Makai - Restaurant and Rooftop Pool Club

Makai is a Phuket spot that blends a café-bar vibe with a full restaurant — and tops it off with a rooftop area featuring a pool and a bar. Downstairs you’ll find a neat, spacious dining room and a calm atmosphere on a relatively quiet side street; upstairs the pace picks up, with music and evening hangouts by the water.

Makai’s standout strength is its drinks. The bar team knows what they’re doing: cocktails are carefully measured and consistently made, and there’s a solid range of non-alcoholic options too — coffee, sodas, smoothies, and shakes made from fresh ingredients. The venue is also connected to bartender training, which is why the bar program feels especially polished.

The menu is a mix of Thai and European dishes. On the Thai side, favorites include shrimp tom yum, pad thai, vegetable spring rolls, and pineapple fried rice. From the European section, many people go for the crispy-crust pizza, along with burgers — including a vegan option. Presentation is tidy and occasionally a bit unexpected, portions are generous, and the service is fast and friendly.

A few things to keep in mind: the place is sometimes closed for private events, so it’s worth checking ahead. The rooftop can get loud during karaoke nights, and downstairs you may occasionally be interrupted by people promoting courses. Thai dishes are generally served at a moderate spice level.