I'm writing this post at the risk of exposing one of my favourite little hideaways, where I regularly sip on some cheap beer with close friends, sing along to terrible 90's songs, order the same three dishes over and over again (they are that good), and eventually stumble home after getting one too many "crazy-falang" looks from the waiters. The place is called Rod Sabieng Restaurant, which sits unobtrusively opposite the train station, and offers great, affordable Thai food until late at night - but enough of that. The important thing is, this is my local beer buffet, and nobody seems to know about but me (the fact that almost nothing related comes up in a Google search should tell you enough).

The beer buffet has been around as long as I've lived here (going on 16 months) which says a lot for Rod Sabieng, as most beer buffets in the city seem to quench the bar owners' thirst for money within a few weeks, and leave plenty of people wondering where to drink without breaking their budgets. However, there have been a few changes over the last few months, with the new alcohol tax in Thailand bringing the price up to ฿139 when it used to be cheaper. But who's complaining at that price, right? Also, they don't leave the jug of beer at your table like they used to, but instead bring it round when they feel like filling it up (I suspect we might have had something to do with this new rule - whoops).

The food is consistently good, and after a few meat-mishaps in the early days, the staff now understand that I'm the difficult one who sends back pork-filled Vietnamese spring rolls which I had asked to be vegetarian. Make sure the staff know what you're on about as they are all very willing to put up with any requests, especially strange ones after you've had too much beer. They also have a great stock of mushrooms and tofu, so veg-versions of most dishes will be bulked up and filling, if you know how to ask for it!

Rod Sabieng Breakdown:

Drinks:	Cheap! Chang Draft buffet every single night, from 5 pm til 8pm, for ฿139 per person. Other drinks available, ranging from large Leo beers for ฿70 to a small bottle of Sangsom for ฿179. Not bad at all!
Food:	Pretty much everything myself or my friends have eaten at Rod Sabieng have received positive mmm's and oooh's. The food is solidly and authentically Thai, packed with strange ingredients and way too much chilli (just how I like it). - The majority of the menu's dishes range between ฿69 - ฿99 a plate. - The fried fish dishes are more expensive at around ฿179 or so, each. - Dishes with snapper fish are the most expensive at ฿249. - Surprisingly, the international food section of the menu is not more expensive than the Thai section, with a burger being a reasonable ฿80.- There are some great bargain dishes, including Pad Thai, Khao Soi and Sukiyaki, for ฿45 - ฿55 each, and fried rice dishes for ฿49.
Pros:	- Atmosphere. The simple wooden chairs amidst hanging plants and dim lights are a great way to spend an evening unwinding. - Service is good from most of the staff, although it was better before when you could fill up your own glasses. - The bathrooms have recently been renovated, and look fancier than ever. - Music. Most of the time, sing-along tunes come from the big box speakers dotted around the restaurant - think Eric Clapton's Tears in Heaven, The Eagles' Hotel California, and Celine Dion's My Heart Will Go On. So bad they are good, with the occasional Avril Lavigne or Robbie Williams thrown in to make it even worse (ie: better). Usually, you can expect great live music from a guitarist or pianist when it gets a bit later. - Food. The food is a great introduction to typical Thai fare done well. My carnivorous friends rant and rave about the Neua Tied Tieaw (sesame sun-dried beef fried with crispy lime leaves), while we all collectively rave about the Pak Boong Tord (deep-fried morning glory salad, with an unbeatable sauce filled with chillies, coriander, peanuts and shredded carrot). Special mention goes to all the Thai spicy salads on the menu - they never disappoint with their spiciness. In fact, they make you cry. - Location. Great for me! It's right near my place, which could be a bad thing, actually...
Cons:	- Location.  There aren't really any nearby bars or places to hang out after the beer buffet, which is why it's just really for some dinner and beers with friends. - Service. The beer jug is no longer left at your table, but now filled up irregularly by whoever decides to saunter over. Personally, I don't enjoy or see the need for you to be interacting with staff more than a few times in an evening, which is a downfall for Rod Sabieng. You have to constantly draw attention to yourself, and even when you ring the bell provided, they are reluctant to rush over. Also, there are two or three waitresses with bad attitudes who seem to seethe at the idea of bringing over a mosquito coil or ashtray, leaving the task for a good fifteen minutes every time. (Unfortunately, you do come across this behaviour in many different places in Thailand - I tend to chalk it down to their own personal problems or depression, and try not blame myself.) - Mosquitoes. As usual (this is Thailand, people).

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Khao Soy and beer - perfect combo!

Here I'll tell you all about one of my favourite bars in Chiang Mai - Neighborhood. It's more up-scale than the lovable Bus Bar, and right in the middle of the action on Nimmanheiman Soi 17, but it's also a great place to unwind and sip on some fancy German beer for a reasonable price. There's a regular band comprised of a very talented guitarist and a lovely singer, who like to belt out Michael Bublé and Dido covers after singing their whimsical rendition of Happy Birthday (of course). The atmosphere is one that I crave on a regular basis - not too hectic, not too mellow, not pretentious, but not totally scruffy either. Neighborhood has a lot going for it, and feels like a much more established bar in the area, despite only being around for 3 years.

