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Appetite Singapore Aug 2008

Riverside Bar and Restaurant
Live music adds to the vibrant and often crowded atmosphere here, which builds up throughout the evening as a younger crowd arrive for drinks and dance as night falls. Located in an old wooden house with commanding river views, the restaurant serves Thai staples like tom yam gung, spicy pork salad, sour spare ribs and gang hung lae (Burmese pork curry). Prices are reasonable; dinner for two will set you back about Bht500. 9 to 11 Charoen Raj Road. Tel: +(66) 53-243-239

Chiang Mai Mail

The Riverside Pub and Restaurant:
By Neil Robinson

A handsome and successful re-vamp of an old favorite

You might well think that the above heading refers to a recent encounter with an acquaintance or friend of long standing who has gone in for a face lift, a couple of nips and tucks and some body building routines. Not far off in some respects since the extensive re-vamp of the long established Riverside has had just that effect. After 20 years plus on their prime Ping River site they had to forgo a large area of land when the lease expired. Rather than sit back and manage on a third of the space, they have spent the past few months in a transformation of the former venue. The result is something like an extra 100 covers.

To be honest, when the Mail’s snap-shooter suggested that I might go to the restaurant for my first review after Neil’s excellent tenure, I nearly said ‘what’s the point? I wrote about it enthusiastically just a few months ago’. Fortunately, I did agree on the visit if only to keep him happy and it saved me having to locate a new place immediately on return. Also it could hardly be regarded as a hardship.

The first impression is, of course, of a new style eatery, since it is now on both sides of the busy Charoenrat Road. Importantly though, the extensive menu has remained intact and the prices seem to be the same. The staff are as numerous and energetic as always and service amazingly rapid for such a large restaurant. No wonder on the Friday night in question that the joint was, as the saying goes, jumpin’.

In that remark lies my only complaint. They employ three different bands (not playing at the same time, Charles Ives style) and a pianist on Sunday. Two are on duty most of the time, one on each side of the road and pretty energetic they are too. The small bar on the riverside has always been exceptionally noisy and the young crowd who frequent it seem oblivious to the assault on their eardrums or the need to strain their larynxes. In the new area the larger bar also boasts a brassy group and this is a slightly less claustrophobic setting but still noisy. Happily there is a most attractive garden area at the rear, replete with a soothing waterfall and lush plants, eminently suited to us oldies.

This section and several of the other dining rooms which seat about 20 people are worth booking if you actually want to talk to your dining companions. The same naturally goes for the now reduced riverside area which borders on the river and boasts a romantic view of the passing traffic and the bridges. Some of the other eateries along this busy road offer equally good - and now larger - seating areas. Although it is a part of town which attracts many tourists for its galleries, art shops, cafes and restaurants it was noticeably busier with Thai customers than farangs last week. A sign of the low season, which seems to be the lowest for many years. Time for Thailand to start welcoming visitors a little more openly and to mount a full out public relations campaign to bring back visitors that are heading to nearby destinations.

As already mentioned, the food has not changed from my last review or from any of my previous visits. Portions are still exceptionally plentiful. The vegetarian spring rolls are among the best in town, the shredded mushrooms with sesame seeds and basil leaves are superb and the wide range of fish dishes are good by any standards. Starters are mainly around 80 to 100 baht, mains about twice that and although it is predominantly Thai, the menu offers a few western dishes. There is a decent wine list, plenty of bottled beers and beer on draft, with all the usual extras - both soft and hard.

After 24 years in business it is hardly surprising that the restaurant is well run and popular, but it is encouraging to be able to report that the extension has not deprived it of any of its former quality. They have wisely turned their loss into an advantage and look set for another two decades. Not that I’ll be around to witness it!

Next week a new small local restaurant which has very recently been opened by Krit who formerly had a highly successful place on the Nimmenhaemen Road. It will be my turn to tell our cameraman where to point his lens and having paid a quick visit to check out the new place, which is across the road from Hillside 4, off Huay Kaew Road I feel another enthusiastic review coming on. Very different in style but isn’t that what makes eating out in Chiang Mai such a pleasure?

The Riverside, 9-11 Charoenrat Road, Tel 053 243 239 or 053 246 323.

Chang Puak magazine

The Riverside Bar and Restaurant, la legende de la riviere Ping, au jardin, au bord de la riviere ou croisiere.

Une reputation internationale de 20 ans, un choix enorme de cocktails, de 300 plats, des bieres, des vins et du champagne.
La carte vous propose pres de 300 plats differents, permettant ainsi de concevoir votre menu en fonction de l’heure du repas, pour un breakfast, un brunch, un lunch, un debut de soiree, un diner ou un souper. Des plats legers et rapidement prepares, poissons, fruits de mer, poulet, porc, legumes, riz et cuisine vegetarienne thailandaise sont veritablement et tout simplement delicieux. Des piments rouges vous indiquent s’il s’agit de mets tres releves. Large choix egalement de la cuisine du monde: salades, steaks, sandwiches, saucisses frites, hamburgers et bien plus encore; afin de ne jamais pouvoir refuser quoique se soit aux clients. Les desserts ne sont pas oublies: de la simple salade de fruits frais aux crepes Suzette en passant par un eventail de desserts glaces de tous styles, personne ne peut dire qu’il n’y a pas quelque chose qu’il adore.
Le choix des boissons douces et fraiches est tres vaste, toutes les bieres sont proposes, la carte des vins Thais, Americains, Australiens, Chiliens, Sud Africains et Neo Zelandais aussi mais surtout Francais aves des crus Baron de Rothschild, du Sancerre, du Chablis, du Pouilly Fume, du Chateauneuf du Pape, du Mouton Cadet et ce qui termine les repas de fete, du Moet Chandon (pas belle la vie a Chiang Mai?).

