The Guess Bar

[Chinaman]

Wow foxee, I expected to get bashed by you (again) ;-) - what a relief!

No, seriously, it is good to see very valid reasons. However, I will still prefer to meet up with (an)other BM(s) there than venture into Guess completely on my own - call me chicken, that's ok ... ;-)

[f0xxee]

Have I bashed you before?

Sorry,

Must have been suffering PMS.

I was always a lone wolf back in my single days and discovered Guess alone too. Don't worry, Jay hires well and the girls are good people. No one will eat you alive although Moo might if you ask her nicely.

[Chinaman]

Haha, as usual, the basher doesn't remember, just the bashed one but it was no big deal. It was over Asian culture a few months back although there was some misinterpretation involved.

Boards are never too good a platform for serious discussions due to cyber-personality issues ...

So, next time I am in BKK, I'll visit Guess and report, if I survive that is ;-)

[seamus]

(koykaeng @ Feb. 18 2010,03:51)

(Chinaman @ Feb. 18 2010,11:11) Could someone come up with 3 (less are ok as well but 3 would be desirable) good reasons why someone who has never been to Guess, should go there?
And again, I am not trying to be a prick, it is a question I would ask referring to almost any business.

After all, this is a forum and I hope one person's opinion doesn't carry more weight than another's.

For the record everybody's opinion is valid, however I do think people need to at least experience something before deciding they don't like it.

I'm certainly not suggesting the place is perfect, but it's as good as it gets in Thailand.

Anyway, here are a few reasons to visit Guess Bar;

1. Guess Bar is a nice spot to meet fellow board members and chew the fat.
2. The girls are attractive and certainly don't hassle you anything like they do over at Nana Plaza.
3. There is no loud music & horrible cabaret shows.
4. There are comfortable sofas to relax on and get to know each other.
5. The girl getting intimate with you won't excuse herself because it's her turn to dance.
6. If you're hungry the staff will order you a pizza or some Thai food and have it delivered to the bar.
7. Gong mixes the best authentic Bombay Gin & Tonic in town.
8. Being able to look Jay "up & down".

Cheers
Koykaeng

Well Said My boy.
If I get a night off from the GG GF whilst in BKK, it will be Guess I go visit, I think only once have I been there & not met a fellow BM. Besides be nice to see Gong & maybe Jay again. Unless Joy & Beer are working Singapore, they always make Me welcome, as does Moo & Pang, but I here Pang no longer works Guess & depending wot Mood Jenny's in She can be a great laugh I don't know any other Bar where the girls you have never & probably will never bar fine, are still friendly & chat to you, wot can they gain from it, a lady drink, big deal !

[mardhi]

As koykaeng eludes to and other have stated to me before (incl the owner of LB69) - when in Guess, they get REAL, GENUINE spirits that contain what they say on the bottle. You would be amazed at how many bars & gogo's fill up branded spirit bottles with much lower priced substitutes. Quite an irony as you sit their looking at fake girls and drinking genuine spirits

Cheers
Mardhi

[mardhi]

The key difference can be summed up quite simply by stating Guess is a city bar and its not a resort bar - way different interpretation of rules, etiquette etc by Thai's especially - walking down Bangla road or Walking Street in a bikini and thigh length boots maybe tolerated but for sure its the fastest way to get arrested in Bangkok and/or get totally sneered at by professional Thais. probably no different to what is acceptable on Miami Beach is not whats acceptable in for example downtown Dallas (and I tried to choose cities that are similar temperatures rather than using New York as an example) - however the comparison is the same. Forget what the farangs think is acceptable - its what is acceptable and tolerated by the Thai's that counts in long term viability of a bar in Thailand. The bar would probably like nothing better than to have sexy bikini clad staff 24/7 but it aint going to happen and as they sit outside of Nana Plaza they have zero ability to do it.

So working within these constraints they have to innovate and come up with a different style of venue that appeals to most people, but to compare it directly with a beach resort bar is naive of how Thailand operates.

Cheers
Mardhi

[Megatic]

i must just be unlucky

1. Guess Bar is a nice spot to meet fellow board members and chew the 5 fat Times ive been there there has hardly been any patrons never mind BM'.
2. The girls are attractive and certainly don't hassle you anything like they do over at Nana Plaza. maybe not as bad as Nana, but the 4 sentences I got off 4 girls all ended up with Buy me drink, only saw 2 that would pass in the looks department
3. There is no loud music & horrible cabaret shows. The screamin over a game of pool is worse
4. There are comfortable sofas to relax on and get to know each other. We can finally agree with something
5. The girl getting intimate with you won't excuse herself because it's her turn to dance. Cant argue with that
6. If you're hungry the staff will order you a pizza or some Thai food and have it delivered to the bar. Its a restaurant?
7. Gong mixes the best authentic Bombay Gin & Tonic in town. Good if u drink G and T
8. Being able to look Jay "up & down". In 5 trips there Ive yet to see Jay

I will give it another try I am sure, as I said many of you lads have a blast there, but it just hasnt done anything to me, as for the toilet its a disgrace, stinks and a simple bucket of Disinfectant or even a bucket of limes cut up would kill the odour

[guydesavoy]

To be fair, I've only ever been to Guess with other BMs. But somehow I doubt my experience would be much different were I to go it solo. A matter of 'bearing' I suppose.

kk made a good list. It's quite true they will order out or go bring food for you. (unles it happens to be donnnnnny on a pizza run ) Even go to 7/11 and buy one if you don't have a lighter that works foxxee

It's that attention to detail that I like. And a more relaxed, less pressured atmosphere.

