What Historic Bangkok Bars Do We Have Left?

[joecoolfrog 5,559]

5 hours ago, 2009 said:

 

Speaking of Soi 22, Buddy's Bar n Grill has lasted a fair number of years (as far as Bangkok bars go, though I notice they are opening a new one (same decor) down on Sukhumvit Road close to Asok on the corner of that little dead-end soi (18/1?) where ShagBar 2, Why Not, and Angels Club were/are.

 

And also those other Soi 22 bars beside Buddy's - Angel Bar, Connection Bar, and Otto Bar - have last pretty well and still preserve the classic Thai beer bar vibes.

 

And then there is Too Easy just round on the little soi which I think has a lot of the old Washington crowd (those who are still with us).

Too Easy replaced the original Easy bar which was next to Taffys on the square. Consequently many of the original customers simply crossed the road.

[GrandPapillon 494]

Cheap Charlie Soi OnNUT

[GrandPapillon 494]

7 hours ago, camble said:

Star of Light

awesome place 

[bangkok19 59]

The early 80's saw me frequenting THE BAARN (next door to BLUE JEAN) in Patpong 1.. they were a few doors before the Madrid and now unfortunately long gone.  The very first bar I visited was the KEY NOTE BAR (next door to original Kings Castle). Walk down Patpong and turn left into Suriwong and there was LUCY'S TIGER DEN.

Turn the other direction on Suriwong Rd and walk past PP1 and PP2 and there was the LA CHERIE MASSAGE PARLOUR. It had escalators to get upstairs to it, you could have a beer and sit next to the glass and stare at all the (well endowed) girls applying make-up (no mobile phones back then to play with).

Halfway down PP2 there is a tiny outdoor bar at the start of the alleyway that runs past the covered bars, it's now VINAI'S BAR BEER (sans) but used to be CLEO'S BAR BEER (sans)...  it used to have Bangkok's oldest barmaid.

Walk past Foodland and way down on the left is CROWN ROYALE..  in the 80's it used to be frequented by "Embassy types" who'd had lunch at the MADRID then walked the small Soi past the old SUPERSTAR BEERGARDEN to the CROWN ROYALE for afternoon drinks.

Next to the Crown Royale was THE RIFIFI BAR owned by Mickey.. he would also sit up the back right hand corner of the bar to greet you. RIFIFI later became ELECTRIC BLUE and now (I think) it's a Steak joint.

The SUPERSTAR BEERGARDEN was in the small Soi that had SUPERSTAR on the corner. About 8 stools along a Bar where we'd watch a video (VHS) afternoons during Happy Hour...  It was 25 Baht a glass of Draft Amarit (takeaway cup available).  Head towards Silom Rd and there was the SAFARI and THIGH Bars...  back the other way was the GRAND PRIX Bar, one of the first bars in the Soi.

 

Venture to the Sukhumvit area ..  Soi Zero (already mentioned) was a group of bars under the Freeway..  a railway line crossed Sukhumvit adjacent...  I only ever saw 1 train crossover Sukhumvit Rd.  Soi Zero itself was bloody noisy from the traffic, and you'd get soot and grit stuck to your sweat.  Great atmosphere if you're half deaf and don't sweat!

The original THERMAE was on Sukhumvit near the Margarita Storm corner. It's now a small office block with 7-11 and ATM.

Much has been written about the old Thermae...  it's rear neighbour, THE MIAMI HOTEL is still running. 

 

I fear I'm slightly off-topic mentioning many of the Bars that have gone.

 

Down on the corner of Soi 19 where Robinson and the Westin Hotel are used to be the COCK'N BULL COCKTAIL LOUNGE. It was upstairs (right about where The Westin's fountain is at the moment).  Further down Soi 19 was the JOY BAR BEER BARBER SHOP.

Then further down the Soi (before the Honey Hotel) was the EYE Q BAR.

Back up the Soi near the corner was the old COUNTRY ROAD, Buffalo, the long haired guitarist played a mean guitar.

Walk further along Sukhumvit past the old VOLVO dealership (now Terminal 21 taxi rank)...  cross Asoke then down to the SHELL garage and turn left..  in the 90's, early, they demolished the bldgs behind the Shell in Soi 23 and gradually many Bars started opening up in there.  I remember the well endowed Noi, who originally worked in Joe's Bar in Cowboy opened a bar there. She'd have inbuilt radar and would drag you in before you were in line-of-sight.  When the bars were all gotten rid of for a new construction, Noi bought an enclosed pick-up truck and would park on 23 (near where Bradmans is today) and she'd sell grog, and you'd sit in the back of the pick-up and chat and drink.  

