Ronnie’s
The premier classic cocktail experience
The Sayla Hotel, 4 Nimmana Haeminda Road, Soi 5, Su Thep
7pm–Midnight, closed Wednesdays
Tell any bartender in Chiang Mai you like a good classic cocktail and they’ll ask if you’ve been to Ronnie’s yet.
Eight seats. One bartender. No frills, no tricks. Ronnie’s does exactly one thing — classic cocktails, done perfectly — and it does that one thing better than almost anywhere in Thailand.
The bar is hidden inside the Sayla Hotel on Nimman Soi 5. The entrance isn’t obvious, which is part of the charm. Inside, a long marble countertop anchors a room that feels more like a private living room than a bar. Blues and soul music sets the tone. The fabric-upholstered stools and polished finishes give it the quiet sophistication of a southern American saloon, transplanted to Chiang Mai.
The only bartender is Ronnie himself — a Chiang Mai native with a Spanish mother, whose passion for mixology was forged during years studying and working in New York. He’s impeccably dressed, deeply knowledgeable, and genuinely interested in making you the drink you didn’t know you wanted. Ask for a Negroni or an Old Fashioned and watch him work. There’s a reason other bartenders in town send people here.
With only eight seats, calling ahead is a necessity. Arrive around 7pm or risk finding the bar full, which at eight seats happens faster than you’d think.
What to order: The Negroni or the Old Fashioned. Both ฿380. This is not the place to order a mojito or anything with a tiny umbrella.
Best for: Purists. People who believe a cocktail should have three or four ingredients and all of them should matter.