L’ambiance generale suit les aiguilles de l’horloge mais surtout les groupes musicaux qui se succedent. L’ambiance en debut de soiree est Jazzy et guitare Country, elle est tres vite remplacee par le Funk qui prepare la place aux Dieux du Rock. A partir de ce moment, il n’y a plus de clients: juste une grande famille don’t tous les members s’amusent et passent de tables en tables. Les serveuses, imperturbables, suivent le tempo avec les tickets de consommation dans le bon ordre.

Compass

No matter what season it is, there are always amazing places and activities to explore in Chiang Mai. As it’s impossible to present them all, in the following pages COMPASS would like to introduce its readers 26 selections, alphabetically ordered from A-Z.

A..Art, B..Birds, C..Coffee, D..Doi, E.. Ethnic Groups……….R..Riverside…….

For 24 years, The Riverside Bar and Restaurant has been offering global tourists a fine dining experience accompanied by professional Thai and international live music by the Ping River. What is the secret of its success? Come and experience it yourself to find out the answer.

Chang Puak magazine

Riverside
May 15th…….we have a date.
The Riverside, the most famous bar and restaurant located on Chiang Mai’s ping river has added a new dining and entertainment experience across the road.

The new Riverside Restaurant is fronted by a beautiful garden and terrace and it’s dining area is decorated in the style of the Magreb. On May 15th, come and join them on the opening of this extention and enjoy the best of western and Thai music in town.

Chiang Mai Mail
Dining out

Lively bar and restaurant beside the Ping River
By Brian Baxter

Riverside
Located just north of the Nawarat Bridge in the popular area of Charoen Road, the Riverside has been plying its trade for well over 20 years, catering for thousands of visitors to the city plus a dedicated customer base of local Thais and farang residents. They must be doing something right, one would assume, and indeed they are! The ‘magical’ ingredient in the mix of music, food and drink which they concoct makes this large and vibrant place seem friendly and personal and not a tourist trap for the unwary or unheeding. This is partly through judicious use of space, with a huge verandah bordering the river, upper balconies and an enclosed bar which hosts local and visiting bands and is a mecca for the younger crowd.

Unsurprisingly, not quite fitting into that group, the Mail’s photographer and I opted for the quiet section! We had a fine view of the bridge and its surroundings plus the occasional river traffic, including two cruise boats which leave the restaurant around 8 pm. For just 90 baht extra, diners can board anytime from 7.15 pm, order food and enjoy a river trip along with their meal. We stayed on terra firma.

Another reason for this successful atmosphere came when the front of house manager, Pascal, spotted pictures being taken of the food and surroundings. Rather than throw the black-clad cameraman over the side as a potential spy for the other nearby eateries, he joined us for a while and chatted about how the restaurant runs. It opens at 10 am for breakfast and stays open throughout the day, closing around 1 am. It employs 150 staff, both full and part time, to ensure a smooth operation. Certainly the mainly youthful staff work hard to make this happen and one can only imagine the kitchen activity with several hundred different dishes, mainly Thai, on offer. They aim to serve food within a very few minutes of the order being placed and certainly on the busy evening we were there this proved to be true. The sheer volume of customers and business allows for two important things - very fresh ingredients and reasonable prices.
We opted for a shared appetizer; this was a sophisticated tasting but ultimately simple dish of finely sliced mushrooms deep-fried with kaffir lime leaves and tossed in sesame seeds. Subtle and light-tasting. We followed with morning glory with garlic, stir fried in oyster sauce, and a beautifully presented Ruby fish, of which half was left intact on the bone and the remainder mixed with vegetables and herbs and piled in chunks on the side of the dish, offering two ‘tastes and textures’ within one. A prawn curry and, of course, boiled rice completed the meal. Apart, that is, from the inevitable beer Singha. There was no room left for any pudding, so I am afraid I can offer no advice there. I did notice a cocktail list, a large selection of wines and other drinks, many of which were obviously being consumed in the noisy bar upstairs, through which our butch cameraman edged his way, and where a thoroughly enjoyable time was being had by a happy blend of Thais and foreigners.

Certainly the Riverside manages to achieve the seemingly impossible task of pleasing most of the people most of the time. Some 23 years in business helps, no doubt, and it was interesting to hear that a few members of staff had joined back in 1984 and were still happily working there. This is a real tribute to the ephemeral world of catering. You can park in the large area just across the Charoen Road, or arrive by tuk-tuk or red taxi and stroll around the area with its many galleries, tea rooms, bars and restaurants. Or, listen to some jazz, Thai music or country and western songs before, during or after your drinks or food. The choice is yours. You must be very hard to please if you cannot find something to enjoy down by the riverside in Chiang Mai.