Back across the road (opposite Bradman's) were the SHIP INN and THE OFFSHORE BAR. The Offshore bar was renowned for having the most comfortable bar stools in Bangkok. What was originally the Offshore's office next door later became the infamous FISH AND CHIP SHOP.  Down the corner was the OLD DUTCH, and opposite (on 23) used to be the old BIERGARDEN.  An outdoor drinking area surrounded by lush greenery. Very popular in its day.

 

Further down Sukhumvit (directly opp Soi 22) was the SKWEEZE INN, a very small bar.

Opposite...  up 22 on the cnr of WASHINGTON was DENNY'S CORNER BAR, originally the bar's surface you were leaning on wasn't quite level and your beer bottle/glass would slide toward you.

I spent a lot of time in WASHINGTON SQUARE, great bars like SILVER DOLLAR aka BOBBY TOOM'S, THE TEXAN and THE PRINCE OF WALES near TAFFY'S.   Also in the small (dead end) Soi Starlight was MR DAENGS BAR...  it had an outdoor 'pisser' where you could look up at the QUEENS PARK HOTEL, and their guests could look down at you!   The 27 HOTEL was at the end of Soi Starlight. 

Further down 22 opposite LIBERTY PLACE apartments was HANKS BAR.  Hank was an Air America Chopper pilot in LAOS and had all his memorabilia plastered all over the walls. Black Andy was the chef..  he was a fixture at the old TEXAN LONE STAR, then later THE MOONSHINE in the QPP.

 

Of course most of these Bars are dead and buried but you could perhaps hire a mini bus and do a tour to the "sites" of these old Bars.  The sites and their stories would surprise many.  

        

[Dave Miller 2]

Cheap Charlies -at new location

Saxphone

Wongs Place 

Jacks Bar 

[OneMoreFarang 26,664]

11 hours ago, Disparate Dan said:

blimey - unless I've missed it, no-one has mentioned Thermae.The place to be [not to be seen] after hours on Sukhumvit 25 years ago. Like Dante's Inferno, from what little I can remember........

 

Plus The Ship, a pub on soi 23 before Cowboy. Run by the lovely old Pi Gi (aka Miss Piggy).

In 1995 I read on the Internet NewsGroups (anybody remembers them?) a description about Thermae. It was similar to this:

Basically you can't compare Thermae to anything. But if you want to compare it think about that bar in Star Wars were Luke Skywalker meets Han Solo.

 

[OneMoreFarang 26,664]

14 hours ago, dddave said:

Just trying to remember all the Sukhumvit "Bar Areas" that have disappeared since I first came in 2002:

 

-Soi Zero: Under the expressway

-Soi-1

-Soi 3, First block & first side soi on left, from Sukhumvit.

-Alley between sois 5 & 7

-Soi-10 (Now Chewit Park/Art Space, closed)

-Clinton Plaza.

-Area between 13 & 15. ( small bar in front with a wagon wheel)

-Soi 12  Ministry of Sound, Insomnia, Some Russian Bar

-Soi 19 corner: Country Road, Upstairs, couple more who's names I forget.

-Asok Corner: B-52, Lolita's, 

-Soi 20, side soi on right: Pelican Bar, Anna Bar(?)

-Soi 22, Queen's Park

-Washington Square

-Soi 33 "Artist Bars"

 

Any I missed??

-

That's an impressive summary.

I just read your list again and I remember I visited all those place.

 

I also remember the bars before it became Chuvit Park. I live in a high rise building from where I could see that area. One day I look out of the window and I think: Something is different today. Search, look, Oh!, no bars anymore.

That was about 7am and I know the bars were still there at 1am. What I learned from that is that Thais can be very efficient if they want to be. The demolition team flattened that whole area within hours. And they erected a big concrete wall around it, and they posted security (I think I remember soldiers) around it. All done in a few hours in the middle of the night. Now that was impressive.

Later on that day I had a coffee in Délifrance in front of Clinton Plaza opposite from the demolished bars. Obviously that was no bar but I still miss it.

 

And from your list: Ministry of Sound in Soi 12 was also very impressive. Until some official decided to set the closing time to 2am (for all Bangkok, not just that place).

[ericthai 1,302]

41 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

That's an impressive summary.

I just read your list again and I remember I visited all those place.

