Jomtien: Phartamnak: Sands Cafe

[ChiFlyer]

Sands Cafe is a relatively new addition to the Phratamnak dining options. According to their FB page they opened late in 2019. They are located where Phratamnak soi 5 meets the Ocean. Their menu is pretty well described on their FB page. Open for breakfast until midnight.

https://www.facebook.com/SandsCafePattaya/

This place is a little touristy, but at the same time very pleasant to watch the sun go down. It is much smaller and intimate than some of the other popular Cozy Beach restaurants such as Cabbages and Condoms, The Sky Gallery, and others.

The GF had recently had a few of her friends say that it was good. I looked it up and the Google and Trip Advisor. The reports were complimentary, so we gave it a try. No standard baht bus service to this area, but you could hire a private baht bus or taxi etc. to get there.

Obviously parking can be a pain near here, so I grabbed a spot about 200 M before the restaurant. As you walk toward the Ocean on soi 5 you will see a large blue sign identifying the building. I failed to take a pic of that.

There is a small indoor air conditioned dining area and a larger al fresca seating area. Given the Ocean breezes at this time of year, I wonder why anyone would sit indoors. A few pics of the place from the al fresca seating areas. They have some tables and also some couches. I would have preferred a table, but those were taken.

 

I ordered a Sands House Salad (watching my pants size lately) and the GF went with Pad Thai. Both were good. The shaved Parm on the salad was very good as was the warm chicken breast, but the avocado was not quite ready to be served. With regard to the avocado this seems to be the norm in Pattaya.

 

With 2 glasses of house red wine and a Margarita the  bill came to 1130. Will I return? A couple of times of year to take in the sunset.

[portrea]

How does it compare with the Sky Gallery ? I suspect it cannot have the same ambiance as it appears to front onto the road.

Next time you visit, a few photos of the menus would be helpful.

[davidge]

4 minutes ago, portrea said:

How does it compare with the Sky Gallery ? I suspect it cannot have the same ambiance as it appears to front onto the road.

Next time you visit, a few photos of the menus would be helpful.

There’s a Facebook link and the full menu is there!

[ChiFlyer]

6 minutes ago, portrea said:

How does it compare with the Sky Gallery ? I suspect it cannot have the same ambiance as it appears to front onto the road.

Next time you visit, a few photos of the menus would be helpful.

The menus are available on their FB page. The link is provided in the original post.

For me the Sky Gallery has food of a lesser quality and is completely overrun with tourists.

[jpmelville]

 I lived in Pratamnak over 2 years. I get the rent must be pretty expensive, but in this area very near of this place, there is a lot of cheap thai eateries with quality food. Charging 150-200 for basic thai curries and 300bht for simple salad is for tourists or for the people who doesn't care.

There is some expensive hotels near though, maybe they have punters with dough who will support this place and their inflated prices.There was no drink menu but as your food was under 500bht and drinks over, drinks prices are also set for the tourists. 

If you like to see the sunset, go eat some of those cheaper thai restaurants and then go to Beach Bum Bar in the end of Pratamnak soi4 for cheap and cheerful drinks and wonderful view of Koh Larn and sunset.

[Czmate]

Is it by any chance connected to the nearby Condo/hotel ?

My thought after reading the review was it did seem a bit expensive.

The other thing that puts me off it especially eating there is the big drain in the street next to it this smells a lot. Not saying it smells In the Cafe just one my dislikes.

 

[ChiFlyer]

4 hours ago, Czmate said:

Is it by any chance connected to the nearby Condo/hotel ?

My thought after reading the review was it did seem a bit expensive.

The other thing that puts me off it especially eating there is the big drain in the street next to it this smells a lot. Not saying it smells In the Cafe just one my dislikes.

 

I did not notice any unpleasant odors. The cocktails that I saw being delivered to nearby tables looked pretty good, especially the Mojitos. The GF had a Margarita and she said they did not skimp on the tequila. I was driving so I limited myself to two glasses of wine.

