The Vodka Bar is a wonderful intimate little bar in the heart of Colchester's town center. It has a…read morerange of vodka's (surprisingly enough) abut also a great variety of cocktails and other spirits. It is very small, taking about 50 people at a push, which is why it is such a lovely place to go out for a drink. The staff are welcoming and friendly and they are always playing great music to get you in the mood for a night on the town. A perfect place to start off your girl's night out! (Just avoid the Long Island Iced Teas there, your liver will thank you in the morning)

I used to go to Uni Essex and this place was a staple on a night out. Returned here on the weekend…read moreafter a year and a half absence and it's still just as amazing (the prices have actually gone down!) Fabulous range of classic and house cocktails and plenty of seats. Definitely recommend.

What was I supposed to think when I was repeatedly given warning about what The Odd One Out was…read moregoing to be like? I was clearly instructed not to dress up for this place and not to expect much. So I didn't. When you walk in to TOOO it's as if you're stepping back in time and right away I recognised the wallpaper as being the exact same that my Grandfather has at home in NY from the 1960's, so I automatically felt comfortable. I laughed actually. Look around and it's as if not a single thing has been moved since it was put up there for the first time, whether it be pictures, the wood in the fireplace or the old man at the bar. You can nestle up next to one of the fireplaces, which you'll need to on a snowy winter night like when we were there. Get yourself your pints, or as I prefer, the spectacular cider from one of the barrels lined up on the bar. We're talking 7% alcho content people! On cider! Get some crisps for you and your mates and sit back talking about how old and great this pub is. In a town that is hailed as "the oldest recorded town in England" and hosts meeting for the Colchester Historical Enactment Society you surely can't go wrong. A place like this made me feel right at home like my own American dive bar, but in the States we don't have such grand cider served from wooden barrels or a lovely old fella giving out warm Christmas mince pies with joy. This place is top notch. Here are a few vital tips to help you survive a pub that could easily knock you on your arse whether it be by the cider, the step you drunkenly miss, the old man or the bar keep... 1. Don't you dare answer your cell phone here. This is a rule I LOVE like no other. Seriously, watch even pulling it out of your pocket if you know what's good for you. 2. Don't be surprised if you think someone's talking to you and they're not or if they're talking to you and you don't realise. There's no music to get in the way of a conversation, but all that quiet makes it sometimes confusing. 3. Good luck in the ladies room. You could really freeze your butt to the toilet if you're not careful. 4. And, if you're lucky enough to pull while in TOOO, feel confident in knowing that the condom machine is fully stocked. P.S. please don't start coming here and making it THE cool spot in Colchester. I want to find a seat when I return next Christmas, preferably by the fireplace.

The Odd One Out or Oddy as the regulars like to call it, is a cosy pub not far from Colchester…read moreTown-station. Its decoration and the crackling fire make you feel like coming home instead of entering just an ordinary place to have a drink or two. The Oddy is most famous for its delicious ciders from the region and got most recently awarded as the East Anglian Regional Cider Pub of the Year by the Campaign for Real Ale, but you also get a nice range of Scotch and of course ale here. The crowd is mixed from young to old and always friendly just like owner John Parrick, who has a few rules, though, like no swearing and no usage of mobile phones inside the pub. But once you tried one of the aforementioned ciders you want to enjoy it with no disturbance from the outside world anyway. And on top of all that the prices are low and to quote a good friend of mine This is one of the few places where you still get a pint when you order a pint.

Not the best advertisement for this ratther overplayed chain…read more Food so so although service is friendly and attentive Not somewhere I would rush to again. Too much reliance on the good old microwave I guess, otherwise "barbecued pork chunks" wouldn't arrive in five minutes PS As for Kintaro, the other review, the Alhambra is a Moorish palace, not a restaurant, and is in Granada, not Madrid !!

I went here with 2 friends for a late dinner and it looked as if it was already closed because the…read morelighting was so dim I could barely see my food but that was the only bad thing about the experience. We ordered Sangria and it was delicious except the fruit they put in the wine still had the rinds and we like to eat the fruit from the bottom. The tapas was really good and we ordered about 12 plates for 3 of us and a dessert and we were stuffed. I wouldn't recommend the paella because it was more like rice with meat in it than actual paella but it was still good. The coquettes were the best part of the meal and we had to order a second helping. This is a pretty good restaurant for a night out in Colchester but don't expect it to be cheap. Definitely worth the money though!