This is the first of a 3-part series covering the best burgers in relation to Bangkok’s 3 red light districts, listed not by best to worst, but by their proximity to the RLD. The photos are of the actual burgers I ate. Each will be rated on a scale from 1 to 10. Here’s the first list—the best burgers in geographical relation to Patpong:
- Paddy Field. Distance from the RLD: 0 km. Nestled smack in the middle of Soi 2 between Foodland and the French restaurant is this emerald gem of an Irish bar, and that makes their burger the closest. They’ve got a full menu of Europub fare and another full menu of UK-style Chinese food, all of which is tasty. But we’re focusing on their Murphy’s burger (295b) at the moment, so let’s do that. It’s good. It’s big, cooked to order, and comes with bacon. Thick patty, lots of cheese, soft welcoming bun. Fries are included. Plus happy hour prices on draft beers and either classic Irish tunes or live music depending on when you get there. On the Seven burger scale, it gets a 7.5, though when you factor in the convenience of not having to leave the Pong, it should probably get an honorary 10.
- Mash. Distance from the RLD: 50 meters. A short walk from Patpong down Soi Convent is Mash. The burger (295b) is fabulous, and would get a higher score if that bun wasn’t completely ruined by an overabundance of sesame seeds. All I could taste for hours afterward was sesame seeds. Seeds aside, the patty was gigantic, the bacon delectable, as were the homemade potato chips on the side. Seven gives it a 7.
- Roadhouse Silom. Distance from the RLD: 200 meters. The next closest burger worth mentioning can be found at Roadhouse on Surawong Road (325b a la carte). Choice of toppings: cheese, grilled onions, bacon, mushrooms, peppers. I like to get blue cheese, mushrooms and bacon. It pairs well with most of their red wines. On the Seven burger scale, it’s a 7.
- The Girl and the Pig. Distance from the RLD: 250 meters. I tried this place because it got good reviews somewhere—Tripadvisor, I think—and because I went to Silom Complex to mail a package. It was decent. No bells or whistles, just a burger (280b). I can’t remember why I didn’t go with a more gourmet style one—probably the price tag. And clearly, this place is upscale. Their menu is hi-so beyond belief so most people probably don’t come for the burger. But it went down easy, and I wouldn’t say it was bad. Just unmemorable. Seven gives it a 5.
- 25 Degrees. Distance from the RLD: 700 meters. Across Narathiwas on Silom Road is the Pullman Hotel, and its lobby is home to 25 Degrees—my favorite burger joint in Bangkok. There are too many choices and toppings to list here, so I’ll just tell you what I get. Avocado, mushrooms, bacon, and blue cheese. Fair warning, though: the base burger is 210b and every topping you add is 40b. It can get pricey. But the result is so delicious, as hard as the bill is to swallow the burger itself goes down so well it’s easy to justify the extortion-level prices. Seven gives it a 9.
- Arno’s. Distance from the RLD: 1.1-1.3km. There are 2 Arno’s locations somewhat close to Patpong—one on Suan Plu and one at Narathiwas 15. Some say this is the best burger in Bangkok because they use dry aged beef. But then, if you don’t like dry aged beef, you ain’t gonna like it are ya? I think it’s a pretty great burger. The patty is quite thick. Choice of cheddar or blue cheese, spicy or not spicy sauce. Bacon included. Choice of sides are fries, curly fries, or salad. You may be tempted to get the salad if you’re watching your waistline. Don’t. It’s horrific. Burger joints typically don’t do good salads. And why should they? Seven gives Arno’s an 8.5
- Sorry I’m Hungry. Distance from the RLD: 3.5 km. Why is this place even on the list? It’s wicked far from the Pong. Well, for two reasons. One, it’s easy to get to because it’s right next to Wongwian BTS station, and two, it’s a crazy fun burger. I ordered the hungry burger (159b). It comes with cheddar, bacon, mushrooms, and onion rings, and fries, but I added cheesy bacon fries (99b). The melted “lava” cheese drips off the fries like mozzarella on pizza. You can also get that same cheese on your burger if you want. It’s a long trip, but worth trying at least once. Seven gives it an 8.
There are a couple other burgers in the area worth mentioning. Madrid on Patpong Soi 1 does one (the only one I didn’t take a photo of), though it’s not much to write home about. But it is open during the day so if you’re onPong and stuck for where to get one, theirs might suffice. Also @38, the rooftop bar at Mode Sathorn (Surasak BTS station) has a decent one, though the view is better than the burger. And against a friend’s advice, I tried Beef and Shake on Narathiwas next to Chong Nonsi BTS station. I actually really liked it. DO NOT get the burger at Tuk Lae Dee. They do great cheap Thai food but their farang fare is atrocious. I’m sure I’ve left off a few (Carl’s, Burger King, and McD’s don’t count), but in terms of their closeness to the Pong and tastiness, these are my top picks. I hope you have as good a time finding and trying them as I did. If you’ve got a favorite that’s close to Patpong, leave a comment and let us know about it. Next time: burgers close to Nana.
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