If you’re looking for a new restaurant to try out when you’re in Bangkok’s Chinatown, consider visiting GenZ Bar & Bistro located on the rooftop of Grand China Bangkok! Join me as I take you on the fun-filled culinary journey I experienced.
Bangkok’s Chinatown, or more affectionately known as Yaorawat, is known to be one of the world’s largest Chinatowns. Geographically, the Bangkok Chinatown area intertwines with Samphanthawong District and includes the famed Chao Phraya River. As with every Chinatown, it has a unique mesh of Chinese and the local culture. Hence, it’s unsurprising that almost every storefront you see here has a signboard with Chinese characters!
A Symphony for the Senses: GenZ Bar & Bistro
Located on the 17th floor of the famous Grand China Bangkok hotel, GenZ Bar & Bistro is a young and hip restaurant in the heart of Chinatown. The restaurant has a lot of natural lighting in the day and turns into a vibrant nightlife spot in the evening. It boasts a beautiful view of Bangkok’s concrete jungle and is perfect to bring a date to impress them with a view like no other!
An interesting concept of this restaurant is the option to lounge in beanbags as you sip on your creative cocktails crafted by their talented bartenders. The graffiti walls make for an amazing Instagram picture while a picture of the panoramic Bangkok skyline is enough to make your followers envious.
If you’re still not convinced, let’s talk about food!
Caesar Salad
This classic Caesar Salad contained your usual torn romaine lettuce and tomatoes, but was made fancy by the restaurant with their addition of crispy bacon and grilled chicken before being topped off with Parmesan cheese and julienned beetroot for presentation. They also added a unique pink sauce to make the colours of the salad pop even more. Taste wise, it was nothing out of the ordinary, but was still good! I enjoyed the small bits of saltiness provided by the bacon and the crunch of the lettuce very much.
French Onion Soup with Ciabatta Bread
Served in a small claypot was the French Onion Soup alongside a very nicely plated slice of ciabatta and toasted cheese. The soup was complex yet familiar with the caramelised onions bringing out the sweetness of the soup, resulting in every mouthful being deeply aromatic. The soft bread complemented the main dish well, especially if you dip it into the soup. The bread soaks up the flavourful broth, becoming soft and soaked with the savoury liquid. It provides a satisfying texture and adds substance to the soup.
Scallop Bruschetta
On thinly sliced and toasted baguettes sat a mixture of onions, garlic and olive oil with a generous slice of raw scallop as the main attraction. The Scallop Bruschetta is great for sharing since there are enough slices to go around. The scallops gave some creaminess to the bite and I felt luxe when eating it. There was a slight saltiness from the seasonings of the vegetables which gave the bruschetta a nice amount of flavour. However, I must admit that this dish was not my favourite, but only because I’m not the biggest fan of seafood. If you enjoy raw scallops, you should give this a try!
A3 Wagyu Steak
In my opinion, this A3 Wagyu Steak was the scene stealer! It was served rare, but it still tasted divine. It was lightly salted from the butter that it was basted in and had a light aroma from the rosemary. Although, I must say that I would have preferred the steak if it was medium rare instead. Nonetheless, I still enjoyed it with the truffle mushroom sauce that it came with. The fries were fluffy, light and stacked nicely for presentation.
Mister Burger
The Mister Burger is GenZ’s customisable signature burger. You have the option of choosing between Wagyu beef, chicken, or what I got, fish, as the main protein of the burger and a slice of pepper ham. The set also comes with fries and a soft drink. The fish was breaded and deep fried to crispy perfection. It flaked apart easily and didn’t have the fishy scent that you would usually get from fish. The slice of pepper ham gave an added layer of flavour that I wasn’t expecting. I especially liked how each bite came with a nice medley of bun, fish and ham aroma, with the sliced pickles cutting through all the indulgent flavours at the end.
Pepperoni Pizza
This Pepperoni Pizza was a culinary delight. The foundation of this pizza is a thin and light crust that offers a delicate crunch with every bite. The thin slices of cured, spicy sausage are scattered across the pizza, providing a savoury and slightly spicy kick. With each bite, you’ll experience the satisfying crunch of the thin crust, the tangy and zesty tomato sauce, the smoky and slightly spicy notes from the pepperoni, and the creamy, melty goodness of the cheese. I only had one bite of this pizza before I reached for a second slice!
BBQ Chicken Skewers
Next, I had these BBQ Chicken Skewers. I was expecting them to have a dry texture and not have much flavour but I’m glad to say that that wasn’t the case at all! The chicken chunks were generous and complemented well with the spicy Thai chilli sauce on the side. The pineapple was sweet yet tangy and had a similar charred flavour.
Grilled Chicken with Thai Spicy Sauce
Juicy, flavourful and delicious are three words I must use to describe the Grilled Chicken with Thai Spicy Sauce. At first, this dish looked like it would just be regular grilled chicken but the flavours from it were so complex that it had me reaching for more. The Thai spicy sauce provided a different flavour profile when eaten with the chicken. I’m not one for spice, but there was no other way for me to devour the grilled chicken after I’d tried it!
Medley of Cocktails
To end off the night on the right note, I enjoyed the beautiful Bangkok skyline with a couple of cocktails in hand. Namely, I tried out GenZ’s Margarita, Passion Martini and Blue Hawaii. They came with beautiful garnishes and tasted even better when I was savouring the city lights. All the cocktails were well-made and had a strong punch of alcohol, in the best way possible. I highly recommend getting a cocktail when you’re at GenZ because they don’t dilute your drink to save costs. Rather, they give you your money’s worth and want you to feel happy from your drink!
Views for Days, Only at GenZ!
Don’t be fooled by the restaurant’s name because this not-so-secret hidden gem is not exclusive to Generation Z people! It’s a beautiful rooftop bar and bistro meant for everyone from all walks of life. In fact, the hotel is home to many people of different nationalities when they visit Bangkok. The manager of GenZ Bar & Bistro mentioned that this restaurant is a popular visit not only among the Thais, but also Singaporeans, Taiwanese and even Americans!
If you’re planning to visit, here’s a pro-tip for you: Choose a seat outdoors facing the view of the Chao Phraya River because there might be firework shows that happen around the ICONSIAM area at night!
- Hour: 5:00 pm. – 11:30 pm
- Location: 215 Yaowarat Road, Khwaeng Samphanthawong, Khet Samphanthawong, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10100
- Recommended Package: Mister Burger (Wagyu/fish/chicken with pepper ham served with fries and soft drink) Book through us now to get the NET price of only 379 Baht!
In summary, I enjoyed my experience at GenZ Bar & Bistro not only because the food and drinks were great, but also because the service staff were so friendly! The views were remarkable and unlike anything I’ve seen before. I definitely recommend giving this restaurant a visit if you’re ever in Bangkok’s Chinatown area!
