Rough Guide to Eating and Drinking in Liverpool, 2008

'Young Person's Version' by Gemma Robertson 

click here for a 'