Shhh Secret Bar

Shhh is a speakeasy-style cocktail bar hidden in an old Sino-Portuguese building on Thalang Road, the main street of Old Phuket Town. Part of the fun is finding it. The entrance is disguised as a key-cutting shop, with a door covered in keys, and guests walk through what looks like a working shop before heading upstairs to the bar. If you cannot find it, ask in the neighbouring shops.

Upstairs, the mood changes completely. The room is dark and futuristic, with floor-to-ceiling projections of animated world landmarks moving across the walls, a striking contrast to the heritage building outside. The cocktail menu lists 12 signature drinks, each identified by a code rather than a name. Examples include S-007, a mild, sweet tea-based drink, and S-006, a drier rum cocktail with grape notes. The signature N.013 is a tribute to Phuket, combining vodka, cocoa husk, Chambord, sake, kombucha, a coconut and bergamot cordial, jackfruit and tonic. Mocktails are available for those who are not drinking.

The bar opens from 18:30 to midnight. Cocktail prices are at the higher end for Phuket, so it is better suited to one or two carefully made drinks than a long session. The bar is intimate, so arriving earlier in the evening is the best way to get a seat without waiting, especially at weekends and on Sunday evenings, when the walking street market fills Thalang Road outside.

Shhh suits couples, small groups of friends and cocktail enthusiasts who enjoy creative drinks and a sense of discovery. It is less suited to large groups or those looking for dancing. Smart casual dress is sensible, and as with any bar, bring ID in case you are asked. If you have dietary restrictions or allergies, ask the bartenders about ingredients, as many of the drinks use unusual components.

Thalang Road is at the heart of the old town, so Shhh is easy to combine with dinner nearby, at One Chun or Tu Kab Khao for example, and with a later set at Bebop Live Music Bar on Yaowarat Road. Soi Romanee and Kopitiam by Wilai are a few steps away, and taxis back to the beaches can be found on the main roads around the old town.