Bangkok may as well as be called bar city. It is unbelievably littered with all sorts of bars, all trying to survive above the fray. Most bars do it by offering the cheapest drinks and best promotions. Others innovate and try to be unique in their brand experience.
A new addition to the scene is a small, hidden speakeasy bar called Hg80 Bangkok. While the name doesn’t immediately jump at you and get you excited, it is definitely more than it seems.
All about nostalgic experiences, innovative cocktails, personable hospitality, and fun times.
Finding Hg80
Getting there is almost just as part of the experience as being at the bar. While you can always take a taxi or bike, the best way is actually to take the BTS sky train to Chong Nonsi. Take the exit that takes you down right in front of the Mahanakhon building. Walk against the traffic for about 40 or 50 meters till you see a tiny little street on your right. Go in.
Keep going straight in until you reach Just A Drink Maybe bar. Hg80 Bangkok is in there, hidden away at the back. You will have to go through the white door, which leads you to another black door with a button and a sign. You will need to ring the bell to be let in.
Yup, just like in the prohibition days…probably. How would I know?
Then you enter to smiling and welcoming faces into a room that isn’t much at first sight. There are no frills and pretentiousness to the bar. It’s all about the people and the drinks here.
Cocktails
Yes, the drinks. After all, that is why we all are here. Hg80 Bangkok has an extensive cocktail menu but on this day, we were trying their special Christmas one. I had a total of 4 drinks.
Let’s go clockwise.
Two sickles at Hog’s head – rum, caramel, beer. It was actually better than I expected. The sweetness from caramel matched so well with the bitterness of the beer. Rum just gives it that kick it needs.
Baby, it’s cold outside – turkey, Bourbon, cognac, cranberry. This is Thanks Giving in a drink. They melt and burn the fat off a turkey, together with alcohol before mixing it with the cocktail. There is also a cube of cranberry jelly in the glass. It’s a smokier version of an Old fashioned.
I’m dreaming of a white Christmas – Tequila, coconut, orange, lime, salt. My favorite because I just love coconut drinks. It could be a bit less sour though.
Hogma-yay – Scotch, apple, cinnamon, lemon, meringue. Another delicious drink with that sweet and sour taste I enjoy so much.
Overall experience
While sipping on my cocktails, I spoke to Tron Young, one of the co-owner and bartender. I mentioned how the concept of the bar was really cool and unique. It felt personable and almost homely.
I also loved what he had done with the place for Christmas and suggested he does it for every holiday. Christmas music playing in the background, a decked-out tree with candies and snacks beneath, and bright lights in a dim room made this one of my favorite bars I have ever visited.
Since the bar is small, he could easily redecorate each holiday season and give the bar a theme. For returning customers, every experience would always be unique
By the way, if you know about The Bar Awards, Tron was the guy who brought it to Bangkok.
Words from the owners
Our concept is simple… A personable space just for us. And by us, I mean our customers and us (the owners of the bar).
For me personally, I have always wanted to do something over-the-top like this and it seemed like a good opportunity to do it at Hg80. Our bar space is so small and it would not take much to really make the room immersive with festive decorations and atmosphere.
– Tron
Why Hg80?
There are many layers for our Hg80 name. On the technical surface, Hg80 is a the periodic table symbol of the element, Mercury. Hg is the shortened Latin name for Mercury, hydrargyrum and the 80 Mercury’s atomic number.
Mercury has quite a few symbols of what we are trying to achieve at our bar. At room temperature, Mercury is a liquid and that represents our cocktails. Being a liquid metal, it means that Mercury is formless, shapeless, and ever-changing and we are also trying to achieve that with our brand “Hg80 presents”.
Constantly changing our bar to present something fun, exciting, and new for the people of Bangkok, like our Winter Wonderland experience this December.
Lastly, Mercury has a personal and deep connection with me (Tron). I have wings tattooed on both of my calves. Which represents Mercury, a messenger of the gods. I have always viewed Mercury as a free spirit and I want to live my life the same way.
What makes this bar different?
Our size makes us really different and meaningful to people. We are tiny. This gives us a lot of freedom (like Mercury’s free spirit).
If a customer wants a certain song, they can ask and we can accommodate. If the customer wants to play Nintendo Switch, they can. If they want to make their own cocktails behind the bar, they can (of course, I will help too).
Every bar is limited by having to please so many customers and giving them all the same experience. Our size makes us special and that means we can provide a special different experience to each of our customers.
Leave A Comment