Bangkok’s best new bars and cocktail menus of 2023

As the year comes to a close, let’s take a look at some of the best new bars and cocktail menus of 2023. Grab some company and make plans — you’re already three drinks behind.

Bangkok is forever full of life, and the bar industry certainly is booming more than ever this year. A lot of bars have opened up, and new menus are introduced. Many new faces have also arrived in town, and the city’s creativity when it comes to creating a good drink has never felt so alive. As we bid farewell to 2023, we take a look at what made this year so special, and celebrate the inventive minds behind them. The drinks they made, the vibes the created, the hospitality they exuded, that’s what makes Bangkok so special.

[Hero and featured image credit: The Loft]

Bangkok’s best new bars and cocktail menus of 2023

Bar Us is a drinking room where dining and mixology meet at a very delicious crossroad

Aum and Taln have always been experimental in their approach to mixology; just ask anyone who has been to Messengerservice. With their second bar in Sukhumvit 26, cocktails are presented as a multi-course meal, from starters to mains, with classic twists available for those looking for your favourites done in a different way.

Thailand is no stranger to incorporating food into drinks, and those who enter for the first time will be in awe of how each ingredient is showcased to shine alongside another, while fully highlighting its own unique profile. If you’re a fan of savoury, they have a fish cocktail with daikon and tsuyu, topped with some tonic.

You can find more information at Bar Us.

Lost in Thaislation opened with sleek interiors and an insanely creative menu

Throw a stone into Thonglor area and it will hit at least four bars. Lost in Thaislation, however, cannot be denied by any guest that what the bar is offering is nothing short of impressive. Helmed by industry veteran Suchada ‘Fahbeer’ Sopajaree, their first signature series pays homage to the street foods of the capital—something all of us, no matter the background or upbringing, enjoy. Complex in taste and technique, yet easily understandable by locals and international visitors alike.

Grab a refreshing glass of the ‘Mango Sticky Rice,’ made from white rum with bianco vermouth and the bar’s own amazake, topped with mango mousse and dusted with kinako powder and coconut chips. We guarantee the drink isn’t too heavy, so feel free to explore the menu further at your leisure.

You can find more information at Lost in Thaislation.

Named after a national park, Gir is a relaxing oasis in the middle of the bustling Thonglor area

The warm hospitality, the relaxing vibes, the abundance of complimentary tequila shots — something about Gir just calls you back again. Once we had the chance to try their new “City Series” menu, it was like something in the universe clicked, especially the ‘Ho Chi Minh Pizza’ cocktail. Inspired by the Vietnamese city, the drink is made from vodka infused with pizza dust, clarified tomato juice, and sprayed with Tabasco.

Once you get the drink, take it outside to the balcony. The gorgeous view of the city from almost atop T-One building certainly provides a vibe you won’t forget in a hurry.

You can find more information at Gir.

Everything in F*nkytown keeps us movin’, keeps us groovin’ with some energy

Recently opened on the fourth floor above Sarnies Sukhumvit, F*nkytown is a journey to get to, but the destination is full of fun, creative drinks and great hospitality to pair with. The mind behind the drinks is Pae Ketumarn, who brings in his expertise from his time working in Shanghai and Tokyo, which translates into the cocktail menu that just cannot be described as anything but “funky.” If you arrive on an empty stomach, the naem-stuffed chicken wings and sai oua corn dogs are fire.

To get the funkiest experience, their ‘Som Tam’ cocktail is a must, as they infused Roku gin with dried shrimp and chili, adding pomelo cordial, tomato water made using upcycled bottles of orange wine and tomato confit, along with fish sauce caramel and coconut sugar.

You can find more information at F*nkytown.

A quiet night in Midlife Crisis Bangkok is considered self-care

All the way from Chiang Mai, Midlife Crisis bar has come to Sukhumvit 16. Each drink is modelled after famous phrases and sayings on social media, which leaves much to the imagination. If you can’t choose one, there’s a little slot machine you can pull from, to which the bartender will whip something up with the characteristics labelled. It’s perfect for those like us who just cannot decide and end up ordering a Negroni every time.