Guidelines magazine

A memorable nightspot
The Riverside Bar & Restaurant is a strikingly successful architectural achievement, despite the fact that it was never designed and built as a unit, but has actually evolved over the years from three formerly separately built riverbank houses, that have been merged with great skill into an integrated whole.

Its riverbank location and deftly enhanced period wooden architecture, the great bands, the professional service, and the extensive menu (and choice of drinks), all combined, make for an incomparable experience.

Delicious Thai and international cuisine will have your taste buds popping as you enjoy the live music by great piano and acoustic guitar players while you dine. As the rhythm heats up with the beat of a wide variety of pop, rock and dance music played by three top bands, you can dance into the small hours, rubbing shoulders with a real fun-loving Thai and foreign party crowd.
Customers in a romantic mood will enjoy cruising the serene Ping River on board The Riverside Princess or The Riverside Jasmine with their striking artwork roofs, giving you one of the most outstanding dining experiences in Chiang Mai.

Its prime location also makes it one of the most popular places during festivals such as Loy Kratong and Songkran.

There is probably no other venue in Chiang Mai offering you such a wide variety of sanuk (fun) experiences as The Riverside.

Chang Puak Magazine

Les restos qui servent aprés 23 heures
A Chiang Mai, nos préférés:
The Riverside
Le restaurant propose des tables romantiques le long de la riviére Ping et un bar à l‘étage où tous les jeunes de Chiang Mai se retrouvent pour écouter de la bonne musique. Trés bonne ambiance.

Chang Puak Magazine

Unique & Original Dinner
The Riverside dinner by boat
TFor a romantic dinner on board “The Riverside Boats” come to the restaurant before 7.15pm. For only 90Baht you will experience a unique cruise along the Ping river. The restaurant is famous for its excellent thai and european cuisines as well as its great live bands. After your cruise take a beer at the bar; you will enjoy good music and make a lot of new friends.
The Riverside is open every day from 10.00am to 1.00am.
Early evening: piano and guitar.
Late evening: rock, pop and funky

Season magazine
by Bang Mango Cools

Live Music Scene Chiang Mai
The Riverside
A place to catch great live music along Charoen Rat road is The Riverside. With stages situated at either end of the building you don‘t have too far to walk to catch one of your favorite tunes. The three bands that alternate throughout the night vary greatly from contemporary rock‘n‘roll, hip hop to laid back jazz. Rekindling golden oldies such as ?Kung Fu Fighting“ up to the newest songs from Red Hot Chili Peppers and Eminem. The ?big side“ has enough seating for dinning with friends while listening to the infectious grooves served up by any of the three rotating bands. If you can manage to squeeze yourself into the smaller side you‘ll enjoy the dragon slaying guitar playing from Sila and Too, fat bass lines and the very sexy Tong singing all the latest hits. The atmosphere is wild and you‘ll find it hard not to get caught up in the frenzy that makes The Riverside one of Chiang Mai‘s favorite live music venues.

Guidelines magazine

A memorable night out
One of Chiang Mai‘s most well-known neighborhoods refuses to succumb to the hastening wheels of progress. It‘s Wat Ket, an ancient riverside community steeped in history. When you venture down there, take a moment to imagine its dynamic past-the elephants hauling timber to the banks, the first sight of Chinese silk, the coffee refineries, the granaries and the grand teak houses which once proudly overlooked the river. You can then follow this with an almost essential aspect of any visit to Chiang Mai; dinner at The Riverside.

The Riverside Bar and Restaurant is no less than an institution in Chiang Mai. No visitor staying with me misses out on an evening there. Its atmospheric mix of wooden walkways and multi-level seating areas is sited right on the bank of the Ping River. With its extensive Thai and Western menu to suit all tastes, The Riverside is much more than just a place to eat and drink. It has long been hailed as one of Chiang Mai‘s premier music venues. You can sip cocktails on Sundays to some of the best jazz around and enjoy evening candlelit dinners with a relaxing guitar duo. But as the night progresses, things get funkier with three bands pushing out rock, reggae and energetic pop making this an eternally favourite place to be in the city for friends, lovers, Thais and foreigners alike. So don‘t miss out on a night here. Really, no stay in Chiang Mai is complete without it.

Chiang Mai Mail
by Gina Hahn

Dining Out
Riverside River Cruise
The Riverside Restaurant sprawls along the Ping River across from the Warorot market, offering a mixture of architectural styles, wooden walkways and multi-level seating with up to three live bands playing on any evening.

You may also hear a soft piano or a folk duo if you go in the early evening. There‘s music for all party tastes, and dancing.

But for those of you who prefer a quiet evening, a romantic evening of toasts and loving memories, go ?Rolling on the River“ on a Riverside River Cruise. Just reserve a spot on the cruise boat, order your choice of food and drink from the regular menu, and enjoy the view of Chiang Mai as you cruise up the river and back. The boat charge is 70 baht for adults, 35 baht for children, plus food. The cruise boats are also available to charter for special occasions. And set menus, if you want them, will make your special occasion simpler to plan. Lovely. The view of the river from the restaurant is also lovely, especially if you choose a table on one of the higher levels.

