Pattaya Go-go bars, beer bars & restaurants (News closures and Updates)

[fforest]

Well Mr Egg has been pretty successful turning views into drinks, but the rest of the vloggers/ bar owners seem to have not done quite as good with this....                                                                                                                                                                                               

 

 

Edited April 24, 2022 by fforest

[Mr. Smooth]

57 minutes ago, fforest said:

Well Mr Egg has been pretty successful turning views into drinks, but the rest of the vloggers/ bar owners seem to have not done quite as good with this....                                                                                                                                                                                               

 

 

Egg had already developed that customer base from his days managing other bars so when he was ready to make the move to run his own place, his built-in following had no problem migrating over to the new spot and turning his bar from what at first might have been a place to stop in for one or two, into a destination type of place.

Plus, when you get down to brass tax, Phil is just a good, decent man. And we all want a guy like that to succeed.

Buzz is still at that developing stage I think. Will take time but eventually hope he can make a decent go of it.

 

[Butch]

22 hours ago, Derek Dangleberries said:

Many Many years ago (97ish?) I took a girl to the rotating restaurant at the top of the tower in Pattaya Park.

At the time it was a buffet at the centre. We got up together to choose our scoff but when I sat down to tell her what I was going to do to her later that night I looked up to see a group of shocked faces!!!

The seating had slowly rotated and my girl was a few tables away laughing at me !!!

 

🤣🤣🤣

Edited April 24, 2022 by Butch

[maipenrai]

I just found out today on FB that Hemingways has opened a second Pattaya location in the old Retox premises on Soi Honey - good to see this location being occupied again, I was in there quite often on my last trip. 

[Painter]

17 hours ago, maipenrai said:

I just found out today on FB that Hemingways has opened a second Pattaya location in the old Retox premises on Soi Honey - good to see this location being occupied again, I was in there quite often on my last trip. 

from a grumpy non member 

[fforest]

On 4/25/2022 at 1:19 PM, Painter said:

from a grumpy non member 

So I guess the Retox brand is dead now......At one point it looked like the Rexo brand was going to be huge.....

[Glasseye]

On 4/24/2022 at 9:14 AM, maipenrai said:

I just found out today on FB that Hemingways has opened a second Pattaya location in the old Retox premises on Soi Honey - good to see this location being occupied again, I was in there quite often on my last trip. 

 

I hope they fix the leaky AC units in the booths next to the windows... they had a smoking hot waitress in there though a few years back.

[forcebwithu]

Golden Time under new ownership.

https://www.facebook.com/goldentimepattaya/posts/597922618342393

[john luke]

A few oldies from Secrets under the name of Scooters at Secrets.

 

[Yesitisdakid]

If it did not have such piss poor management in the last few years it could easily have survived. The promotion basically stopped and that's all that kept it going and got it going when it originally opened.

[Evil Penevil]

2 hours ago, Yesitisdakid said:

If it did not have such piss poor management in the last few years it could easily have survived. The promotion basically stopped and that's all that kept it going and got it going when it originally opened.

Definitely, 100%.  Even when the bar was sold, it could have survived, especially when the Scooters guys took over.  But that didn't happen.  First Ben, then the subsequent owners, abandoned the "formula" that had made Secrets successful.  An uninviting atmosphere coupled with no promotion of any kind guaranteed the bar's failure.

I remember my initial visit to Secrets after it was sold the first time.  I went with a U.S. friend who came to Pattaya a couple of times a year for two weeks each time.  He had been a big fan of the old Secrets and had spent many an afternoon and night there. He was one of the "stereotyped" Secrets customers:  an older male on a short visit to Pattaya with plenty of cash in his pocket. 

When we stepped in that evening, we were hit by ear-splitting hip hop music that made conversation impossible.  He asked the young man who was apparently the manager if the music volume could be turned down.  He said no, so we left without even ordering one beer.  We had planned on having dinner and buying a few drinks for the ladies.  My friend stepped into Secrets several more times on other nights, but did U-turns because of the music.

