Bangkok’s most iconic hotel jazz bar at Mandarin Oriental, mixing live music, Thai-inspired cocktails and a sultry 1950s-style interior.
The Bamboo Bar is the sound of a saxophone cutting through low conversation, the glow of table lamps on rattan chairs and the feeling that you’ve stepped into a piece of Bangkok history. Tucked inside Mandarin Oriental Bangkok, it has hosted jazz lovers since the 1950s and still feels like the city’s reference point for classic hotel bar glamour.
From the outside, The Bamboo Bar hides behind dark timber and shuttered windows; inside it opens into a low-lit room lined with bamboo, leather and wicker. A raised lounge area looks down onto the bar and the small stage, while vintage photos and memorabilia remind you how many decades this room has seen.
Guests settle into deep armchairs, flick through the leather-bound menu and wait for the band to start. When the first notes of live jazz roll across the room – usually from around 8 or 9 pm depending on the night – the whole bar changes gear. Hotel guests, Bangkok regulars and visiting musicians share the same intimate space; it’s polished, but never stiff.
The cocktail programme pays tribute both to the bar’s history and to Thailand itself. Menus like Compass and The Evolution use ingredients from across the country – herbs, fruits and spices from different regions – layered into signatures that are complex but very drinkable. Classic house drinks such as the Thaijito have been loved for years, while newer creations showcase modern mixology and local flavours.
Live jazz is at the heart of the experience: resident bands and singers perform most nights, with extended sets on weekends and occasional guest appearances by international artists. The bar does not usually take reservations, and seating is limited, so arriving early makes all the difference if you want a prime spot near the band. Light snacks are available, but for a full dinner you’ll want to combine your visit with one of the hotel’s restaurants and then move here for drinks and music.