The Riverside offers both Thai and western food, The Dining Out Teams‘s choice on a recent evening was a menu of Thai delicacies finished with western desserts. The first plates were set before us, and we savoured the delicious deep fried mushrooms in batter with garlic sauce. This is the kind of dish that both Thai and western diners will enjoy while sipping a glass of wine and listening to music. It‘s a dish of tasty nibbling food to be eaten with spoon, fork or fingers.

A word about the menu – it‘s huge. There are over 500 items featured if you count both food and drinks, and that does not include the collection of set menus. Take your time looking it over. You‘ll find something for everyone from western sandwiches to Thai som tum. Spicy items are rated by the number of chili peppers that accompany them, so diners are never disappointed to find a dish too spicy or too mild for their taste. And there are plenty of vegetarian dishes.

We loved the Riverside basket, which came next. This is an edible basket created of deep fried taro, then filled with seafood and vegetables. We dipped deep into the basket and found hot seafood and a delicious sauce. Don’t miss this one. It was the favorite of several diners. Chicken satay with peanut sauce and a traditional cucumber salad arrived next.

A little decorative chicken sat nested in lettuce on the plate as if to announce the delicious satay. No one could resist the roasted spareribs in honey, which arrived with traditional Thai Som Tum and steamed vegetables. Priced at a modest 150 baht, the spareribs were sweet, tender and tasty, and the Som Tum spicy.

Then we were served a beautifully prepared and presented steamed whole serpent head fish accompanied by steamed vegetables, very fresh and tasty. While this dish requires extra preparation time, it is well worth the wait. The naam chim sauce served with it was excellent. The chef came out of the kitchen and spoke with us. Which dishes were our favorites? Every diner voted for the fish, but each of us also had other favorites, and no dish was left without a vote.

We completed our meal with a selection of desserts. The overwhelming favorite was the crunchy Chocolate Ectasy. Suffice it to say, it was a big hit with the entire table. Priced at 110 baht, it served three diners.

The Riverside Bar and Restaurant, 9-11 Charoen Rat Road, Chiang Mai 50000, Tel 053 243 239, Fax 053 242 511, Email river1@loxinfo.co.th

Open daily from 10 a.m. until 1 a.m. Reservations should be made for large parties. Parking across the street.

What‘s On – Chiang Mai magazine

Dinner cruise on the Ping River
For a more romantic and laidback evening in Chiang Mai, take the Riverside Bar & Restaurant‘s dinner cruise. It‘s a different dining experience.

The boat trip itself takes about one hour and 15 minutes. And the cost is only Bt70B per guest. Of course, this does not include your food bill. Food and drinks can be ordered from the regular menu.

Popular with tourists and locals alike, the restaurant has been around for more than 21 years now. During the last eight years, it has been operating a highly popular nightly dinner cruise on the Ping River.
The cruise leaves the pier at 8p.m. Call 053-243-239 for reservations.

New York Times

On June 19^th 2005, The New York Times runs a story about Northern Thailand under the headline „Chiang Mai, a Hippie Hideaway, goes upscale“.

The Riverside, being one of the landmark restaurants and entertainment venues  of Chiang Mai is featured in the article:

“The venerable Riverside Restaurant, 9-11 Charoenrat Road, (66-53) 243-239, theriversidechiangmai.com. which has all the Thai favorites plus northern dishes like sour pork spareribs with garlic;“

Chang Puak Magazine

Le Riverside
Ambiance décontractée et amicale pour ce pub-restaurant qui est le rendez-vous de la jeunesse thailandaise
Envie de passer la soirée dans un restaurant-pub où l‘animation et la musique sont à l‘honneur? Le Riverside est une référence en matière de musique live. Ouvert il y a plus de vingt ans par un groupe d‘amis amoureux de rock et de reggae, le restaurant a maintenant élargit son répertoir et trois groupes se relaient chaque soir pour jouer jazz et blues. Plus tard dans la soirée l‘ambiance change pour devenir rock, reggae, hip-hop…

Au Riverside l‘ambiance est amicale et décontractée.
La carte du Riverside, réputée pour son excellente cuisine thailandaise, propose aussi une grande variété de steaks, sandwiches, salades et des plats végétariens à petits prix.

Dans la journée, le restaurant est ourvert et vous pouvez vous y relaxer en sirotant une bière ou un verre de cidre sur la superbe terrasse qui surplombe la rivière Ping.

Dans l‘après midi, un lieu idéal pour déguster une bière, un verre de cidre ou un sandwiche.
L‘établissement est fréquenté par une clientèle internationale et est le rendez-vous préféré de la jeunesse thailandaise qui apprécie son cadre agréable et son ambiance décontractée.

Le Riverside occupant trois niveaux, vous pourrez facilement choisir l‘ambiance qui vous convient: les tables le long de la rivière assurent une soirée romantique et calme, la terrasse du premier étage permet de profiter de l‘ambiance musicale tout en tenant une conversation, le bar est par contre réservé aux amoureux de danse et de musique.

Pour le jour de l‘an le Riverside sera ouvert jusque très tôt. De nombreux orchestres et amis de la maison se relairont pour vous faire passer une excellente soirée et célébrer en famille l‘arrivée de l‘an 2005.

