LonelyPiano Posted October 28, 2023 Share Posted October 28, 2023 (edited) Hello, back to Jomtien + Pattaya as a tourist after 1 year. I wanted to ask you what's new in Jomtien + Pattaya in these categories: live music, esp. Thai style live music, not plain rock restaurants, esp. Thai and Italian, not grill, not posh, not in heavy tourist areas like Walking Street or Soi Buakhao coffee shops standing out for ambience or quality attractions natural, historical transport with Bolt + Grab + Baht Bus traditional massage I don't need updates about girlie bars, agogos, soapy massage, fine dining, discos, gin tonic. About live music: I very much like Thai live music restaurants like Kon La Fun, Sin Lapin Isaan. From Google Maps I understand they are still operational? Any others come to your mind? Occasionally I like to watch live bands on Walking Street in Stones House, Candy Shop, Muzzik Café (but not live rock in girlie bars). And it seems that lukthung place Zac (?) at the very NE start of Walking Street ((roughly opposite Stones House)) has still not come back. – Also in the Jomtien hinterland, there was the Thai music hall Ban Morlam (roughly near Rom Pho Café, Rom Pho Barbecue Buffet, inland from Rom Pho entertainment complex), but it also seems gone forever? - Also Samran Pub on Pattaya 3rd Rd is no more? Thanks for all updates! Edited October 28, 2023 by LonelyPiano 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butch Posted October 28, 2023 Share Posted October 28, 2023 Hi, Zab on Walking Street has gone for good as far as I know. Walking Street has only the Stones House and the place further down the street near Ibar for decent live music nowadays. stones house gets very very busy as well. The live band in rolling Live on Soi 8 are underrated IMHO. The young Thai guy is a great singer and good lead guitarist. He seems to be held back a bit by the rest of the band however. (only personal opinion). Samran pub on 3rd road was owned and run by a friend of mine. That is if you're on about the place that was next to the large Seafood restaurant. It closed down several years ago as the owner had a very good offer for the venue to sell it. It's now a high capacity Chinese tourist venue. There are a few places along 3rd road for live music, plus a decent couple of Thai orientated clubs on 3rd Rd opposite Soi Xzyte. Not been in though. for transport, BOLT is most definitely the way forward if you need a Car. I've used it extensively and the cars have always been clean, good, cheap and reliable. Motorbikes on BOLT are hit and miss, I've had the pleasure of being on the back of a female who was apparently taught to ride by Ron Haslam. Grab is ok for food orders I think. Italian, Trattoria Toscana has declined quite a bit, not impressed at all last visit. Also the small Italian place that was up in Naklua just off the main road near the roundabout (can't recall the name ) has gone. The latest "hot spot" is Hops beer house on the corner of Soi Yamato (been there since the dawn of time). Really good wood fired Pizza, lovely crispy pork hock and in house brewed lagers / beers. Very popular with locals and Thais from BKK. Get in before 1800 at the weekend for any chance of a seat. I have also found a small independent run of the mill Thai restaurant on the Darkside on Khao Noi, run by a mother and daughter. It is a typical plastic chair, plastic table place but the food is simply bloody exceptional. I've had a few grab orders from there (not sure if they do anymore). I was introduced to it by a Thai girl who ordered a grab. I was expecting the usual spicy concoction but I was pleasantly surprised. I'll update later with the details if you're interested. Dirt cheap as well. The family also own a noodle stand outside The Avenue which does some good business. I've found that coffee shops are hit and miss. I can't recommend any in particular, but I can urge you to avoid Starbucks in Central Festival, dirty, poor service and below par. 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LonelyPiano Posted October 28, 2023 Author Share Posted October 28, 2023 (edited) Butch, thanks for good detailed info to the point! Of Rolling Live 3 in soi 8 I managed to see some videos. I guess I mean the Samran Pub on 3rd road you talk about (it was huge, and the owner was a westerner walking around the tables with a lovely Thai wife). The other music clubs you mention on 3rd road and Soi Xzyte I just worry they are what Thais call "90s music" – aggressive pop-rock, intended to be noisy, I am too old for that. I need lukthung/morlam and Carabao style (not folkie). Interesting that Hops on Beach Road is a hotspot now? Been going there for ages, when it was still called "Hopf". Agree about the good pizza (while all the Thais in there tuck into pork knuckles). Also love their home brew. The live band was too soapy in late 2022 – earlier they used to have an almost operatic Italian singer who may be gone by now. I searched "Khao Noi" on Google Maps – supposedly a "mountain summit" yes, in Pattaya's Dark Side. This would be very out of the way for me, even though Bolt + Grab make it easy now. Yes, thx for offering, please give details, also by PM if you prefer. If at all, i would go there, not order in. Don't worry, I won't visit Starbucks. Even I know much better places for ambience and taste. Edited October 28, 2023 by LonelyPiano 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butch Posted October 28, 2023 Share Posted October 28, 2023 (edited) Hi thanks for the reply, Yes, Samran was owned by a Western guy and his wife, both personal friends of mine for many years (still). Big venue, I've got photo's of it pre refurb and also post refurb. The owner was offered a substantial sum to sell up and bailed out. It wasn't open for very long, maybe 2 years at the most. Hops (Hopf) same place - still have a solo singer, but the music is overbearingly loud unless you're in the upstairs area. food is of very good quality though, they have definitely "upped their game". Pizzas have improved in quality exponentially recently, and as good as anything I've found outside the marble mountains of Carrera or Marina di Massa. The small resto on Khao Noi is only worth a visit if you're in the area. We all develop our individual taste for Thai food as time goes on, but I have to admit, at first I thought it was a fluke, but the consistent quality of the food was , to me, exceptional. I'm not the most discerning of critics, but as far as genuine home cooked quality of Thai food goes, this makes some of the so called "Hi So" resto's look like absolute rank amateurs. Mother been a chef for 30+ years and daughter indentured into the business. IMHO with an equation like that you can't really go wrong. Everything cooked to order, nothing is batch cooked either. I'll grab the specific address and contact number for you.** ** any other BM's I'll provide the same. Sorry I can't help re music, our tastes differ quite a bit ! Edited October 28, 2023 by Butch 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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