Pattaya Beer Garden

[Evil Penevil 7,628]

I dreamt again last night that I'd blithely skipped through a minefield, so I thought I'd do a review of the Pattaya Beer Garden.

 

 

It's the kind of place that, for reasons not entirely clear to me, awakes strong feelings. Some love it, others hate it and the discussions between the lovers and haters has indeed gotten very heated at times on the Pattaya boards.

 

I'm in the middle. I don't dislike PBG, but it's not among my favorites. A lot of the attraction of the PBG has to do with factors other than the food. Its location at the start of Walking Street is ideal and the panoramic sea views from the veranda, especially at sunset, are impressive.

 

 

 

 

 

The restaurant's customers are overwhelming farang males and their Thai female companions and 20-year-old Thai girls don't feel out of place when they walk in with 60-year-old farang males. It's a majorly large restaurant with a huge central bar and plenty of seating on the veranda as well as "inside" under the roof.

 

 

 

 

 

On the food side, the portions are large and the prices are relatively low in terms of what the customer gets. Personally, I haven't had a bad meal at PBG, but I have had some mediocre ones. I've also had some minor problems with service - long wait times for food and once I got the wrong order - but nothing that would sour me on returning to the PBG. It's a pleasant, convenient and inexpensive place to have a meal, even if the food doesn't reach any culinary heights.

 

 

The farang and Thai menus are extensive. The farang side mostly covers familiar U.S. and U.K. comfort food. The Thai menu has all the standard dishes, plus some not-so-common Isaan specialties. The farang meals I've tried remind me of what you'd get at a truck stop on the outskirts of Omaha, Nebraska, or at a diner in Cincinnati, Ohio.

 

 

I don't mean that in a derogatory sense; it's simply big portions with familiar names and flavors that appeal to a big chunk of the U.S. population. No surprises, but no real disappointment, either. The accompanying pics show some of the meals I or friends have had. I'll comment on them in description for the individual pics.

 

 

There's no doubt PBG is a busy and popular restaurant. According to the owner, the PBG averages 2,000 meals a day between 10 am and 2 am. That averages out to 165 meals per hour and since all times of day aren't uniformly busy, an lot of customers will be vying for service during the peak evening hours. The sheer volume of meals leaving the kitchen sets the stage for some of the mistakes, food- and service-wise, that have been reported about the PBG.

 

 

The reason that I've gone on at such length about the location and ambiance is that the PBG is more than a mere eatery. if a restaurant that served exactly the same food as PBG opened on 3rd Road or in Jomtien, I doubt I'd rush to eat there. I wouldn't avoid it, but the food at the PBG isn't the biggest attraction for me.

 

 

Anyway, enough on the background and on to the food itself. I haven't tried the hamburgers, pizza or steak at PBG because I tend to limit my intake of such iconic items to special occasions and places. But I have tried the chicken korma, chicken Maryland, meatloaf sandwich, tuna melt and a other dishes. But what has surprised me most is the number of Thai ladies who have asked to eat at PBG. They really enjoyed the combination of tasty food, fantastic views and laid-back atmosphere.

 

In my most recent outing to the PBG, I had the tuna melt.

 

 

 

 

It's a simple and unimposing sandwich, but the essence of comfort food. It is executed well at PBG. The Fench bread had been toasted lightly; the tuna mix was well seasoned and the cheese appropriately stringy and rather bland. It tastes just like the tuna melts my mom used to make.

 

 

 

While the PBG is most often busy, it isn't always so. I was there at about 11.30 p.m. on a weekday night and there was no shortage of empty tables to choose from.

 

 

More to come.

 

Evil

[Evil Penevil 7,628]

I'm not going to go into much length about the other dishes. They were all good if unremarkable. The portions were always big.

 

Chicken Maryland:

 

 

Chicken korma, a mild curry dish popular in the UK:

 

 

 

Salad and potato wedgies:

 

 

Grilled salmon steak:

 

 

Hot meatloaf sandwich. Now that's real American comfort food, but a bit heavy and filling in a tropical climate.

 

 

 

A few Thai dishes:

 

 

 

 

 

.

 

 

 

 

Bottom line: The PBG is a great place to have a drink and a bite to eat while watching the sun set over the sea. The portions are large and the prices moderate to low, but it's not a palace of culinary sophistication.

 

Evil

Edited July 29, 2014 by Evil Penevil

[SunnyValentine 173]

Amen to that, Brother.

[cbrib 354]

I have always like Pattaya Beer Garden for the following reasons:

1. Good food, Beer Garden Burger probably my favorite
2. Beer is cold and very reasonably priced
3. Music is good and not too loud
4. Relaxed atmosphere
5. Great views

There have been a few times the food was slow coming out but that was because of how busy the place was, cooks can only turn out so many meals every few minutes

[Idefix 2,275]

Deleted. Reason: "Restaurant & food" forum

Edited July 29, 2014 by Idefix

[cbrib 354]

deleted because of prior post deletion

Edited July 29, 2014 by cbrib

[Nightrider 340]

I really enjoy going to the beer garden , i always have and always will.....!