Depuis la terrasse la vue du feu d‘artifice sera imprenable. Il est par contre conseillé d‘arriver assez tôt car la direction ne peut prendre de réservation le soir du 31 décembre.

Guidelines magazine
by Graeme Monaghan

Down by the Riverside
There can be very few visitors to Chiang Mai, or locals also, who have not dined at The Riverside Restaurant at some time or other, myself included. In fact, I have spent many a pleasant evening there. For many years now, they have maintained the highest standard in food, service, and entertainment.
Just cross Nawarat Bridge, make a left turn, and you‘re there. You can enjoy a relaxing, candlelit dinner, sitting by the River Ping and eating food prepared by a master chef. One of the very nice things about the Riverside is that there is always good music, and you can relax with excellent food, either Thai or western, have a drink or two, and enjoy a most pleasant evening out.

Another advantage is that you can choose whether to dine inside the restaurant or in the lower section the verandah on the river bank, which is very pleasant on a warm night. If you are young and romantic, or older and still romantic, you may wish to take their river cruise, leaving nightly at 8 p.m. to dine and wine whilst blissfully cruising along the Ping River. What could be nicer or more tranquil?

If there should be anything you are not quite clear about, then you can look up their website at www.theriversidechiangmai.com

and that will give you a complete picture of available facilities including a description of the dishes and prices of the extensive menu. Do not leave Chiang Mai without at least one visit, and may I suggest you call and book to ensure your place to avoid the disappointment of missing out on a required time or seating arrangement. The number is (053) 243 239.

Farang Magazine

Rolling on the River
Road hog Joe Cummings raises a toast to Chiang Mai‘s oldest most popular live music venue, the Riverside
" Location, location, location" goes the refrain,  is everything". Sprawled along the east bank of the Ping River, the Riverside Bar‘s rambling collection of teak buildings is inviting enough on its own. But the fact that it sits next to Nawarat Bridge, the link between Chiang Mai‘s main tourist thoroughfare, The Tha Phae Road, and the historic Wat Ketaram district, clinches the deal. Long before the bridge spanned the river, rafts ferried opium, silk and tea coming from Yunnan via pony caravans (the name  Tha Phae" means  Raft Landing"). Tonight, instead of opium, it‘s chilled Absolut chased with draft Singha. I‘m leaning against the long wooden bar on the  Thai" side (there‘s a  farang" side as well, more on that later) and watching a French couple dance next to their table to a fired-up Latin tune the band – who with their spiked hair and thight jeans look like they might rather be slashing out nu-metal – is playing. I know the couple is French because I‘m sitting close enough to their table to eavesdrop, one of my favourite Riverside pastimes.

The Riverside has been Chiang Mai‘s default, the city‘s nocturnal catch-all, since it first opened in 1984. At least part of the secret of its success can be traced back to the Sweet Room, a live music bar similarly housed in an old teak home on Ratwithi Road inside the old city quadrangle. The Sweet Room burned down years ago, and only older Chiang Mai residents will remember how important a social hub it was in the 1970‘s.

A group of Sweet Room regulars –John (Holland), Ana (Thai), Niran (Thai), and Peter (English) – hoped to re-create a similar environment for music and camaraderie, so they sought out a modest teak house on the river. The bar was an immediate hit, and the partners soon took over the adjacent Kay‘s Kitchen and, expanding the concept to include good food, created the Riverside Bar & Restaurant. Because tourists seemed to stick with the original bar side, while Thais gravitated to the restaurant side, the two halves of the Riverside came to be distinguished as  farang“ and  Thai“.

I‘ve been a Riverside regular for more years than I care to admit, and am frankly still amazed that the place continues to rock on, night after night. Three house bands, plus a folk/bluegrass duo and (on Sundays only), a jazz ensemble, keep live music in the air all evening, from stages at both ends of the open-air complex. Though it meens playing seven nights a week, getting a gig as a resident musician at the Riverside establishes instant street cred. Musos who have toiled long and hard on Riverside stages have gone on to establish their own regionally renowed music clubs, including Took at the Brasserie (only a few hundred metres further north along Charoen Rat Road) and Chart‘s Bebop Caf้ in Pai. Guest bands, including Bangkok‘s Flow and Sally Taylor with members of Something Underground, have made rare appearances.

Other cover bands in Chiang Mai may be able to stamp out more faithful renditions of the latest hits and stony classics, but the local consensus is that virtually none play with the spirit of the Riverside house bands. Perhaps it‘s because at no other joint in town do the bands get such immediate audience feedback. Enter the  farang side“ – the distinction has become virtually nil nowadays – any time after 10pm on almost any night and you‘ll be neck-deep in Chiang Mai University students who have adopted the Riverside as their bacchanalian head-quarters. The lack of tables on this side doesn‘t matter, as the dek maw chaw (college kids) stand packed together as if they‘re at a Loso concert, banging hips and mouthing the lyrics. At he more fancy places along the river you‘re made to feel as if you should stay at your table and listen. At the Riverside, on the other hand, the normal Thai abhorrence of standing while drinking is for some mysterious reason ignored.

The bar ist often the first nightspot visitors or new residents visit, and even for long-time  Clangers“ (short for  Chiang Clang“, the city‘s local farang nickname), it‘s where you go when your mood doesn’t click with any of the trendier places, like when the Rasta seems too rustic, and Bubbles too buoyant. The place is especially popular with small groups of five or 10 friends looking to party together in familiar surroundings.

