Small spot to shake the stress away, really nice sound system. Friendly door people, but don't mess…read morearound since the bathroom stalls don't lock!

Aside from high-capacity venues like The Dome and The Brighton Centre, The Concorde 2 is arguably…read moreBrighton's premier music spot. Regular appearances from big name acts, such as Florence and The Machine, Kaiser Chiefs, The White Stripes, Bloc Party and De La Soul, mean that it's a must-play for any semi-successful touring act. The ample £250 000 sound system and professional staging gives every show a sense of occasion, lifting the venue above the amateur but not so high as to be inaccessible. Adorned with enough character and history it's possibly the only independent venue in Brighton that consistently delivers first-class entertainment in an elegant setting at an affordable price.

Formally the Joogleberry Playhouse, now under the less fun name the Latest Music Bar, the venue…read morecontinues to provide a constant supply of live music and common interest events. From week to week you could find a local teeny bopper indie band, a political speaker or a cabaret evening. Fundamentally it is still a music venue though, downstairs is quaintly cosy so not much room for dancing, but it gives a nice Greenwich Village cafe vibe. There's a really nice wall feature of a 3-D rooftop scene and little star lights cover the rest of the walls downstairs, apparently the original scenery from CATS the musical. The light and airy upstairs is used as a restaurant/bar where food is served Thur - Sat 6pm til 10pm & Sun 12pm til 3.30pm & has free wi-fi. Unusually for Brighton the downstairs is closed on Friday & Saturday nights and available for hire. Definitely worth checking out if your at a loose end on a weekday evening.

Located at the foot of the unconventional and sometimes grubby St James' Street, The Latest Music…read moreBar is a welcome retreat for those wishing for a bit of style and panache. With varnished wood furnishings, a high ceiling and one wall covered in neatly framed photos of local and famous musicians; the upstairs bar has a refined cleanliness found in only a handful of places in Brighton. The atmosphere is best when the place is at a comfortable capacity, as it suits a seated audience. Serving average quality food and a reasonable selection of drinks the upstairs bar is always a nice place to be. However, the real draw is the cabaret bar downstairs. Having previously hosted such names as Amy Winehouse, The Kooks, Herbie Flowers and Chris Difford, the downstairs bar is definitely where it's at. The walls have been made to look like a charming cityscape complete with real, backlit windows and twinkling stars. This combined with the low ceiling and slightly raised stage makes the venue an intimate place, better suited to bands that are comfortable dealing with much audience participation. Drinks are a little expensive but definitely worth it. The simple pleasure of watching great music in a genuinely charming setting is enough for me to just shut up and pay. Great for folk, blues, jazz or anything rootsy. One of my favorite gig venues!

Fitzherberts is one of the first pubs I went to when I moved to Brighton and it remains one of my…read moreregulars. The inside is so cosy that on a really busy night - when there's clusters of people standing - you usually end up with someone's elbow or handbag in your face. Luckily, the atmosphere is so friendly and laidback nobody seems to notice or care! There's a cluster of seats outside and a ramshackle assortment of wooden tables and chairs inside. Gig posters decorate the hallways and toilets and there's live jazz and acoustic bands most weeks. The rest of the time, the music depends on which bar staff are working. Most of the time they seem to rotate classic rock, indie and hip hop but I was once subjected to an hour of speed metal. I would have left but it was torrential rain outside. If they'd played The Supremes or Amy Winehouse instead, they'd probably have an extra star. :-)

Often overshadowed by the adjacent Mash Tun and Waggon and Horses, Fitzherberts is smaller and more…read moreatmospheric than either of these. Entering, there is a small bar, with a little bar seating for those who drink fast. The best feature though, is the strangely lit main seating area, a drinker's fairy cavern. A mass of blue fairy lights cover the stark white ceiling, and the effect this creates (especially after a few vodkas!) can be slightly disorienting, in a good way. Outside, like its neighbours, the place has some outside seating, which in summer is a great people watching spot. Its proximity to the Dome and to the Theatre Royal means that this is also a great choice for a pre-show drink.

#ballsdeep So I've known about the Hobgoblin as an iconic…read morerock venue for many years. I didn't realise however it has a huge outside seating area at the back. Also DoughBo have set up there selling amazing stuffed Dough Balls both savoury and sweet. They sure are tasty! Think my favourite was the Pulled Pork. Yummy!

