Widdershins Hidden Bar

A Secret Bar on Yaowarat Road

Widdershins is one of those places that people walk past every day without realising it’s there. Right in the middle of Yaowarat Road, in the heart of Bangkok’s Chinatown, it’s hidden in plain sight — not down a back alley, but directly above the busy Laoteng dim sum restaurant that shares the same building. Because it sits above a restaurant, most people just walk past without ever noticing.

You’ll need to enter the Chinese restaurant called Laoteng, which is at 438 Yaowarat Road, right across from Yaowarat Soi 11. The restaurant downstairs is always packed — lots of locals, big families, and tourists queuing up for their famous Peking duck, dim sum and roasted pork belly. So far, nothing unusual.

But go upstairs, on the third floor, and things shift. The dining room on the upper floor is almost too perfect — pale yellow and green walls, beautiful vintage lamps, and a huge floor-to-ceiling bookshelf along the back wall. That bookshelf is where the magic happens. One of the shelves is actually a door, and if you push it open (yes, really), you’ll find yourself stepping into the completely different world of Widdershins.

Widdershins bar is small, narrow, and almost always full. It’s dimly lit, with dark wood, cosy booths, and bartenders who clearly know what they’re doing. Cocktails lean into classic recipes, but they’re not shy about playing with flavours. There’s a sense that they’re trying to keep it simple — low lighting, minimal signage, no big menu boards — and let the drinks and the atmosphere do the work.

And even though it feels like a secret, it’s not empty. Quite the opposite. People love a hidden spot — and these days, especially on weekends, the bar fills up quickly. Influencers come for the bookshelf entrance and that classic speakeasy look. But it doesn’t feel like a gimmick. Widdershins is still relaxed, not flashy.

If you can, grab a spot by the front balcony. From there, you get one of the best views of Yaowarat Road — not a skyline shot, but the real Chinatown: flashing signs, endless rows of gold shops, food carts setting up below, tuk-tuks pushing through traffic, and people everywhere. Somehow, from up here with a drink in hand, the chaos feels almost cinematic.

Widdershins Bar Photos

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