Delicious cocktails in a very cool little venue. The flavours were really interesting - among the…read moreones we tried were chai and ginger, and a carrot-cake inspired cocktail, with fun names like 'What's Up Doc?' and 'Pretty Chai For A Ginger Guy'. The decor is also a nice twist on a slightly dark and atmospheric study meets a pub, with armchairs and tables tucked in low-lit corners. The drinks were a tad on the pricy side, and the service wasn't always as quick as I would have hoped, but the cocktails were very good and everyone was very friendly. Save it as a treat, rather than a regular haunt. Oh, and remember the visit the bathroom - the decor is pretty cool!

The Plotting Parlour offers delicious cocktails and amazing service in Kemptown…read more I tried the Espresso Martini and their biscuit cocktail (I can't remember the name, but I know it comes with a cookie!) and they were both pretty decent. Prices are standard, a little more than what you can find in other parts of town. Service was prompt as well as friendly!

After a winning streak of good dining experiences in Brighton, thanks to places found on Yelp or…read moresuggested by other yelpers, on our last day we decided to start wandering around the town and try our luck with a place we'd never heard before. We stumbled upon this place totally by accident, and to be honest with you, from the outside it looks like a pretentious fancy pub, with fancy décor and not an awful lot of good food. Well, the place HAS fancy décor, It's kind of flashy and I would usually avoid such place. But what the hell. We were seated on the balcony upstairs, we had a view of the isle-bar serving smoking cocktails (literally smoking, by the way) and I thought I had better order something hard to mess up, just in case my prejudice is right and food there wasn't going to be all that much. So we ordered a baked Camembert, a cheese board (what do you mean that's too much cheese? Sorry, can't hear you over the sound of this Stilton feasting in my mouth), and the only burger in the menu. I'm going to say it now: that was THE best burger I've had in the UK, and second best only to one I've had abroad. The bun was perfect: soft with crunchy-from-grilling edges, the cheese was melted AS IT SHOULD BE, the patty thick and juicy, it didn't fall apart despite the amount of goodness in it so I could use my hands like I'm meant to. The burger alone wins half of the stars I'm giving this place, the other half being the amazingly friendly staff, and quick and prompt service. The MINUTE I am back in Brighton, there's another one of those burgers with my name on it. Seriously, go have that burger.

I love this place. I've been twice for late night dancing on a Saturday night, and once for a…read morecooked breakfast on a Sunday morning. The decor is pure class, funky and modern and so much to see. There are lots of different levels and seating areas, each with a different feel. The place attracts a good mix of people, but all pretty high standard. I think the evening has a smart dress code of no trainers or scruffy jeans. The music is brilliant. A complete mix of music jumping all over the decades. There is a big screen showing the videos too which can be quite entertaining. There is a massive bar in the middle of the bottom floor, so easy to get too. The only thing is it slightly dominates people at the bar and less dance space. Get there early if going on a Saturday night as it always gets packed and turns into a one in one out queue. The venue is only small, but makes a good atmosphere because of it. People will start to think I am obsessed with toilets in my reviews, but this has the best women's toilets I've seen in Brighton. Go have a look! I also ate a cooked breakfast here on a Sunday lunchtime and it was top notch. I expected it to be expensive but it wasn't. And to eat in such lush surroundings with very polite and smart staff made me feel like I was in a classy restaurant. Go and check it out if you get a chance is my advice.

Twisted Lemon is a true hidden treasure of Brighton! Tucked away down a tiny little lane, unknown…read moreto many, it's cosy but quaint, with drinks that will not fail to impress. Having only ever been here for cocktails, I cannot comment on the food, but the selection and quality of the drinks is wonderful! The bartenders and friendly and accommodating and seem to know their way around the menu, making drinks with ease and flair. The concoctions are tasty and fresh, with just the right amount of alcohol. In terms of pricing, if you go during their happy hour the cocktail prices simply cannot be beaten. That being said, the prices are also extremely reasonable outside of this, at around £6 a cocktail, so it's worth a visit whatever the time! The only downfall of the place is that it is small and often a little cramped, so if you're looking for ample space or don't fancy cosying up to a stranger then this might not be the place for you. Bear in mind though that there is an upstairs seating area that some don't know about and in the summer there's also a lovely (but equally tiny) outdoor area to sit and enjoy a sunny evening, cocktail in hand.

