The Tavern Pub On Sukhumvit Soi 4, Bangkok Thailand

The Tavern
When you walk in the door and enter the Tavern, you immediately feel as if you are in America. Their slogan is: "A small slice of The States in old Siam". If this was the goal then they have certainly succeeded. As a Canadian, I am quite familiar with American culture, and I have spent a lot of time travelling through The States, and I can assure you that The Tavern has an authentic American atmosphere. The inside of the pub is decorated with a variety of license plates from Canada and The States, as well as posters and jerseys of American sports teams. The customers are mainly American or Canadian, with only a few Europeans being brave enough to enter. I would think that a visit to The Tavern would be a wonderful learning experience for any European tourist that has never been to The States, spend a few hrs in The Tavern and you will have a much better Idea of what America is like.

The Owner
The Tavern is owned and operated by Scott, an American expat that previously owned a bar in Cambodia. Scott is a professional publican, his attention to detail is second to none. Scott is a big man with a giant beer gut and long hair in a ponytail. He drinks beer like it is going out of style, and often chases back the beer with a shot of hard stuff, yet he never seems to get drunk. Scott seems to always be in full control, managing his staff and his customers with due care attention, which is likely why his pub has been so successful. Scott is a friendly sort of character and an expert conversationalist, however he doesn't tolerate any nonsense from customers that irritate him.

Location
The Tavern is located on Sukhumvit Soi 4, just down the street from Nana Plaza on the same side of the road. The sign attached to the corner of the building reads "Scott St.", this was donated by a customer, and is not the actual name of the small alley. The address is 21/19 Sukhumvit Soi 4, Wattana 10110, Bangkok Thailand. To get to The Tavern by taxi, you simply instruct the driver to go to Soi 4 (Nana Plaza) and then have him continue a block down the street, the pub will be on the left hand side.

The Food
The Tavern opens every morning at 7AM sharp, and they serve an excellent American breakfast, English breakfast and even a pretty good omelet. The coffee at The Tavern is the typical American style filter coffee, with a bottomless cup. The Tavern has the best burgers in Bangkok, I am certain of that. They serve a proper greasy burger with bacon and cheese and they even have real fresh cut french fries made from real potato, not the frozen crap you get everywhere else. Other favourites include steaks, Buffalo wings and Texas style chili homemade from fresh ground beef, beans, onions and imported spices and is served with Tabasco and Wolf Sauce on the side for those who like it on fire! All the food at The Tavern tastes as authentic as if it were in America.

Live Sports
The Tavern is a favourite spot for local American expats to watch MLB,NBA,NFL and NHL games live on TV. They show all the NFL playoff games even late night and early morning games. Every year they host a Super Bowl party that has a sellout crowd. Scott often asks his customers to buy tickets for big games and events in advance, due to limited seating in the pub. Normally the price of the tickets is used as a credit for food and drink, simply ensuring that seats are filled with paying customers that intend to watch the game as apposed to people who are taking up seats and have no interest.

The Staff
The Owner (Scott) has done an excellent job training his staff, the service at The Tavern is way above average for a restaurant or pub in Thailand. The girls are very friendly and helpful, none more than Scott's girlfriend (Meaw). The staff are always friendly and willing to have a chat, however they do not hassle customers to buy them drinks. There are no "bar girls" at The Tavern, like you are likely to find at any other establishment on Soi 4, but this doesn't mean that the waitresses won't be interested in going out for a drink after their shift ends.