Yao Rooftop Bar & Restaurant
Thirty-two floors above Surawong, Yao runs an open-air 360-degree bar on the roof of the Marriott Surawongse, with the Chao Phraya and the Old Town on one side and the Sathorn towers on the other.
Why go
BK Magazine maps the panorama across "the Chao Phraya river, the historic Old Town and Bangkok's glittering high rises," which makes it the rare rooftop that shows you both cities at once. The room below is a Cantonese restaurant, and the bar trades on that kitchen: dim sum comes up to the roof, and the decor works a chang sip moo theme, the Thai ten-craft guild tradition, rendered with carved screens and Chinese ceramics in a Shanghainese register. The drinks follow the same map. Butterfly pea flower dyes the Shanghai, The City Upon the Sea (B298) deep purple, and the Chinese Highball (B328) runs mango over bourbon.
Order this / avoid
- Order: the Chinese Highball, which BK Magazine calls
punchy and potent,
and a round of dim sum from the Yao kitchen, the pairing Time Out Bangkok singles the place out for. The Sweet Little Jade (B428) blends Midori, kiwi, lime, vodka and prosecco if you want the green one for the skyline photo. - Avoid: planning a late nightcap around it. Time Out lists a midnight close, rooftop guides say 1am, and the venue's own site would not load to settle it. Confirm the night of.
What locals & experts say
- BK Magazine:
Chinese-influenced cocktails come in stunning colors,
with the drinks offeringexciting twists on the usuals.
1 - Time Out Bangkok (4/5): recommends the dim sum crossover, the small bites
best enjoyed at Yao Rooftop Bar
alongsidedelectable Chinese fare
and the 360-degree view.2
Good to know
- Timing: opens 5pm daily. Closing time is disputed across listings (midnight vs 1am), so treat it as a sunset and early-evening room.
- Booking: reservable via the hotel's SevenRooms experiences page, or phone 0 2088 5666 (Time Out). Casual dress is fine per listings; the hotel publishes no strict code.
- From base: a 3-minute walk from the voco Surawong. The trip plan books it tonight at 18:10 for one drink, with a hard 18:40 leave for Haawm; the east-facing view covers the exact direction of that drive.
Verdict
could-visit — A 360-degree open-air terrace with the river and Old Town on one side and the towers on the other, three minutes from the trip's base, with drinks that are colorful rather than decorated. The view and the convenience earn the stop; nobody crosses town for the cocktail list. If it's on your way at sunset, go.