Xzyte Square Pattaya

Come for the crowd as much as the food. This is a sprawling open-air complex rather than one restaurant, and the people filling it are overwhelmingly Thai, which is the whole point. Wander between Chinese mala shabu, a Japanese place, Thai mookata and, yes, a KFC, then work out where you want to settle with a drink. Mo lam plays most nights, the Sky Music Bar rotates its acts, and regulars talk about live bands running through everything from the Carpenters to old rock covers.

Prices sit in moderate territory and nobody's steering you toward a tourist menu. It suits groups best, especially if you've got Thai friends along, and it's a decent late option when the restaurants back on the main drag have shut their kitchens. Daytime is quiet and a bit purposeless, so I wouldn't turn up before dark. There's plenty of parking, and you can walk to Beach Road or Sukhumvit from here.