I've been to the Hobgoblin many a time and still can't quite make up my min about it…read more On one hand, it offers relatively cheap drinks, in a great location and it serves some of the best burgers in town. They're undeniably delicious- cooked to perfection and topped with tasty combinations that won't fail to make your mouth water in anticipation. I had one last night, accompanied by a cranberry juice, and my opinion of the place shot right up afterward. They also have a vast outdoor seating area for the summer time, which is always a plus in Brighton as we head towards the warmer months. On the other hand there is a lot that doesn't work about this place. It's often so noisy that conversation is virtually out of the question which, for me, is an important downside. The ladies toilets are also pretty shocking (though this is lightened by the addition of chalk board doors where people can doodle until their hearts content- very clever distraction tactic!). To top it all off, the serving staff lack a certain friendliness that you get elsewhere in Brighton pubs. They're quite short and curt often, presumably because they are usually rushed off their feet, but it's not a great atmosphere because of it. So, as you can imagine, this place divides me somewhat! I'm giving it a 3 because it's a good pub in general with a few flaws but, at the end of the day, burgers that will rock your world!

This is one of my favourite pubs in Brighton. Entering, you…read moremight think you'd found a very small and busy pub, with only a few tables. Explore futher though, and you find smaller rooms, the size of a small living room with a few sofas and tables. It does really feel in these parts of the pub as if you are in someone's house. Upstairs, there is a large function room, which also provides extra seating on busy nights. It's often used for band nights and big screen football. The place is stuffed full of interesting nooks and crannies and things to look at, without being too self-consciously cool. The toilet graffiti is also a constant source of amusement.

This place is the hang out for every muso / rockabilly / yuppie/ mod / cool kid in Brighton. Over…read morethe years it has become an institution, partly due to the infamous Banksy painting on the outside wall, and the rest is down to everything else it has to offer. The layout of the pub is great. There aren't many big pubs which still manage to feel cosy, but the individual rooms/areas of The Prince Albert mean that even at its emptiest times (which isn't often) the place still feels homely and warm. Each room is decorated uniquely and there's cool music posters, most signed by famous bands and DJs, hanging throughout the pub. They make for good snooping material whilst you're mulling over a pint. Upstairs there's a decent sized live music venue where bands from Brighton and beyond grace the stage. The sound system is good, but the room does get a little hot in the summer months. The staff are part of the furniture in this place, and they're all super friendly, whilst still managing to look uber cool. The prices are very reasonable considering the pubs location and clientèle, and they serve a good range of ciders, beers, wines and spirits. The foods not bad either, and they serve meals much later than any other Brighton establishments. The only downside to the place is the lack of a garden. There is a small patio at the back of the pub, but it's usually very busy, and the seating outside the front of the pub (which there is a lot of) is right on the roadside. But all in all this is a great place and worth visiting just to see the Banksy if nothing else.

Finally went to this place last night after tip off from one of Brightons top Yelpers!! Wish i'd…read morecome here before now. Really nice inside,quite a lot of seating,a cosy little room down stairs. Great selection of drink,whatever your taste is. And in my eyes they played some of the best music i've heard in a bar for ages. Last night it was afro-latin music,if i had my way every bar would play this type of music!! Other nights are on as well.....check local press!!

My local and definitely one of my favourite drinking establishments in Brighton…read more It's regularly listed in the 'Brighton's Best Bars' lists floating around on the world wide web. It also makes a few craft beer pub lists too as it has a very long list of world and craft beers, mainly in bottles, to chose from. It may surprise a few but it also serves amazing cocktails. A craft beer place AND a good cocktail place under one roof!? Surely not! But yes, it definitely works, they do a mean Amaretto sour and Espresso Martini and some of the more unusual cocktails too. It's not table service though which I actually really like as it remains down to earth and has a local hangout vibe. It gets really busy at the weekends on Friday and Saturday nights and there's often a band on or a cool DJ playing Northern Soul over the weekend too. In the daytime it's really chilled out and the bar staff are always happy to chat to you and talk you through the latest beer/cocktail menu (or about anything really!). There's also seating outside but with the view of the top of St. James Street it definitely is a better view inside with its quirky decor. I lucked out with this place being my closest pub!

