Pattaya Open Air Beer Bars

There are 2 types of Pattaya open air beer bars:

  1. Beer bar complexes
  2. Stand alone beer bars

Both are classic nightlife in Pattaya Thailand, open to the outside with minimal walls, so no AC.  The overhanging building roof provides shade and protection from rain.  With multiple fans blowing, it's comfortably cool and no bugs.

Soi Made in Thailand Beer BarsAn example of an open air beer bar complex in Pattaya. 4 bars all next to each other with no walls between them and open to the street

Beer Bar Complexes

The complexes economize on building construction and maintenance costs with multiple bars will be under a one common roof, sharing common restrooms with some of them not having any walls at all between them. 

These look like one big bar.  But if you study this (before you've drank a lot) you'll see that each has it's own area to serve drinks, it's own stools, tables, pool table, staff and even it's own personality.

Stand Alone Beer Bars

The stand alone open air beer bars have the same concept as the complexes, but they are walled off on 3 sides, separating them from other bars.  

Pattaya Open Air Beer Bars in General

Even with no AC, they are surprisingly comfortable.  There will be a lot of fans blowing to keep it breezy, but if you need full AC, you won't like these. 

With the extent of the roof overhang, you are protected from rain and will rarely get wet sitting under the roof unless it is a severe rain with blowing wind.  If so, just move farther inside.

Pattaya isn't like the US bars, where you have to stand holding your drink (like an exhausted idiot) for hours in the most popular bars.  In the Pattaya open air beer bars you can rest your elbows and set your drink on the bar or a table next to the check bin (which is your running total of the drinks) you will need to pay for when you leave.

With most of the tourists and ex-pats being older, the stools and chairs are appreciated.

Most bars will have pool tables and bar games. I love bar hopping from one of these to another enjoying a cold one and seeing what happens.

Thai Ladies in Front of the Bars

Usually there will be a lady or 2 (or more) sitting or standing by the edge of the bar and close to street trying to charm you to you to come in for a drink as you are walking by.  

Many are hard to resist, especially if you've never been here and never had a beautiful, young woman take interest in you as you are walking down the street.  Some may gently grab your arm.  If you don''t want to get a drink there, don't be alarmed or rude.  Just  smile and say "No Thank You" and gently  pull your arm away and keep on walking.

I try to disarm the ladies by saying "Saw Wad Dee Krup" (the Thai word for hello) with a big smile  looking at least one of them in the eye as I am walking by.  This lets the ladies know I am not a newbie and am looking for a lady that is my type.

Pattaya Open Air Beer Bars Complexes in the Central Pattaya Area

Treetown

Treetown is more of a place that has beer bar complexes as part of the total package with the large food court and other venues.  The beer bar complexes are on the southerly side and another 2 areas on the westerly side.  

During high season, on Friday and Saturday nights, Treetown will be packed and very exciting.

Treetown EntranceThe southerly entrance, right off Soi Buakhoa, to the Treetown open air beer bar complexes

Soi Made in Thailand

Very old.  Starting at Soi Buakhao, north of Treetown.  Shares a restroom with Treetown.  The shared restroom is very old, very used and very marginal. 

The beer bar complexes are on both sides of the street.

Mystic Myth Night

Very new.  Fronting on Second Road, across from Central Festival Mall.  Extends easterly, halfway up the block towards Soi Buakhao.  You can get to it from Soi Made in Thailand.  It has it's own very new restroom and a hamburger stand on the east end.

Soi New Plaza

Quite old. Located between Soi Buakhao and Second Road, with the bars closer to Second Road.  There is a beer bar complex in the middle of the road and open air beer bars on either side of the road.

Las Vegas Beer Garden

Very new, with live music 5 nights a week.  Uncomfortable metal stools.  Higher costs

On Soi Pattayasaisong 13

These are down by the steakhouses on Second Road.

Beach Road

Near Soi 7 and Sou 8.  These are fantastic for watching the sunset.

Alley between Soi 7 & 8

Kind of gets lost, but this is a nice area also.

Second Road

A few different spots near Central Festival Mall.

Types of Drinks Available

Thai beers: Chang, Leo, Tiger, Singh, San Miguel Light and sometimes Singh Light.  All in bottles.

Some may have some Heineken.

My go to is Singh Light, but it is not available in every bar.  My second favorite is San Miguel Light.  I prefer light beer.

The open-air beer bars serve more than just beer.  You can get mixed drinks, single shots, water, soda or some other non-alcoholic drinks.  Some may have wine.  

These bars are run on a shoestring budget and are not going to have a massive selection of liquor or beer.  You may have to stand up by the bar and scan the shelves to see what they have to offer if you want something different than normal Thai beers. 

Sometimes they run out to get more beer if they are busier than normal.  

Pattaya Open Air Beer Bar Layouts

Some are quite small and some quite large.

Some have a traditional bar layout with a large U shaped bar with stools.  In these bars you face in towards the bartender.

Some have bar rails along the outside edge with stools.  In this scenario, you face out towards the street.  These are great for people watching.  They typically will have some tables inside as well.

Some bars have tables and chairs or high tables with stools.

In almost all cases there are lots of stools, chairs and some type of surface to place your drink and check bin and rest your arms.

