGAR RAY, YOU’VE JUST BEEN POISONED
While Octo Seafood Bar in Sukhumvit Soi 24 is a haven of good seafood, a few of the patrons walking through its doors will furtively head straight to the back, where a hidden door will lead to a bar tucked into the restaurant itself. Sugar Ray, You’ve Just Been Poisoned is known among Bangkok’s speakeasy aficionados, but its clever entrance means that few know exactly where it is. Inside, the space can seat maybe around 20, with dark, brushed-concrete walls, and seating all facing a backlit bar, one of the only sources of illumination in the room aside from subtle recessed lighting that gives the room a glow. Here, the cocktails are innovative, with a range of whiskies to please any connoisseur, and new concoctions according to the bartenders’ whims. You can also customise your own cocktail, depending on your preferences! Instagram: @sugarraybkk
