Bangkok: A night out at Above Eleven

Bangkok really knows how to rooftop and one of the hottest places right now for drinks with a view is Above Eleven down Sukhumvit Soi 11. It was Annie, who told me about this place, and I cannot thank her enough, as this is my new sky-high favorite in Bangkok.

Above Eleven is also a restaurant and the menu is Peruvian/Japanese. I’ve never really understood why you would want to mix two cuisines instead of trying to excel at one, but this evening it actually made sense, at least for our part. AC isn’t a big fan of sushi, which was the primary draw on the Japanese menu, but it didn’t matter, as we had a menu full of Peruvian dishes to turn to instead.

We ordered cocktails, edamame and a selection of small plates to share. The food didn’t leave mush of an impression, except for the ceviche, which was insanely good, and which we would have ordered another one of, if it hadn’t been so pricey and if our table hadn’t been full of other Peruvian dishes already.

I’m not sure whether it’s still on the menu, because as I checked Above Eleven’s website yesterday, I couldn’t find it in the menu section, but you can always show them the image from my blog and ask if it’s still available. 

The view from Above Eleven is stunning so it took a lot of strength not to go completely berserk with our cameras. Not that you weren’t allowed, but Above Eleven isn’t Skybar (i.e. a tourist trap with overpriced drinks) but a cool place for locals and expats, and we didn’t want to be the tacky tourists killing the vibe.

Above Eleven is one of the hottest rooftop bars right now in Bangkok. Considering the location down touristy Sukhumvit Soi 11, the crowd at Above 11 is surprisingly un-touristy, consisting mostly of the city’s in-crowd of well-heeled Thais and YP expats. You’re 33 floors up in the sky, so expect to spend the first couple of minutes ooh-ing and aaah-ing over the beautiful, panoramic views of the city.

In addition to a nice selection of playful, fruity cocktails and wine by the glass or by the bottle, Above Eleven also serves food from a well-assorted Japanese/Peruvian menu. I’ve only tried a selection of the Peruvian dishes and they were good, but a bit pricey. However, I’m not sure whether Above Eleven had recently changed their menu, or whether the menu on the website just isn’t updated, as I can’t find the Peruvian small dishes anymore, which we ordered, when I was there.

While the food at Above Eleven is a bit steep, the drinks are very reasonably priced compared to other, similar rooftop spots, with most cocktails priced around 300THB. Above Eleven is a perfect place to start an evening out at Soi 11, but I warn you: Most other places down this popular party street will appear rather bland compared to Above Eleven, and you might end up regretting that you didn’t just stay there the entire evening.

• Don’t leave without visiting the restrooms. You get there by walking through a grass-clad maze and the view is easily one of the best restrooms views in town.

• The entrance is on the side of the building, but there are signs, so you won’t get lost.

• A table reservation is essential on weekends.

Above Eleven, Fraser Suites Sukhumvit 33F, Sukhumvit Soi 11, Bangkok, Nearest BTS: Nana