Louie’s first elephant ride in northern Thailand
Louis Potenziano, also known as Bangkok Louie, is an American expat who has been living in Bangkok for over 6 years. He owns O’Leary’s Irish Pub (Soi 15, Sukhumvit), Louie’s on 15 Bamboo and Bourbon, a Thai European restaurant in the same area. Before moving to Bangkok, he worked in Doha on a hospital project, where he led a team installing integrated low-voltage security and communications systems.
Q. How did the name ‘Bangkok Louie’ come about?
I will tell you but I must go back in history, my history. My name is Louie but as a kid growing up in New York everyone had a nickname. There was, Moot, Fudd, Zog, on and on.
My name was Louie the looper. My father had a camp and property in the Catskill Mountains in NY, close to Woodstock. About 20 friends and I went up there one summer to camp and some of them played guitar.
A friend made a T-shirt with a guitar on front and the word “Looperstock”. After that “Louie the Looper” stuck. Later in life, I worked with hard drinking guys. We went to bars, and I’d drink cokes a lot of the time, so I was nicknamed Father Louie.
When I learned about the large expat community here, I decided to join Twitter back then. I chose to stay in the same vein and chose Bangkok Louie.
Louie with a Thai monk
Q. You were a technical engineer in Doha before moving to Bangkok. How did you make the jump to becoming a restaurateur?
I worked in Doha, Qatar, at a hospital under construction. I directed teams installing telephone systems and servers, cameras, access control, call centers and emergency communication, among other systems and programs.
After we opened the hospital and ran it for a year, I retired to Bangkok—just before COVID hit. After four years of complete freedom, I began to get bored.
I saw a pub for rent on Soi 15 and thought I’d give it a try to keep myself busy. It turned out to be a lot of fun. I opened a restaurant next door. I just did it because I thought it would be fun and of course thought I could make money doing it.
It has been a blast. I have met so many wonderful people. I love what I do and show up to both places every day.
Louie with Dave from Dave’s Travel Corner
Q. Can you recall your very first time in Bangkok, the city you would later decide to call home?
The first time I came to Bangkok, I hired a guide and had her take me to all the tourist places. On about the fourth day, I made the nearly fatal mistake of going to Ayutthaya and asking to eat like a local.
I tried some fish with a sauce and ended up really sick. I spent three days in the hotel room making a mess of the place not knowing what to do nor knowing anyone.
Since then, I have been very careful about what I eat, I learned my lesson the hard way.
Louie at the Michelin-starred street food chef Jay Fai
Q. Would you say most of your regulars are locals or expats, and how does that mix create the community at your places?
I have such an eclectic mix of locals, expats and, of course, tourists. X has been such a blessing. Many people from all over the world come to visit because they see us on X. It’s a lot of fun because many times when I am chatting with customers, I get to introduce them to my friends or friends I have met through X. It’s mind-blowing to me.
I can confidently say this has happened a thousand times or more. I have seen so many new friendships develop from these chance meetings. It is incredible.
We once had a YouTuber night here. 5 YouTubers showed up as our guests, and many people in Thailand know them. The place was packed.
Louie with American Travel bloggers Drew Binsky and Lee Abbamonte
Q. How do you see your restaurant and pub adding to the already vibrant food scene in Sukhumvit?
Sukhumvit has such a diverse tourist scene, and I think we add a little oasis amid all the craziness. When people first get here, I feel we provide a safe environment for them to get their feet wet.
The food is safe, the staff are super friendly, and guests can enjoy either authentic Thai food or homemade comfort food, whatever they are in the mood for. At night they can listen to music, let their hair down and enjoy drinks in a safe environment.
Q. What did you learn about the local cuisine that eventually made its way into your restaurant’s menu or style?
My businesses are all family-based, and my chefs and staff are Thai. They taught me the magical ways of Thai cooking. They bring flavors passed down from their mothers’ kitchens.
My chefs are also curious about foreign foods and love to learn how to make new dishes. They do a great job. I bring flavors from my grandmother and mother, who were Brooklyn Italians and loved to cook all kinds of food, and I put a bit of my family into every recipe.
Wanna try the best shrimp Pad Thai in Bangkok? Come on over!
Louie at a Thai cooking class
Q. Six years in Bangkok is a long time! What are your favorite hangouts or hidden gems?
Bangkok is a huge city with so many amazing people and places, I could write a book. One recent gem I visited is Ola Thai Tapas. The owners are wonderful people, food is great. I went with friends to La Feria the other night – wonderful food and the owner was a piece of work; I say that in the best possible way. He is a great host.
O’Leary’s Irish Pub is the go-to hangout for locals, expats, and tourists.
Q. Has any local habit rubbed off on you?
Best habits to learn are to smile, say Swati Krap, Kapun Kap and Mi-ow trap. Thais always smile back when you are polite.
Louie and the famous Youtuber Bangkok Pat
Q. Any stories from your time in Bangkok that still make you laugh?
My first lesson learned was not to say Thai words unless you are sure you know how to say them right. I would say suay, which means “beautiful” in Thai, but it came out sounding like something derogatory. I got a lot of sad frowns until they realized I was just stupid.
Louie and Thailand social media celebrities Spicy and Nat
All photographs credit: Louis Potenziano
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