Pattaya’s Golden Triangle in Soi Buakhao
Some readers may recall the top photograph, it appeared in a post I wrote while in Pattaya in May this year, Pattaya – A Stranger Comes to Town. I’m publishing the picture once again because it is an appropriate one for this post which highlights a small triangle of bar/restaurants on Soi Buakhao, Pattaya. I refer to them as Pattaya’s Golden Triangle.
Lucky Bar and Nicky’s Bar & Restaurant form the base of the triangle on one side of Soi Buakhao, and Sweethearts Bar the top point on the opposite side of the road. The trio are all very well-run establishments, but not necessarily ones on everyone’s radar, which is a shame, because all three offer friendly service at very reasonable prices, and that’s something to hold dear considering the current strength of Thailand’s baht.
Soi Buakhao – Lucky Bar
Lucky Bar (Suma Court), pictured above and top, is a popular meeting place for some of the city’s expats and regular visitors to Pattaya. The bar’s owner, Lucky, is a lady with vast know-how and expertise about Pattaya and Thai culture and law.
Lucky Bar has to be one of the lowest-priced bars in Pattaya, a big brand spirit and mixer sells for roughly US$2 a glass. That’s cheap, and Lucky’s usually pretty cheerful too. The bar doesn’t sell food, but Lucky sometimes lays on a party night with a spit-roasted pig and music played at a neighbourly level. Lucky’s parties are popular and well-attended do’s.
Aside from the bar, Lucky also deals in flight tickets, travel and hotel bookings, visa arrangements, marriage services and translation. Lucky’s plugged into most things Thai, and her glass-front office is next to the bar. There are also rooms for rent at Suma Court at daily and monthly rates.
Nicky’s Bar & Restaurant
Nicky’s Bar & Restaurant is whispered by many westerners to be the best place in Soi Buakhao to eat, and who am I to argue after enjoying a splendid full English breakfast there.
The restaurant serves western and Thai food, with the menu’s accent heavy on many favourite British dishes. Meals include – Beef, pork or lamb Sunday roast dinner, cottage pie, pork or lamb chops with mashed potatoes and peas, and giant Yorkshire puddings piled high with a filling of your choice.
The bar’s appearance is swish and sweet, very chichi. A pool table, three wide-screen TV’s and a well-stocked bar with bottled and draught beer complete the bar and restaurant’s well-heeled look. The bar and its furnishings may echo an English country pub, but that illusion gets shattered by bare-headed motorcyclists racing past the windows. That’s Thailand, and you can’t have it all ways.
Nicky’s Bar & Restaurant has 11 rooms for rent, and each has an en-suite bathroom, satellite TV, in-room safe, refrigerator and minibar. You can view more information and pictures on Nicky’s Bar & Restaurant website.
Sweethearts Bar
Sweethearts Bar is the pride and joy of London born brothers Robbie and Colin, and the pair have been at the helm of their ‘Battle Cruiser’ (boozer) since April 2007. The bar is another that’s very popular with Pattaya expats, and its interior would fit on British TV’s Eastenders.
The air-conditioned bar has a wide range of drinks in stock, including local bottled beers and imported ones too – Heineken, San Miguel Light and Frosty Jacks Cider are some of their imported drinks. Sweethearts also have a menu you can sink your ‘Hampstead Heath’ (teeth) into any time of the day. A variety of western and Thai dishes are served, as well as light bar snacks and Sweethearts full English breakfast with ‘Steve McQueen’s’ (beans). There’s no excuse to leave Sweethearts Bar ‘Hank Marvin’ (starving).
The bar is roomy and has a pool table, a satellite TV for live sports, and you can even enjoy a game of ‘arrers’ (darts) on a good quality matchboard. There’s Wi-Fi access for customers and golf trips arranged each week. At Sweethearts Bar, you can enjoy a few beers, eat a well-cooked meal and check your emails for less than an Ayrton Senna (I won’t help you with that one). That’s excellent value.
Sweethearts Bar has eight large air-con rooms with an off-season rate of 500 baht a night and a peak season rate (1 Nov – 28 Feb) of 600 baht. Rooms are cleaned daily, and an airport pick up service is available. Click on the link for more details and contact information – Sweethearts Bar.
Now you know all about Pattaya’s Golden Triangle and three of the best bars in Soi Buakhao. [dublin-core-metadata]
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Hi Martyn, great post , have to agree with you. Too many people think Pattya only exists between beach rd and second rd, Soi 6 to walking st. There is so much more. I was there in May and had a few drinks in Lucky bar, Maybe we were there at the same time! It is a much better area and far more relaxed.
Warwick – Nice to hear from you and who knows, maybe we have met in Lucky’s Bar before. I’ve been using the bar since 2000, albeit whenever I’m in Thailand and Pattaya. Hopefully the three bars will get a bit more business out of the post.
Thanks Martyn, yes, our area is the best place to be in Soi Baukhao, our three bars are very popular and we have very friendly staff. Colin, Robby, Dave and Debby say thank you to you, and all of us love to see you again
Saowaluck – Lucky, thanks for the mail and best of luck for all of your businesses.