Editorial
Published May 20, 2023 · Last updated June 29, 2024 · Reviewed by the barsforKings editorial team
Ten Bangkok bars our editors recommend for February 14 — without a forced two-hour table or a red rose surcharge.
Valentine's Day is when most Bangkok bars suspend their normal menu and replace it with a four-course set lunch that requires a deposit. The picks below are different. These ten Bangkok venues run Valentine's Day the way they run any other Friday — great cocktails, normal pricing, an honest welcome — which is exactly what makes them better Valentine's bars than the ones charging double.
The first six picks below are the editors' default — the rooms we send a friend to first when they ask. Each is followed by a recommendation we have ordered ourselves at least three times. Click any bar name to read the full review, signature drink notes, neighbourhood guide and how to book.
These last four are the editors' deeper-cut picks. Smaller rooms, more specific energy. If the first six feel obvious to you — meaning you have already been — start here.
Two Valentine's Day notes. Book a 6.30pm or 9.30pm slot — the 7-9pm window is overrun. And ignore venues that require pre-paid set menus on Feb 14; the cocktail bars on this list do not, and the experience is better for it.
Sofia spent six years on the editorial desks of two European magazines before joining barsforKings. She covers Paris, Rome and Madrid most weeks.
Sponsored placements on this article, on the Bangkok city guide, and across the barsforKings network. Contact us to put your bar in front of the right audience.