Friends

About this place Friends

Friends (known locally as Mith Samlanh — "friends" in Khmer) is one of Phnom Penh's most internationally recognised social institutions: a restaurant and bar operated as part of Friends International's training programme for vulnerable youth, primarily former street children, who are trained in hospitality, cooking, and service skills. The programme has operated for over two decades and has become one of the most cited examples of social enterprise in Asia. It is not a gay bar in the commercial sense, but it is thoroughly and consistently gay-welcoming — the international LGBTQ+ travel community has embraced it for years, both for its welcoming atmosphere and for the sense that spending money here serves a meaningful purpose. The food is excellent — a Western-influenced Cambodian menu trained to international standards by people who have put genuine pride into their craft. The bar is located near the National Museum and the Tonle Sap Riverfront, making it a natural choice for visitors combining cultural sightseeing with an evening out. The atmosphere is warm, unhurried, and socially engaged in a way that purely commercial venues rarely achieve.