Cambodia: The Yellow Sub Beatles Bar

While having dinner and drinks on Pub Street in Siem Reap during our recent trip to Cambodia, we noticed 3 couples carrying backpacks with camera crews in tow. They all headed in a hurry to a small side street. They looked like the cast of some reality TV show, so of course, we followed them. We didn’t catch them, but we spotted a red and yellow route marker flag by a yellow building with street signs of Penny Lane and Abbey Road on one corner. Amazing, right?

This is how we discovered this cool Beatles-themed bar and restaurant called The Yellow Sub. The bar, which gets its name from the Beatles song Yellow Submarine, was established by two veterans of the entertainment industry who happen to be hardcore Beatles fans. This bar, which occupies a bright yellow 3 1/2 story building, is filled with an amazing array of rare Beatles memorabilia the owners have collected over the years.

I grew up listening to The Beatles, so I immediately loved the vibe of the place. My father was a big fan of the group and would play cassette tapes of their albums constantly, until my sister and I had most of their songs memorized. We even had pets named after characters in Beatles songs (guinea pigs named Desmond and Molly Jones). So finding this bar was like visiting some kind of awesome Beatles museum, where you can drink beer. Double win.

Each floor of The Yellow Sub displays a variety of Beatles memorabilia including toys, photos, original Beatles press clippings, signed records, and artwork. The first floor is the main dining area and bar. There’s this gorgeous mural of John Lennon and some records and guitars by the bar. I spotted a few cool items on display including a set of Beatles playing cards and Beatles mugs above the bar counter.

The main dining space has a few tables with more records decorating the walls and a set of four Beatles cushions in one of the booths. The interiors are very refined yet not intimidating. The whole place has a nice casual yet nostalgic vibe that makes you just want to hang out all day.

Their food menu includes soups, salads, appetizers, bar chow, some Khmer food and desserts. But the burgers are the star attraction since these are the ones named after The Beatles. It was hard to pick just one, so we decided to order a John Lennon (7oz. Grilled Burger, Double Smoked Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato, Burger Sauce) and a Paul McCartney (7oz. Grilled Burger, Blue Cheese, Balsamic Caramelized Onions, Mushrooms). The burgers  (a combination of sirloin short rib, chuck and brisket cut according to their menu) were absolutely juicy and delicious! Both were very artistically presented on a wooden tray on a soft bun with tomato, red onion, iceberg lettuce and pickles, with french fries and a side salad.

The other Beatles-themed burgers on the menu that we didn’t get to try were:

• The Yellow Sub Classic (7 oz. Grilled beef)
• George Harrison (7 oz. Grilled Beef steak)
• Ringgo Star (7 oz. Grilled Burger, Jalapeños, Chili, Salsa, Jack Cheese, Onion and Sour Cream)
• Keith Richards (No Bun! 7oz. Grilled Lamb Burger, Lettuce, Tomato, Onion, Bell Pepper, Avocado)
• Yoko Ono (Luncheon Burger, Plum Sauce, Herb Salad, Chinese Chili, Cucumber, Sriracha Mayo)
• Linda McCartney (Chickpea Patty With Micro Herbs)

Cute, right? There was also a Yellow Submarine cocktail (Golden Tequila, Blue Curacao, Triple Sec, Lime Juice, Lemonade) listed in their drinks section along with other classic alcoholic drinks and mixed drinks. While some of the cocktails were named after famous movies, it would have been cool to see more Beatles-themed concoctions based on songs (suggestions: Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds or Strawberry Fields cocktail). We just ordered a couple of Anchor draft beers to go along with the burgers.

More memorabilia decorated the stairs going up to the remaining floors. There’s a ping-pong room, a private function room with a pool table, and a roof-deck bar on the top floor. The roof deck, which has a pretty good view at night of the surrounding area, looks like a nice romantic spot for dates. The Yellow Sub also serves whiskey and cigars, though that’s not for me. They play piped in music (not just The Beatles) focusing on classic rock, which makes for a pleasant and relaxed dining experience compared to some of the more crowded places on the main Pub Street.

If you’re a Beatles fan, you should definitely check out The Yellow Sub. It may not the cheapest place to eat in Pub Street, but the quality of food more than makes up for it. With its unique atmosphere, amazing array of Beatles memorabilia, and great food, it’s definitely worth a visit. I mean, how often can you say you ate John Lennon, right?

The Yellow Sub. 9A The Lane (adjacent to the entertainment district of Pub Street), Siem Reap, Siemreab-Otdar Meanchey, Cambodia

• Facebook: The Yellow-Sub
• Website: http://www.theyellow-sub.com/
• Restaurant hours: 1500 till late
• Price range: $6 for burgers, $1 for draft beer; $15 for two people