This eclectic street has some of my favourite places in Bangkok, Thailand.
Due to the number of hotels lining this street, Sukhumvit Soi 11 used to be a regular vacation haunt. This street used to be lined with vintage mini cooper vans which transformed into bars – it was so cool. My girlfriends and I used to hop from one van to the next in our younger days of debauchery (which was really us giving each other makeovers and ‘partying’ in our apartment hotel). The food carts that lined this street at night were very local, interestingly varied, delicious, and cheap, as street food should be.
Today those vans are gone. Boo.
Today, the street has been lauded as the next hip party central; I disagree – it relies too heavily-farang-influenced nightlife. Don’t get me wrong, good live bands and sports on a big screen TV might be good fun, but I can do that back home. The street also takes a… sleazy, turn in the PM, in less subtle ways than it used to. Side note: if you really want to party like a local, head over to Demo at Thonglor.
Soi 11 may have lost a lot of that charm, but I still find myself gravitating to this particular street. These are just a few of my must-visits every time I end up on this street in Bangkok, Thailand.
- Daniel Thaiger
Daniel Thaiger officially has the best burgers in Bangkok. Daniel Thaiger started as a food truck establishment, and I was excited to learn that they’ve set up a permanent booth right below the Holiday Inn hotel. I’ve never been disappointed here, and I always find myself craving for a juicy bite each time I’m in Bangkok. Because damn, that juiciness. The burgers are always juicy. Always. No such thing as a pretty meal here. That Thaiger sauce is also something else. I always ask for extra cheese, jalapenos and extra of that magical sauce on my burger. You can request for your preferred doneness.
I love recommending this place as a casual business dinner location, since it’s housed in a cool bar. I always order the special Pimento ginger and chili drink. I have to mix it Coca Cola though, the spice can be intense.
This place is a people-pleaser and a definite must-visit.
- Hot Stone Spa
There are a lot of massage places along Soi 11; unfortunately not many are, uh, decent. Hot Stone Spa is a clean, professional spa that is slightly more upscale. Located just across the Aloft hotel, the storefront is just a storefront – once you’ve browsed through the menu with your choice of treatment, the therapist will bring you to the building next door.
The treatment rooms remind me of a fancy hospital room. Clean, spacious, but smells like a spa. The massage Therapists here are professional and very skillful. Highly recommended for those looking for a good, clean massages with “no happy endings please”.
My 60-minute body massage was 500THB. Worth every Baht.
- Bai Po Massage
Bai Po is located on Soi 11/1, which is a mini street just before Soi 11. There are a couple of massage places along this mini street. Bai Po is located right underneath Bangkok Inn, as pictured above.
For cheap, authentic and skilful massage, this is the place. Again, clean, with no ‘happy endings’ at all. Just consistently good massages. I found this place from Tripadvisor, and I’ve never looked anywhere else for when I need a good, cheap massage. The place is not as fancy as Hot Stone, but it’s clean and fuss-free.
My 60-minute body massage was 350THB.
- Secret Noodle Shop
Ok, so it’s not really a secret noodle shop. It’s awkwardly wedged in a tiny alley close to the mouth of Soi 11 and very easily miss-able. I have no idea what the name of this shop is.
I love this place for cheap and good authentic street-style Thai food. They have great Thai noodles, as well as an assortment of stir-fry dishes. They have a picture menu, hence very tourist friendly but at local prices. My meal of a bowl of noodles and a can of coke did not go beyond 100 THB. Love it.
- El Gaucho Argentinian Steakhouse
The Soi 11 outlet of this steakhouse is new, the first El Gaucho is housed just a few streets down at Soi 19. I hesitated a lot – A LOT – including El Gaucho on this list, because this place is exorbitantly priced. In addition, TripAdvisor reviews were varied and inconsistent.
Each time I’ve dined at El Gaucho though, my meals were beautiful. My steak was fantastic and perfectly cooked to my preference (medium rare, obviously), and I think I had the cheapest grade on the menu.
I also tend to judge steak places by the quality of its side dishes as well, and the creamed spinach here was the best I’ve ever had. The servings of the side dishes might be paltry to some, but I thought adequate. The bread starter tray is one of the most exquisite I’ve ever had – the soft bread was served very warm and fresh, with roasted sweet garlic cloves, delicious chimchurri and herbed butter. I had to force myself to stop.
Service here was also always impeccable. But, as I’ve said, very pricey. Expect to spend about $100 per person here.
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