Our favourite 10 cocktail bars in Bristol

Wedged between Brandon Hill and the City Centre Landing, Java cocktail lounge is part of the city’s rising tide of thoughtful drinking spots. Inside partly resembles a manor house that has gotten lost at the Chelsea Flower Show: oak furniture and crystal chandeliers have been decked out in foliage and clean glass surfaces.

Drinks, of course, figure as the star of the show. In Java’s case, you can expect balanced martinis and refreshing highballs alongside a roster of creative signature cocktails. The Bartenders know what they’re doing – attesting to this is their Salted Caramel Espresso Martini, a grown-up take on a stone-cold classic.

Private hire can be satiated through their 65-capacity cocktail lounge.

Located in the heart of Bristol on The Triangle, The Cocktail Club is an ode to Neverland where the energetic atmosphere and flashing lights allow your inner child to run free for the night.

A haven for mischief and mixology, the skilled bartenders expertly craft the vast menu of wacky tipples – from the Bullfrog to the Beverly Hills – there’s a delicious drink for everyone.

Only the coolest of cocktail bars can pull off loud and proud rare bird adorned walls and opulent décor, which is why The Cocktail Club has certainly made a name for itself as one of the best and quirkiest cocktail bars in Bristol. Whether it’s a birthday celebration or a work event, The Cocktail Club has the perfect night for you.

Bristol's harbourside has undergone massive transformations and is now home to a wealth of fantastic bars and restaurants, one of which is a cool, independent cocktail bar – the Cock & Tail. As may be inferred by the name, cocktails are a speciality of the Cock & Tail, their menu covering all the classics, but their talented mixologists are happy to oblige if you fancy something that isn’t on the list.

The venue welcomes guests with a renegade attitude and cool vibe mixed with industrial chic interior design and thought-provoking artwork. There is space here to socialise with a chilled drink, but also to dance with amazing local DJs from 9 pm.

This quirky, yet cool, cocktail bar is a hidden gem of Bristol, so make sure you experience it for yourself.

Bristol’s Brozen Bar is another brilliant venue offering a great atmosphere and a refreshingly unique experience that is different from your typical cocktail bar, combining the best of both worlds; ice cream and cocktails.

Located near the city centre, and with excellent transport links, Brozen Bar is a welcoming venue with friendly mixologists offering a cool experience and smokey aesthetics. Specialising in delicious frozen classic cocktails and amazing alcoholic ice creams, this is the best cocktail bar to visit and kick-back with a glass of happiness on a hot summer’s evening.

What’s more, their frozen cocktail experience is perfect for hosting any celebration or work event. Expect to see plenty of liquid nitrogen.

The Florist is situated on Bristol’s iconic Park Street, and the venue makes use of its Victorian heritage. High ceilings, wood panelling and an original orangery roof, combined with modern floral décor and plush pink seating, makes it easily one of the most Instagrammable cocktail bars in Bristol.

You’ve probably guessed it – the aesthetic and prettily presented cocktail offering is also inspired by all things sweet, floral, and botanical, with an extensive menu separated into English Summer Garden, Ikebana, and Modern sections. The Florist also offers an array of artisan gins and an extensive beer list – perfect for all tastes.

With large rooms, regular DJ nights and flower-based entertainment experiences, plus a lively vibe, The Florist is a perfect venue for large groups of post-work socials.

The Clockwork Rose is the fictional drinkery of the adventurer Captain Sebastian Commodore. When Captain Commodore would return to England, he and the crew of The Nautimore would gather at The Clockwork Rose to tell the tales of their travels.

To help remember the tales, skilled mixologists at The Clockwork Rose have expertly transformed each account into delicious, handcrafted cocktails for you to enjoy in Bristol’s only steam-punk-inspired cocktail bar. The Clockwork Rose matches alcohol-based alchemy and quirk with great ambience and cosy atmosphere, ensuring a memorable evening.

The fantasy-focussed cocktail bar is located near Bristol City Centre and is also available for private hire and tasting masterclasses, making it the perfect venue for celebrations, socialising, or post-work drinks.

With brilliant cocktails, bartenders, and atmosphere, The Bootlegger is one of our top picks for cool cocktail bars in Bristol. This popular prohibition-inspired speakeasy has over 90 cocktail concoctions for you to enjoy. All cocktails are made with locally sourced fruits and botanicals, ranging from signature classic drinks to cool creations influenced by the Prohibition era. Happy Hour cocktails are available every day.

Located on lively Cheltenham Road, the cocktail bar encapsulates the same energy felt on the 5th December 1933, when Prohibition ended. Decked out with exposed brickwork, vintage lights, and deep-buttoned leather sofas matched with live music and in-house swinging DJs, The Bootlegger is a fantastic retro-style cocktail bar and well worth a visit.

So this one probably depends on your relationship with that mother of all spirits, Vodka. Bristol's Revolution bar makes no qualms about bringing the vodka hard to pretty much every drink it rustles up.

Ingrained in Bristol's old Fish Market building over on St Nicholas Street, this cocktail bar is an expansive, brightly lit space that is cavernous enough to facilitate even the most wild of vodka-induced dancing.

The cocktails you'll want to try predictably fall into the 'notorious Russain spirit' category with crowd favourites being the Salted Caramel Colada, Stud Puffin and oh-so-new money Millionaire Martini (coming in at a reasonable £9.75).

It's not going to win any awards, but if you want to drink lots of vodka in very sweet cocktails, you could do a lot worse.

Another speakeasy-style cocktail bar, hidden in plain sight on The Triangle, Hyde & Co has a cool, eclectic buzz and the doorbell entry further adds to the low-lit gentlemen’s club vibe.

Hyde & Co offer an impressive and innovative range of cocktails – from light and delicate to spirit-forward and robust flavour creations. Their current cocktail collection plays homage to Bristol’s infamous drinking dens, both past and present, all carefully crafted, complex flavours, masterfully balanced by talented mixologists.

A smaller venue, but full to the brim with character and atmosphere, Hyde & Co is the perfect secret hideout for a date or more intimate social gatherings.

Be At One Bar is a ubiquitous site across many of the UK's cities. Specialising in getting a lot of drinks made very quickly, it's rapidly become a reliable spot to enjoy happy hours, extravagant displays of mixology and a frankly absurd range of gaudy drinks.

We won't name them all here (we quite literally do not have enough time) but you can order everything from June Bugs and Lychee Martinis to a frozen Irish Disco Biscuit.

Be At One Bristol caters to birthday parties, and can be found in Clifton on Queens Road.