Brighton after dark... the city positively pulses even in mid-winter, and there's plenty to suit all tastes and budgets. Pubs? Brighton has some of the most characterful drinking dens in the country, from pared-back hipster hang-outs to outrageously camp and historic haunts. Even better, many feature spacious gardens for that perfect al fresco night out. The clubbing scene is pretty cool too, and if your feet are twitching, there's usually a club serving up Reggae, R&B, Funk or Jazz most nights of the week. Best of all is Brighton's burgeoning cocktail scene - the city has some of the most talented mixologists in the business. Unless you fancy hanging out with alcohol-fuelled, stag and hen parties, avoid West Street and its adjacent beach area at night.
For further inspiration, discover our guide to Brighton and the best hotels, restaurants, shopping and things to do in the area.
Latest Music Bar
As well as hosting interesting debate, spoken word events, plays and live bands and jazz performances (Amy Winehouse and Herbie Flowers have performed here, and past audiences have included Fatboy Slim, Paul McCartney and Alistair MacGowan) this trendy party venue stages tongue-in-cheek 'sleaze' evenings and comedy line-ups. Housed in a beautiful listed building decorated with a great gallery of rock photographs, the Latest has a cabaret venue and bar area downstairs, while upstairs there’s a skylit restaurant and bar. This is one of the city’s main live music venues with an ever-changing programme of gigs. Fab margaritas and lovely bar staff too.
Contact: latestmusicbar.co.uk
Prices: Varies according to performance
Getting in: Casual dress code. Booking not necessary
Concorde 2
Concorde 2, the city’s ultimate live music venue, is a favourite with millennials who flock here to see an eclectic mix of musicians and bands spanning Jam Baxter and Dizzee Rascal, to Sigrid and Brothers Osborne. And top-notch DJ nights usher in anything from Eighties nights and Drum 'n' Bass to Reggae and House. Concorde 2’s surroundings – a pearly Victorian building facing the sea (formerly a refined tea room and then a bikers’ dive) makes it a more intimate space than impersonal lounge clubs. Expect a friendly atmosphere, high ceilings, vintage stained glass, pricey drinks and a separate poster-lined bar.
Contact: concorde2.co.uk
Prices: ££
Getting in: Online booking recommended. Over 18s. Photograph ID required
The Black Dove
Is it a club? A boozer or a cocktail bar? The Black Dove can never quite decide so it offers all three, with DJ nights in the basement, newspapers and snug chairs upstairs while the stereo plays a healthy mix of be-bop, Jamaican ska and contemporary beat music. And if you’re into cider, this is the place to ponder over a fabulous list of award-winners alongside 70 different beers. New brews are regularly added to the list; bar snacks keep hunger at bay, there’s organic wine for staving off hangovers, and the décor – stuffed birds in vintage cages, leather-bound books and wax-dripped candles – is pure Dickens.
Contact: blackdovebrighton.com
Prices: £-££
Getting in: ID sometimes required
Brighton Rocks
Become an instant mixologist at this funky little New Orleans-style Kemp Town bar, where cocktail classes are a hit and bourbon whiskeys a speciality, alongside tasty bars snacks and craft beers. A bistro-style restaurant upstairs serves small platters, and sharing plates mix with mussels, vegetable tempura and burgers. Bar snacks are available downstairs. A friendly cocktail bar, with whitewashed walls, scuffed floorboards, odd posters and record album sleeves, its intimate atmosphere attracts a regular following of hip locals, students and cocktail lovers. Cocktail classes cost £30 and include a lesson, a welcome drink and a couple of strong snifters to follow.
Contact: brightonrocksbar.co.uk
Prices: £
Getting in: ID sometimes required
Club and Bar Revenge
Kitsch it may be, but Brighton’s premier LGBTQ club, Revenge, has been in business for over 30 years and still attracts an all-age friendly mob to its tri-level sea-facing venue. Recently renovated, it’s the place for hot DJs, raucous drag queens, bouncy house anthems and fun Seventies and Eighties disco nights. Kick off with drinks in Bar Revenge (beverages are cheap), then hit one of two spangly dance floors. Even better, hire one of the VIP booths for a roped-off, tucked-away evening quaffing Grey Goose (included in the price). Smokers will love the stunning rooftop terrace overlooking the pier.
Contact: revenge.co.uk
Prices: £-££
Getting in: Over 18s. Photographic ID required
The Plotting Parlour
This tucked-away bar is not yet on the tourist trail and is still considered a locals’ favourite – not least for its relaxed vibe and highly original concoctions. The décor is pretty cool too, with vintage flip-up cinema seats, burnished copper walls and quirky ceiling murals. Best of all, table service eliminates any need for panic pushing at the bar. Order pretty-as-a-picture cocktails adorned with herbal sprigs or vintage cinema tickets created by Jake Goldstein – awarded best barkeep in the Brighton Restaurant Awards 2018. And do try the Red Orchid made from Stolichnaya vodka, raspberry liqueur, raspberry vinegar and rosemary.