Neighborhood Bar Breakdown:

Drinks:	There are numerous specials at any given time, although many of them are before 9pm (which is why this is a good bar for pre-drinks). There are also plenty of imported beers for great prices and in all sizes, from small glasses to enormous jugs. There is also another menu just for cocktails, and of course, the usual spirits are also available.
Food:	The food at Neighborhood is authentically Thai, which is great, although there are few vegetarian options. But there are also food carts that hang around the area, as well as the wandering hawkers selling snack foods like quail's eggs and nuts. - The prices of individual dishes start at a cheap ฿59 for a simple dish of stir-fried vegetables. - Seafood dishes begin at ฿150 for squid and shrimp, and end up at around ฿249 for bass or red tilapia. - The menu is endless and includes plenty of local favourites, such as a number of famous Thai soups and spicy salads. - There are also a few Western snacks like French Fries for ฿89, and they recently added another page to the menu, filled with deep-fried chicken wings, onion rings, and other fatty farang favourites (I joke). I'd like to give special mention to Neighborhood's Yum Kai Dao (a spicy Thai salad made up of chopped fried egg, coriander, onions, garlic, lime, tomatoes, chillies) – it is the spiciest one I've had in Chiang Mai, and by far the most delicious. Try it if you dare!
Pros:	- Atmosphere is relaxed with upbeat live music. - The level of noise is perfect inside and outside, that allows for lots of conversation. - A simple, open layout that allows waiters to be able to see you at all times. - The service is always attentive and friendly even though the waiters mostly don't speak English. - Classy décor with a stylish, wooden interior. - A refreshingly mixed crowd of young and old, with a more “upmarket” style compared to other casual bars. - Plenty of outdoor seating for smokers. - Great drinks specials and lots of fancy beers – this is a big attraction compared to our local drinking spots. - The bathrooms are clean and functional. Yes! - No mosquitoes! Ever. - It should also be said that Neighborhood is in a fantastic area, full of places to get great food, go clubbing, or just to move on somewhere else for more drinks.
Cons:	- Food is on the expensive side, and the dishes might feel a bit overwhelming for people not used to proper Thai food. - Sometimes, it can be difficult to communicate with the waiters because of the language barrier. - Food carts selling intestines and other grisly bits like to park right in front of the place, probably just to make me queasy. Although, that's not really Neighborhood's fault! - Hence, there are not enough cons about Neighborhood, really. It's one of my favourite bars in Chiang Mai.

Some of the outdoor area.

There is an unassuming little bar that is nestled between the Iron Bridge, the Ping River and a high-rise hotel building. Bus Bar is an outdoor place with soft lighting, cheap drinks, and nostalgic 90's music. The atmosphere encourages long conversations with friends while watching tourists ride their bicycles across the bridge, or the groups of Thai students chatting, eating takeaways and taking photos of each other. The view of the river by night calls for photo-taking, as do the massive lights from the bridge which constantly drift from pink to blue to green to purple. And did I mention the bar itself is an old red bus? That's another reason to spend a relaxing evening at this little gem of a place.

Bus Bar Breakdown:

Drinks:	All the drinks at Bus Bar are well-priced. You can expect large beers to start at ฿70 for Chang Draft, and ฿75 for Leos. Buckets of ice are ฿20.
Food:	The food ranges between ฿50 - ฿100 per dish, and is typical Thai fare with plenty of seafood dishes thrown in. The usual dishes are authentically spicy, which is a welcome change from the dulled-down-for-foreigners food you find at many Thai bars or nightclubs.
Pros:	- Excellent ambiance. The coloured lighting in the area is beautiful, and it's hard to keep from zoning out at the views of the calm river and night-scenes on the bridge. - Service is laidback and not bothersome at all. It's nice to be in control of your table for once, and feels more intimate when you get to pour your own drinks at your own pace. - The bathrooms are clean and functional. - Location. Sometimes you just don't feel like going to the other side of the city for drinks. It's close to the river and the old city, but at the same time it's tucked away from the tourists and bustle. - Music. At times it can be on the cheesy side, but at other times you and your Western friends will be crooning along to old school tunes you haven't heard in ages. It's also a great opportunity for your Thai friends to make fun of you and question your music taste. - Mix of people. Some nights will oddly feature more falangs than other nights, when there might only be a few other tables with Thai couples or a few friends sharing food and drinks, like we usually do.
Cons:	- The location. If it rains, Bus Bar is a very unpleasant place to be. Also on the more chilly nights it can feel a bit miserable shivering at a metal table next to the river. - No drinks specials or promotions.  - Mosquitoes. Lots of them! However, the staff do provide mosquito coils.

Bus Bar, facing the Iron Bridge.