Santa's is tucked away just outside of Liverpool's main nightlife hotspots, although at peak times it can be as densely-populated as any other bar or club in the city. It's formula is fairly simple, but extremely effective: shabby décor, good music, and extravagant cocktails. An example of the latter would be the Pulp Fiction-inspired '5 Dollar Shake', an ice cream-based cocktail combining several different kinds of liquor, topped off with squirty cream and served in a milk bottle. This magnificent concoction really is delicious, and I would recommend it to anyone with a sweet tooth, although I wouldn't recommend having more than one of these decadent beasts, particularly if you have problems with your blood sugar.
The drinks are great, but I have mixed feelings about the bar staff. They're friendly enough, and it's quite easy to get served, even at peak times, but they are very much of the 'professional bartender' ilk. You know, the ones that see their job as some sort of performance art - spinning bottles left and right, pouring spirits flamboyantly at arm's length, whipping the tops off bottles as it was some feat of dexterity. This is very prevalent in the similar bars around Liverpool. Personally, I find it very annoying and frustrating - I just want my drink, thanks - but if you're into that (is anyone?) then you won't be disappointed.
It's not surprising that most of the 5-star reviews on here come from young women - girls get treated like princesses in this place, and it's pretty common for the barmen to slide free drinks their way. I understand this, though - it's a shrewd business move. Say what you like about gender politics, but a bar that always has attractive young women drinking in it will always do good business, and that will never change.
Their selection of music, which centres mostly around hip hop and related genres, is very good, and outside of peak times the place can hold a very pleasant atmosphere. Still, weekend nights are another story altogether, and during their busiest hours, there is almost always a troublesome undertone to the whole place. Some of the clientèle are decidedly unpleasant, and it feels like things could turn sour very quickly. The bouncers aren't the nicest around either, and it often seems like they're just waiting for it to kick off, so they have an excuse to get aggressive.
My main sticking point is something much simpler though; something that will become obvious as soon as you walk in - It's. Just. Too. Small. Even with the decently-sized outdoor smoking area, and the recent addition of a new room, it just feels like it needs twice as much floor space. Obviously, there's not much that can be done about this, but if I was the owner, I'd seriously consider relocating to larger premises, considering the popularity of the place.
Sadly, that popularity has had something of a negative effect. Thanks to its brilliant cocktails, rugged chic, and semi-exclusionary vibe, the reputation of Santa Chupitos grew wildly in its first year of business. But, alas, like any decent bar in Liverpool, Santa's has quickly become a victim of its own success. Its explosion in popularity brought with it a new crowd of aspirational chavs and weekend warriors, and unfortunately it doesn't look like they're going away any time soon. Play it safe; stick to midweek nights out. read more