For my birthday I was given the gift that kept on giving - a bottle of Lola perfume that came with…read morea free 'Lola inspired' cocktail at Harvey Nichols' Second Floor Bar. I don't know whether it was because I was expecting to drink alongside the hoi polloi of Bristol, or because the bar brandishes the Harvey Nicks name, but I was overwhelmed by how un-special it felt. It's got all the right ingredients - sexy low lighting, a fully stocked and extensive bar and happy, helpful staff. But something about the place felt really ordinary. Maybe it was the cheesy Radio 1-like soundtrack playing in the background? Or how uncomfortably empty the already tiny bar was? Or maybe it's just because I was expecting too much of a small cocktail bar? Despite the somewhat stilted the surroundings were it was definitely the drinks that stole the show. My Lola cocktail was as seductive as the perfume itself: sweet and full bodied and yummy as anything. But if you're looking for a more butch beverage I'd recommend the Brunel Mojito - although there's plenty to choose from. At £9 - £10 a cocktail I'd think twice about going back again, but I won't forget how much I enjoyed my drinks any time soon.

Although it looks very much it from the outside this is not a pub but in fact a wine bar. The main…read moredifference is they have a slightly larger wine list and a wine cellar downstairs. Probably a few less students and old men as well. It's got a prime Clifton village location, and many a time has there been when I've trudged past to go to work and jealously looked in on the drinkers. It's a treat when I do get to go. Just the right side of sophisticated, without being a bit too ridiculous and Cliftonish. I prefer it in the basement, where you're not on display to people like me walking past (if you're a bit of a poser this would probably be the place to do it). Down here you can drain a bottle of wine without being too aware of the time (and thus not feel quite so guilty about how long you've stayed there). It's certainly not bad up the top though and you'll be sure to have an enjoyable evening at The Quadrant whether you're upstairs or down.

On the corner of the main drag of Clifton Village, the quadrant is a small wine bar. I quite like…read morethe feel of the place, as it never seems to be too crowded, the atmosphere is just the right tone of upmarket drinking establishment, and the wine cellar beneath the top bar is a cosy place to get to the bottom of a few bottles of wine. Though that might set you back a bit, they do wines (and champagne) by the glass, ranging from £3.50 upwards. They've got a variety of bar snacks, including pizzas, which are good value at £5.50, but I would advise the Nachos, which are surprisingly filling and really good quality. Although the service was a bit slow (our order was misplaced), it was well worth it in the end. The aforementioned cosyness takes on another level in the evenings, upstairs as well, so I reckon the best time to give it a try would be an after work drink on a weekday evening, when you won't run the risk of it being too busy, but you'll get to see the evening atmosphere. The regular wine tasting evenings also provide good value, from £10 a head (sometimes including food), so give it a go for some new found drinking knowledge.

What a lovely old style cute and cosy pub in the gorgeous setting of Nunney. The decor is lovely,…read morecosey and the warming fire was very welcoming. The staff were also friendly. I ordered a pie and chips. The food was good but I was a little bit disappointed in the pie.

Good meal and ambiance. The service staff was very friendly and helpful. Would recommend.read more

The staff and maître D try very hard here to elevate the Mint Room. Almost too hard…read more Drinks and food are good but you pay Clifton prices.

From the owner: The Mint Room is a high-end Indian restaurant in Clifton, Bristol…read more It has a full cocktail bar and the Jacquart Champagne lounge where a good selection of light bites and snacks are available...

Went to Browns Bath today after some morning shopping for lunch and drinks and the atmosphere and…read morefood were fantastic. The staff were incredibly friendly and we were not left waiting long before our waitress came to take all of our orders, said hello and made us feel welcome. It was busy with the festive period but that just added to the atmosphere and everyone seemed in amazing spirits. I had the festive Bellini cocktail and the glazed pork belly for my main which was incredible! I highly recommend!