Now Gate whispering sweet nothings ? Sometimes, when no one's looking, I hold a seashell up to my ear and hear her siren call....

Bottom line, if you've had an indifferent experience there, give it another try...and tell them you're a member here !

[f0xxee]

(Megatic @ Feb. 18 2010,17:14) 7. Gong mixes the best authentic Bombay Gin & Tonic in town. Good if u drink G and T

I think you are being a bit pedantic. They also mix a good Rum and coke, not that it requires any special skill, but its nice to see the seal cracked on the Bot, and that you are getting what you pay for as both KK and Mardhi have noted. (And decent nips too.)

Also I made the point earlier that Jay tends to arrive lateish. I have been there probably 8 times in the last 6 months and either have been lucky in that she has been there 7 of those 8 times (well more lucky for Mrs Foxxee as they are old friends) or it could be you are departing too early.

Anyhow horses for courses. If you don't like it dont spend your hard earned there. Enjoy the meat markets of Patts or Nana.

Up to you!

PS: Hi Guydesavoy! Correct sir! Cigarette lighters included! (Did we meet there not long ago and I am unaware/was incoherent? Or am I being rude? )

[guydesavoy]

(f0xxee @ Feb. 18 2010,18:34) PS: Hi Guydesavoy! Correct sir! Cigarette lighters included! (Did we meet there not long ago and I am unaware/was incoherent?  Or am I being rude? )

Is the Pope Catholic ?    

Nah, just a coincidence, as Vivian used to do that for me...

Sorry to say we haven't crossed paths yet. Or we'd both remember  

[titian]

Having been in Guess Bar last week I'd say it's a whole lot better than it was 6 months ago. I agree with most of the positive comments made above, but I had one irritating experience last Monday.

I was in the bar for the third night running and ordered a bottle of local water, as I had on the two previous evenings. They'd run out! I can understand running out of a rare spirit, but bottled water? I was offered Evian instead, and I said sure if I can have it at the local water price - ie 70 bahts instead of 100. I know it's not a lot of money, but it's the principle. This was refused, which I thought showed poor customer service. The barman (Gong?) either thought he didn't have the authority to make such a decision or he couldn't see the customer service aspect - after all it's not as if they were going to sell the Evian at a loss at 70 bahts. If the former, he shouldn't have been left in charge; if the latter he needs some training. So I drank nothing. To his credit, I think he felt embarrassed because he wouldn't take the change I left on the tray (for the pool).

Someone tell me if my expectations are too high. But please don't excuse it with "This is Thailand"; good customer service = good customer service = good customer service, wherever you are in the world.

[azza33]

Expecting customer service in Thailand is your first mistake!

Evian tastes like shit anyways- full of bicarbonates which makes water taste terrible IMHO.

[EyeMahk]

(titian @ Mar. 15 2010,22:16) They'd run out!  I can understand running out of a rare spirit, but bottled water?  I was offered Evian  instead, and I said sure if I can have it at the local water price - ie 70 bahts instead of 100.  I know it's not a lot of money, but it's the principle.  This was refused, which I thought showed poor customer service.  The barman (Gong?) either thought he didn't have the authority to make such a decision or he couldn't see the customer service aspect - after all it's not as if they were going to sell the Evian at a loss at 70 bahts.

Thai logic. Makes perfect sense to a Thai, glad you're getting used to it.

[Rocket J. Squirrel]

(titian @ Mar. 15 2010,22:16) Someone tell me if my expectations are too high.

Since you asked, with all due respect, I feel that your expectations might be a little high. One night out of three you could not get the drink that you wanted. So you 'showed them' by drinking nothing. You also write that you agree with most of the positive comments already written. I don't quite get it.
I recommend the bottled soda water - it's excellent and usually in-stock.

[iceberg]

(titian @ Mar. 15 2010,22:16)  I was offered Evian  instead, and I said sure if I can have it at the local water price - ie 70 bahts instead of 100.  I know it's not a lot of money, but it's the principle.  

You're right I mean a 30 baht difference in price isn't a lot of money, is it? Sometimes the things on this forum that I read really surprise me, I mean the prices in Thailand are so much less than most of the countries of origin of BMs  but the slightest change in price seems to really rub some people the wrong way. This is just something I've noticed.