Dry Wave Cocktail Studio
Opening in early 2024, Dry Wave Cocktail Studio from Supawit “Palm” Muttarattana burst on the nightlife scene with cocktails that aren’t just twists on classics, they’re two classics mashed together—think Paloma and Bellini and Old Fashioned and Cosmopolitan . The vibes here are complete with a lively, treehouse atmosphere complete with an alfresco area with a large tree in the middle of the bar.
2/F, 263, Thonglor Soi 13, 098-909-3962. Open daily 7pm-late.
Finalist: GOD Bar
It’s dark, it’s moody, it’s a little bit sacrilegious. GOD, standing for Genius on Drugs, the deconsecrated (and defiled) gothic cathedral vibes on the interior come from the minds behind the likes of Teens of Thailand, Asia Today, Tax, and Independence Bar. The drinks are ritualistic concoctions, with flavors chasing the likes of truffle, larb and cheese. Their drinks lean on the savory side, so this one is for proper cocktail lovers.
25, Rammaitree Soi 27, gunn868@gmail.com. Open 7pm-late.
Finalist: The Reading Room
Opening in 2025, The Reading Room has much of the chill, high-end-but-fun vibes of Rangoon Tea House downstairs, but there’s a decidedly darker aesthetic emphasized by jungle green chairs, low light, and an outdoor patio. The Reading Room’s cocktails include Signature Tipples, Tokyo Nights, and Vintage Cocktails which put spins on old faves with a touch of Tokyo. And if you want the best Burmese food in Bangkok, just head downstairs.
2/F, Rangoon Tea House, No. 6 Soi Sangchai, 064-060-3536, Open daily 6pm-1am.
Finalist: Frog Bar
Kei Sawada’s Frog Bar is a little nightlife lily pad away from the hurlyburly of Sukhumvit covered in Japanese pop culture references that Thai customers will know. The warm, dimly lit interiors are like being in an emerald pond while jazz and Japanese hip-hop pump through the speakers. The drinks are creative in the extreme and take their cues from Japanese literary and pop culture, from manga to Murakami.
237, Sukhumvit Soi 49. 092-373-8302. Open Tue-Sun 7pm-midnight.
Finalist: Lime by Us
Bar Us, which has garnered its own awards from BAD and around the world, came out with Lime by Us in mid 2024, as a sister project with its own personality. Inside, dark wood counters wrap around an open bar adorned with minimalistic potted plants, tiki-style paintings, and rows of shelves that show off a collection of the eponymous fermented lime. Lime by Us promises a fruitier and more approachable line up of cocktails than Bar Us.
61, 37 Soi Sukhumvit 26, 098-079-7892, Open Tues-Sun 6pm-12am.
