Here’s another notable hostess bar in the crowded Phnom Penh market. Crazy Dog is place with more than just an interesting name. Despite operating a name that translates into a sort of insult in the local language the place staffs several women with several having a special sensual touch that repeatedly draws in punters.
That is not to say that this is a resurrection of legendary old bars like Sophie’s or Mikado. Far from it. You can’t teach an old dog new tricks. But enough of the women who work Crazy Dog do go the extra mile in at least enough cases to make the place stand out from the rest of the pack in some regard.
Crazy Dog on Street 136
Street 136 has long been one of the two major hostess bar areas in Phnom Penh. After years of having a few decentralized bars scattered around the city crops of these establishments sprung up on Street 104 and Street 136. Rose Bar kicked off things on 104. I am not sure which bar was the first to open on Street 136 but it may have been one of the obviously older places like Madam Butterfly.
In any event Crazy Dog belongs to the new school of bars that popped up during the expansion of the scene between 2016 and 2018. The place is apparently owned by a Korean though there is no particular way to know that by just looking at the bar. It is easy to find with a clear sign that beams bright through the night. There used to be a pool table out front too though at the time of writing that seems to have been removed.
Inside the place is rather large with a really open layout. It has an all black theme with a big bar lines by stools. There are other seats around. Most notable of those would be the relaxing seats located upstairs in the loft. That’s something not seen in every go go bar in Phnom Penh. Though there may be a reason for that.
Staff and services
Crazy Dog has now been open for several years. There never seemed to be a whole lot of women working inside. But there was always an appropriate number of women for the space. That continues to be true to this day. The gals range from average to attractive with most being in their twenties and thirties. At least there aren’t any totally unattractive women to be found here from what I have seen.
On the surface Crazy Dog is a fairly run of the mill hostess bar. There isn’t anything that particularly stands out about the bar besides the cavernous layout and somewhat strange business name. But looks can be deceiving in more ways than one.
Some of the women working at the bar have developed a reputation for getting up close and personal with customers who are generous with the lady drinks or tips. That is where the semi-private upstairs area comes into play. Or perhaps I should say where the play comes into the semi-private area.
Summary
This sort of thing used to be really widespread in the city’s bars. Then things went the other way when a more repressive wave swept over the scene. Finally there was a reopening that started a few years ago. That only seems to have blossomed under the conditions of the global crisis starting in 2020. That’s as true at this place than it is anywhere else with perhaps a couple of exceptions.
That is not to say that every women who works this bar would do anything with any guys who wanders in off the street. One thing of note about Cambodian hostess bars is that the women that work them enjoy a general independence that allows them to make their own choices. That is certainly not a bad thing. This isn’t factory work. That’s partly why the women choose it.
Crazy Dog is hardly the greatest adult entertainment venue in the world. It’s not even the best hostess bar in Phnom Penh. But it is a notable place for all the reasons mentioned above. Despite fighting for market share in a crowded scene the play stands out mainly because the women who work there go the extra mile at least in enough cases to be noteworthy. So it gets three-and-a-half stars from me. 
Crazy Dog. Street 136, Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Click here for a map. Open every day from 7:00 PM until 2:00 AM.
