I See Pub&Karaoke

112/1 Narathiwat Soi 7, 02-286-1543. Open daily 7pm-1am.

Tiny glazed bar, bathed in black, good for people watching with windows everywhere. Upstairs you’ll find three karaoke rooms through a dirty black door behind the bar. Don’t expect state-of-the-art ultra-modern laser KTV technology here. The equipment is basic but serviceable—a step up from the old manual system.

Urban

1124/2 Narathiwat Rd., 02-675-4224, 02-675-4129. Open daily 6pm-midnight.

Chill out in the air-conditioned section with acoustic music from the house band or grab an alfresco table if you want to chitchat. KTV rooms upstairs, but if you want to sing the night away you will have to book in advance as this place is almost always full of university students enjoying the pleasant atmosphere and great value for money.

Talk

79/1-2, Narathiwat Soi 15, 02-676-2478/9. Open daily 6pm-1am.

Formerly known as 15th Street, the only discernible change is some new tables and chairs. The old noodle-stall furniture has been replaced with white and red tables, but everything else is much the same. The décor is reminiscent of an ageing aunt’s living room but with a huge screen above the stage where the house band croons radiofriendly Thai hits nightly.

Dalicious

102 Narathiwat Rd., 02-676-4646. Open Sun-Thu 5:30pm-midnight, Fri-Sat 5:30pm-1am.

Clean and clear glass walls accentuate the simple interior. The food is good; but don’t trust the Chef’s Recommendation menu. The second floor has a nice open-air patio but is generally less homey. House bands churn out Thai, English and even some Korean songs.

Good Evening

1120 Narathiwat Rd., 02-286-4676. Open daily 5pm-1am.

One of the most popular pubs in the Narathiwat area, Good Evening is always crowded. This charming old white house with windows all around is often packed with glitterati who are more interested in seeing and being seen than in the quality of the food or music.

Sortrel

1122 Narathiwat Rd., 02-676-4359. Open daily 4:30pm-1am.

No longer the hot spot it once was, Sortrel still occupies a fond place in our memories. Inside is air-conditioned, with a small bandstand for the trio performing nightly. The patio area is best avoided on hot and humid days, but the overall vibe is one of work-pals chitchatting after a day at the office, which is pleasantly possible as the easy listening music is at a sensible level. Sortrel was once the talk of the town because of the tabletop drawing that is encouraged here.

Connection Bar

396/4 Narathiwat Rd., 02-285-3238. Open daily 5pm-1am.

With velvet maroon curtains, Victorian-style chandeliers and a replica of the Mona Lisa, this place is quickly gaining popularity with its great variety of music and unusually chic interior. On Wed, the heart-warming Vocation band play smoochie favorites and from time to time Peet Peera (formerly of Peace Maker) comes by to croon his latest tunes.

3 Kler Cafeé

396/12 Narathiwat Rd., 02-285-3995. Open daily 7pm-1am.

Many people may not even notice this cheesy pastel place next to Connection Bar and after one glimpse you’ll understand why. There’s no air-con in the first floor bar with its pink and green sofas. Upstairs are some karaoke rooms with reasonable KTV equipment. If you’re looking for unorthodox, this is it.

Tawan Daeng German Brewery

462/1 Rama 3 Rd., 02-678-1114/-6. Open daily 4:30pm-1am. www.tawandang1999.com

This giant oak beer-barrel seats 1,000 people and has become a landmark for its combination of spicy Thai food and robust German beer. Packed nightly for nearly a decade, the ground-breaking branch still has a bewildering array of cabaret, concerts and live music every night. From luk thuung to Top Ten pop via Thai-jazz fusion and big band extravaganzas.
To order whisky at Tawan Daeng would just be so wrong.