A few have small couches.  One night I sat on a couch in a Mystic Myth Night beer bar next sipping a beer while chatting with a gorgeous young Thai lady, while the bar manager, an extremely flamboyant ladyboy, massaged my feet and talked with everyone who passed by trying to drum up business.

Strange things happen in Pattaya:)

What to Do in Pattaya Open Air Beer Bars

You can approach a Pattaya Open Air Beer Bar similar to way you would go into any bar in the world. 

  • Pick a place,
  • Go in
  • Order a drink

But there are some differences to be aware of.

  • There may be a lady or sometimes multiple ladies outside trying to entice you in with her charms.
  • You can let her lead you inside and accept the seat you picks out.  The Thais are trying to be helpful getting you to find a place to sit.  But I prefer to pick a spot that I like.  She'll lead me to a chair, but if I don't like it, I point to another location, ask if it ok and go there. 

It’s hot in Pattaya so standing in a bar is not something I want to do.  If it’s packed and standing room only, I move on to the next place as there are plenty of choices.

Find a good spot:

  • Near a fan
  • With a big (and not rickety) comfortable chair.  I like a well-padded chair or stool.  Not always easy to find.
  • Maybe at the bar facing in but not behind the beer taps or a post (so I can see around the room and outside).  Or,
  • On a bar rail facing out to the street, or
  • At an interior seat with a table for my drink and elbows.

You have to be a bit flexible based on the bar and visitors already in the bar.

Getting a drink in a bar is familiar to many guys who like the nightlife.   

If you don’t go to bars in your home country by yourself, you should start as part of preparing for your Thailand holiday.  Get familiar with just sitting by yourself, chatting with strangers, learn how much you can drink responsibly and avoid getting into trouble by being belligerent or by doing things that annoy others.

You don’t have to continually buy the ladies’ drinks to sit in the bars.  You pay the ladies to sit with you and get to know them.  If you don’t want to get to know anyone (at the moment) just say something like – “Just a drink for me.”  You can always change your mind.  Often, I do after I have had a chance to sit, rest and look around the room. 

Usually I visit a number of bars each night, having a drink and then moving on.  

I like this approach; it reminds me of my youth where my friends and I would “bar hop.”  We’d start at one bar, have a drink or 2, then go to the next and on it went over the night. 

It’s even better in Pattaya because there are so many bars, and you only need to walk a few feet to go to the next bar. 

Enjoy Yourself:

  • Drink
  • Play pool with a Thai lady
  • Play bar games with a Thai lady
  • Practice your Thai words
  • Make small talk
  • See if there is a lady there you want to get to know

The Staff at Pattaya Open Air Beer Bars

The open-air beer bars will be staffed with ladies.  There will be very few men, sometimes a son of one of the older ladies helping out behind the scenes.  There will be a bartender lady and usually a few older ladies to help.  There may be an older, not good-looking ladyboy, or even a good looking ladyboy. 

One or more of the ladies will attractive, the type most men want to meet.  Not all the ladies will be good looking because there are so many bars.

Some of the bars are very small.  They may not have a bartender, and the ladies will get your beer out of the refrigerator or mix your drink.

It’s refreshing that most of the bars are fully staffed and function well with just a few Thai ladies.  Too many men in bars cause the tension.  Whether they are working or there to patronize the bars. 

In the US, bars will be filled with men, with only a few ladies.  A few ladies serving drinks and maybe one lady bartender.  This is why the bars mostly suck in the US.  Not enough ladies for the men.  In Pattaya, this horrible situation is reversed.  There will be far more Thai ladies, than men. 

This creates a peaceful atmosphere.  Thai ladies are nice, sweet, kind, attentive, love to laugh and joke around.  They like to compete at the bar games and at pool.  Some are quite good and love to rub it in your face when they win.

They hustle to get your drink too. 

Most dress in a sexy way and smell nice.  With the heat, they don’t go overboard with perfume.  But they always seem out of the shower clean and fresh.  Plus, most are at least cute, with some so drop dead gorgeous, it's hard not to fall in love.

Yes, there will be some Thai ladies who enjoy eating too much with the figure to prove it, but they are still nice, sweet, attentive and fun to joke around with.  The same with older Thai ladies.  You probably aren't interested in dating them, but you can joke around with them, practice your Thai words and buy them an occasional drink.

How Do You Pay for Your Drinks in Pattaya Open Air Beer Bars

Check Bins in Pattaya Bars

The bars all give you some sort of a little bin with your drink to keep track of how many drinks you ordered.  The bin will have a slip of paper with the cost of the drink.  Some places may keep adding slips for each drink.  Some will replace the slip each time, adding up the drinks.  In either case, you pay the total when you leave.  Check your bin to make sure it seems accurate.  If you buy a drink(s) for others, those will added to your check bin.

Singh Light and Check BinThe Check Bin is the little blue container to the right of my Singh Light beer. It's empty because the lady is in the process of updating it for my second beer

Pattaya Open Air Beer Bars Wrap Up

Most visitors going to enjoy Pattaya nightlife will love the Pattaya open air beer bars.

It's like partying outside but without getting burnt to a crisp or rained out.