 

I also remember the bars before it became Chuvit Park. I live in a high rise building from where I could see that area. One day I look out of the window and I think: Something is different today. Search, look, Oh!, no bars anymore.

That was about 7am and I know the bars were still there at 1am. What I learned from that is that Thais can be very efficient if they want to be. The demolition team flattened that whole area within hours. And they erected a big concrete wall around it, and they posted security (I think I remember soldiers) around it. All done in a few hours in the middle of the night. Now that was impressive.

Later on that day I had a coffee in Délifrance in front of Clinton Plaza opposite from the demolished bars. Obviously that was no bar but I still miss it.

 

And from your list: Ministry of Sound in Soi 12 was also very impressive. Until some official decided to set the closing time to 2am (for all Bangkok, not just that place).

I recall that! I went to work that morning and noticed all the bars were gone. The owner of the land tried to evict all the bars, but the owners of the bars wouldn't move.  After they closed that night the owner of the land brought in the dozers leveled the place. Their were some law suits but I never heard more about it. 

[luckyluke 4,345]

20 minutes ago, ericthai said:

I recall that! I went to work that morning and noticed all the bars were gone. The owner of the land tried to evict all the bars, but the owners of the bars wouldn't move.  After they closed that night the owner of the land brought in the dozers leveled the place. Their were some law suits but I never heard more about it. 

Mr. Chuwit got a 2 year prison sentence, don't think he did the 2 years, it seems he received a kind of pardon, when promised to make a park of the area, and not rent/sold it for business purpose.

My wife, who had a beauty salon there, was compensated with a few thousand baths, via the Lumpini police station.

[Stargrazer9889 3,623]

I always liked Gullivers  as it was located walking distance from the Nana Plaza.

  I would stay at Dynasty or the Nana Hotel and spend some time at the plaza then

head to Gullivers for dinner, Great food and atmosphere. and a few times would 

head back to the hotel skipping Nana and getting a good nights sleep.  Ohhh

Memories, pre Covid.

   Geezer

[RAZZELL 453]

What was the name of the bar area where the Sofitel now stands on Sukhumvit, next to the Ruamchitt Plaza?

 

[ExpatOilWorker 5,050]

3 minutes ago, RAZZELL said:

What was the name of the bar area where the Sofitel now stands on Sukhumvit, next to the Ruamchitt Plaza?

 

Clinton Plaza, named after the naughty president.

Dollhouse was there but also a bar named the Whitehouse. 

There we a nice place called Tivoli, with live music and a cute Philippine lead singer at the entry. She had real talent and later sang for a few years at the Hard Rock Cafe at Siam Square. 

[charmonman 1,922]

17 hours ago, marin said:

Wong's Place, Soi Ngarm Du Pli.  Been there since the 70's.

Pretty sure Wongs opened in late 1987, I asked the owner one night a few years ago and that’s what he said. Also I was staying in the Malaysia Hotel in mid-late 1987 which is literally a stones throw from Wongs and do not remember it from that time.

[ChipButty 15,643]

I used to go Hard Rock a few times I think same owners in KL and Singapore, what was that nightclub called in the Novatel? 

[charmonman 1,922]

5 hours ago, bangkok19 said:

The early 80's saw me frequenting THE BAARN (next door to BLUE JEAN) in Patpong 1.. they were a few doors before the Madrid and now unfortunately long gone.  The very first bar I visited was the KEY NOTE BAR (next door to original Kings Castle). Walk down Patpong and turn left into Suriwong and there was LUCY'S TIGER DEN.

Turn the other direction on Suriwong Rd and walk past PP1 and PP2 and there was the LA CHERIE MASSAGE PARLOUR. It had escalators to get upstairs to it, you could have a beer and sit next to the glass and stare at all the (well endowed) girls applying make-up (no mobile phones back then to play with).

Halfway down PP2 there is a tiny outdoor bar at the start of the alleyway that runs past the covered bars, it's now VINAI'S BAR BEER (sans) but used to be CLEO'S BAR BEER (sans)...  it used to have Bangkok's oldest barmaid.

Walk past Foodland and way down on the left is CROWN ROYALE..  in the 80's it used to be frequented by "Embassy types" who'd had lunch at the MADRID then walked the small Soi past the old SUPERSTAR BEERGARDEN to the CROWN ROYALE for afternoon drinks.

Next to the Crown Royale was THE RIFIFI BAR owned by Mickey.. he would also sit up the back right hand corner of the bar to greet you. RIFIFI later became ELECTRIC BLUE and now (I think) it's a Steak joint.