Where ever my wife and I go we visit a Browns if there is one. we took our family to Cardiff to…read morecelebrate our grandsons 18th birthday, ordered cocktails one of which was for our grandson his first alcoholic drink he could legally have in a public bar. The drink arrived in a pleasant looking tall tumbler that my grandson liked, I then went to the bar and mentioned it was my grandsons 18th birthday and asked could I buy the glass or put a donation in a charity box if they had one as he liked it and would like it as a souvenir the lady said she would ask the manager, promptly returning saying no we couldn't buy it. What ever the reason don't worry Browns about loosing a glass you have now lost our business and was considering booking a table for the six of us later in the week but we will never visit again on principle

A long term feature on a stretch of shops that's a bit of graveyard of failed attempts, this is a…read moregem of a café where you can easily spend too much time and money. Wood floors, smart wooden furniture, sharp service. Somebody has made the effort with this place, and it has paid off. You don't feel like you're being ripped off with the pricey food and drink, just that you're paying a premium for getting to sit around in a good café. This is all done without making it feel posh or exclusive. If money is tight there's wifi available, so you can just hide behind a coffee for an hour or so and distract yourself from the menu by checking your email. The menu's comprehensive and has been different every time I have visited though, so this might be a bit of a challenge. This is one of the ways that you might end up spending more here than you'd planned. If this isn't too much of a worry for you, then pay Deco Lounge a visit.

Of all the lounges in all the land, Deco beats them all. I remember when this place had that smoky…read morewine bar feel, but clearly the smoking ban has put paid to that. It's the kind of adaptable place that's just as much at home to an elderly gent having a mid afternoon pint (no longer having a puff on a cigarette though) as it is to a bunch of students/young professionals coming for a few cocktails and catch ups - which by the way, are well worth trying at less than £6 a go. The food is fairly priced too, with a good selection of tapas. The best thing is the breakfasts: if you go before 12pm it's £5.50 for a coffee and lounge breakfast which will really set you up well for the day. If you miss that though, not to worry, they serve breakfast it all day, definitely earning it a few more plus points. Should you want a quiet little hide out, away from the hustle and bustle of nearby Whiteladies road, the table at the top end to the right of the bar is nicely tucked away, it's always my seat of choice. The free Wifi, excellently stocked bar, and good food makes it dangerously easy to waste away far too many hours in here.

Mill Lane, or the 'Cafe Quarter' as Cardiff seems to slowly be rebranding the area, is full of bars…read moreand restaurants (very few cafes, actually). This is the kind of place that will become packed any day after work when the sun is shining. Each place has tables and chairs on the pavement in a very European-feeling setting with trees and waiters and glasses of rose wine dotted about. Mocka Lounge is one of these places, and, very much in its favour, is one of the few places that remains a happening and well visited place during the entire day and not just coming alive in the evening like many of the others. This is a great place for a sophisticated drink and bite to eat at lunch time and late afternoon, and then stay sitting and watch the nightlife awaken around you as the sun goes down. One of the most attractive and friendly places along Mill Lane, this place is certainly worth checking out. Lovely.

I was all geared up to hate this place. I don't enjoy Mill Lane, the pretentiousness and the prices…read morerub me up the wrong way. Walking in to Snow Patrol on the stereo wasn't a great start to this visit either. But upon sitting down I found myself warming to the place. The service was excellent, prompt and professional, the black and red décor very much to my liking and the bottle of house red (which comes in at £14 a bottle) was light and fruity and highly quaffable. So much so that I found myself able to ignore The Black Eyed Peas that has dripping out of the speakers . We ordered the steak (8oz Sirloin = £14) from the surprisingly small menu. During the time it was being prepared I flicked through the drinks list. And then it became clear. Food for Mocka is a lunchtime slash early evening fixation (the kitchen closes at 8.30pm) with the main focus of the business on cocktails. Indeed rather than focus of how say much a double spirit and mixer is, such as the drinks lists in Wetherspoon's do, Mocka do things by the bottle. With a bottle of Grey Goose setting you back £90 and a list entitled "Cognac & Cigars", they're clearly going for a classy clientele or those on a total paycheck blowout. The steaks arrived and were divine. They were seasoned perfectly, the chips were super thick, the mushroom was buttery and meaty, while the peppercorn sauce was creamy with a delicious kick to it. My girlfriend reckoned it was the best steak she'd had in Cardiff. We opted to share a chocolate fondue for dessert. And while the chocolate was slightly sour, it strangely worked with the array of fruit, waffle and brownies we had to dunk with. A quick cocktail (from £5.80) was ordered to finish off what had been a fabulous evening. Highly recommended, if you've just been paid.

