8 Affordable Rooftop Bars in Bangkok
Looking for affordable rooftop bars in Bangkok? Sunset drinks with a view are at the top of most visitors’ lists, but the prices at famous spots can be shocking. I avoided them on my early visits when I was on a tight budget. After years of living between Bangkok and Hua Hin, I’ve found the local spots where you can enjoy sky-high drinks without the luxury hotel prices. Here are my favourite affordable rooftop bars across the city.
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Cheap Rooftop Bars By Bangkok Neighbourhood
Looking for rooftop bars near your accommodation? I’ve included options across Bangkok:
- Silom/Sathorn area: Unculture and Heaven Rooftop Bar
- Sukhumvit: Escape Bangkok and Legend Rooftop Bar
- Old Bangkok: Swing Bar and Leelaa Bar
- Chinatown: GenZ Bar & Bistro and River Vibe
Read on for our top picks.
This page contains affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy for more details.
How to Find Affordable Rooftop Bars in Bangkok
Bangkok has over 70 rooftop bars scattered across the city. The high-end spots in 5-star hotels come with matching prices.
Take Octave on the 45th floor of the Marriott Hotel in Sathorn as an example. It’s worth visiting once for the views, but a local beer costs 250 baht (the same bottle is 60 baht at 7-Eleven). Cocktails start at 420 baht, wine is 500 baht per glass, and even soft drinks are 160 baht. A bowl of chips will set you back 320 baht. You’ll need deep pockets for a night at Octave
After spending half my time in Thailand for a few years now, I’ve found venues that give you a more local rooftop experience at a fraction of the luxury hotel prices.
Here’s the trick. While the expensive bars are in Sathorn and Sukhumvit atop luxury hotels, a trip to a less touristy neighbourhood, will reward with cheaper prices and equally as interesting views.
Look for bars on top of hostels rather than hotels. Bangkok’s hostels occupy prime locations, and their rooftop bars are more relaxed with much better prices.
The affordable options often sit on floors 5-8 rather than 35+, but you still get excellent views of the city and river. You’re not paying for extreme height—you’re paying for the experience and the scenery.
Here are my favourite spots with prices and directions
Unculture Silom Rooftop Bar
Unculture sits on the 5th floor in Silom. This underrated rooftop bar has a unique feature—you can watch the BTS skytrain pass by while you drink.
The train views are the whole point. Some reviewers complain about train noise, but it’s an open rooftop space with live music playing. Watching the trains fly past while you relax with friends is what makes this bar different. Head upstairs to the top deck if you want less train noise.
Prices are reasonable. Cocktails start at 230 baht, a small Chang beer is 130 baht, and most snacks run 160-200 baht. The food is excellent—the chicken wings, moo grob (crispy pork), and garlic pork are all good choices. Happy hour runs daily from 5pm-8pm with buy 2 get 1 free.
Arrive early (5-6pm) to grab a good spot overlooking the train tracks. The rooftop is spacious with plenty of fans and a natural breeze. There’s no lift—you’ll walk up 5 floors of stairs, but it’s manageable.
Open daily from 5pm to midnight (1am on weekends).
How to Get to Unculture Rooftop Bar
The nearest BTS station is Chong Nonsi, a 6-minute walk away.
Buses, taxis and tuk-tuks run along this main Silom road and it’s easy to get a Grab or Bolt when it’s time to head home.
Just around the corner you will find another local favourite…
Heaven Rooftop Bar and Lounge
Heaven Rooftop Bar is one of my favourites. Unlike the others, it’s in central Silom on the 7th and 8th floors of Silom Plaza (corner of Silom Road and Naradhiwas Rajanagarindra Roads). The views of the King Power Mahanakhon building are excellent.
You’re close to the high-end Sathorn rooftop bars but paying much less. Cocktails start at 220 baht, local beer is 120 baht, soft drinks are 40 baht, and chips are 120 baht.
Heaven stays open later than most—daily from 5pm to 2am
How to Get to Heaven Rooftop Bar and Lounge
Unlike some other bars in this review, Heaven Rooftop Bar and Lounge is really easy to get to.
It’s on Silom Road, so buses, taxis and tuk-tuks are readily available. The nearest BTS station is Chong Nonsi, only a 6-minute walk away.
Escape Bangkok
Escape Bangkok sits on the 5th floor of EmQuartier Shopping Mall on Sukhumvit Road, right in the middle of all the expensive 5-star hotel rooftop bars.
The beach bar theme includes bamboo everywhere, sofa beds, and straw lanterns.
It’s not as cheap as the other bars on this list, but still reasonable compared to the luxury hotel options. Cocktails start at 320 baht, local beer is 140 baht, soft drinks are 90 baht, and chips are 190 baht.
The extensive food menu has some high prices but we usually just grab some chicken wings and a couple of happy hour drinks before moving on.
Open daily from 5.30pm to 12.30am
How to Get to Escape Bangkok
You can’t get much more convenient than right next door to a BTS Station and the EmQuartier.
Phrom Phong station even has an exit connected to the shopping mall. As a main thoroughfare, Sukhumvit Road has buses and taxis within easy reach.
GenZ Bar & Bistro
GenZ Bar sits on the 17th floor of the Grand China Hotel in Chinatown. The entrance at street level can be tricky to find—ask around for GenZ bar and locals will point you to the lift that goes straight to the 17th floor.
