sala rattanakosin eatery and bar Review: Riverside Dining in Bangkok

Bangkok has always seemed like a romantic city to me. I dreamed of dining on a river cruise, slowly drifting by temples lit up against the night sky while listening to music and sampling Thai delicacies.

Those classic wooden dinner boats don’t seem to exist anymore. What remains are massive, floating buffets that lack intimacy.

We didn’t want crowds, loudspeaker music, or buffet lines. Instead, we decided to take our dining experience from a different angle on our first night in Bangkok — from the riverside.

Let me introduce you to sala rattanakosin eatery and bar.

Here is my review of sala rattanakosin eatery and bar, straight from our experience dining there.

Location: Great Riverside Spot Adjacent to the Grand Palace

Address: 39 Tha Tian Aly, Phra Borom Maha Ratchawang, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok 10200, Thailand

Perhaps the biggest reason to visit sala rattanakosin eatery and bar is the location.

The restaurant is situated along the Chao Phraya River right next to the Grand Palace and Wat Pho complex. Wat Arun is directly across the river from you and looks magical after dark.

We loved having such easy access to one of the best views in Bangkok. If you are staying around old town Bangkok and making DayTripper’s Bangkok itinerary , chances are you are already planning to visit these temples.

You can tour temples all day, and come here at night for dinner without having to worry about Bangkok traffic.

Location-wise, this restaurant has few rivals.

Ambience & View: Pretty Pictures, Average Reality

Let’s get this negative part out of the way first.

Online photos make sala rattanakosin eatery and bar look huge. When we arrived, the riverside frontage was surprisingly narrow — maybe 5 meters wide at most.

Recommended: Reserve your seating choice online! If you want a good table along the river, you’ll need to book early.

Tip: Reservation is done through their website. Book at least several weeks in advance if you want outdoor riverside seating.

Note: They charge a THB 1,000 deposit per person, non-refundable. So if someone in your party changes their mind, you cannot get that money back. We found this stipulation annoying.

We scored the table right at the edge of the deck closest to the river.

The restaurant’s riverside location is nice, but don’t expect luxury hotel vibes along the river.

Nighttime Photos are Where sala rattanakosin eatery and bar Shines

Timing will be everything if you choose to dine here.

Book your reservation before 6:30 PM if possible. That will allow you to experience the full effect of daylight turning into twilight and finally nighttime along the river.

We had a cloudy sky that night, so there was no colorful sunset reflection along the Chao Phraya River. Despite that, dining al fresco wasn’t bad. We weren’t dying of heat, even though we were right by the river.

Wat Arun eventually glows up bright against the night sky. This is when sala rattanakosin eatery and bar really comes into its own.

Simple gold lighting creates a beautiful contrast against the dark blue sky. Want that postcard-worthy shot of the pier? You got it.

If you are looking for that riverside ambience with sparkling lights reflecting off the river while temple lights dance across the water, sala rattanakosin eatery and bar fits that vibe perfectly.

Food: Worth It? Well…Let’s Talk Value Instead

I’ll cut to the chase: dinner here isn’t cheap.

As far as food goes, it is fine. I wouldn’t rave about it to someone else, but it wasn’t terrible either.

Expect modern café-style Western dishes presented cleanly.

Our order:

• Two mains
• One serving of fries
• Three mocktails

Our bill ended up being around THB 2,600. Before we added on the standard 10% service charge and 7% tax.

Drinks are crazy overpriced here. A mocktail will run you about THB 260!!! That’s expensive, even by Singapore standards.

And Singapore is an expensive city. Just saying.

Seafood was alright, nothing special to write home about. Chicken steak was competently prepared with nice mashed potatoes and sauce. Presentation was fine, but we’ve had better tasting food at restaurants of similar price ranges in other major cities.

The fries were meh.

Service

Service was good. Not exceptional for the price we paid.

Servers were attentive, food arrived in timely fashion, and we were regularly topped up with water. But at these prices with a mandatory deposit fee, we expected stand-out service.

Nothing was wrong per se. But there is certainly room for improvement.

Should You Visit sala rattanakosin eatery and bar?

Here are three types of people who will enjoy sala rattanakosin eatery and bar:

• Couples looking for a special night out
• Those who value view over delicious food
• First-time travelers to Bangkok searching for THAT Wat Arun dinner photo
• Foodies who aren’t picky but want Instagram views

If you are after top-notch Thai food at reasonable prices, you’re better off searching elsewhere in Bangkok.

sala rattanakosin eatery and bar excels at ambience and riverside view. Period.

Tips Before Visiting sala rattanakosin eatery and bar

Remember these tips before you visit:

• Eat early or make a dinner reservation. Don’t expect to walk-in and get a table without booking ahead (unless you want to sit upstairs).
• Make your reservation online. Expect to pay a non-refundable THB 1,000 deposit per person.
• Eat before 6:30 PM to enjoy the full day-to-night transition of the riverside view.
• Expect pricey food.
• Visit upstairs if your visit falls on a rainy day. River view seating has no shelter should Thailand’s rains decide to visit.

Is sala rattanakosin eatery and bar worth visiting Bangkok?

If you are expecting a world-class dining experience with Michelin-quality food, you will leave sala rattanakosin eatery and bar disappointed.

But if you know what you are getting into and realize you are paying for one of the best views along the Chao Phraya River, you won’t walk away upset.

Would I go back here for food? Unlikely.

Would I bring visiting friends who want that “Instagramable” Bangkok restaurant photo along the river? Maybe!

Bangkok has rooftop bars and riverside restaurants galore. Very few of them sit directly opposite Wat Arun. You are paying for that privilege.

Verdict on sala rattanakosin eatery and bar

Here’s my quick pros and cons list:

Pros:

• Priceless riverside view of Wat Arun
• Perfectly romantic riverside seating
• Post-sunset photo-taking

Cons:

• Bad value for money
• Don’t let the fancy pictures online fool you. There are much better restaurants elsewhere in Bangkok that serve delicious Thai food.

But if you’re after ambience and that riverside view, sala rattanakosin eatery and bar is a solid option.