I've had some good times here, but sadly, I think Rococo's Glory Days are behind it now…read more The staff here used to broadcast classic movies like Pulp Fiction from a projector onto its back wall, serving as an unusual and welcomed backdrop to an evening of cocktail-sipping and trash talking. But there's little to distinguish it now from the surrounding city centre bars. Most of the times I've been in here, the men outnumber the women four to one, quite possibly because Rococo offers easy access to the Fantasy Lounge, which is located right next door. The bartenders at Rococo do, however, mix a mean drink, which could make up for the lack of atmosphere. One of my all-time favourites is the "Dirty Little Rococo" which is a cocktail of crushed berries and vodka served in a tall glass. Dangerous and delicious - exactly what I want in a cocktail.

Rococo is an independently owned cocktail bar that is awash in 70's decor. With all the colours…read moreunder the rainbow slapped on the wall you wouldn't be shouted at for checking what exactly has been put in your drink. The drinks are fairly expensive in here but you do get better quality liquors etc being used so that's fair enough. Your pretty much going to find young professionals and office types in here, probably not great for the atmosphere then. It's all a bit too poser-y in here as the peacocks strut around with their feathers up looking for a female partner. Unfortunately, because a s a venue it looks lovely and is great it's independently owned, just a shame about the crowd.

Great food, didn't realise they did food until I ordered from them on meals.co.uk. Always great…read moreservice and great delivery times. Restaurants on here are so much better than Just-Eat.

Cosies Wine Bar has a few different faces. It's located in stateley Portland Square, and during the…read moreday it maintains a quite respectable face. At this time it pulls in office workers and other up-standing member of society sorts. They have a good lunch menu, and the place could pass as a reasonably high end restaurant. Things degenerate (or improve, depending on your point of view) as night draws in. Cosies is also a night club and dubstep, afrobeat, and hip-hop nights, along with various others. Very cool in the evenings, this is about a million miles from Syndicate et al. not so far away in the centre. The different between the its night and day time faces is quite a contrast and makes Cosies worth two visits. Down in a basement, it has a cosy feel to match its name. The best time to vist in the day time is when its a bit cold and damp. During the evening just make sure to get there early to avoid disappointment.

There seem to be a few places around Bristol that have a bit of a cavey feeling, due to their…read morebasement locations. Cosies is another place to the trend, situated in the basement of one of the grand Georgian houses in St Pauls' Portland Square. It's open all day and night, catering to the office workers of the square in the daytime, and turning into one of Bristol's in-the-know clubs as night falls. Some of the best djs can be found playing here, spanning genres from Dub and Reggae to Drum'n'Bass and hip hop. The seats outside, carved out beneath the pavement, are maybe where the place gets its name from, as there's a really great 'cosy' atmosphere in one of those seating hubs. As a result, it makes for quite a smokers paradise, and there's definitely a hint of a few blind eyes being turned. Walking past in the day there's always a board offering some sort of exotic food (always below a fiver, so good value), proving a real temptation to descend the rickety stairs mid-afternoon. Also, there's late evening grub on offer to help the pints go down, the last time I was there goat curry was being sold around 11. You might have to pay a few pounds to get in on a weekend, but I'd safely guarantee you'll have a night worth remembering.