Bangkok's 7 sexiest dim-lit bars and restaurants

This pitch-black drinking lab is tucked down Sukhumvit 26. Co-founders Taln Rojanavanich and Aum Sawaengsupt taught themselves mixology during graveyard shifts at their backpacker hostel, then built what feels like a culinary research facility where someone killed the lights for drama.

Everything's black. Walls, ceilings, tables, the works. The only pops of colour are the bartenders in crisp white lab coats and the odd herb caught in a spotlight. Just 14 seats. The menu reads like a molecular gastronomy syllabus – starters, mains, afters. Savoury cocktails deploy fermented fish paste, nam prik and other gloriously unhinged ingredients that'll thrill you.

The crowd skews sexy-industry-heavy: those who've graduated beyond wanting their cocktails to taste like birthday cake.

Location: 61/37 Floor, Opposite side of security kiosk (Glass door) 1/F, Sukhumvit 26, Khlong Tan, Khlong Toei, Bangkok

Vesper has been holding court on Silom's Convent Road since 2014, which is practically ancient history in Bangkok's bars-come-and-go scene..

Sit at the long marble bar and watch the bartenders at work, or slide into one of the comfy banquettes if you're feeling romantic, or secretive. The lighting is dim but not punishing, just low enough that you'll lean in closer when talking.

Ten years is a lifetime in Bangkok's ruthless bar circuit, yet Vesper keeps pulling a mix of clued-in locals, expats and cocktail pilgrims. It's the Goldilocks of date bars: chic without the chill, sophisticated without the snobbery.

Location: 10/15 Sala Daeng 2, Si Lom, Bang Rak, Bangkok

There's a reason Eat Me has been the default date night answer since 1998. This three-storey spot on Convent Road has dark, sultry interiors, provocative artworks from H Gallery covering the walls, and a bamboo-shrouded terrace.

The second-floor dining room is where it happens. Dimly lit enough that you'll need your phone torch to read the menu but not so dark you can't appreciate Chef Tim Butler's plating (he worked under Marcus Samuelsson and Daniel Boulud in New York before this). Candles on each table create little pools of warm light that make everything feel conspiratorial. Beige linens, luxurious tableware, atmosphere walking that fine line between casual and sophisticated. The ground floor has an outdoor courtyard for drinks and small bites but if you're here for a proper sexy night, head upstairs.

What makes Eat Me work is staying relevant for over two decades without feeling stuck in time. Globe-trotting modern international menu. Manila clams with naem sausage, A5 wagyu tataki, maitake mushrooms with beurre blanc that even vegans rave about. Cocktails with Thai ingredients like betel leaf, diligent service that's not overbearing, open until 1am so you can linger over that third bottle without staff hovering passive-aggressively. Mixed crowd of international visitors, expat regulars and Bangkokians who still rate it. It’s safe to bet it delivers on food and atmosphere, especially when you definitely want to end up somewhere after dinner.

Location: 1, Phiphat 2, Si Lom, Bang Rak, Bangkok

An unrenovated shophouse on Chinatown’s Soi Nana, open frontage spilling onto Yaowarat’s streets. Sexy in a melancholic way, it carries a Wong Kar-wai film feel, all neon red Chinese letters.

Inside, there are vintage tea boxes, waving lucky cats and moody lighting that makes you want to lean against the bar with a cigarette, though you cannot smoke inside, sadly. Try the Opium, a Negroni spiked with ginseng and herbal liquor, or the Five Rivers, which infuses Chinese five spice into rum, Drambuie and Fernet Branca. The owner trained as a chef at the Oriental, so the duck wontons are genuinely excellent.

Location: Nana (Chinatown), Maitrichit Rd, Pom Prap Sattru Phai, Bangkok

Swedish bartenders Sebastian De La Cruz and Philip Stefanescu opened this tropical rum bar on Charoen Krung in 2017. Decor is all pink flamingos, neon signs and Portuguese tiles but the lighting gets surprisingly moody once the sun goes down. Terrace overlooks a lit-up tailoring factory, with fresh orchids everywhere and the whole thing feels like a chic beachside bar in Copacabana that somehow relocated to Bangkok's old town.

Drinks are rum-forward (one gin option, one whisky, one mezcal, but really this is a rum bar) and everything's made with fresh juices and house syrups. Pink neon glow does genuinely flattering things to everyone's face. It’s probably why people get flirtier as the night goes on.

What makes Tropic City work is managing to be fun without being cheesy. Pink neon and flamingo wallpaper could easily tip into kitsch but the rum selection is serious.

Location: Charoen Krung 28, Bang Rak, Bangkok 10500

Chef Antoine Darquin and sommelier Théo Lavergne took over the space that used to be Gaggan's natural wine bar Wet and transformed it completely. Where Wet was deliberately dark and cave-like, Bisou is sleek and modern with abundant natural light during the day. Come evening though, the whole thing shifts. Warm seductive lighting takes over, spiral mirrored staircase becomes properly atmospheric, French kiss-themed film posters on the walls start making sense.

The tagline is 'Keep it simple and sexy' and it is. The ground floor has a lively bar, upstairs is more refined and private, kitchen counter if you want to watch the chefs work. Earned a spot in the 2025 Michelin Guide, wine list is genuinely impressive, homemade limoncello at the end is a nice touch. European sophistication with Bangkok prices that won't make you wince (too much).

Location: 68, Lumpini Sub-District, 9 Langsuan, Lumphini, Pathum Wan, Bangkok

Chef-couple Pongcharn 'Top' Russell and Michelle Goh's Michelin-starred restaurant sits in a renovated two-storey house off Sukhumvit Soi 26, designed like a choose-your-own-adventure in atmospheric dining. Four distinct rooms upstairs but for a sexy night out there's only one answer: the Dark Room. Exactly what it sounds like. Dim lighting casting a soft glow over the centre of the table, deep blue-grey wallpaper, thick carpets, upholstered chairs.

Lighting is moody enough you'll feel properly seductive, functional enough you can still appreciate the presentation of Top and Michelle's seasonal tasting menu. Chef Top trained under Jason Atherton at Pollen in Singapore and Pierre Gagnaire at Sketch in London (three Michelin stars), Chef Michelle worked at Sühring leading the pastry programme at 23.

Cocktail bar on the ground floor called Behind The Curtain for pre or post-dinner drinks. Kind of place where you actually might want to hold hands across the table without feeling like a complete melt.

Location: 30 Attha Kawi 1, Khlong Tan, Khlong Toei, Bangkok