From my perch at the bar, I scan the dining rooms, both inside with the music and out on the candle-lit verandahs, and catch the glow of people who know each other well, burying their everyday lives in liquor, great Thai food, and laughter. Keeping everyone fed and soused, waitresses scatter to and fro with a crisp manner appreciated by the Thais, yet non-obsequious enough to make the farangs feel at home.

Bangkok Post

Entertainment & nightlife
Chiang Mai has a definite district, a beating heart that is the first stop for many on a night on the town.To the east of the city, on the other bank of the Ping river, just north of the main Nawarat Bridge is a row of colourful Pub/Restaurants that draws crowds every night of the week. It‘s easy to see why.The premises are attractive and spacious, with verandahs overlooking the river.The music and food are even better against the backdrop of the dark water and twinkling river lights.There‘s a lively international flavour with a good mix of Thai and farang (foreign) customers, food and music.

A perfect specimen is The Riverside the first and perhaps most popular venue on the strip. The Riverside is a wooden ranch-type restaurant in many parts, two interior sections are separated by a long corridor and split level outdoor seating leads almost to the water.This rambling layout allows two live bands to play simultaneously in different areas without spoiling each other.As well as music there is a steady buzz of conversation and cutlery in the air at The Riverside.

A Tom Yam Goong will cost you 95baht and a Snakehead fish with mango sauce is very reasonable at 110baht, the same as Lasagne.The Thai food is generally a better bet than the western offerings.

Guide books

The Rough Guide to Thailand
Special recommendation

Riverside
An ideal location with candlelit terraces by the water, reliable Western and Thai food, extensive drinks list and reasonable draught beer. Various soloists and bands perform nightly on two stages, with the tempo increasing as the night wears on. For an extra B90, you can dine on their boat that cruises up the Ping River each evening at 8pm.

Baedeker Allianz Reisefuehrer
Thailandia

The Riverside
Thaikueche und internationale Spezialitaeten, man sitzt auf einer der beiden Terrassen am Fluss. Gegen spaeter gibt es Liveunterhaltung gleich von drei Bands.
Moeglich ist auch eine Dinnerkreuzfahrt mit dem Schiff auf dem Fluss.

The rough guide
Thailandia

Bar e vitta nottorna
The Riverside Bar&Restaurant
Il rifugio originario dei farang: terrazze vicino all acqua illuminate da candele, ciba thailandese e occidentale constantamente buono ( a prezzi da medi ad alti), lunga lista di bevande e birra alla spina a poco prezzo. Diverse bands si esibiscono ogni sera, e il ritmo aumenta con l‘avanzare della notte.
Organizzano crociere con cena per le quali si paga un extra di 70baht a persona, in aggiunta al costo del pasto, chiamate per sapere gli orari.

Frommer‘s Thailand

Where to dine Near the Ping River
The Riversidet
Thai/International
Casual and cool is what Riverside is all about. It‘s a tavern with riverside terrace views-make sure you get there before the dinner rush so you get your pick of tables. There‘s live music, from blues to soft rock, great Thai and Western food (including burgers), and a full bar.
Even if you stop by for a beer, it‘s a convivial place that always has a jolly crowd of travelers, locals and expatriates.
Riverside also operates a dining cruise at 8pm (boards at 7:15pm) for just 70B ($1.70) per person (drinks and dining a la carte) Call ahead.

Moon Travel Handbooks
Thailand Handbook

Food Restaurants East of the Ping River
Riverside Bar & Restaurant
Probably the most popular farang hang out in Chiang Mai, offers relaxed dining on riverside terraces. Go for the Thai entrees, then stay for the live music which ranges from light folk to heavy rock Prices: moderate

Nightlife East of the Ping River
The Riverside
is regarded by almost everyone as the most congenial and fun spot in town, with entertainment from folk guitar and country-western to fusion and rock‘n‘roll. The breezy club can be uncomfortably packed with farangs but remains a great place to meet expats and traveling night owls. Music runs 18h30 – 01h00, arrive early to secure a table on the veranda.
The dutch owners have maintained high standards and good vibes.

The rough guide to Thailand

Eating & drinking
Riverside
Archetypal farang bolthole, candle lit terraces by the water, reliable western and thai food (moderate to pricey), extensive drinks list and reasonable draught beer. Various soloists and bands perform nightly on two stages, with the tempo increasing as the night wears on.

Dominicus Thailand

Restaurants ann de rivier de Ping
Een van de aardigste vormen van entertainment in de avonduren is een bezoek aan een van de bars en restaurants aan de oevers van de rivier de Ping. De bekendste liggen op de oostelijke oever ten noorden van de Nawarat-brug.
Een van de beste gelegenheden is de Riverside Bar & Restaurant. Je kunt er heerlijk eten op verschillende terrassen, zowel binnen als buiten. Iedere avond speelt er een band Thaise en westerse popmuziek, soms van verrassend goed niveau. De zaak is populair bij westerse toeristen en Thaise yuppen en zit vaak tjokvol.

