Banana Bar
Banana Bar is one of Pub Street's most accessible and fun venues for travelers who want a good night without the full club commitment. Cold Angkor beer flows from around $1, cocktails are $3 to $4, and the outdoor seating puts you directly in the flow of Pub Street's pedestrian circus. It is the kind of place that works at 7 PM when you are starting your night and equally at 1 AM when you are not ready to stop.
What to Expect
An open-fronted bar with outdoor street seating, cheap beer and cocktails, DJ or recorded music, and a stream of travelers passing through Pub Street creating natural social energy without effort.
Sociable and fun without being overwhelming. The Pub Street setting does all the heavy lifting.
DJ pop and party music; background recorded music during quieter hours.
Casual.
An easy, low-commitment start or continuation to a Pub Street evening. Good for solo travelers and groups alike.
Cash (USD and KHR).
Price Range
Angkor beer from $1 USD; cocktails $3-$5 USD
Hours
Daily from around 5 PM to late (2 AM or beyond on peak nights).
Insider Tip
The outdoor tables are the point; sitting inside misses the energy of Pub Street itself. Arrive early to claim a prime spot on the street-facing section. The happy hour window brings prices down even further on spirits.
Full Review
Banana Bar sits directly on Pub Street in Siem Reap, with outdoor seating that puts you in the middle of the pedestrian circus that defines this strip every evening. The setup is simple: tables facing the street, cold Angkor beer from $1, cocktails at $3-4, and DJ or recorded music that rises in volume as the evening progresses. It's a bar designed for the location rather than the other way around.
The atmosphere is entirely dependent on Pub Street itself. Early evening brings a mellow start with cheap drinks and people-watching. By 11 PM the street fills, the music gets louder, and the energy shifts from relaxed to party. The crowd is almost exclusively travelers: temple visitors unwinding after a day at Angkor Wat, backpackers on the Southeast Asia circuit, and couples who stumbled into the strip and decided to stay.
Banana Bar doesn't try to be distinctive. It succeeds by being accessible, cheap, and well-positioned on Siem Reap's most active nightlife street. It serves the same function as a dozen other bars on the same block, but the outdoor seating and consistent service keep it a reliable choice. Don't come looking for local culture; this is tourist infrastructure, and it does that job well.
The outdoor tables are the point; sitting inside misses the energy. Arrive early to claim a street-facing spot. Happy hour brings prices down even further. It works equally well as a starting point or a late-night continuation of a Pub Street evening.
The Neighborhood
Banana Bar is one of many venues on Siem Reap's Pub Street, the concentrated nightlife strip that serves the city's massive temple tourism industry. The street itself is the attraction; individual bars provide the seating.
Getting There
Pub Street is in central Siem Reap, a short tuk-tuk ride from most hotels and guesthouses. Walking from the Old Market area takes about five minutes.
Address
Pub Street, Siem Reap
Where to stay in Siem Reap
Compare hotels near the nightlife districts. Free cancellation on most properties.
Other Venues in Pub Street
Angkor What? Bar
Iconic backpacker institution operating since 1998, self-described as 'promoting irresponsible drinking.' Cheap beer buckets, deafening music, and a permanent party atmosphere every night of the week.
Temple Club
Large multi-level venue with a ground-floor restaurant, upstairs bar, and a packed dance floor. Free entry most nights with commercial dance and hip-hop from resident DJs.
Miss Wong
1930s Shanghai-inspired cocktail bar down The Lane, just off Pub Street. Well-crafted drinks in a dimly lit, intimate setting at mid-range prices. One of Siem Reap's few genuinely sophisticated bars.
X Bar
Rooftop bar and club with open-air views over the old market area. Regular DJ nights, fire shows, and a pool table draw a younger backpacker crowd that stays until sunrise.
Laundry Bar
Compact, music-focused bar with rotating DJ sets leaning toward house and funk. Starts mellow in the early evening and builds to a full dance party after midnight.