This used to be a really nice historic old pub, with good real ale, really outstanding food, and a…read morelovely beer garden out the back.. Now it's just nice, having gone through several transformations on the food front, (first up and then back down-market). It's now settling back to more straightforward pub food (which we haven't yet sampled), and it still retains a good choice of real-ales. The staff seem friendly enough, but the atmosphere isn't quite what it was, with just the wrong sort of juke-box music in the background (to me, rock and historic pubs just don't gel). There are now regular gigs by live bands and other acts. Hopefully, it'll get back on its feet now that it has new landlords. It's situated on Lewes High Street, up St Anne's Hill away from the Castle area.

The Pelhams Arms is situated at the top of Lewes high street, but it is well worth a walk up the…read moreHill! There is a great beer and ale selection on tap and the decor is proper good old old beams, floor boards and sturdy wooden tables. There is a dining area and they serve food at lunchtime and then again in the evening. The menu is pub food, but pub food done well and you will get a hearty portion for your pennies. There are also a number of live music events held on Thursday nights and a DJ plays away the Sunday blues from 4pm. I would recommend the roasts and a good way to feel like you have got out of Brighton and done something worthwhile with a Sunday. There is also a nice garden out back that shelters you from the high street traffic, if you are there on a good day. A very nice pub that ticks all the righht boxes.

Hanover is famous for its pubs and when you wander into the Greys you'll instantly see why. The…read moreinterior is small and traditional with lots of wood paneling and a small wooden bar complete with stools. With low ceilings and intimate little tables and booths, the Greys is the perfect place to snuggle up with friends or a special someone for a glass of red wine in the winter. In addition to the cosy indoor seating, they have a covered, heated patio at the side of the building and a few tables and chairs out front. As well as an impressive array of the usual ale, lager and cider, the Greys boast a fine selection of Belgian beers with very distinctive flavours...the raspberry and cherry are especially tasty. The pub is a hub of beer-drinking activity during the Hanover beer festival and is my favourite of the pubs involved. This pub is also great for live music...I once happened in on a beautiful folk singer. They quite often feature local and international musicians of all varieties, but they do seem to generally favour bluesy and folksy bands, which is fine by me! They also do a monthly music quiz, which will especially appeal to music buffs.

Nestled away in the trendy Hanover area, you can't miss the bright blue exterior of The Grays…read more Inside, the pub is really tastefully decked out and really does excel at making you feel warm and welcome. Outside the patio is heated so you can enjoy a cigarette without coming back in with frost bite. We had a Sunday lunch there which, at £9 I thought was a little over-priced. It was really nice but there's a lot of other pubs that do it better for a lot less in my opinion. I'm definitely going to head back there on one of the blues nights though as the staff and locals really are fantastic here.

The Green Door Store is a fab music venue, in my opinion!…read more The space is wonderful - a bit dingy, in this old cobbled building, but fab nonetheless! It looks trendy, rather than run-down, with a rustic (rather than ruined) vibe. The bar is usually rammed, but which good club doesn't have a rammed bar, right? The range of music that's performed here is great! They constantly have great acts lined up and host a good variety of older and newer bands. You get the feeling that people come here for the music and not, like other reviewers have highlighted, just for a pull, a pint or a puke! It's a club, yes, but there seems to be a slightly different atmosphere here to some of the other clubs around town. The gigs are tickets and they charge you for entry, but they also just do general dance nights where you can come in for free, which is always good! The location is a little bit odd... It's very 'terrifying, abandoned building' and so if you don't know where you're going you might be tempted not to venture down it's way. That being said, it's well lit and there are always people milling around outside the place when it's open so, in that respect, it's a-okay! If you like to dance, listen to good music or simply hang out in a buzzing venue, try this place out! It might just be your new favourite place!

Good place to come for a late drink, i like the fact that its a bit industrial looking and slightly…read moregrimy, reminds me of clubs in London from many moons ago. Music is ever changing here, but last night it was the Brighton institution that is Russ Dewbury, i think he plays here once a month as does Rob Louis. Good crowd of unpretentious types, which can be rare in Brighton, filling the small dance floor and in the large bar area. And its free most nights !!

This is what makes brighton unique from anywhere else in the country. Sunshine, alfresco drinkies…read morewhilst live bands and singers entertain you. Home of a Disco Pete and the best place to people watch in town. It has it all from a Tuesday afternoon to a Friday night

I've always liked this venue through all the years. The food's consistently good and usually the…read moreservice is too. The live bands they choose are always above average to excellent. 5 stars from me :-)