Marco Polo Thailand

Eten en drinken
The Riverside
In dit langgerekte restaurant met terras aan de rivier de Ping wordt `s avonds door twee bands live muziek ten gehore gebracht. U kunt uw maaltijd ook laten serveren op de excursieboot von The Riverside. Om 20.00 uur vaart deze uit voor een tochtje van een uur over de rivier.

Petit fut? Thailande

Sortir Bars et Pubs
Riverside
Ouvert de 10h à 1h du matin. Très connu à Chiang Mai, ce restaurant-pub, don‘t la terrasse donne sur la rivière, est rempli de touristes de toutes nationalités et de jolies Thaies. Musique par des groupes thais, bonne ambiance et grosse affluence….

Lonely planet
South-East Asia on a shoestring

Entertainment
The Riverside Bar & Restaurant
(dishes 100-200B)
On the banks of the Mae Nam Ping, this gracious bar overflows with a sophisticated crowd of bilingual farang and Thai.
Spicy dishes of food are attacked as ravenously as frothy glasses of Carlsberg.

Guide du routard (dutch)
Thailand

Chiang Mai by night
The Riverside Bar & Restaurant
Open tot 1.00 u‘s nachts
Al meerdere jaren de ontmoetingsplaats voor trotters van alle nationaliteiten. Als je op zaterdag-avond een tafel wilt, moet je vroeg komen.
Het is er vaak druk.
Elke avond muziekbands. De Riverside is het grootste en mooiste café, volledig in hout en bamboe, in californische style open terras boven de rivier. Jonge klantenkring en bier van ’t vat.
Ook restaurant en cruise diners op een boot die een toertje op de Ping maakt.
Vertrek om 20.00 uur.
HEEL LEUK !!

Odyssey First Edition
Exoploring Chiang Mai City, Valley & Mountains

Riverside Bar & Restaurant
Bands at both ends of this ever popular spot – standing room only when the crowds start to jump at the northern bar. Very pleasant terrace.

Footprint Thailand Handbook

Eating Thai Mid-range
Riverside
A rambling very popular place that stretches along the Ping River. Thai specialities include jungle curry and unusual fried-rice dishes. Also serves international food. Live music, good fast service, good food and value for money, booking advised in the evenings. Open for late breakfast (1000) and lunch. Recommended

Bars
Riverside Bar & Restaurant
Assorted music from blues to Thai Rock, owner is a big Beatles fan.

Boat Trips
Evening departures from the Riverside Restaurant on Charoen Rad Road for trips along the Ping River B50 a head, minimum 2 people.

Globus Reis Gids (dutch)

`s Avonds
The Riverside
Dé ontmoentingsplaats van de jeugd, vlak bij de Ping-rivier. Lekkere gerechten, cocktails en livemuziek

Polyglott Reisebuch
Thailand

Restaurants
Die folgenden 4 Läden zählen zu Chiang Mais Dauerbrenner. Sie liegen dicht nebeneinander und bieten auf etwa vergleichbarem Preis-Leistungs Niveau überwiegend Thai-, aber auch typisch lokale sowie europäische Küche. Alle verfügen über Terrassen mit Flussblick. Stimmungsmässig jedoch gibt es deutliche Unterschiede, die nach Tageszeit varieren. Die Betriebe mit Musik haben bis in die Morgenstunden geöffnet.

The Riverside Bar & Restaurant
Hubsche, grosse Anlage mit guter Livemusik. Vermutlich die beste Kuche auf diesem Strip. Ausserdem: Dinner Cruises auf dem Ping

Guides bleus evasion
Thailande

Vie nocturne
Riverside
Un succès mérité pour ce bistrot ouvert dans les années1980 par un Hollandais. Il y a deux Riverside l’un à côté de l’autre : même carte (excellente cuisine thaie), même musique live, même situation au bord de la rivière. Un must à toute heure

Let’s go Travel Guide
Thailand

Food - Near the Ping River
Riverside
From Nawarat Bridge, take a left on Charoen Rat Rd; it’s the 1st building on the left. Phenomenal view from the "farangda" (veranda filled with farang) matched only by the food. Attentive staff serve beef salad with mint leaves (60B).
Open daily 10am-1.30am

Nightlife
Riverside
Has long been the most popular club. Two bands start rocking around 8pm, alternating between dual stages at either end of the club. Screwdriver 110B. Large Singha 95B. Corona 140B. Pitcher of beer 300B.
Open daily 10am-1.30am

The rough guide to South East Asia

Eating & drinking
Riverside
Archetypal farang bolthole: candlelit terraces by the water, mid priced Western and Thai food, live bands and inexpensive draught beer.

Adac Reiseführer

Der National Geographic Traveller
Thailand

Essen - Der besondere Tipp
Einige der romantischsten Restaurants von Chiang Mai liegen zwischen der Nawarat-Brücke und der Ranca-Brücke, am Ostufer des Ping. Im Riverside blickt praktisch jeder Tisch auf den Fluss. Man serviert ordentliches thailändisches und westliches Essen (Spezialitäten yum woon sen oder gelierte Nudeln und grünes Hühner-Curry, aber empfehlenswert ist vor allem die Live-Unterhaltung, die um 21.30Uhr beginnt.

