With a massive renovation underway, visitors to Nana Plaza will find Mandarin closed and Red Dragon booming with former Mandarin maidens.
One of Nanaโs oldest bars, opening around the turn of the century, Mandarin has long been in need of a refresh. A classic two-level go-go that long was popular with Japanese punters for its bevy of younger, slimmer ladies, Mandarin has aged poorly over the past 10 years, with few obvious updates.
Mandarin Closed for Refit
Thatโs all changing, with Mandarin closed since early this month and not slated to return until high season.
Visitors riding the escalator to Nanaโs middle floor will find Mandarin closed and its security gate lowered. Even the sign has been removed, presumably to be replaced with the type of spectacular LED signage adorning sister bar Red Dragon Club & Lounge next door.
Digital a-Go-Go got an exclusive look at Mandarin closed and undergoing its refit.
The first sign of rebuilding is the replacement of the railings lining its three flights of stairs. The rickety old railings, with their โteethโ missing have been replaced by red, wrought-iron railings woven with a Chinese-style pattern.
Reaching the curtained-off main floor, one level up from Nana Plazaโs middle floor, the foundation of a new Jacuzzi is has been laid and tiles ready to finish it. The stage and mirrored wall are gone as is most the seating. When itโs finished, it will be a splashy playground. Bring your towel!
Upstairs Renovation
Upstairs, which has been used only sporadically over the past 10 years, sometimes as a tourist-centric showbar and sometimes to let the girls show a bit more than they can downstairs, a total reboot is underway. But no matter what the final product looks like, the glass-floor stage will remain.
Shark Renovation Postponed
Of all the Mandarin Groupโs bars, pretty much everyone agrees Mandarin was the most in need of a refit. But, until two months ago, the plan had been to reboot Shark Go-Go Club on Soi Cowboy.
The sister Shark bar in Pattaya is, hands down, Walking Streetโs best go-go with Stickman Bangkok recently writing at Sharkโs โmusic, the ladies, the service, the cleanliness of the menโs room, the impressive frontage, the reasonable drinks prices and the vibe make Shark, for me, the best bar of its type in either Pattaya or Bangkok.โ
Shark Cowboy already got a smaller version of Pattayaโs impressive frontage and the plan, since last year, was to make the interior the same as Pattaya. But low season began without any work on that front and, eventually, the group pivoted to refreshing Mandarin first.
When will Shark get its facelift? Stay tuned here.
Red Dragon Gets Mandarin Girls
With Mandarin closed, the 30-some ladies who danced there have moved over to Red Dragon next door. The result is, at least for now, Nana Plazaโs most electric bar, with 90 or more ladies bouncing around every night of the week.
Red Dragon, of course, expanded recently into the space of the former Balcony Bar, so there are three stages and lots of VIP spaces for guys to enjoy the company of all those extra ladies.