If the target customer group had been younger African-Americans or even younger Thais, that music at that volume might have appropriate.  But for older (predominately white) farang, it was a disaster.  

It also puzzled me as to why the Secrets' forum wasn't sold.  As I understand it, there were several serious offers on the table.  The forum in its deteriorated state may not have carried much of a price, but something, anything,  has to be better than nothing.  It could even have stopped functioning as an active board and been preserved as a searchable archive site.  

Evil

[fforest]

5 hours ago, Evil Penevil said:

Definitely, 100%.  Even when the bar was sold, it could have survived, especially when the Scooters guys took over.  But that didn't happen.  First Ben, then the subsequent owners, abandoned the "formula" that had made Secrets successful.  An uninviting atmosphere coupled with no promotion of any kind guaranteed the bar's failure.

I remember my initial visit to Secrets after it was sold the first time.  I went with a U.S. friend who came to Pattaya a couple of times a year for two weeks each time.  He had been a big fan of the old Secrets and had spent many an afternoon and night there. He was one of the "stereotyped" Secrets customers:  an older male on a short visit to Pattaya with plenty of cash in his pocket. 

When we stepped in that evening, we were hit by ear-splitting hip hop music that made conversation impossible.  He asked the young man who was apparently the manager if the music volume could be turned down.  He said no, so we left without even ordering one beer.  We had planned on having dinner and buying a few drinks for the ladies.  My friend stepped into Secrets several more times on other nights, but did U-turns because of the music.

If the target customer group had been younger African-Americans or even younger Thais, that music at that volume might have appropriate.  But for older (predominately white) farang, it was a disaster.  

It also puzzled me as to why the Secrets' forum wasn't sold.  As I understand it, there were several serious offers on the table.  The forum in its deteriorated state may not have carried much of a price, but something, anything,  has to be better than nothing. as a searchable archive site.  

Evil

It could even have stopped functioning as an active board and been preserved

 

Preserved ??.....The forum was destroyed on purpose by Ben....He did his best to make sure it was not preserved (by anyone)....Why did he even ask Larry to return all his photos? Weird.......

Sure there were technical issues but they were not the main problem.... 

[Yesitisdakid]

1 hour ago, fforest said:

Why did he even ask Larry to return all his photos?

He did not ask but rather some one I was led to believe that he asked to approach me about them

6 hours ago, Evil Penevil said:

Even when the bar was sold, it could have survived, especially when the Scooters guys took over.  But that didn't happen. 

Before Paul the new owner sold to Scooters or partnered with Scooters I met with him regarding making a come  back a meeting Jambo arranged and I just could see the writing on the wall and thought better of it. Jambo did all he could but the failure to continue to support promotion of the forum by the others in a correct way was the last straw. Never envied Jambo He as did I loved and worked hard to make Secrets a success. 

[Glasseye]

16 hours ago, Yesitisdakid said:

He did not ask but rather some one I was led to believe that he asked to approach me about them

Before Paul the new owner sold to Scooters or partnered with Scooters I met with him regarding making a come  back a meeting Jambo arranged and I just could see the writing on the wall and thought better of it. Jambo did all he could but the failure to continue to support promotion of the forum by the others in a correct way was the last straw. Never envied Jambo He as did I loved and worked hard to make Secrets a success. 

 

How many years has it been now ?

 

I didn't have many nights in the bar. That was more of a timing thing than anything.  But sure loved the forum for a long time (as I also enjoy this one very much).

 

Sure did have some great times in Babydolls though. Miss that place big time.

 

 

[Mr. Smooth]

23 hours ago, fforest said:

It could even have stopped functioning as an active board and been preserved

 

Preserved ??.....The forum was destroyed on purpose by Ben....He did his best to make sure it was not preserved (by anyone)....Why did he even ask Larry to return all his photos? Weird.......

Sure there were technical issues but they were not the main problem.... 

I belong to a Phnom Penh FB group that focuses on the local nightlife in and around the area and when Secrets PP had first opened, for a year or so, the goings on there, featuring photos from inside the bar, the live bands, the promotions....were featured prominently.

