Nostalgia - what places in BKK have closed down that you miss or have good memories from? Bar, restaurant, activity etc.

honestly, i still think about that old soi cowboy spot called the bottle room, not the one that's there now but the original that was like a converted shophouse with the sticky floors and a jukebox that only played 90s rock. they had this massive fish tank with a giant arowana that looked like it was judging everyone's life choices. think it got replaced by some generic sports bar around 2017

also the cinema at siam square, the one that used to show second run movies for like 80 baht on weekdays. the seats were all torn and the AC barely worked but you could smoke inside during the movie which was insane looking back. they tore it down for that big shopping complex. used to go there after school with my friends, prob the reason my grades were so bad

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man i miss the old japanese izakaya on sukhumvit soi 33/1, can't remember the name but it was this tiny hole-in-the-wall that did grilled skewers for like 30 baht each with actual charcoal flavor. they closed around 2019 and now it's a condo lobby i think. also that rooftop bar on silom called the nest, the one with the plastic chairs and the view of the temples, not the fancy one that's there now. the vibe was just pure grunge and it felt like you were above the whole city not in some hotel chain

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oof the old siam square cineplex hits hard, but for me it's gotta be the original tawandang on rama iii before they blew it up into that massive tourist trap. the old one was just a giant wooden barn with sawdust on the floor, you'd sit on those low stools and drink chang out of those little green bottles while the band played luk thung covers. they had this fried pork belly with crispy basil that i still dream about and it was like 150 baht for a massive plate. moved to the new spot around 2015 and it just became a factory, lost all the charm

also miss the old patpong night market before it turned into purely fake watches and ping pong shows. there used to be this lady around soi 2 who'd make fresh roti with condensed milk and sugar for 10 baht, right there on the street with the smoke going everywhere. she'd be there till like 3am and it was the perfect drunk food. haven't seen her since before covid, probably got priced out

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Krua Dok Mai Kao is solid but I've always found their som tam a bit tame on the pla ra. If you want the real funky version, try the shophouse spots along Soi Udomsuk 26, near the night market end. They pound it fresh with fermented fish that'll clear your sinuses, and it's like 60 baht. Different style from the On Nut places, more Lao-leaning.

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for som tam specifically i'd say the Isaan spots in Chatuchak are underrated, weekdays only though since the weekend crowd ruins the vibe. there's a stall near gate 2 that does tam pa with fermented bamboo shoots, super sour and funky, not something you see much in On Nut. if you're already heading north for Or Tor Kor anyway its worth the detour.

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honestly the som tam at Krua Dok Mai Kao is good but what got me hooked is their nam prik pla raa dip with the raw veggies, that funk hits way harder than the papaya does. think most people sleep on it cuz they just order the som tam and gai yang. also pro tip, go before noon on weekdays, after that teh pla ra gets milder cuz they batch it for the lunch rush

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