Love this little bar - great cocktails & happy hour discounts, their nachos are delicious too!!!!read more

As far as Brighton bars go, The Mesmerist is maybe as most versatile as you're going to find…read more Came here with a party of 30 people. I let Cat, the booking manager, know the situation, and she was a wizard at making sure everyone had the food that they ordered. We had a room upstairs to ourselves, and everyone loved the food and service. We all got what we had pre-ordered with Cat, and the people who didn't preorder were proffered dinner in a timely fashion. The food was great! I got the tomato tart and the beef cheek. I had never had a tomato tart before but really enjoyed it, and I thought the beef cheek was very tender. Other people raved about the fries. There were lots of vegetarian and vegan options. Drinks were good! I had a cocktail called "The Bees Knees," which I really liked. There are plenty of beers on tap, and the waitstaff gets around to bar belly-uppers quickly. The space is amazing. There's a second story, rooftop courtyard, and a large downstairs area for dancing, live music, picture taking, and a brewery/beer store attached. As someone who loves lots of diversions and micro-vibes within a bar, I really enjoyed bopping between all of these areas. What better way to finish off the night than to catch a trio downstairs playing motown and rock? These guys were terrific: the bass player/singer was getting the crowd dancing, and the guitar player and drummer were seamlessly providing a groovy beat. This band is good enough for a high cover and the Mesmerist brought them in on a Thursday night, no cover. Thanks for everything, Mesmerist!

The Mesmerist is a bar in the very centre of Brighton. As far as bars go, this is definitely a…read moredecent one. As it is central, it is pretty much always busy - and particularly in the evenings - but it doesn't take long to get served as the staff are efficient. The decor is really rather lovely. It has a very vintage feel to it which goes well with the music that they play which I believe is soft jazz (I am not very good with those sorts of genres so please forgive me if I am wrong!). Upstairs, there are several tables and it feels homely but spacious at the same time. I have not had food here in a few years but from what I can remember it is very decent indeed.

Yet another glorious Be At One to add to my list of faves. The usual craic here, the delectable…read moredrinks, the decent happy hour deals, the fabulous bartenders and the tunes banging. The only complaint is the lack of seating, though we managed to get a place after a while, there's no comfortable place to stand around without feeling like you're hovering behind the people who've got their seats. That might be just me though, I seriously don't see the point in going to a bar where you can't sit down. I love you Be At One!

Such a fun night - I popped in for a quick cocktail after work during happy hour and stayed for…read moreseveral cocktails until it got so busy we couldn't hear ourselves think. This bar really knows how to make cocktails and just as importantly, the right glasses to serve them in! They are fancy & delicious, just the way I like them! They have happy hour from 4-9 where you can get 2 for 1 & I've just discovered their new app where you can also get great discounts & free cocktails.

Well! What an interesting concept! You take along as many different types of spirits as you can…read more(yes you take the alcohol) and then they charge you £25 to get in! lol! They provide the 'mixers' and they had a wide range of flavours and choices and you get your own 'mixologist' who makes the cocktails for you and your group. Very enjoyable night there and think this was partly due to the unusual concept (they dont need an alcohol licence - our money pays for the bar staff) and the very quirky inside. When you are standing outside you think you are looking into either an abandoned shop where they have just left a few chairs inside, or a student type place where they didnt have the money for the furniture! The wow factor comes when you go deeper inside and down narrow steps to find there are lots of little rooms with v. dim lighting, a bar in each one and a table and chairs. We were in the depths of the building which did look a bit like a dungeon! Off from our little 'cubby hole' room was another tinier room and that was a mini cinema. When I went back upstairs and then up the stairs to the first/second floor again with the wow factor as they had a bar made from a real snooker table (they had chopped it up length ways and at each corner there was still the little holes for the balls. I would recommend this place if you have a small group - no more than 10 ideally (we had 15/16 and it was a squeeze and some were unable to sit down, which was a shame. Definitely worth experiencing this place (if you can find it) atleast once!

I have very mixed feelings about this place, part of me wants to give it 5 stars and the other part…read moremakes me want to award 2! I went here on my Staff christmas party. We paid £25 for two hours - We brought spirits and we had our own cocktail barmen who mixed the drinks for us their mixers. The venue itself is very hidden, it has no sign outside and to be honest looks like an empty bar which has finished for the evening - the lights are really bright at the front! However, you go in and there are very cosy dark rooms with very elegant 1920 styled decor. It was very odd but good odd. Myself and my friend were late though - we just couldn't find the venue and were walking down around for ages. We eventually got there and we missed out on one set of drinks - wasn't a massive deal though. However, we then got another round of drinks made by the cocktail waiter and soon realised that we had, in the last hour had TWO drinks! Which we thought wasn't value for money at all - it wasn't busy really there was enough staff for them to deal with the amount of people in our party as well as the other people who were also there. One of the people in our group complained - The staff were extremely proactive and quick to apologise as a result we were moved upstairs to a different part of the venue and had a very personalised service. They also gave us more time added so we got an extra hour! This was pretty good of them to do to be honest and we were pleased to have been given this extra time. However - WE ALL GOT WRECKED! ! ! I couldn't even see straight when I was walking home. It was pretty bad - So make sure you drink lots of water through drinks - It just hit me all of a sudden and I had no control of my legs!

If you have got Gin on the mind, this is where you need to be, turning up with tasty tipples…read more I'm not a massive Ginaholic however I walked by and the ambience grabs you from the street and entices you to come inside. The decor is sublime and each table has a telephone to call your order through to the bar or call another table. The menu is extensive to say the least, I had Bathtub Gin and Fevertree Toinic. It was divine. Gin served in a double measure. When in Rome! I will defiantly be back soon for a flight board 3 Gins, 3 Toincs and 3 nibbles to choose from. I'm G'n'T-ing it!

