"Chet Adkins grills banana prawns under durian butter at this Charoenkrung izakaya — a lively, low-pressure room built for a first date."
Jua opened in 2017 on Charoen Krung Soi 28, in the Bang Rak creative district near the Chao Phraya River, and was named among Bangkok's best new restaurants of 2017 by BK Magazine. The room sits inside a former illegal gambling house — jua is local slang for a card game — reworked by Hong Kong designer Sean Dix into a dark, convivial counter.
Chef-owner Chet Adkins, who cooked at Ku De Ta before opening Jua, runs the charcoal grill with partner Jason Lang, who handles the sake and drinks. The kitchen skews Japanese but leans on Thai produce: the signature banana prawns are grilled over longan wood and finished with durian butter, an idea borrowed from fermented-durian tempoyak. Tsukune chicken meatballs arrive under grated, cured egg yolk.
Most skewers and small plates land between THB 100 and THB 220, and an omakase-style set runs about THB 1,177 per person. That keeps a long, many-plate dinner within reach.
Jua trades nightly from 6pm to around midnight, with a counter facing the grill and a scatter of tables. It is loud and social rather than formal, the kind of room where a meal stretches across a dozen small orders and a few carafes of sake. Reservations are wise on weekends.
Book Jua for a first date because it does the work for you: a counter to sit side by side, a stream of shared skewers to order between you, and a sake list to explore together. It is affordable enough to feel low-stakes and lively enough to fill any silence. For more, see our Bangkok dining guide and the global best Japanese restaurants.
Not for a hushed tasting-menu evening or anyone after a quiet two-top — Jua is a loud, smoky, shared-skewer izakaya, and durian-averse diners should skip the banana prawns.
Yes — Jua is one of the most enjoyable izakaya rooms in Bangkok's Creative District. Chef-owner Chet Adkins grills skewers over longan charcoal, the banana prawns with durian butter are worth the trip, and most plates run about THB 100–220, so a full night stays reasonable. Book ahead, as the room fills on weekends.
Jua is known for charcoal yakitori and izakaya plates built around Thai produce: banana prawns smeared with durian butter and grilled over longan wood, and tsukune chicken meatballs topped with grated cured egg yolk. It opened in 2017 inside a former Charoenkrung gambling house and was named among Bangkok's best new restaurants that year.
No. Jua Bangkok holds no Michelin star or Bib Gourmand; it appears only in the Michelin Guide's editorial walking feature of the Charoenkrung district, not in the selected listings. The separate Jua in New York is a different restaurant. Jua Bangkok's standing rests on its 2017 opening acclaim and a loyal following.
Yes — Jua suits a first date well. The shared skewers and sake list give you something to do together, the counter and low light keep things relaxed, and the bill stays modest. It is lively rather than hushed, so come if you want energy over quiet. See our best restaurants for a first date.
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Jua is one of Bangkok's most enjoyable charcoal izakaya rooms. See where it sits among the best Japanese kitchens worldwide.
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