Best pubs in Bangkok?

check out the speakeasy scene in thonglor, places like find the locker bar or teens of thailand. they have good cocktail prices for the area and usually a small dance floor that gets busy after 11. if you want something more casual, khao san road is fine but i'd skip the main strip and go to the side sois like rambuttri where the music is less mainstream and drinks are cheap. for a proper dance floor with decent liquor prices, sing sing theater on sukhumvit 45 has a great vibe and no cover most nights

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if you're in the old town area, the club on khao san is actually decent for what it is - they have a rooftop dance area that's less packed than the street chaos, drinks around 100-150 baht. but my real pick is tawandang on rama 3, it's a massive brewpub with live music and a proper dance floor, liquor is reasonable and the crowd is mostly thai families and friends so it stays chill. just get there before 9pm or you'll wait for a table

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honestly if you want a proper pub with a dance floor that isnt a club, try the witch on sukhumvit 23. it has that dark cozy vibe with a mix of thai and western music, drinks are like 120 baht for a rum and coke and the dance area is small but always packed with people actually dancing not just standing around. another spot i like is j boros on rama 4, it feels more like a local hangout and they play a lot of 90s rock and thai indie, liquor is cheap and there's a tiny dance floor in the back. both are far from the tourist traps and the crowd is a good mix of expats and locals

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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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