Went here recently for a quick drink before dinner, and was seriously impressed. Having recently…read morediscovered a liking for gin I thought this would be the perfect place to go to and I was not disappointed. This bar works in a different way to most bars in the sense you do not go to the bar and order your drinks. Placed on each table is a an old retro phone. Once you have browsed the menu of gins and various tonics you dial "0" on the phone and speak to the helpful bar staff who will take your order. You can even call other tables if you so desire, although they wont take your order! The venue itself is beautifully designed and made me think I was in Moulin Rouge! There are a couple of downsides to this bar though, they have a signal blocker therefore preventing people using their phones inside. Whilst it can be annoying going out and seeing everyone on their phone, that is up to the group of people and not the venue to decide and I also felt everything was on the expensive side. If you order 2 G&T's you won't get change from £20! And if you are not a fan of gin then beer is over £6 for a pint. I would go back here again as I think it's a quirky venue but it won't be a regular jaunt.

Ok this might be, ok I think it IS my fav pub in Brighton. Proper world craft beer, quirky, really…read morefriendly staff, a cosy pub and uber cool music. This would seriously be my local if I lived here. I'm Defo coming back. So thankful my friends showed me this on our pub crawl. It's on a great stretch for the crawl too near some other good 'uns.

I'm glad that I have waited a while to review The Bee's Mouth - the more I come here, the more I…read morelove it. I has now become one of my favourite drinking spots in this area of Hove. The pub is strangely laid out. Its long and thin, but has a variety of spaces including a stage area at the front which hosts regular live music at weekends, we have seen some great bluegrass musicians here recently. The bar serves a variety of beers including asahi and fruli on tap, good wines and all your regular spirits. There is further seating at the back, including a lounge-bed behind the curtains!! Downstairs there is a another room which hosts numerous events including a free cinema, life drawing events and other eclectic nights out. The bar staff have always been friendly when I have been in. On the whole, this is a quirky bar with loads of atmosphere and character. The revolving head and the bed seating make good talking points! It's a far cry from you gastropub or generic chain bar, but give me The Bee's Mouth any day of the week and I'll be a happy lass!

Finally went to this place last night after tip off from one of Brightons top Yelpers!! Wish i'd…read morecome here before now. Really nice inside,quite a lot of seating,a cosy little room down stairs. Great selection of drink,whatever your taste is. And in my eyes they played some of the best music i've heard in a bar for ages. Last night it was afro-latin music,if i had my way every bar would play this type of music!! Other nights are on as well.....check local press!!

My local and definitely one of my favourite drinking establishments in Brighton…read more It's regularly listed in the 'Brighton's Best Bars' lists floating around on the world wide web. It also makes a few craft beer pub lists too as it has a very long list of world and craft beers, mainly in bottles, to chose from. It may surprise a few but it also serves amazing cocktails. A craft beer place AND a good cocktail place under one roof!? Surely not! But yes, it definitely works, they do a mean Amaretto sour and Espresso Martini and some of the more unusual cocktails too. It's not table service though which I actually really like as it remains down to earth and has a local hangout vibe. It gets really busy at the weekends on Friday and Saturday nights and there's often a band on or a cool DJ playing Northern Soul over the weekend too. In the daytime it's really chilled out and the bar staff are always happy to chat to you and talk you through the latest beer/cocktail menu (or about anything really!). There's also seating outside but with the view of the top of St. James Street it definitely is a better view inside with its quirky decor. I lucked out with this place being my closest pub!

Easily my favourite bar in Brighton, Valentinos is a truly hidden gem. Unless you know where it is,…read moreyou'll be completely lost: it is literally just a small door, leading up some windy stairs to a beautiful bar, which overlooks New Road and the Pavilion Gardens. It is quite expensive, but so wonderfully worth it: classy cocktails in a gorgeous environment. Don't miss it! Valentinos has been a hidden favourite of many a late night drinker in Brighton for years, and deservedly so. Everything about this bar is excellent: the cocktail menu, the classy set-up, the knowledgeable mixologists... I have spent many an evening enjoying cocktails out on the balcony, smoking a cigarette, swanning like Oscar Wilde: I can only recommend it ;) I don't feel there is much I can say to describe Valentinos: it is indescribably excellent, they can make any cocktail you want, regular guests get treated well, the decor is beautiful... You'll have to just see it for yourself. And you must, everyone, you really, really must.

Valentino is a tiny little cocktail bar, hidden away above other businesses and overlooking the big…read morepedestrianised expanse of New Road. You enter up a little staircase, and find yourself in this small but sophisticiated space, which almost feels like a millionaire's living room. Floor to ceiling windows lead to a little balcony, great for smokers or for summer people watching. There is an excellent cocktail menu, and staff definitely understand the art of mixology. Careful with the long islalnd iced tea though - it's lovely, but very strong!