Just hiding below Park Street are a few little clubs and pubs including The Academy, Basement 45…read moreand the Hatchet. You'll also find an odd looking building, which is home to possibly the most cheesy gay club in town. The drinks aren't too expensive, the music's fun, it's definitely a popular spot for the city's gay crowd. Look out for their themed nights!

Looks like an old pub on the outside but inside is a different story, very fun, vibrant atmosphere,…read moregreat dance floor to the rear and chill seating at the front. Reasonable drink prices, clean toilets and friendly staff. Would definitely go back next time I'm in Bristol.

You could easily miss this place as it sits on a bizzare road split. This means the pub looks like…read morea really thin slice of cake. I've only ever come here during the day and it always seems pretty quiet, I think the food is pretty over priced and it's a bit to far away from the centre to be a good place to meet for a lunch time pint or meal. Not my favourite spot.

An interesting metal pub in that it serves real ale and high quality food!…read moreJust two ales on when I arrived, usually there are more. Enjoyed a Saltaire Winter Ale Tucked into a veal schnitzl with sweet potatoe wedges. Very good feed! I was impressed. Enjoyed the music too, but that's just me :)

If you're looking for a taste of the Mediterranean, head over to Yia Mass on Park Street for a…read moretruly Greek experience. This split level restaurant has a bar on the bottom floor and seating on the upper level. It can get a little cramped, so it's not great if you're looking for an intimate romantic evening with a loved one. The atmosphere is fun, friendly and lively which makes it more than a meal, and more of an experience. Even though I hear their meat dishes are fantastic, so are their vegetable plates so it's bound to please the fussiest of eaters.

Yiamass is a bar that I have visited only at night time therefore I cannot comment/rate on the food…read moreor day time service. The interior is really interesting, with a bit of African jungle meets Grecian feel to it. There is a small dance floor and a couple of tables, so my best bet is to head upstairs to the low ceiling seating area. Here you can enjoy a drink with friends without the music deafening your ears. The prices are a tad expensive, however they do a mean Mojito (not for the faint hearted!!)

The Woods can be found just off of Park Street and is the sister bar to Elbow Street just slightly…read moredown the way. If the Elbow Room was going through puberty, drunk and passed out on the floor, The Woods has grown up, got a job and developed a taste for whisky and fine wines. This late night drinking venue is a victim of its own success and is often packed to the rafters will drunken revellers and city boys. It is a little on the pricey side, but I always find it worth the money considering what the other, unholy options are. Head upstairs if you're looking for a more relaxing atmosphere with your beer.

Set slightly away from Park Street, you'll spot this bar by its distinctive yellow front. This is…read moresomething of a specialist bar with a focus on whisky. This means behind the bar you'll find rows and rows of (pricey) whisky on display to tempt you. The focus on whisky is taken pretty seriously; they don't even serve beer by the pint, you have to buy it by the jug. Apart from the prices there isn't much too complain about here. It opens late, and this is a great place for late night drinking session. The big comfy sofas upstairs should help with this too. It's very popular, which is a blessing and curse as always. I recommend going on a week night, as you've got half a chance of getting one of those sofas then but it certainly won't be quiet. Also, it's worth knowing there's sometimes a queue to get it at the weekend.

Stopped in for beers while in town. Didn't feel the warmest reception, not from bartender, but…read morelocals. I thought for being a gay bar it would feel a little more inclusive regardless of nationality. It seemed like a lot of inside jokes and conversations that were intended to be over my head, although I got it. A shame.

Venus Bar is a difficult place to assess, and by this I mean that it's hard to know where it's…read morecoming from... With a name like Planet Venus you'd probably expect it to be all pink and frilly, frequented by nail technicians and hairdressers, serving overly dressed cocktails at ridiculously inflated prices. But the reality couldn't be further from the image that the name conjures up. True, in recent years the place has had a facelift. Gone is the peeling ultra pink and black paintjob and dilapidated signage. In its stead is a snazzy black sign with the words Venus Bar in silver. The rest is painted in black gloss; a look that suggests twenty something male, single, with a slick car, bachelor pad, and a firm footing on the career ladder. But, step inside, and you enter an entirely different world. As far as I can tell, not much has been done to the interior since the revamp. It's still dark with a Spartan, and slightly dingy appearance. Being an old building, I'm sure that it'd be difficult to make the inside look as modern as the front, unless an inordinate amount of money was spent. Judging by the estimated level of business the place has generated over the last few years, this would neither be warranted or feasible. I've never seen Venus looking particularly busy. Venus is frequented by a staunch bunch of regulars, who all know each other pretty well, and like to have a good laugh. They are friendly enough, and so don't make the place feel exclusive. They drink moderately priced large and watch sport on large screens... often quite noisily. Despite the dour appearance, this is a lively place that borrows most of its charm from the clientele. This is a perplexing review to write. Having drawn all of the key features quite accurately, I know I still don't have a 'fit'. Venus... blackness... boxing on tele... blokes in casual attire... not a woman in sight... could this be a gay bar? It's hard to tell. There's not the slightest suggestion of campness that usually gives a gay bar away within a nano second... Perhaps you'd like to go there and let me know what you think?

Recently opened, Bunker's marketing strategy seems to be pull people in with super cheap drinks…read moredeals, and with prices starting at a quid I'm sold. With prices like that it's unsurprising that this is a bit of a student haunt, at least on the night I went along anyway. The Bristol uni hordes manage to fill up the three rooms and garden out the back, creating a proper buzz on a Friday night. They also make a long queue, which combined with the five pounds asked for some nights makes this place slightly less attractive that it otherwise would be. That the only criticism I can think of is because this place is popular should tell you that you won't be disappointed by a night out at Bunker.

I am literally torn in half with The Bunker. One one side, its cheap and cheerful and always…read morepromises a decent night out without breaking the bank. On the other side I have been severely let down in the past. I will explain...... Situated near Clifton Triangle and Park Street, The Bunker nightclub is open 6 nights a week with drinks starting from £1, popular DJ's, 3 rooms and a very large smoking garden. The queuing can be quite ridiculous so make sure you do not get there to late. Music ranges from chart music to dance and drum and bass with a raised seating area and large dance floor. The toilets are fairly small so expect a queue. On one particular night, they had let in far too many people on the venues legal capacity resulting in a 'power cut', which then the venue turned very much into 'a war bunker' with emergency lighting and scared people. Magically all the staff swiftly disappeared and there was literally no-one to tell us what was happening. Everyone started to pile towards the stairs to leave and no joke I was almost crushed to death and £5 out of pocket from the entrance fee. I was not happy!