Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok: Bamboo Bar, cocktails and jazz

The first decision is when to listen. From Monday to Thursday the band and vocalist play 8pm–11:45pm; Friday and Saturday continue until 12:45am. Sunday has a pianist from 9pm until 11:45pm. Those are the current times on the bar’s official page, read on 17 October 2026. The room opens before the performances begin, so a guest who wants a drink earlier can come from 5pm and leave the music for another night.

The signature PDF linked by the bar calls its collection The Bamboo Journey. Under Locally Inspired, the Green Mango Bee’s Knees combines gin, green mango, honey, lime and Thai chilli; it is THB 560, or THB 420 in its alcohol-free version. Mango Sticky Rice uses vodka, Chalong Bay rum, mango, jasmine rice and coconut water, at THB 620 or THB 420 without alcohol. Those ingredients give someone choosing from the menu a clearer steer than a broad promise of a tropical cocktail.

For a longer drink, the Guava Lemongrass Highball mixes tequila, bison grass vodka, fino sherry, green guava and lemongrass, THB 650. The Bamboo Daiquiri brings several rums together with banana, honey, pomelo and kaffir lime, THB 610. Siam’s Last Word goes in another direction, with Thai rum, mezcal, Strega, Aperol, honey, lemon and Thai basil at THB 690. All are prices on the linked signature list read on 17 October 2026; the list adds 10% service and 7% VAT, with 11% excise tax already included.

The choices extend beyond Thailand. Pink Venom, under the South Korea heading, puts gochujang beside strawberry, vodka, lemon, jasmine rice and milk clarification. Formosa Umami, under Taiwan, combines bourbon with umeshu, lapsang souchong and spiced soy sauce. At the other end of the list are modern classics and premium-spirit drinks: the Bamboo Martini uses gin, mezcal, Cocchi Americano, fino sherry, Ratafia Rossi and olive; a Yoichi Manhattan Highball brings whisky, sencha and tonic. Choose by flavour and strength of character, then ask the team to explain a recipe that catches your eye.

There is a proper alcohol-free choice. Several locally inspired drinks show 2 versions, and the modern-classics section includes a Sober Mai Tai of Bons Frères, pineapple, orange and orgeat, THB 420. A party can therefore stay with the cocktail list while drinking differently. The separate drinks PDF also gives wine by the glass: for example, a 150ml glass of Sileni Sauvignon Blanc is THB 640 and a 150ml glass of Bourgogne Pinot Noir is THB 700 on the reading of 17 October. Its footer gives the same service, VAT and included excise-tax wording.

Dress for the room before setting out. After 6:30pm the bar asks for elegant clothing and proper footwear; men need long trousers and closed shoes. Sleeveless shirts for men are excluded at every hour. Families also need to watch the clock: guests under 20 can be inside only before 7:30pm. After that, they may accompany an adult on the outdoor terrace, subject to space. The rule applies to where a young person can sit; it gives no promise that a terrace seat will be waiting.

The reservation rule shapes the evening. The Bamboo Bar expressly takes no bookings, so choose it with enough room in the plan to wait or change course. The Authors’ Lounge has its own reservation link for afternoon tea earlier in the day; other hotel restaurants also have separate arrangements. A dinner booking elsewhere in Mandarin Oriental does not reserve a Bamboo table. Use the bar’s official telephone or email for a practical question, and arrive for the service you want.

An afternoon-tea reservation belongs to The Authors’ Lounge. For dinner, use the hotel’s restaurant directory to choose a kitchen and book directly; the jazz bar operates its own walk-in system.