Clifton Cocktail Club, Clifton, Bristol

Since my previous review this has reponed under a new name, and now is much more of a cocktail bar than a regular pub, to the extent that there is nothing at all on draft and it’s table service only. Decor wise it’s broadly similar, with the only noticeable changes being the whitewashed wall that has been stripped back to it’s original stonework, and the bar counter which is now covered with some shimmering gold leaf. There was though a pile of board games on a table at the rear, so perhaps there is a proper pub hiding in there somewhere. As mentioned, no ales of any description on tap, or even in bottles according to the menu which only listed some premium lagers and a couple of Thatcher’s ciders. Cocktails are definitely the focus here, although both my Bailey’s Espresso Martini and Mrs B’s Herb Garden were rather disappointing, with little of the promised flavours coming through, and the service was a bit haphazard, not least the opening times which were well over an hour later than advertised. Not somewhere I’ll rush back to.

Facebook page of Clifton Cocktail Club - www.facebook.com

Facebook page of Clifton Cocktail Club - www.facebook.com

Official site of Clifton Cocktail Club - cliftoncocktailclub.co.uk

Official site of Clifton Cocktail Club - cliftoncocktailclub.co.uk

This looks fairly unpromising from the outside, being just a doorway with a bouncer on and a staircase leading to a subterranean venue. I was expecting some sort of dingy student hangout, but in actual fact it had a relaxed and chilled out vibe to it, at least on our early evening visit. I note thought that they are open until 3:00am, so whether that it still the case later on I’m not sure. Internally it’s all one open plan room, and not especially large although there is also a small snug area, or perhaps more of a booth really, at the rear with just one table. Flooring is some type of wood strip, whilst there was a whitewashed exposed stone wall to one side and grey painted plasterwork elsewhere. A cream tiled bar counter was at one end, and seating was a combination of high tables and chairs and rather dumpy leather stools. A number of posters were on the wall advertising drinks such as Campari and Dubonet and a plasma screen was mounted on one wall although this was not in use. Various candles were dotted around, as well as LED lights inside old sprit bottles. As might be expected, cocktails are as much a focus here as anything else and there was a menu of the available options on all the tables. Unfortunately there were no real ales on tap, just Butcombe’s Brunel Atlantic IPA on keg, although there were a number of canned options including several from Moor (who have recently been accredited by Camra as producing real ale in a can) as well as Brew Dog’s Punk IPA. The solitary cider was Ashton Press, which was unfortunately off – not because it had run out, but because it was just coming out as froth. The barmaid mentioned that it had been like that the previous evening as well; plenty of time to get it fixed I would have thought. Prices seemed expensive with a pint and a G&T coming in at £10.90.