Studio Lam does not take reservations. Arrive before 8pm on weekdays to secure a seat. Weekend evenings see a queue forming by 9pm.
Submit a Bar You Love Get DirectionsStudio Lam is the project of Maft Sai, one of Bangkok's most respected DJs and a founding member of the Paradise Bangkok Molam International Band. The bar is an extension of his record collection: thousands of Thai, Lao, and Southeast Asian vinyl titles, including Luk Thung (Thai country), molam (Isaan folk), and deep-cut funk from the 1960s and 70s that most of the world never heard. Every night, a curated selection plays on a system that does the records justice — warm, analogue, loud enough to feel but quiet enough to talk.
The cocktail menu is a genuine secondary attraction rather than a grudging concession to licensing requirements. Thai herbs, local spirits, and a serious approach to ice and technique produce drinks that are worth ordering carefully. The Thai Whisky Sour — local Sang Som rum whisky, tamarind, lime, fresh egg white — is one of the most honest cocktails we have encountered in the city, costing about half what it would at a hotel bar on Sathorn. Among Bangkok's hidden gems, Studio Lam is the one most worth going out of your way for.
The atmosphere is genuinely neighbourhood: regulars, music obsessives, creative professionals who live nearby, and a trickle of tourists who have done their research. Nobody here is performing for Instagram. The bar itself is modest — high stools, low lighting, a DJ booth rather than a stage, record covers pinned to the walls. It is not designed to impress on first sight. It impresses through what it plays. Our Bangkok bar guide consistently places this as the most distinctive drinking experience in the city.
Sang Som rum whisky, tamarind syrup, lime juice, egg white. Honest ingredients, excellent execution. The signature drink of the house.
Thai butterfly pea flower-infused gin, house tonic, fresh lime. The colour shifts from purple to pink when the citrus hits. Beautiful and delicious.
White rum, fresh lemongrass, mint, lime, house soda. Clean and aromatic — the perfect drink for a long evening of listening.
When the music is good and the room is warm, a cold Thai beer is the correct call. Studio Lam serves them properly cold.
Wednesday or Thursday from 7pm for the most relaxed experience. Saturday from 6:30pm — arrive early to claim a seat before it fills. The best sets run from 9pm to midnight on weekends.
Music lovers, vinyl collectors, curious travellers who want to hear Bangkok's own culture rather than an imported version of it. Also ideal for anyone who wants a genuinely local bar experience away from tourist circuits.
One email every week. The bars our editors are recommending right now, across 60 cities worldwide.
25-seat seasonal cocktail bar in Sathorn. Walk-in friendly on weeknights, book ahead for weekends.
Asia's 50 Best Bars. 200+ gins and Thai botanical cocktails on Soi Nana, Chinatown.
Our complete guide to Bangkok's most secret and under-the-radar bars — the places locals actually go.
Sponsored listings, newsletter placements, and city guide partnerships across 60 cities. Contact us to get your bar in front of the right audience.