Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai's craft-beer scene runs deeper than the tourist taps. These ten are where locals drink. The craft beer bars on this list span every neighbourhood worth a trip, Old City, Nimmanhaemin (Nimman), Riverside, Chang Klan all show up, and every price tier from a $5 local pour to a $25 hotel-bar tasting. Each bar earns its spot for a different reason.
OLD CITY · $ · LIVE MUSIC
Heritage live-jazz bar from 2011. Order: Lemongrass-mango daiquiri. Best time: Tuesday and Wednesday before 9pm, when the regulars haven't filled the room yet. Best for music fans who want a drink that matches the set. Saturday after 10pm gets crowded, book ahead or arrive early.
SANTITHAM · $ · COCKTAIL BARS
Coffee-and-cocktail bar from the Akha hill-tribe community. Order: Lemongrass-mango daiquiri. Best time: any weeknight between 7pm and 9pm, when the bar settles into its rhythm and the bartender has time to talk. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Friday from 8pm fills up; reserve a counter seat or a high table.
NIMMANHAEMIN · $$ · COCKTAIL BARS
Craft-beer bar with thirty taps including Thai craft beers. Order: Lemongrass-mango daiquiri. Best time: Sunday from 6pm, when it's the room's quietest premium night and the kitchen is unhurried. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Avoid post-match nights if the local team is playing, the upstairs gets loud.
OLD CITY · $ · COCKTAIL BARS
Heritage backpacker-zone bar. Order: Lemongrass-mango daiquiri. Best time: Thursday late or Friday early, when you'll catch the room building toward its weekend tempo. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. First-Friday traffic in the district can mean a 20-minute wait at the door.
NIMMANHAEMIN · $$ · HIDDEN GEMS
Cocktail-and-craft-beer bar with a tight rotating menu. Order: Lemongrass-mango daiquiri. Best time: Tuesday and Wednesday before 9pm, when the regulars haven't filled the room yet. Best for regulars and anyone tired of polished rooms. Saturday after 10pm gets crowded, book ahead or arrive early.
RIVERSIDE · $$ · COCKTAIL BARS
Heritage live-music bar on the Ping River. Order: Lemongrass-mango daiquiri. Best time: any weeknight between 7pm and 9pm, when the bar settles into its rhythm and the bartender has time to talk. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Friday from 8pm fills up; reserve a counter seat or a high table.
Use this guide either as a single curated route through Chiang Mai or as a checklist to revisit over a long weekend. Reservations are flagged where they matter. Otherwise, walk in. Below: the ten craft beer bars that any serious drinker in Chiang Mai would tell you to put on the list.
Heritage live-jazz bar from 2011. Order: Lemongrass-mango daiquiri. Best time: Tuesday and Wednesday before 9pm, when the regulars haven't filled the room yet. Best for music fans who want a drink that matches the set. Saturday after 10pm gets crowded, book ahead or arrive early.
Coffee-and-cocktail bar from the Akha hill-tribe community. Order: Lemongrass-mango daiquiri. Best time: any weeknight between 7pm and 9pm, when the bar settles into its rhythm and the bartender has time to talk. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Friday from 8pm fills up; reserve a counter seat or a high table.
Looking beyond Chiang Mai? See our guide to the best craft beer bars worldwide, or compare craft beer bars city by city. Or find craft beer bars near you.