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Tep Bar
A two-storey shophouse bar on Chinatown's Soi Nana where nightly bands play Thai classics on traditional instruments alongside cocktails made with local spirits.
At a glance
- Type
- Thai live music bar
- Area
- Chinatown, Bangkok, Thailand
- Price
- $$ · Mid-range
Why we recommend it
Tep Bar is a two-storey bar in a restored shophouse on Soi Nana, the narrow lane of galleries and small bars on the edge of Chinatown (not to be confused with the Soi Nana off Sukhumvit). It has no sign out front, so most visitors find it by following the sound of live Thai music drifting into the street. The owners set it up partly to keep traditional Thai crafts and culture alive, and that shows in the décor, the music and above all the drinks list, which focuses on Thai spirits.
The signature drink is ya dong, a rice whisky infused with herbs, roots and spices that has long been drunk in Thailand as a tonic and is served here neat or in cocktails. The menu also includes cocktails built around Thai rums such as Mekong and Phraya, a range of Thai herbal liqueurs and local spirits, and several types of rice wine. Bar snacks include prawn crackers, sour pickled fruit and large traditional rice crackers with sweet chilli paste, alongside small Thai dishes for sharing.
The music is the highlight. A local band plays traditional pieces on classic Thai instruments, and from mid-evening the room fills up and gets loud, with locals and visitors singing along and sometimes dancing between the tables. Time Out reports that the band plays from Friday to Sunday from 19:00, though schedules can change, and that the bar opens in the early evening every day and closes around midnight or 01:00 at weekends. Early evening is quieter if you want a seat and a chat; later, expect to stand.
Tep Bar suits curious travellers, groups of friends and anyone who wants a night out that feels distinctly Thai rather than international. Prices are moderate, well below those of hotel and rooftop bars. It is a good stop after a street food dinner in Yaowarat.
The bar is at 69 to 71 Soi Nana, off Maitri Chit Road in Pom Prap, a few minutes' walk from Hua Lamphong MRT station and Wat Traimit. Soi Nana has several other small bars and galleries, including some of the city's best-known independent cocktail bars, and Yaowarat Road is a short walk south-west.
Tep Bar FAQs
Where is Tep Bar?
At 69-71 Soi Nana off Maitri Chit Road, on the edge of Chinatown, not the Soi Nana in Sukhumvit.
What is ya dong?
A herb-infused Thai rice whisky, served neat or in cocktails.
Is there live music?
Yes, a band plays traditional Thai music; Time Out lists Friday to Sunday from 19:00.
Is it expensive?
No, prices are moderate compared with hotel and rooftop bars.
Is there food?
Yes, Thai snacks such as rice crackers and pickled fruit, and small sharing dishes.
How do I find it?
There is no sign outside; follow the sound of the live music.
What is the nearest station?
Hua Lamphong MRT station, a few minutes' walk away.
When is it busiest?
Mid to late evening, especially at weekends.