The bars. The clubs. The DJs. The dives. Bangkok nightlife is diverse, and each corner of the city deserves to be recognised.
On November 18, 2026, Time Out Bangkok will launch the first ever Time Out Bangkok Nightlife Awards – a celebration of the people, venues and experiences that make the city come alive after dark. And where better to do it than Hua Lamphong Railway Station?
But this is no simple bar awards. We’re purposefully casting a wide net to capture Bangkok’s most iconic communities for an unforgettable evening of awards, music, drinks, DJs and live entertainment – and citizens of Bangkok are invited.
In the run-up to November 18, a crack team of independent judges will be heading out across Bangkok to find and celebrate the very best of the city after dark.
From internationally renowned cocktail bars and huge nightclubs to tiny neighbourhood drinking spots, dive bars, jazz clubs, vinyl bars, rooftops, live music venues and the places feeding Bangkok when everyone else has gone to bed, we want these awards to represent nightlife as Bangkok actually experiences it.
And, importantly, we want the recognition to be earned.
Time Out has been helping people discover the best things to do in cities around the world for 58 years. Restaurants, bars, nightlife, music, theatre, art, trends, culture, people and events are what we do – and now we’re putting Bangkok’s after-dark scene centre stage.
The Time Out Bangkok Nightlife Awards 2026 will recognise the venues, individuals and experiences that make a genuine and notable contribution to the city’s nightlife scene.
Did you hear that Bangkok was voted the #1 city for nightlife in the world?
Great nightlife means so much to us, and the city is throbbing with things to do. This means we don’t only look at world-class cocktails bars, hotel rooftops and iconic city clubs, but we identify people who make it so spectacular – the bartenders, the bands, the DJs, the people – as well as those iconic dive bars, sound-insulated listening spaces, late-night eats on the roadside and (lest we forget) the places that do nightlife without a drop of alcohol too.
Whether it’s a packed dancefloor at 1am, a brilliant bartender, a tiny bar with an obsessive record collection or a house band you didn’t expect to stay so late for – we visit, review and recognise the best Bangkok has to offer.
Meet our official ticketing partner: Nightify
We’re teaming up with Nightify as the official ticketing partner for the Time Out Bangkok Nightlife Awards 2026.
Nightify will be your gateway to the big night, handling ticketing for the event as well as Guaranteed Venue Reviews for bars and venues looking to get on our judges’ radar.
Whether you’re joining the party at Hua Lamphong Railway Station or want to make sure your venue gets its chance to impress, you’ll be able to secure your place through Nightify.
What awards are up for grabs?
The inaugural awards ceremony will span Bangkok’s nightlife scene, recognising venues and the people behind them.
With so much on offer, our 30 categories aim to capture as much as we can in one night, from the city’s best bars and clubs, to new openings, dive bars, hidden venues, live music musts and those doing something amazing with beer, wine and cocktails.
We’ll also be looking beyond the venues themselves, recognising the best DJs, house bands and creative mixologists who give Bangkok nightlife its world-renowned personality.
And let’s not forget the food. This is a city that never sleeps, after all – and some of Bangkok’s best eating happens long after dark.
Each category will be shortlisted to 5 nominees, all of whom will be invited to the Nightlife Awards. The winners will be kept strictly under wraps until the night itself, when each award will be revealed live on stage.