[Butch 3,456]

Great review Evil, thanks for posting.

 

I think that "pound for pound" as we say in the UK, PBG offers very good value indeed. A good balance of decent customer service, atmosphere, pricing and location.

[bigmick 840]

I like the BG for its location and nice cool evenings to sit and chill with some friends before going out for the night. I think the food is just ok, nothing special, and i accept that they are not trying to impress anyone with the quality of the food. It is just ok food IMO. I wish they would re vamp the menu as it is more American (apart from the Thai section) I would like them to add more sandwiches (for example) I tried to ask the waitress for a roast pork sandwich last time and even though they were making roast pork dinners. She just could not understand what a roast pork sandwich was. She then went to the kitchen to ask and came back saying "No hab" so now i still go to drink, just not to eat.

[teelack 9,627]

Hi there Evil. Good to see you in the Siren a few nights ago.

 

If I were to write up a review of the PBG I think that it would essentially mirror image everything you say. The other non food things about the place is that it is easy to say to a Thai girl, "meet you at PBG" and I have never had one disapprove of the place. I also found that because it has Esarn food on the menu that it suits a percentage of the girls.

[BigDUSA 71]

I always thought the PBR serves good pub grub.

[jacko 8,813]

I always thought the PBR serves good pub grub.

I guess you mean the PBG..... but it serves up way more than what I call 'pub grub'.

The menu is more comprehensive and of a higher quality than that.

 

Bigmick says above he doesn't go there to eat..... but I recall we did once prior to hitting Walking St, and I bet we will do so again.

Otherwise I have a habit of losing my appetite after a few beers and always regret that!

[MM 6,562]

I guess you mean the PBG..... but it serves up way more than what I call 'pub grub'.

The menu is more comprehensive and of a higher quality than that.

 

Bigmick says above he doesn't go there to eat..... but I recall we did once prior to hitting Walking St, and I bet we will do so again.

Otherwise I have a habit of losing my appetite after a few beers and always regret that!

BigD just likes to sound cool by saying pub grub. That's from his short visit to Cambridge on the bus tour, I'd suspect.

[groover 248]

Accurate description EvilPenevil.

 

My main reason for visiting PBG is not the food but the location and the relaxed atmosphere.

 

Als: I find the waitresses are friendly, one even flirted a bit with me ( I like that)

 

Portions of food are twice as big compared to most other restaurants.In fact I don't know any other restaurant in Pattaya where portions are that large.

 

In the beginning PBG was Walking Street's fresh breath of air with it's low loudness of music .

 

Unfortunately the music has become louder and louder.

 

 

Call me crazy, but if I owned PBG i would let the dj play classical music

PBG has the perfect ambiance for it.

 

 

 

 

tunasalad at PBG. Portion was so large that I didn't manage to eat it all.

Edited July 30, 2014 by groover

[BigDUSA 71]

BigD just likes to sound cool by saying pub grub. That's from his short visit to Cambridge on the bus tour, I'd suspect.

Whats up with the unprovoked personal attack? Sad and lame.

Edited July 31, 2014 by BigDUSA

[keyman 1,413]

Whats up with the unprovoked personal attack? Sad and lame.

 

 

Attack?????

 

Loks like an amusing jibe to me.

 

Perhaps you're feeling a little over sensitive?

 

KM

[losgrad 264]

Evil - good review and fantastic pictures. Sorry, I startled you the other evening. I hadn't seen you in awhile and just wanted to make sure you didn't just walk by .

 

Anyway, I like the PBG when meeting up with other people - guys or girls. The long wait time for food is fine when with others, but too long when alone waiting for the gogos to open :). Yes, I know about the drink coasters showing availability, but for many reasons Pattaya Beergarden never gave me the same vibe as Bangkok's Biergarten.

 

 

I have always like Pattaya Beer Garden for the following reasons:

1. Good food, Beer Garden Burger probably my favorite
2. Beer is cold and very reasonably priced
3. Music is good and not too loud
4. Relaxed atmosphere
5. Great views

There have been a few times the food was slow coming out but that was because of how busy the place was, cooks can only turn out so many meals every few minutes

 

Yes, agree with all of the above and the location makes it a good place to meet up before going on a mini-gogo bar crawl on Walking Street or on evenings of major holidays to watch the fireworks in the bay.

 

It is a positive to this area of Pattaya.

Edited July 31, 2014 by losgrad

[monkeyman 1,604]

If I could own any bar in Pattaya, I'd choose this one.

 

The business model is bulletproof.

[graymatter 153]

It always amazes me when I see falangs who insist on eating western food in Thailand. I have heard the justification that they usually eat Thai food but every now and then like to get stuck into some comfort food from “home” but I believe the Thai culinary choices give so many options that there is a Thai dish for every occasion.