Contact: theplottingparlour-brighton.co.uk
Prices: £-££
Getting in: Reservations essential; ID sometimes required
Komedia Club
The Komedia is a real Brighton institution on North Laine, with its roofscape sculpture of can-can legs in stripy stockings. It's where locals go for their fix of fringe comedy, Indie bands, kids’ puppet shows, cabaret and surreal stand up. It has a friendly, clubby, ever-so-slightly grungy atmosphere. Good bar snacks and meal deals available and the drinks are well priced. Within the venue is Dukes@komedia – an offshoot of the Duke of Yorks Picture House – offering supremely comfortable cinema space upstairs. Even better, you can take your drinks in to slurp on while watching the latest indie release.
Contact: komedia.co.uk
Prices: Varies according to performance
Getting in: Booking recommended
The Cricketers Pub
Reputedly Graham Greene’s favourite haunt, The Cricketers appears in his novel Brighton Rock and is the city’s oldest pub (a 16th-century tavern used to be located here). Jack the Ripper also apparently visited, but today, expect locals crowding the unchanged Victorian interior where a warren of rooms come decked out with plush scarlet banquettes, thick carpets and flock wallpaper, pearlised wall lights and plenty of paintings. Upstairs in the Greene Room is a dedicated wine bar, or, in summer months, grab a bench in the interior courtyard. Try out great local beers, above-average pub grub and enjoy the super-friendly local vibe.
Contact: cricketersbrighton.co.uk
Prices: £-££
Getting in: Reservations recommended for diners. ID sometimes required
City centre
L’Atelier du Vin
Pop in for a glamorous cocktail or a seriously good glass of wine at this new bootlegger-themed bar in the hip Seven Dials. With sister properties in North Laine and Queen Square,, LdV majors on a relaxed speakeasy vibe where you can linger over unusual French wines (they boast the biggest wine list in Brighton) and nibble on unusual charcuterie and artisan cheeses. Closer to a particularly good members-only club than a cocktail bar, it does favour mind-bogglingly lengthy drinks lists, but the waiters know their stuff. If in doubt, tell them your taste preferences and they will whisk you up a surprise: you won’t be disappointed.
Contact: latelierduvin.co.uk
Reservations: Not necessary
Prices: £-£££
Achingly hip GungHo! features again in Brighton’s Best Cocktail Bar awards – a justifiable thumbs-up given its range of inspiring seasonal concoctions and zero-waste approach to doing things. Think cocktail ingredients culled from the owner’s allotment, a fab selection of biodynamic wines, craft ales and genuinely likeable mocktails, and loads of reclaimed wood in its spacious bar. Come at sundown for an alfresco bevvy, or in bad weather, hunker down in its moodily-lit interior for a night of 80s disco music and banter. We favour Violets – a snappy cocktail of Hendricks, slake Bacchus, foraged violets and violet foam.
Contact: gunghobar.com
Prices: £-££
Getting in: reservations recommended
Clubhouse Brighton
This neighbourhood hang-out is a must-go if you’re into cocktails since the mixologists offer truly creative drinks and are happy to make suggestions if the menu leaves you befuddled. With its laid-back vibe, where reclaimed wood from the west pier mixes with squishy velvet sofas and retro metal bar stools, this tiny bar adjoins The Artist Residence hotel. If free, grab the seats in the bay window, settle in for some serious drinks and enjoy the Reggae soundtrack. We recommended the herby/floral-tasting Secret Garden – a refreshing mix of gin, elderflower, ginger, apple and cucumber.
Contact: artistresidence.co.uk
Prices: £-££
Getting in: ID sometimes required
Bar Valentino
Brighton as it used to be: Bar Valentino is cosy, retro and tucked-away atop Tinto Taperia, the unassuming Spanish restaurant next door to the Theatre Royal. It’s got a great little Regency balcony that’s ideal for a spot of people watching over the pedestrianised cultural quarter, and loads of charmingly Art Deco-styled bits and bobs, from plush scarlet sofas to chrome-framed mirrors and fringed table lamps. The atmosphere is buzzy and clubby, the cocktails, culled from rare bitters, fresh juices and unusual spirits are potent – and best of all, they’re among the cheapest to be had in the city.
Contact: barvalentino.co.uk
Prices: £
Getting in: walk in only
Lion and Lobster
Always crowded, always lively and with an eclectic all-age clientele, this cosy Hove pub with its distinctive raspberry-coloured exterior regularly stages live music and open mic nights in its downstairs saloon. Behind the bar is a warren of rooms and nooks and crannies with stairs leading to further floors, a garden and sun-trapping roof terrace. Downstairs is shoulder-shoving noisy; upstairs, it’s quieter and delightfully retro with creaky tables and burgundy walls hung with tacky still-life paintings. Book ahead for lunchtime and evening grub and super-friendly service. Dishes span meat and veggie platters to fresh local crab, homemade pies, pork belly and steaks.
Contact: thelionandlobster.co.uk
Prices: £-££
Getting in: Reservations recommended for diners. ID sometimes required
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tbHLnp6rmaCde6S7ja6iaKyilsOmuI6dnKysmaOutbXOp6ponaWnvLGxjq6loqyVmXqstc2gm6ilX5q7qLjAp5tomqKetKnAzqdmmqqknrCtsdJomauhl53BsLqMp6CgoKShtqexjg%3D%3D