Thailand Reisehandbuch JPP
(Jens Peters Publications)

Western Food
The Riverside Bar & Restaurant
Nettes Flussrestaurant. Abends gepflegte, romantische Gastlich-keit bei Kerzenlicht und dezen-ter Live-Musik.
Ge?ffnet t?glich 10.00-2.00Uhr

Nelles Guide – Freude am Reisen
Thailand

Essen – Westlich
Riverside Restaurant
Direkt am Fluss mit grosser Terrasse, Live Musik, Thai und Western Food

Dumont – Richtig reisen
Thailand

Essen
The Riverside
Am Fluss, nördlich der Nawarat-Brücke, Tel. 053 243239, www.theriversidechiangmai.com; moderat;

Terrassen mit Blick auf den Fluss, lokale und internationale Küche, ab 19Uhr Live-Musik

Guide Michelin
Thailande

Riverside
le même quartier (au bord de la rivière), l‘un des lieux les plus branchés de la ville, rendez-vous de la jeunesse de Chiang Mai, l‘établissement possède deux scènes où se produisent deux groupes de musique en même temps. Ambiance assurée

Time out Penguin Books
Bangkok, Chiang Mai & the islands

Bars & Pubs
Riverside Bar & Restaurant
Open 10am – 1.30am daily
Main course B100
Credit card AmEx, MC, V
An early presence on the river means this institution has one of the best locations. There’s a long, low terrace below the open main wooden buildings, from where two bands blare (sometimes including Lanna tribal rocker Todd "Thongdee” Levelle). It’s one of the best places for trying three-chilli specials, such as "golden needle mushroom salad”.

Polyglott on tour
Thailand

The Riverside
Touristenhochburg mit Live-musik und erstklassiger Thai-küche

Thailand Handbuch
Reise-Know how

Nachtleben
Das Riverside Bar und Restaurant liegt am östlichen Flussufer (9-11 Charoen Rat Rd) und ist seit Jahren so etwas wie ein Insider Treff, live Bands spielen Rock und Blues, und dazu gibt es hervorragendes Thai- und westliches Essen.

Stefan Loose
Travel Handbuch Okt

Unterhaltung
Bars – The Riverside – am Fluss hat eine angenehme Bar mit Live-Musik (Piano, Folk, Country,Blues), z.T. zwei Bands gleichzeitig in verschiedenen Räumen. Unter holländischer Leitung. Bis 2 Uhr.

Merian live
Thailand

Am Abend
The Riverside
"In” Treff der Jugend direkt am Ping-Fluss. Leckere Gerichte, Cocktails und jeden Abend Livemusik

Guide du routard
Thailande

Chiang Mai by night
The Riverside
Ouvert jusqu‘à 1h. C‘est LE rendez-vous nocturne des routards de toutes nationalités. Le samedi, arriver tôt pour avoir une table. Groupes tous les soirs, de qualité inégale. Mais comme il y a deux scènes (donc deux musiques et deux ambiances), vous trouverez toujours votre compte. Au pire, il y a juste à côté d‘autres cafés-concerts dans le même genre. Mais le Riverside est le plus grand et le plus beau, en bois et bambou, dans le style californien. Terrasse ourverte surplombant la rivière. Ici pas de go-go girls mais de charmantes étudiantes qui viennent écouter des orchestres de musique western ou blue grass. Bière à la pression. Fait aussi restaurant, et même dîner-croisière, avec un bateau qui fait un tour sur la rivière Ping en emmenant des convives. Départ à 20h. Très sympa.

Nelles Guide - Verken de wereld

Westers
Riverside Restaurant
9-11 Charoen Rd, pal aan de rivier met groot terras, live-muziek en westers voedsel.

Guide du routard
Thailande

Chiang Mai by night
The Riverside Bar&Restaurant
The Riverside Bar&Restaurant
Open until 1am. This is absolutly the place to go at night for backpackers of every nationality. Get there early on Saturday to be sure of a table.
Different bands every night, some better than others, but with two stages there are two types of music and two kinds of atmosphere so there is something for everybody. At worst you can always move to ……………but they are not nearly as big or beautiful as The Riverside.
Made of wood and bamboo in the californian style, The Riverside has an open air terrace overlooking the river.
Not a gogo girl in sight, only charming students who come to listen to Western bands and bluegrass music.
Serves food and draught beer and you can even have a dinner cruise on a boat that takes you on a tour of the river Ping. Leaves at 8pm – lots of fun.

Lonely planet
Thailand

Places to eat – On the River
Riverside Bar & Restaurant
(dishes 60-120B, open 5pm-1am daily), 200m north of Saphan Nawarat, has been the most consistent riverside place over the years. The food is always good, and it‘s as popular with Thais as with faràng. The atmosphere is convival and there's live music nightly.
Another plus is that you can choose from indoor and outdoor dining areas. There‘s also an 8pm dinner cruise – you can board the boat any time before 7h30.

Live music
Riverside Bar & Restaurant
(open until 2am or 3am) on Mae Nam Ping is one of the longest-running live music venues in Chiang Mai. Two cover bands play at either end of the rambling wooden building nightly. It's usually packed with both foreigners and Thais on week ends, so arrive early to get a table on the veranda over-looking the river. There are two indoor bars, both full of regulars, with separate bands.