Bangkok Jazz bars: 8 hand-picked places

A Bangkok jazz and blues institution since 1987, with the stage at the center of the room and a second floor overlooking the show, making the music feel close from almost anywhere. Bands take turns on stage every night, playing everything from jazz and soul to funk, reggae, and Latin, in a lively crowd of locals and travelers.

Bangkok’s first jazz bar, opened in 1953 inside the Mandarin Oriental. In a 1950s-inspired room dressed in dark wood and rattan, vocal-led jazz bands play classic standards. The bar is also known for signature cocktails made with Thai ingredients.

A neighborhood jazz bar in a 1960s three-story townhouse on a Suan Phlu alley, styled with a Parisian touch. Since opening in 2014, it has become a hangout for expats. Wednesday nights bring serious, extended improvisational jazz rather than easy listening, and you can enjoy a drink on the rooftop while listening to the music downstairs.

A hotel lounge on the first floor of Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit, long regarded by Korean travelers as one of Bangkok’s “three great jazz bars.” Each evening brings a different lineup spanning contemporary jazz, soul vocals, blues and funk. Try a gin flight featuring more than 270 varieties.

A small jazz bar tucked upstairs in a Thong Lo shophouse, with blue lighting and the cozy feel of being welcomed into someone’s living room. The musicians play close enough for easy eye contact, making it a relaxed spot for jazz newcomers.

One of Bangkok’s oldest jazz pubs, opened in 1985. After locations on Sarasin Road and Phra Sumen Road, it has moved to Soi Nana in Chinatown. Early evenings feature mellow acoustic sets; after 10 p.m., the full band takes the stage. Expect a relaxed, retro feel rather than a hotel-bar atmosphere.

A jazz club opened in 2020 in a restored former Central Department Store building in Charoen Krung. The ground floor is a live room with a grand piano; upstairs, an audiophile bar plays more than 1,000 vinyl records. Swing, bebop and New Orleans jazz set the mood, with an atmosphere inspired by Japanese jazz kissa culture and focused listening.

A 1920s Great Gatsby–themed jazz lounge in Langsuan by the Rabbit Hole and Liberation teams. Red velvet seating, a curtain-draped stage and tiered seats offer good views of nightly performances, with lineups ranging from vocal-and-piano duos to brass bands.