But even before Covid shut down everything, there was less and less Secrets news, and since things have reopened and the nightlife has sprung back, I've yet to see anything about it. Just wonder if that is a choice by Ben? You would think by promoting a nightlife area where major bar activity is going on, to include your own establishment, you are indirectly promoting your place as well, but WTF do I know?

Maybe all their pics, updates and promos are dedicated to their own FB site?

[Glasseye]

21 minutes ago, Mr. Smooth said:

I belong to a Phnom Penh FB group that focuses on the local nightlife in and around the area and when Secrets PP had first opened, for a year or so, the goings on there, featuring photos from inside the bar, the live bands, the promotions....were featured prominently.

But even before Covid shut down everything, there was less and less Secrets news, and since things have reopened and the nightlife has sprung back, I've yet to see anything about it. Just wonder if that is a choice by Ben? You would think by promoting a nightlife area where major bar activity is going on, to include your own establishment, you are indirectly promoting your place as well, but WTF do I know?

Maybe all their pics, updates and promos are dedicated to their own FB site?

 

 

 

[Yesitisdakid]

5 hours ago, Mr. Smooth said:

. Just wonder if that is a choice by Ben?

If so a dumb one. Look what happened to Secrets when their owners and management decided the degree of promotion that got it where it was was no longer needed. Clueless

[fforest]

5 hours ago, Mr. Smooth said:

I belong to a Phnom Penh FB group that focuses on the local nightlife in and around the area and when Secrets PP had first opened, for a year or so, the goings on there, featuring photos from inside the bar, the live bands, the promotions....were featured prominently.

But even before Covid shut down everything, there was less and less Secrets news, and since things have reopened and the nightlife has sprung back, I've yet to see anything about it. Just wonder if that is a choice by Ben? You would think by promoting a nightlife area where major bar activity is going on, to include your own establishment, you are indirectly promoting your place as well, but WTF do I know?

Maybe all their pics, updates and promos are dedicated to their own FB site?

Well Secrets started posting again on their facebook page after not posting much for ages...

https://www.facebook.com/Secrets.Cambodia/

 

But their website is still down....Its been down for a very long time..

http://www.secretscambodia.com/cgi-sys/defaultwebpage.cgi

[Derek Dangleberries]

What are the current entry requirements for bars/restaurants? I don't mean legal requirements but those actually being implemented ??

Specifically PBG or the place that took over from Chunky Monkey..... or similar??

[gs joe]

What are the current closing times of bars and restaurants ? 
 

 

[Butch]

I think listing the bars which have survived this covid crap will be like the scene in Zulu when Colour Sgt Bourne is ticking the names off the register...😢

[Glasseye]

I remember looking out on Pattaya Bay in the early days of covid from my perch in VT6.... not seeing a single boat in the water.    Over two years late.... maybe things are finally changing.     Hooo Rayyy !

 

 

[Glasseye]

 

[hugh cow]

I remember in 2019 looking for a bar with a friend of mine in Pattaya. It was low season and many bars had few customers. We walked dow soi 6 and ended up at the corner bar. We had one drink at a few others but left when our ears started to bleed from the music. I often wondered why so many bars had blaring music. Maybe I'mjust getting old but Ilike one where a mate and I can hear each other.

[forcebwithu]

16 minutes ago, hugh cow said:

I remember in 2019 looking for a bar with a friend of mine in Pattaya. It was low season and many bars had few customers. We walked dow soi 6 and ended up at the corner bar. We had one drink at a few others but left when our ears started to bleed from the music. I often wondered why so many bars had blaring music. Maybe I'mjust getting old but Ilike one where a mate and I can hear each other.

Not just the volume, but the noise they pump out they equate to music.

As if volume and poor music selection isn't enough, we now have to deal with vloggers pointing their cameras into bars, and worse, the owners that allow them in bars in the mistaken belief the publicity these low lives might generate will make up for the customers they loose because they don't want to be on social media.