Friends Bar @Rawai: cosy local hang with cold beer, pool and music — expect a prominent lady drink scene that often surprises
Border run = legal trick to reset your tourist visa. Exit Thailand, re-enter same day = new 60-day stamp.
- Get 60 new days (not 30)
- Same day return to Phuket
- All transport included
- 100% success guaranteed
Leave request → Manager will explain everything
FastTrack Thailand = skip 2-hour immigration queues. Personal escort meets you with name sign, guides to VIP lane. 2 hours → 15 minutes guaranteed.
- 2 hours saved every arrival
- Personal escort with name sign
- VIP immigration lane access
- From $40 - cheaper than expected
Book FastTrack → Save 2 hours today
Friends Bar @Rawai — a compact Rawai hangout with a surprising split in experiences
Quick facts from guest reports
- Aggregate rating: 4.5/5 based on 13 reviews
- Open every day, 12:00 PM – 2:00 AM
- Payment: cash only
- Small, cosy footprint
- Owners and staff described as attentive and friendly
- Ice-cold beer and well-liked long cocktails
- Two pool tables plus other games
- Consistently noted for good to top music
- Cheap drinks mentioned by a reviewer
- Many ladies present and repeated reports of lady-drink expectations
- One guest recorded buying three Singha beers and more than six lady drinks; another cited a 1,700 baht charge associated with a pool session
- Language barrier flagged: limited English reported
- Animals on site: three kittens and a dog
- Nearby convenience: 7-Eleven within walking distance
Why reviews split: two distinct visitor experiences
Reviews create a clear bifurcation. One cluster paints a low-key, well-run bar where cold beer, decent cocktails and music combine with a friendly staff to make a cosy night out. The other cluster warns that social interaction can be transactional: guests encountered a culture where buying lady drinks is expected, bills balloon quickly, and conversational exchange is limited by language.
What that means for visitors
- If you want a relaxed games-and-drinks night: the venue’s small scale, music and gaming setup typically deliver that. Expect company and a bar that looks after customers.
- If you want casual chatting or a non-transactional meetup: be prepared for the possibility that interactions may revolve around purchased lady drinks rather than conversation, and language may limit connection.
Pricing and bill control — reading the warning signs
Guest reports include explicit examples of how quickly a tab can grow: one detailed order progression (three Singha beers plus more than six lady drinks) and another flagged a 1,700 baht bill tied to a pool session. Those specific instances are consistent with comments about heavy lady-drink expectations. Treat the bar as an environment where explicit confirmation of prices and rules is necessary before committing to rounds.
Service and communication — friendly staff, limited English
Staff are repeatedly described as caring and attentive, which usually improves the experience. At the same time, a language gap limits conversational exchange for some visitors. The result is good service in terms of hospitality and operational attention, but possible frustration if you expect longer conversations or more nuanced social interaction.
Practical, data-backed tips before you go
- Bring cash and small notes: the bar accepts cash only and a nearby 7-Eleven makes ATM/cash stops convenient.
- Confirm pool and game pricing up front: ask for a clear cost for pool sessions and any lady-drink policies before you start playing or buying rounds.
- Decide what you want from the night: if you want simple pool, cold beer and music, this place is well-suited; if you want unstructured conversation without transactional expectations, consider alternatives.
- Use a translator app if needed: limited English was reported and a translation app can smooth ordering and price checks.
- If animals matter to you: reviewers enjoyed time with three kittens and a dog, which is a plus for pet-friendly visitors.
Bottom line — who should try Friends Bar @Rawai
Choose Friends Bar @Rawai if you value a small, lively spot with good music, pool and reliably cold drinks and don’t mind a nightlife environment where buying lady drinks is part of the social currency. If you are budget-conscious or uncomfortable with transactional social dynamics, confirm prices and expectations before committing to rounds; otherwise the attentive staff and late-night hours make it an easy option for a Rawai night out.
🕒 Opening Hours
💳 Payment Options
7.779623, 98.318161
Comments are closed