This is a good choice for afternoon drinks or families. The rooftop has plenty of seating options—high stools, poufs, bean bags, benches, and an indoor air-conditioned area for when it gets too hot. There’s usually live music in the evenings.
The views are good rather than spectacular. From one side you can see Wat Arun, the Grand Palace and Golden Mount. The other side shows the sparkling skyline of central Bangkok’s towers. We visited after sunset, sank into bean bags, and enjoyed the city lights with cocktails and snacks.
Classic cocktails start at 250 baht, signature cocktails are 290 baht, and beer is 150 baht. The food is reasonably priced and good quality. I had the Laab Gai Tod (180 baht)—an excellent version. The grilled pork neck (250 baht), chicken wings (220 baht), and pork meatballs are all solid choices. They also serve pizzas and burgers.
The graffiti walls make good photos if you’re into that sort of thing.
GenZ Bar is open daily from midday to midnight.
How to Get to GenZ Bar & Bistro
GenZ Bar is at 215 Yaowarat Road in Chinatown. The nearest MRT station is Hua Lamphong, about 1km away—a 10-minute walk or quick tuk-tuk ride.
Ask locals for directions to the Grand China Hotel entrance.
Leelaa Bar
Leelaa Bar is in the Ban Bat area of old Bangkok. You can see the Golden Mount Temple from the rooftop, along with city views and good sunset scenery.
The walk up is three to four flights of narrow stairs, but the quirky decor on the way up makes it fun—you won’t notice you’ve climbed that high.
The inside area is quirky and kitschy in a charming way. The rooftop offers fresh air, good music, and wonderful views. Once it gets dark, mood lighting transforms the space into a relaxed evening spot.
Prices are very reasonable. Classic cocktails are 250 baht, signature cocktails are 300 baht, Chang beer is 110 baht, and soft drinks are 30 baht. Snacks include edamame (60 baht), crab spring rolls, and fried dumplings. The drinks are strong and the owner is attentive and friendly.
This is a great spot for sunset views and a relaxed evening. The bar sits on a quiet corner street without much nightlife around, which adds to the chilled atmosphere.
Open daily from 5pm until midnight.
How to Get to Leelaa Bar
Leelaa Bar is at 274-276 Boriphat Road in Ban Bat.
The nearest MRT station is Sam Yot, about 1km away—a 10-minute walk or quick tuk-tuk or motorcycle taxi ride.
Swing Bar by ChingCha
You will find Swing Bar on the 6th floor of ChingCha Bangkok Hostel, close to the famous Giant Swing. You can see the swing and Wat Suthat Thepwararam from the bar—the panoramic views of old Bangkok are excellent.
The prices are hard to beat. Cocktails start at 170 baht, local beer is 130 baht, soft drinks are 30 baht, and chips cost just 100 baht. They run a 2-hour unlimited drinks promotion regularly.
Open daily from 5pm until midnight.
How to Get to Swing Bar
Swing Bar is a little bit tucked away. Apart from getting there by taxi, the MRT Station Sam Yot is around 600m away, so an 8-minute walk or 3-minute tuk-tuk or motorcycle ride.
Legend Rooftop Bar
Legend Rooftop Bar sits on the 12th floor of a tower in Lad Phrao with 360° views including the famous Elephant Tower. This is mainly a local hangout with a youthful, laid-back vibe—more authentic than the tourist spots.
The drinks cost the same as street-level bars. Cocktails start at 220 baht, local beer is 120 baht, soft drinks are 30 baht, and chips are 145 baht.
Open daily from 5.30pm, closing at midnight on weekdays and 1am on weekends. They show football matches on the big screen
How to Get to Legend Rooftop Bar
Legend is over near the Liabduan Danneramit Night Market so you could do sunset drinks and then night market eats.
The closest BTS Station is Phahonyothin 24, from here its an 800m walk to Legend Rooftop Bar, it took me 10 minutes. There are plenty of moto taxis if you are brave.
River Vibe Bar and Restaurant
This one is a little different. It’s actually a sky terrace on the 8th floor of the River Vibe Bar and Restaurant. The views over the Chao Phraya River are stunning and perfect for sunsets.
Hidden in Chinatown means it doesn’t get too crowded, except for special events.
The pricing is pretty reasonable, especially with those views. Cocktails start at 280 baht, local beer is 140 baht, and soft drinks are 65 baht. A plate of French Fries will only set you back 150 baht.
As River Vibe is a restaurant, its hours are slightly different. It opens really early at 7.30 am but then closes at 10.30 pm.
How to Get to River Vibe Bar and Restaurant
Many reviewers comment that it’s a little hard to find as the main entrance is in a soi (alley). It’s best to take a tuk-tuk or taxi.
The nearest MRT station is Hua Lumpong, which is 1km away.
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Frequently Asked Questions
There’s an Affordable Rooftop Bar for Everyone
You can enjoy Bangkok’s rooftop bar experience without spending a fortune.
These bars sit lower than the luxury hotel options, but you still get excellent views of the city and river while spending about half the price.
I visit these spots regularly during my time in Bangkok—you might spot me at one of them enjoying sunset drinks.
Want More Options? Still on Our List
These rooftop bars have been recommended by friends and locals. I haven’t visited them yet, but they’re on my list to try:
- Barracuda Rooftop Bar
- WALK Rooftop Bar
- Flashback Rooftop Bar
- Redsquare Rooftop Bar
If you’ve been to any of these, let me know in the comments what you thought.
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