5 signs to spot a good restaurant in Bangkok

Do you love to dine out? Check out our ultimate checklist to spot a really good restaurant in Bangkok.  

If, like us, you love hunting for simply good food around Bangkok, you may start to notice that places serving the most authentically delicious dishes often have something in common. It’s almost formulaic: the vibes, the decor, the menus, and even the methods. A purely personal take, here’s our guide to spotting a good restaurant in Bangkok.

[Featured and Hero Images Credit: Joshua Rawson Harris/Unsplash] 

5 signs to spot a good restaurant in Bangkok

1. The menu is all wrinkled and worn out

Forget your QR code menu. Creases and folds are proof that the restaurants has stood the passage of time. Some of them may contain pictures, but mostly if they don’t, we dare say that it’s even better.  

2. They don’t invest much into decor 

Not that we have anything against stylish restaurants, but more often than not, it’s those restaurants that attract bloggers with their aesthetically appealing minimalism, serving food belying its appearance. There’s a theory that certain restaurants forgo the budget that was supposed to be spent on decor to instead make good food. If you find yourself inside an old, cramped restaurant inside a shophouse, chances are your food will be great. 

3. They don’t accept QR bank transfer 

It’s always been a mystery why certain restaurants reject one of the most progressive feats that have ever happened in this country–the QR bank transfer. Legend has it that they do this to avoid taxes. Some say they’re scared of scammers, which is possible considering some owners of these restaurants are quite old. 

4. The service may be a tad lacking

In other casual restaurants, you may dine expecting to be pampered. But in Bangkok, the most authentic Thai restaurants sometimes require, well, some of your own participation. Thirsty? There’s a cup and a water dispenser you can get it from yourself. Ready to order? There’s a paper note pad where you can jot down the orders yourself. 

5. There’s a royal photograph hanging on the walls

Thai conservatives are unmatched when it comes to good food. Period. And what’s a better way out there to see if the owners are conservative? There’s a bonus point if you can spot an old picture of King Rama V frying mackerel there.