Drink, Bangkok

Salon du Japonisant

An underrated drinking den in Bangkok.

Words and photographs by THANOMSAKYUTH Salt. Published 15 Nov 2026.

A coupe with a white foam top and an orange flower, lit by a spot of light

Bangkok’s cocktail scene has been growing rather ambitiously. Dry Wave, Bar Us, BKK Social Club, Opium, Mahaniyom and Vesper have all had their share of recognition, and deservedly so. This city has no shortage of good bartenders, nor of bars determined to prove it.

Salon du Japonisant has somehow slipped under the radar. I have been back several times now, and I am still a little surprised it gets less attention than its neighbours. I am also, quietly, a little relieved.

The room

It has a Japanese sensibility without feeling the need to remind you of it every five minutes. What I like most is that it does not try too hard. It is somewhere to have a drink, rather than an elaborate evening that happens to involve one.

A pale green cocktail in a stemmed glass with a dark leaf garnish, another drink blurred behind

In the glass

Over my visits I have worked through a fair few of their Japanese whiskies. Remembering every bottle has proved beyond me. Sakurao is the gin behind most of the tonic-based and lighter drinks on the list.

The floral and fruity cocktails are where I would start. Drinks in this style can taste like expensive flower water. These have real body. They also know what to do with smoke, using it for character rather than a bit of theatre.

A cocktail with a flower garnish on a wooden bar counter beside the menu, with bottles and empty glasses behind

Order the omakase

Tell the bartender what you enjoy, how strong you like it, and what you would rather avoid. Then let them get on with it. That is the point of a proper omakase programme: you get a drink built around your palate, not the prettiest name on the menu. A little trust in the bartender never hurt anyone.

A frothy cocktail in a cut-glass tumbler topped with small red flowers, against a black background

Who it’s for

Go if you like Japanese spirits, thoughtful cocktails and a quieter kind of evening. It is also a good bar to sit at on your own, which is rarer than it should be.

Skip it if you are after a lively night, a DJ, or a table for a dozen friends and a considerable amount of noise.

Why I keep going back

Salon du Japonisant is not trying to be the most exciting bar in Bangkok. Thankfully, not every bar needs to be. I keep going back, and that probably says more than another award ever could.