The SUPERSTAR BEERGARDEN was in the small Soi that had SUPERSTAR on the corner. About 8 stools along a Bar where we'd watch a video (VHS) afternoons during Happy Hour...  It was 25 Baht a glass of Draft Amarit (takeaway cup available).  Head towards Silom Rd and there was the SAFARI and THIGH Bars...  back the other way was the GRAND PRIX Bar, one of the first bars in the Soi.

 

Venture to the Sukhumvit area ..  Soi Zero (already mentioned) was a group of bars under the Freeway..  a railway line crossed Sukhumvit adjacent...  I only ever saw 1 train crossover Sukhumvit Rd.  Soi Zero itself was bloody noisy from the traffic, and you'd get soot and grit stuck to your sweat.  Great atmosphere if you're half deaf and don't sweat!

The original THERMAE was on Sukhumvit near the Margarita Storm corner. It's now a small office block with 7-11 and ATM.

Much has been written about the old Thermae...  it's rear neighbour, THE MIAMI HOTEL is still running. 

 

I fear I'm slightly off-topic mentioning many of the Bars that have gone.

 

Down on the corner of Soi 19 where Robinson and the Westin Hotel are used to be the COCK'N BULL COCKTAIL LOUNGE. It was upstairs (right about where The Westin's fountain is at the moment).  Further down Soi 19 was the JOY BAR BEER BARBER SHOP.

Then further down the Soi (before the Honey Hotel) was the EYE Q BAR.

Back up the Soi near the corner was the old COUNTRY ROAD, Buffalo, the long haired guitarist played a mean guitar.

Walk further along Sukhumvit past the old VOLVO dealership (now Terminal 21 taxi rank)...  cross Asoke then down to the SHELL garage and turn left..  in the 90's, early, they demolished the bldgs behind the Shell in Soi 23 and gradually many Bars started opening up in there.  I remember the well endowed Noi, who originally worked in Joe's Bar in Cowboy opened a bar there. She'd have inbuilt radar and would drag you in before you were in line-of-sight.  When the bars were all gotten rid of for a new construction, Noi bought an enclosed pick-up truck and would park on 23 (near where Bradmans is today) and she'd sell grog, and you'd sit in the back of the pick-up and chat and drink.  

Back across the road (opposite Bradman's) were the SHIP INN and THE OFFSHORE BAR. The Offshore bar was renowned for having the most comfortable bar stools in Bangkok. What was originally the Offshore's office next door later became the infamous FISH AND CHIP SHOP.  Down the corner was the OLD DUTCH, and opposite (on 23) used to be the old BIERGARDEN.  An outdoor drinking area surrounded by lush greenery. Very popular in its day.

 

Further down Sukhumvit (directly opp Soi 22) was the SKWEEZE INN, a very small bar.

Opposite...  up 22 on the cnr of WASHINGTON was DENNY'S CORNER BAR, originally the bar's surface you were leaning on wasn't quite level and your beer bottle/glass would slide toward you.

I spent a lot of time in WASHINGTON SQUARE, great bars like SILVER DOLLAR aka BOBBY TOOM'S, THE TEXAN and THE PRINCE OF WALES near TAFFY'S.   Also in the small (dead end) Soi Starlight was MR DAENGS BAR...  it had an outdoor 'pisser' where you could look up at the QUEENS PARK HOTEL, and their guests could look down at you!   The 27 HOTEL was at the end of Soi Starlight. 

Further down 22 opposite LIBERTY PLACE apartments was HANKS BAR.  Hank was an Air America Chopper pilot in LAOS and had all his memorabilia plastered all over the walls. Black Andy was the chef..  he was a fixture at the old TEXAN LONE STAR, then later THE MOONSHINE in the QPP.

 

Of course most of these Bars are dead and buried but you could perhaps hire a mini bus and do a tour to the "sites" of these old Bars.  The sites and their stories would surprise many.  

        

That’s a great roundup of the great old bars. To Patpong I would add the Limelight, Peppermint Bistro, and Goldfingers all very close to one another and all luggage shops now probably. On Patpong 2 there was Mikes Place down a long corridor next to Foodland I think. A bit of a weird atmosphere like something out of a David Lynch movie. Also Bobby’s Arms Pub up in the car park.

Also on Patpong 2, the Tavern ( or is it the Taavern?) I think it’s still there, barely.

 

Your post has brought back some memories. It would not surprise me if I sat next to you at the Bar at the Superstar Coffee shop watching movies. I used to eat there 3 times a week back in 90/91.