Good times at The Good View…all day and all night long

Before Nimmanhaemin, before Chiang Mai sprouted vibrant satellite towns, before the city grew into the vibrant internationally renowned destination it is today, before the hundreds if not thousands of bars and pubs opened across the city, there was Wat Gate’s Charoen Rat Road. Anyone and everyone who enjoyed the night life would head down towards the river to get their evening started and night underway.

Twenty five years ago, when The Good view Bar and Restaurant Chiang Mai first opened its breezy doors, it immediately became a major destination for not just Chiang Mai’s party people who came for the great live music, the international bands and concerts, the consistently delicious food, the flowing drinks and…the good, if not great, views.

An entire generation of Chiang Mai people and visitors have fond and fun memories from this river side bar and restaurant.

We at Citylife can’t be happier to hear that one of our favourite city destinations has not just survived the financial stresses of the pandemic, but is expanding and thriving.

The Good View is now open all day for the first time. From 10am when the coffee machine heats up, you can sit by the gentle banks of the Ping River with a fresh cup of coffee and some hearty breakfast.  “Chiang Mai offers a great opportunity for us in terms of coffee as the north is where it’s grown,” said James Pataraphol Pukpiboon Executive Director, the son of one of the venue’s founders, who is bringing youthful energy, new ideas and a fresh look to the iconic venue. “We have two coffee plantations in Chiang Rai’s Doi Ngarm where we grow high grade Arabica. We even have our own roasting factory, so we guarantee fantastic coffees.”

The Good view’s regular menu is now available all day with some great additions of new dishes to add to the restaurant’s famous pork knuckle, hors d’oeuvres muang, steamed seafood and pineapple fried rice. There is an assortment of classical Thai dishes, from simple pad Thai and pad krapow all the way to full feasts of complex dishes from curries to northern favourites. There is also the gamut of international dishes such as sandwiches, salads, steaks and other great dishes from around the world. Freshly squeezed juices, smoothies, chilled iced teas and coffees as well as your favourite beers, wines and cocktails will make for a lovely lazy long lunch or a no-nonsense business lunch.

“We are expanding in many directions,” added Executive Director Ake Nopporn Lamalai. “We have Good view Karaoke next door. Also on the river, this section of the Good View comprises six unique private rooms, each of different sizes, accommodating groups up to 30 people per room. We are currently building a private room facing the river, which I expect will be a hit. You can book a private room, order any dish or drink from The Good view’s main menu and enjoy a vast selection of Thai and international music, as we have a sweeping license.”

Ake went on to say that the Good view is also the only destination in the north of Thailand which sells freshly baked cakes flown up daily from Bangkok from the famous Coffee Beans by Dao cake shop. As late afternoon stretches into the evening, and before the thirst for a chilled beer kicks in, sipping a steaming hot cup of coffee and digging into exquisitely presented and baked cakes from Coffee Beans by Dao, is a real treat.

But as shadows stretch and twilight twinkles, The Good view morphs back into its familiar and comfortable self. Live bands play cover music every night as drinks flow liberally, the crowd of party people, friends and family come together to take in the sure thing that is The Good view.

There is no need to wait for the sun to set, The Good view guarantees a good time from morning through the night. ;