 

I am a fan of PBG because the view is great, the staff are friendly and most of all I love the occasional cool breeze coming over the water. The added bonus for me s that the Thai menu has always had more than enough choices to keep me happy. My eyes have always been bigger than my stomach but in truth my choice of dish is made well before I get to the restaurant. The climate in Thailand is different and a big heavy dish covered in cheese seems great from a few thousand miles away but in the heat of a Pattaya evening I want something light. I am planning to get out and about and I am hoping for some energetic activities so tucking into a meal that makes me want to sit on the couch and have a sleep is not for me.

 

I do wonder when I read a report on the food in a restaurant whether the negative comments stem from ordering the wrong food rather than the quality of food that was supplied. Still the OP’s report was generally favourable and the photographs were good enough to make the flavours come to life in my memories.

[Evil Penevil 7,628]

Some Pattaya bars and restaurants may be suffering during the during the 2015-16 high season, but the Pattaya Beer Garden can't be among them. On Tuesday night at 8 pm, it was literally full to the very last seat, both at the bar and in the dining area. It thinned out a bit at the bar between 8 pm and 9 pm, but the dining area remained full. Every time diners finished and paid, new customers took their places.

Considering the size of the crowd, a friend and I were surprised how quickly the food got to our table, about 20 minutes. We had steeled ourselves for a much longer wait. My friend really likes the PBG and eats there several times every visit. I like PBG as a bar and for some of its food, but have found it to be quite inconsistent over the years. There can be a big difference in the quality of the same dish on different days.

Case in point- Here's a pic of the chicken korma I got about 18 months ago.

It had been tasty, with a lot of chunks of chicken in a nice sauce.

Compare that with what I was served Tuesday.

Very little chicken and it had been cut stir-fry style. A lot of potato in big pieces, most of which had large bad spots.

I should have sent the dish back, but I didn't want to create a hassle for myself on a busy night. The sauce tasted OK and I spooned some of it over the rice. Not a very satisfying meal.

But my friend thought his chicken cordon bleu and garden salad were very good. He thought it was a large portion and great value for money.

Bottom line: The PBG is much as it's always been: busy, convenient and cheap, but inconsistent regarding the food it serves. In the future, I'll probably avoid it on nights when it is crowded. On a separate note, I did see a few freelancers sitting at the bar, but PBG has never really taken off in that department.

Evil

Some pics:

[Kev 178]

Thanks for the update Evil. I like the PBG as well and eat there several times when on hols in Pattaya (usually wifey, myself and a few other friends) rock up there a few nights while on hols. Yes definately looks like they are getting busier and busier nowadays (kudos to Pete and his management team). When we are back in August (yes a long way off) will be back for a feed and view again.

 

In Oz if you went to a restaurant/bar on the waterfront like that with its view you would be paying a fortune for the food and beer.

[Lantern 193]

^^ Too right Kev, ever tried to get a feed in Byron Bay?

 

TBH I like the PBG and over the years have had some good feeds there. Didn't get to eat there last trip though.

[sabai_dee 35]

PBG is to me for Pattaya what the now-closed Golden Beer Bar was to me for Bangkok. They would both be my first-thing that came to mind and one word-reply if either city was said to me while playing that psycology association game. I discovered both during my first ever visit and I can always picture those times...

 

I'm guessing they no longer have those god awful fake-fights and I don't remember the food. I always thought you had to go next door or have the girls bring you something from nearby.

 

So many good times there and hopefully many more!

[SimplySam 517]

PBG is to me for Pattaya what the now-closed Golden Beer Bar was to me for Bangkok. They would both be my first-thing that came to mind and one word-reply if either city was said to me while playing that psycology association game. I discovered both during my first ever visit and I can always picture those times...

 

I'm guessing they no longer have those god awful fake-fights and I don't remember the food. I always thought you had to go next door or have the girls bring you something from nearby.

 

So many good times there and hopefully many more!

 

I used to laugh walking down Soi 4, a narrow, perhaps 5-meter wide street @ Bangkok's beer bar center of excellence, one set of Geezers at Golden bar staring across that 5-meter strip at others at Hillary/K&S/Zen/Stumble Inn, etc., who also traveled thousands of miles to sit and drink their vacations away staring into oblivion waiting for the wonder.

 

So I miss it too.

Edited January 9, 2016 by SimplySam

[Bullfrog 2,224]

I presume Pattaya Pete has managed to sell the place because as I mentioned in the "suggestions" thread the food had gone down hill .. but it wasn't until today I realised how bad it had become. Previously we acceptted slugs and snails in the salad as "a thai thing" but I sat and watched for 4 hours (because of the rain) as plate after plate was returned not even half eaten..... I guess the new owners are cutting corners ... so for me it is a place for drink only...