The Local — Sukhumvit Soi 23 Date Night

The Local on Sukhumvit Soi 23 is a Thai restaurant-with-bar in a converted teak shophouse, run by the Trat family who have been in Bangkok hospitality for three generations. The kitchen serves regional Thai food rare in the capital; the bar runs a serious Thai-spirits cocktail programme.

Neighbourhood	Sukhumvit Soi 23, Bangkok
Address	32-32/1 Sukhumvit Soi 23, Khlong Toei Nuea, Bangkok 10110
Signature	House Thai Cocktail Flight
Category	Date Night
Price	$$$

Thai Cocktails Date Night Sukhumvit Shophouse Local

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Google Maps — 32-32/1 Sukhumvit Soi 23

Published May 19, 2026 · Reviewed by the barsforKings editorial team

Our Take on The Local

The shophouse setting is the obvious feature — wooden ceilings, antique furniture, a small front courtyard with three tables. The dining rooms are upstairs; the bar wraps around the ground-floor courtyard. The kitchen specialises in southern Thai dishes (Phuket-style stir fries, Krabi-style curries) and the bar's drinks are built around them.

The cocktail programme is Thai-spirits-led: Mekong whisky, SangSom rum, Iron Balls gin, and a small but careful selection of imported spirits. The Thai Cocktail Flight (THB 480 for three 80ml glasses, customer choice) is the strongest first order. The bartenders are unusually well-trained for a restaurant programme and the drinks are properly built rather than perfunctory.

The Local works best as a long Thursday or Sunday dinner. Reservations are essential, two-and-a-half hours minimum, ideal for the kind of date that wants serious Thai food and good drinks without the formality of a grand hotel. The wine list is short but well-curated for Thai food; the cocktails are the better choice with the spicier dishes.

Best time to visit: Weekday evenings before 9pm for a quieter version of the room; weekends after 9pm for the busier one. Reservations recommended where the bar accepts them.