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Reviews (Current Rating Average: 5½ of 10) see review guidelines
Blue Scrumpy left this review about Vine Street Tap
Visit 31/1/26:
Just over a year after our attempted visit to Vine Street Tap & Bottle, we gave it another go. We got through the door this time but were soon informed that there were not enough seats for all 5 of us to sit down. They could accommodate 2 on stools at the bar and standing was not allowed.
I decided to stay to at least say I'd have a drink here this time. The all keg selection was Black Isle Goldfinch, Zinnebir Belgian Pale, Bellwoods Jelly King & Kerisac Cidre Breton. I wasn't overly impressed with the Goldfinch but that was probably just the beer.
The bar is just a single room, seemingly favoured by couples and small groups of women. As I was about to polish off my drink, two women returned to the stools we had been invited to sit on, one of which I was occupying, only to discover that their drinks and bar snack had been removed when I had been offered seating. I did wonder why a handbag was on one of the stools but where they had been and what they had been doing for 15 minutes, who knows? But then, this is Brighton!
A bit of a pretentious place this. If I'm ever passing again at a quieter time and I see an available table, I may pop in to see what beers they have, assuming there is no private party but I won't make a special trip here again.
Previous Attempted Visit 25/1/25:
Not wishing to stray too far from Brighton station, we tried visiting this bar late on our Saturday evening. We were concerned as we approached, as there were no visible lights. However, we soon found the pub to be open and quite busy. Unfortunately, their Facebook account invites people to book the place for a private party and sure enough it was booked out on a Saturday night!
It seems strange to me that places can book themselves out completely, especially on the busiest night of the week. Maybe we'll get back here one day, but we won't hold out much hope that it will be open to the general public. It was off to the more reliable Prince Albert instead.
On 2nd February 2026
- rating: 3
[User has posted 3412 recommendations about 3410 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Will Larter left this review about Vine Street Tap
This hadn't been on my to-do list, but the barman at the Evening Star said there might be some interesting beers on. Which there were. Though not really to my taste and anyway I prefer cask beers. Whatever, I had a very friendly welcome, first from the dog and then from the server, telling me it was only 10 minutes until closing, which I knew. I had a swift third (in an actual "third" glass) which was too sweet and lemony for my taste. Plenty more of the same in fridges and on shelves. A good place for those who like these kind of beers. Makes me feel so old.
On 6th February 2024
- rating: 6
[User has posted 4674 recommendations about 4283 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Moby Duck left this review about Vine Street Tap
A small and basic side street craft bar as described by PSM below, Six craft beers on when I arrived, one had just gone, plus a Cider. It was a quick in and out for me as I had bigger fish to fry on the day.
On 15th October 2023
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2291 recommendations about 2255 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about Vine Street Tap
This is a small back street craft beer bar located in some sort of former garage or workshop, on a residential street that runs parallel to some of the busier thoroughfares in this North Laine area. Wide front folding doors were opened out on a warm summer’s day, with a couple of high tables and stools positioned in the doorway, half inside, half on the pavement. Inside, it’s a bare concrete floored space with whitewashed walls and a plain ceiling. More high tables and stools can be found to the right, under beer boards listing the draught range, with hops hung beneath the ceiling. Meanwhile, hard bench seating is available to the left, with a few basic chairs in support. The bar is to the rear and has a simple timber fronted counter and a modern bar back that looks like it was made by the local carpentry school. The keg taps are all mounted back here, and more hops have been used to give the space a bit more of a pubby feel. A pizza menu was advertised on most tables and R&B tunes were playing quietly in the background.
There were seven craft keg beers and one cider option listed on the beer boards and fridges were full of interesting bottle and can alternatives. I tried a pint of Gamma Cahoots - a hefty 5.8% Pale Ale which had a hefty accompanying price tag. The beer was okay without really justifying the price and my other half tried one of their fruity beers, which was also a bit underwhelming.
I was looking forward to checking this place out, having heard a few good reports, but was a bit disappointed with what we found. It seems a bit basic, with no real character and yet very expensive beer. If you’re a ticker looking for something you’ve not tried before, this seems as likely a place as any to find it, but for me, there are much better bars a short distance away and I’ll be knocking this one off the revisit list.
On 6th November 2022
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3387 recommendations about 3387 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
paulof horsham left this review about Vine Street Tap
This is a comfort-free keg-only zone in a quiet North Laine street. The Tap is a small industrial unit with the beers listed on a blackboard and dispensed from a row of taps behind the bar. You're looking at around £6.50 for your pint (or slightly more if you insist on something strong). On my visit, a couple were from the host Good Things Brewery, with Deya & Lost and Grounded amongst the seven offerings. A fridge full of craft cans expands the options.
Seating is provided solely on unpadded stools at high tables, so it's not a place to linger, but there's no shortage of places nearby to move on to.
Have to say the service was excellent, so I can foresee an occasional return visit.
On 24th July 2021
- rating: 7
[User has posted 632 recommendations about 587 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
paulof horsham left this review about Vine Street Tap
Brighton outlet for Good Things Brewery; currently just take-out only: Thursday - Sunday, 11:00 - 20:00
On 8th July 2020
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 632 recommendations about 587 pubs]