A great starter to any evening is the ‘Love at First Like,’ a cocktail made from berry gin, topped with foam and some kyoho grapes. It’s sweet, sour, refreshing, and filled to the brim with playful textures.

You can find more information at Midlife Crisis Bangkok.

Rabbit Hole’s award-winning menu is the way to learn the alphabet (for adults)

It’s not much of a surprise that Rabbit Hole won the “Menu Design of the Year” award from Thailand’s 20 Best Bars. 26 drinks, each from a letter from the alphabet, is a brilliant concept that not only doesn’t need much explanation, but also highlights the bar team’s creativity in order to make each drink work. With the abundance of cocktails on the menu, you’re bound to find something you’re craving for.

A couple of our favourites include the ‘C’ (for chocolate), a spirit-forward drink made with cocoa wax butter, menthol chocolate, Hennessy VS Cognac, and Michter’s Rye, as well as the ‘E’ (for earthy), using mushroom, curry leaf, beet, red shiso, peach, Aquavit, and Corte Vetusto Espadin Mezcal for that touch of smokiness.

It’s also important to note that this year, Watermelon Group has also opened up Fuchsia, which has been the talk of the town ever since, and also revamped Bar Marco into an intimate wine bar but still retaining the same great vibes and amazing krapow. The devil works hard, but these guys are certainly a contender.

You can find more information at Rabbit Hole.

Vesper launched ‘People of Vesper Vol. 2’

This year Vesper is back with the second volume of their ‘People of Vesper’ menu, highlighting the patrons that make the bar one of the beloved venues of Bangkok. The menu features 16 new signature drinks, inspired by the different people that frequent the bar, along with their unique flavour profiles and characteristics. It’s the first official menu since the arrival of British import Tom Hearn, and he did not disappoint.

What stuck in our hearts especially are their spirit-forwards, include the ‘Mr. Presidente,’ a riff on the classic El Presidente made from Flor de Caña 12, Cocchi Americano, Giffard banana, Champaca, coconut, and tonka beans, as well as the ‘Chinese Connection,’ a spirit-forward cocktail crafted using Remy Martin 1738, Monkey Shoulder, pu’er tea, cacao butter, and cherry liqueur.

You can find more information at Vesper.

Artists at The Loft are more artsy than ever with the second volume of The Loft’s menu

With the talents of Beverage Manager Michele Montauti, The Loft has collaborated with the professors and students of the Faculty of Fine Arts at Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University, fusing mediums of art into glasses in a more literal sense. Photographs, paintings, drops of colours — cocktails are an artform, and this menu is certainly showing us that fact.

If you want the full experience, try ‘The Golden Serenade,’ a beautiful spirit-forward drink that showcases The Macallan 12 YO Sherry Oak as it blends together with homemade honey ginger syrup, Perrier, and a little of sandalwood tincture. The cocktail is also served in a limited-edition Macallan wooden container exclusively crafted for The Loft. Alternatively, order the ‘Vintage Snap’ and be blown away by how the “photography” aspect is executed.

You can find more information at The Loft.

The Bar at The House on Sathorn’s new menu puts the “class” in classic twists

This year, The Bar at The House on Sathorn sees the arrival of Bar Manager Marco Dongi. As a result of his meticulous craftsmanship, a new menu is born with the rich history of The House in mind, separated into four sections representing four eras. Each drink is a riff of a classic cocktail with Marco’s own touch, and the products are something not too complicated to understand, while offering enough distinction of the timeless recipes and clever incorporations of local ingredients.

If you’ve never been, treat yourself to a ‘Breakfast Royal,’ a soul-soothing drink made from Bacardi Reserva Ocho rum, Thai almond coffee, pandan, and jasmine. Or if you feel like something refreshing, the ‘Staro Americano’ will sweep you off your feet, with Mancino Vermouth, Campari, Disaronno, lacto-fermented strawberry soda, and garnished with an olive.

You can find more information at The Bar at The House on Sathorn.