Udon Thani’s Best Bars – The Irish Clock
The Irish Clock in Udon Thani – There cannot be many bars or restaurants in Thailand’s northeastern region of Isaan which could be plucked from their humble surroundings and placed into western suburbia without their modest, or down-at-heel look, causing a distasteful backward glance from passers-by on the gold paved streets of London, or more appropriately, Dublin’s fair city. However, the Irish Clock in Udon Thani would fit with elegance and charm into the tourist hotspots of London’s West End, or more fittingly, the Temple Bar area of Ireland’s capital city without causing a stir or obnoxious stare.
The Irish Clock sits with a huge helping of style and panache in Soi Sampantamit in the heart of Udon Thani’s nightlife area and is only a short walk away from the city’s main shopping mall and night markets. Its location is perfect and somewhat fitting for a bar and restaurant which serves Udon Thani’s ex-pats and tourists with a full range of drinks and an extensive food menu. But the Irish Clock doesn’t stop tick-tocking there. It has so much more to offer as well.
The Irish Clock first opened its doors to customers over seven years ago and my hosts Trevor Garrard and his Thai wife Ann took over the reins of a well-established business in October 2010. The Irish Clock’s traditions of fine food, quality refreshments and hotel class accommodation have been carried forward by the couple and their attention to detail and professionalism has lifted the standards at Udon Thani’s number one bar a couple of notches higher. Trevor’s daily staff team brief targets quality of service and customer focus. That’s professional.
The Irish Clock derives its name from the backward moving clock which adorns the wood-panelled bar area. One o’clock in the bar is eleven in the street, and whilst 12 o’clock is exactly that, one drink too many and you might not know if it’s midnight or high noon. It pays to wear a wristwatch at the Irish Clock.
So what has the Irish Clock got to offer? Let’s start with its food and drink.
Food and Drink at the Irish Clock
A standard English breakfast (pictured above) tickles your taste buds for 120 baht and a large English brekkie gets a Sid Waddell style darts shout of ‘180’. A choice of tea or coffee is served with your breakfast selection.
The Irish Clock’s wide-ranging menu caters for western, Thai and Indian tastes. On Thursday nights you can savour the flavours of India when the Irish Clock’s Curry Club offers an Indian curry and side dishes plus a free drink at baht beating and mouth burning value. The Curry Club is a very popular night and early arrival is suggested to secure a table.
Trevor and Ann’s latest and very popular western dish is a giant Yorkshire pudding boat filled with sausages, mashed potato, onions and gravy. Bangers and mash in a crispy boat. Delicious.
The Irish Clock has soft drinks and beverages for teetotalers but for those who enjoy a tipple of the harder stuff then how about a pint of famous Irish stout. Both Guinness and Kilkenny’s are available on draught for 180 baht each and is there another bar in Isaan that can boast two such illustrious names on their drinks list. Heineken and Tiger beer are on draught too, as well as a full range of spirits and fine wines.
The Irish Clock bar is non-smoking but there is outside seating for those who do wish to light up their life and lungs and inhale.
Entertainment at the Irish Clock
Tuesday and Friday nights are your opportunity to ‘Rock-around the Clock’. There is live music on both nights with Thai bands Rocking The Clock on Tuesdays with their mix of mainly western music, and on Friday nights mine host Trevor, a former member of a Genesis tribute band, forms a jam session with friends, and anyone with an ear for music has an invitation to join in.
The spacious air-con bar area and adjoining room of the Irish Clock screens all the big live sports action has an excellent eight ball pool table, and for those who enjoy a quieter life, daily newspapers are on hand too.
Accommodation at the Irish Clock
Excellent hotel standard accommodation is available at the Irish Clock with each of its seven large rooms boasting air conditioning, queen size beds, digital safes, Cable TV, min-bars and tea & coffee-making facilities. En suite bathrooms are fitted with hot and cold rain showers, have complimentary toiletries, and there is a laundry service available too.
The price of rooms are 750 baht per night which is excellent value for Udon Thani considering the high standards and location of the Irish Clock. To book or enquire about rooms and view photographs click on the link here. Accommodation in Udon Thani – The Irish Clock.
If you are visiting Udon Thani then a trip to the city’s best-known bar the Irish Clock will open doors to quality accommodation, great food, live music, plus expert local knowledge from hosts Trevor and Ann.
Perhaps they should rename Soi Sampantamit……Quality Street. That would be ‘sweet’ and a huge compliment to one of Udon Thani’s very best bars.
Looks good. Hope the floods have avoided you!
Adullamite – The Irish Clock is a safe haven from the floods and if you drink enough you can walk on water anyhow.
Guinness with brekkie, eh? Even I draw the line at that! Well who knows, I hope to do a mini tour of the Thai backwaters, hopefully not in a rowing boat but in my Jazz limo, when I get to LOS next month – and the Irish Clock will be on the itinerary. Not that Udon T is in the sticks in Isaan terms, of course. Do the bands do The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway? 🙂 Maybe if you’re around at some point between December and March I can join you there for a quick bevvie, although my base will be a very long way from Chiang Mai this time – I’ll be in Pattaya. I need the sea air, a base near Bangkok, and a real break after the past few years…
Pete – The Guinness with the breakfast is not my normal routine. On the day of the picture I arrived at the Irish Clock midday after having had a couple of beers already and whilst having a few more I decided I best eat.
I think you’ll enjoy the Irish Clock and Udon Thani nightlife too, although there isn’t too much to do during the day. Pattaya is much more day friendly.
I should be hitting Udon late January although I still might bite the bullet and pay £1300 for a Christmas flight.
I see you photographed your own breakfast there, Martyn. Service must be pretty quick if you only got through a half of Guiness before the food arrived. Not even time to light a (second?) fag. Thanks for the recommendation, I’ll keep it in mind if I’m up that way.
Lawrence – I’m sure you’d enjoy the comforts of the Irish Clock if you ever hit Udon for a day or two. The air con in the bar is a real relief mid afternoon when the city heats up during the summer months.
If you like your UK food then the Irish Clock has a menu fully loaded with UK dishes.
Surely a pint of Guinness would tempt you away from your healthy living for a hour or two.
When I get tired of all this flood news I just might hop up to the Irish Clock…
Catherine your hop would be well worth it and not a bad stop off point on the way to or back from Chiang Mai. Time your visit for late next year when Udon’s new Central Plaza is due to open. It’s one massive construction.