Is this place more expensive than hole in the wall Thai food. Yep. Could said hole in the wall Thai food be very good. On occasion, yes.

Like I said I might get here twice a year or so to have a good cocktail and watch an unobstructed sunset.

Also, yes it is adjacent to the street, but there is very light traffic here and there was no street noise to speak of.  soi 5 is sometimes called Little Moscow.

[mcjimmys]

It is a nice place but they add 7% VAT and 10% tip to your bill at the end so you are really paying 17% more than the prices on the menu. I really don’t like that. 

[Pheat]

7 hours ago, jpmelville said:

 I lived in Pratamnak over 2 years. I get the rent must be pretty expensive, but in this area very near of this place, there is a lot of cheap thai eateries with quality food. Charging 150-200 for basic thai curries and 300bht for simple salad is for tourists or for the people who doesn't care.

There is some expensive hotels near though, maybe they have punters with dough who will support this place and their inflated prices.There was no drink menu but as your food was under 500bht and drinks over, drinks prices are also set for the tourists. 

If you like to see the sunset, go eat some of those cheaper thai restaurants and then go to Beach Bum Bar in the end of Pratamnak soi4 for cheap and cheerful drinks and wonderful view of Koh Larn and sunset.

I visited this restaurant a couple of weeks ago because my Thai wife and daughter wanted to visit as the restaurant is all over f2ckbook.

And selfies need to be taken and put on f5ckbook 555

It was in the morning so I went for the English breakfast I got say it was awful one of the worst I have eaten in Pattaya but one of the most expensive.

[jimboh]

I have heard it is same owner as Sand Bar.

I have been 2 times, once for breakfast and once for snack and sunset, missus pounded my lugs to take her, selfies for her Facebook, I suspect. Typical tourist type place, she did enjoy the Thai food, my food was average, service was whacky both times but I guess, recently opened and still finding its feet.

To get there, we get off Baht bus at police box at start of Beach Road Jomtien and its a nice walk along the beach front.

[ChiFlyer]

11 hours ago, jimboh said:

I have heard it is same owner as Sand Bar.

.......

To get there, we get off Baht bus at police box at start of Beach Road Jomtien and its a nice walk along the beach front.

Had a confirmation today that Sands Cafe is in fact owned by the same person who owns Sandbar. This came indirectly from Stanley himself. I would expect this to be a plus that gets some of the startup quirks taken care of fairly quickly. For one, the service the other night was pretty decent.

Like the idea of the walk in from the police station. I will try it that way next time.

[davidge]

A friend and his wife have been down from Udon for a week and staying near the Sands Cafe so I’ve joined them twice for breakfast/brunch.

The first time I had Eggs Benedict:

I know the egg yolks are meant be runny but the eggs really were undercooked, even the whites were barely holding together. It was also served completely cold. I did my best to eat it but the plate was a pool of egg yolk and white at the end. I’d have needed a straw to finish it. I’m not sure if the cost as I didn’t pay but I think it was around 400 baht with my pot of tea and a soda.

Eggs do seem to be an issue here. Friend has had the English Breakfast each morning and the first time the fried eggs were really undercooked. The next time he asked for well done and they came out like hockey pucks. Since then they e varied between just about ok to a little underdone.

 

The second time I went I had an omelette. The base price is 120 baht and you choose fillings for either 20 or 30 baht each. I had bacon, tons to and potato. It was a large omelette and very good.

I also had a pot of tea and a soda. The bill was a bit odd. They took off a discount of 10% and then added a service charge of 10%. So I paid 320-32+28= 316 baht.

 

[ChiFlyer]

I have not been here in several years now due to Covid and moving out of the overall Jomtien area. What I do remember about the place was that the salads and cocktails were both very good.

[chirockr]

Went there for late breakfast on my last trip Oct 2022. Good quality, nice location & bit pricey compared to regular fare.
Note, as it is hot make sure you snag a shaded spot otherwise it can dampen your experience if you choose to sit outside.