Ka Jok See

Perennially popular Thai restaurant. Located in an unassuming chinese shophouse.

Hidden away in Phuket Town is Ka Jok See, one of the island’s best kept secrets and the destination of choice for many locals and expats when they want to let their hair down.

As camp as a row of pink tents, Ka Jok See is definitely not one for the faint of heart; if dancing on tables isn’t your kind of thing, then this definitely isn’t the place for you.

Unless you know it’s there, it’s the type of place you would just walk straight past, probably without acknowledging its existence, but once inside this quaint establishment comes alive.

Cozy and intimate, Ka Jok See serves up decent rather than exceptional Thai food at a price but in saying that, the cuisine isn’t the reason that people go.

Transvestite cabaret, upbeat tunes and an all-round party atmosphere has this little venue rocking until the early hours and has to be experienced to be believed. Ka Jok See is closed on Sundays and Mondays; bookings are recommended.

Ka Jok See is, to say the least, a surprising restaurant. Tucked in a small quiet street of Phuket town it never advertised, and never had to… and yet it is full everyday. So just don’t walk in, you wouldn’t get a table. Their dining model defies anything I have seen so far… they only have one fixed price for food… 1.200 Baht per person. Period. So what is their secret?

Ka Jok See (which means ‘stained glass’) was built in a Sino Portuguese house more than twenty years ago and has changed very little to their decoration. A surprising amount of guests can fit comfortably in a small dining area. Partly set indoor, plus a large table under the outdoor archway typical of this architecture. The room has high ceiling with wood beams, lots of roses, and a warm soft lighting, and actually no stained glass!

But going there is an experience in itself. Ask any resident if they know Ka Jok See, and everyone would point to the right direction.  For 1,200 Baht you get to order anything on the small menu given to you at the table, and you can order as much as you want. Food is very good as you would expect from a restaurant successful for so long. But once again is that it?

When guests start to arrive, you will feel the change of mood, it gets very cosy and warm, and you can’t help feeling yourself move into a party mood. Music and wine, both good, probably helped a lot and once you reach 9 pm, people just start dancing between the tables, in the middle of a restaurant not bigger than 5 m x 15 m. Staff are very good at initiating this natural happening. When it starts, it won’t stop until late, but if you are not a dancer, no one will harass you.

So it’s a great place to surprise your friends, and in this kind of party places, the more the merrier. That night, for dinner, we picked fern salad, fried spring rolls, Pomelo salad, Chicken lemon… and food kept on coming. I suddenly realize I don’t remember what came next. All I can remember is that we had to ask them to stop bringing more…

Verdict for that night? Surprisingly good! If you like to dine in a party mood, with a bit of good wine a bit of dancing on a great music with good friends, you got to treat yourself and add it to your list!