Review: One 3 Six in Phnom Penh, Cambodia

One 3 Six is one of the oldest Phnom Penh hostess bars in continued operation. That doesn’t mean that 136 bar is outdated however. We’re not talking about the old Martini or Walkabout. In business for more than a decade this place has weathered the ups and downs and continued apace. There is something to 136 Bar that keeps drawing in customers.

Keep in mind that One 3 Six, also known as 136 Bar, is not to be confused with Top 136, Tiger 136, Ostex 136, Route 136 Bar, The Corner 136, or Best 136 Bar. While the names may be similar those are all entirely different bars.

The local bar scene continues to grow. What was once limited to a few scattered locations later grew into primary centers on streets 104 and 136 near the riverside. From there things continued to spread. More bars came and a few even went. Then there were the relocations.

I am not positive but I believe that One 3 Six did move from its original location. How else do you explain that a bar on Street 130 is called 136 Bar? In any case the bar has been in its current location since at least 2013. That’s when I first entered its door. It hasn’t changed that much since. I think that’s a good thing.

What makes 136 Bar special

I have reviewed many hostess bars in Cambodia over the years. One may find this superfluous. If you have seen one of these bars you have seen them all. Right? I beg to differ. There are actually a lot of peculiarities to the various hostess bars in the country. Most will follow a similar format with a team of attractive hostesses, lady drinks and a bar fine system in place. But from there things can really vary.

Bars like Cyrcee and Island Bar are organized around action. Ladies at Zanzibar get up and dance on the tables. Golden Vine staffs a lot of Vietnamese women. Danny K’s had massage rooms in back. Mao’s Club has a full kitchen. Splash even has an indoor movie theater!

So what makes One 3 Six special? One thing is the dissonant name. More important are the bar layout and the way it is run. Located next to Loco Bar on the corner of Street 130 and Street 5 this bar is larger than most. This leaves plenty of room for punters, staff and a small stage where live music is played three nights a week. That means this is one of the few places a guy can grab a drink, spend time with local ladies, and take in a live show! The music isn’t half bad either

Staff, service and summary

Another thing that makes this place notable is the actual bar itself. Behind it you find fairly skilled bartenders who have a wide selection of bottled alcohol at their disposal. I’ve seen things like specialized martinis served here that amateur bartenders working many competing bars would have a hard time making.

The prices aren’t bad either. A lady drink goes for $3.75 which is a little under what some nearby bars now charge. They also run a long happy hour each night. Even without the happy hour some deals exist. For example each draft beer purchased gets a second draft beer free.

What about the women? After all the key ingredient to any hostess bar are the hostesses.Around a dozen Cambodian women work here. Most are in their twenties and fit. A few are very attractive. These women work under the tutelage of a multilingual mamasan who is quite fit for a career in hospitality. The $10 USD bar fine is average for the area.

I don’t really have anything bad to say about One 3 Six. After all these years the bar maintains its allure. A team of good looking ladies, fair prices, live entertainment and all around good time are on offer. What is there to complain about? I’m not saying it’s the greatest venue on earth. But there are certainly worse places to spend a night. Three stars.