Grab a drink and let’s dance at Salon Kiku - Sound Room & Wine Bar.
“Wine and dine” is a common phrase found everywhere - from clothing prints to our friends’ social media captions. It’s become so clichéd that those of us who don’t drink wine often associate with extravagant meals at upscale restaurants.
However, there’s a small wine bar that has completely redefined what it means to “wine and dine”, transforming it to “WINE AND DANCE”! For us, this has become our favorite way to have a drink, or two, while dancing the night away. So, we invite you to pop a bottle, hit the dance floor, and explore this charming little bar with us.
‘Salon Kiku’ is a sound room and wine bar located on the second floor of an unassuming building in Thonglor. But once you step inside, you’ll be transported to a world of fun that will be sure to lift your spirits. The friendly staff are eager to guide newcomers through their wine journey, creating an atmosphere where you can feel comfortable and encouraged to explore new experiences.
This bar was founded by a group of friends with diverse expertise but a shared passion: enjoying wine paired with great music. Marketers 'Eye-Pornchanok Dibdee' and 'Nat-Natchanon Vana,' who also founded No Bar Wine Bar in Ari and 'Bloom-Tanyaporn Anantrungroj', teamed up with DJ 'Pam-Wipada Piriyapokai,' known for her excellent taste in music, to open up Salon Kiku.
“Our journey began with the opening of a wine bar in Ari called No Bar Wine Bar. The concept was a wine bar with food, regular events, and pop-ups. One day, Pam approached us with the idea of opening a place in Sukhumvit, she told us that she found an interesting four-story building in the area and envisioned a space that combined a wine bar with music curation.”
“My friends and I love to party, dance, and drink, but we’ve never found a wine bar that doubles as a dance floor, where people can enjoy wine and dance at the same time. The foundation of this bar revolves around three key things: tasty wine, a dance floor, and good music,” Eye explained.
We fell in love the name of the bar and couldn’t resist asking about the inspiration behind the name. As we sat down to chat, we were first served a glass of Domaine Chaud - Very Bailey Good Nigata (Japan, 2023), paired with a delightful platter of pickled vegetables, rice balls, Japanese crackers, and mochi, all presented on an adorable Hello Kitty-patterned saucer.
Salon Kiku: For wine and music lovers
“The word ‘Salon’ means ‘living room’ in French—a place where people hang out and socialize. In Japanese, ‘Kiku’ means ‘to listen.’ The idea behind our bar was simple: to create a space where people can come and listen to good music, whilst drinking good wine.”
After enjoying the music and finishing our first glass of wine, Eye returned to our table with Les Vins Vivants (Kigou, 2023), a fruity Japanese wine that paired perfectly with their nibbles.
Wine that is Kiku is wine that is a good time
“Wine is a living thing, evolving in flavour from the moment you pop the bottle to the final sip. However, since Kiku aims to create a space for people to dance and enjoy the music, the wines we serve have to be enjoyable right from the first sip. We just want everyone to have fun.”
“By having music playing whilst enjoying a glass of our wine, we just want you to have a good time. We feature around 50 different labels, rotating them every month. We also offer wine by the glass, changing selections daily. So, when you visit Kiku, you’ll never have the same experience twice.”
“Kiku showcases a wide variety of wines, including both Natural and Industrial Wines. About 20% of our offerings consist of champagne and other beverages, and we strive to select sustainable, organically grown options.”
“We also offer some alternatives for those who don’t want wine, like local spirits and white liquor from different provinces, including Sato.”
Kiku’s diverse range of drinking options feature Japanese Natural Wine, a rare Orange Wine from Georgia, both premium and classic collections of Champagne from Burgundy, and more. However, their selections don’t stop there - the Kiku team have also just launched their new Kiku Wine Club today! This wine club will have constantly changing themes and wine selections, making each visit to Kiku unique. Their special selection for wine club members include a delicious Japanese wine we got to sip on our visit.
“We chose to launch with Japanese wine because the name ‘Kiku’ is rooted in Japanese culture, which gives our bar a distinctly Japanese vibe. For wine club members, we want each experience to be unique. We hire a sommelier or ask friends to help brainstorm different themes to help us come up with unique ideas for our themes. Our goal is to provide a diverse selection of both wine and music, allowing everyone to discover something new without restrictions,” Eye explained.
As the night went on and the buzz set in, we were served our next glass of wine, Les Vins Vivants (Aruiha Nagano, Japan, 2023). After the first sip, the music in the background seemed to come alive, becoming clearer than ever before.
Music that is Kiku is music that is defined by exceptional sound quality
“Our speakers are Altec A7 analog speakers. They’re perfect for vinyl, which also uses analog sound waves. These speakers were once used in classic cinemas.”
Eye shared that she once listened to a Charli XCX record and felt as if Charli was singing right next to her. Apart from the speakers, the music curation at Kiku is diverse and distinctive, led by DJ Pam (@pam_anantr), who is Kiku’s music director.
“P'Pam oversees all the music direction,” Eye added.
Kiku's DJ lineup features both Thai and international talents, including Onra, Dean Chew, and our cool neighbour from across the street, DJ Maft Sai. The music genres at Kiku range from Disco and Funk to Morlam and Electronic. For those who enjoy live music, we also offer live music programs.
“Kiku invites everyone to step into this creative space. We want everyone to enjoy both wine and music,” Eye said, adding that Kiku occasionally hosts Vinyl Nights where guests can bring their records and share music with one another.
“My dream is to have Dua Lipa come to my bar. If you’re reading this Dua, I would love for you to visit!”
As we prepared for our fourth glass, Natan Wine Brewery (Hinadan Tokushima, Japan, 2023), I was already itching to get up and dance. A Dua Lipa song would be perfect right about now.
A dance floor that is Kiku is a dancefloor that you wouldn’t expect
“We love seeing people dance and truly letting loose. Sometimes our customers even have dance battles just like in the Step Up movies. It’s totally beyond what we expected—they even do head spins!” Eye shared, describing the vibrant energy of the dance floor at Kiku, where dancers come to compete almost every night. Beyond being a place to dance, the floor also transforms into a stage for live performances.
“Recently, we invited a performer who played the khaen and pin, traditional Thai musical instruments. We cleared the dance floor so everyone could sit and enjoy the music. We found that wine paired with the beautiful sounds of the khaen was truly exceptional. It was a new experience that felt very creative. Combining the things we love as a team has been a fantastic idea.”
After dancing a little longer, we wrapped up the night with our final glass of wine from Kiku Wine Club - Fattoria al Fiore (Genchi Miyaki, Japan, 2023).
Once we finished our last glass, we stepped out to enjoy the cozy atmosphere on the balcony. What impressed us most was the view from the bar and the people savoring the night air, bustling in lively conversation and cheerful exchanges.
A community that is Kiku is a community that thrives on sharing and meaningful exchange
“I want everyone’s experience to be diverse and ever-changing,” Eye shared with us about Kiku’s goals and her hopes for what customers will take away from their visits.
“We believe our bar is an ideal place for those looking to explore wine and music, both of which should be accessible to everyone. You don’t need to know anything about wine or have any background in music to come and enjoy the experience.”
“In the future, we envision hosting more events. For instance, we might invite a chef friend to do pop-ups, or we might invite record players could come to showcase their collections. It’s all about building a community—a space for exchange. We want people to be inspired and discover things they would have otherwise never tried.”
Grab a drink and let’s dance at Salon Kiku
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Call Salon Kiku: 087-830-009