The best beer bars in Bangkok

The first Belgian restaurant in Bangkok serves tantalizing regional cuisine with a massive collection of Belgian beer designed to pair with the food. The restaurant is nestled atop Sofitel Sukhumvit which is a vantage point for some of the best views of Bangkok. 

What's on tap: Vedette Extra Blond and Limburgse Witte are best paired with cheese croquettes and moule frites respectively. Moreover, Belga is one of just Nine venues in the world and the only one in South East Asia, to serve Duvel on Tap, Belgiums most exclusive draught beer.

Thonglor’s newest nightlife complex 72 Courtyard has been successful in bringing together a selection of bars and restaurants that serve every preference. While Evil Man Blues is for cocktail lovers, Beer Belly BKK caters to beer geeks. The bar is decked out like a rec room with a pool table, ping pong table and other games that make drinking even more fun. Live cover band perform during the weekend, and local popstars such as The Parkingson and Atom perform special monthly gigs. 

What’s on tap: Twenty taps offer a mix of local, imported and craft beer on rotation.

 

Perched on top of Radisson Blu Plaza hotel is currently the highest beer bar in Bangkok, offering beer enthusiasts an opportunity to sip a variety of malted brews while enjoying panoramic views over Sukhumvit without breaking the bank — at least on beer (the pocket-friendly prices sadly don’t translate to the bar chow.) 

What's on tap: Brewski offers a variety of malted brews, with 12 rotating selections of draught beer such as Californian Summer Solstice (a smooth cream ale with 5% ABV) and The Wild Turkey Bourbon Stout with 6.9% ABV. Prices per glass start from B70 for 100ml Asahi lager.

Bangkok-based Korean engineer-turned-chef Ted Ahn quit his job and turned his passion for food craft beer into a full-fledged F&B venture. Changwon Express presents Korean-Mexican fusion plates created by Ted himself (he actually runs the show in the kitchen on a daily basis) alongside nine taps of draft beer and rotating bottles. 

What’s on tap: The eatery started out offering two craft beers extending the selection to the  nine they have at the moment. Ted has been working a lot with local brewers so do expect a mix of local beers plus an occasional Changwon signature brew and an imported craft beer rotating on tap. Their craft beer pairing nights are definitely something to look forward to.

Run by one of the founders and a former tap master of Mikkeller Bangkok, Hair of the Dog offers a selection of craft beer in a gloomy, red-lit chamber that evokes quirky medical vibes. The two beer-loving partners opened the first Hair of the Dog back in 2015 at Mahatun Plaza. A year later, they expanded their mini beer empire to Phrom Phong with the second branch that comes bigger and offers more varieties. Both branches of Hair of the Dog are where expect to explore some of the city’s newest beers, with staff up to explain the story behind each brew to help you find what suits you best.  

What’s on tap: You might not getting every beer label available in the country from both locations, but that’s because Hair of the Dog already narrows down the selection and pick only the best ones to serve on their 13 taps. The Phrom Phong branch also hosts more fun and creative beer-drinking events, too, including the beer cocktail night or the Sunday movie night.  

You probably think you can get mashed potato and other American bites at Mash. But beer geeks will probably relate it to “mashing,” an important step in the beer-brewing process. Neither notion is wrong. This tiny venue, located next to Vesper, fills in what Soi Convent has been missing all along: decent craft beer and American food. 

What's on tap: Mash’s selection of craft beer on tap numbers 16—impressively beyond our expectations—and that number is increasing. Expect to sip rotating brews from big international names like Ballast Point, Stone, Flying Dog and Modern Times. 

Pijiu, which means “beer” in Chinese, is the newest brainchild of the guys behind craft beer importing pioneer Beervana. Located a few steps away from Teens of Thailand, this Thai-Chinese shophouse is decorated much like a hotel lobby bar in 1950s Hong Kong. 

What’s on tap: Despite the Beervana connection, you can also finds selections outside of the brand’s portfolio. Five taps on regular rotation offer imported brews like Deschutes Fresh Squeezed IPA, Rogue Dead Guy Ale, Tuatara Weiz Guy Hefeweizen and Epic Brewing’s Los Cosos Mexican-style lager.

Located not far from popular street food joints Jay Fai and Thipsamai, Tai Soon Bar is a Chino Siamese-designed bar that specializes in craft beer. There are at least 12 beers on tap for hardcore beer drinkers to enjoy all night long.

What’s on the tap: There’s a big array of what you can get at Tai Soon Bar, from a locally crafted beer to an internationally famed brand.

Sharing space with Casa Lapin x 26 and One Day At A Time restaurant, this beer bar offers 26 taps of imported craft beer, perfectly completing this lifestyle space, which also includes a hostel and co-working space. The bar has teamed up with Nuttorn “Q” Wongpoom, founder of the famed blog Beercyclopedia, to curate the beer offered at this space and to make sure that there’s a style to cater to every taste bud.

What’s on the tap: Taproom is highly recommended for rookie beer explorers. Apart from offering a wide selection, the curated collection makes it easier to find a beer that fits your taste. The first ten taps are easy choices while taps 11 to 18 serve beer with a slightly higher percentage of alcohol and are recommended for more sophisticated drinkers. Stout fans can zero in on taps 19 to 24. The last two taps are reserved for cider. Taproom Experience plans to launch a new beer every so often.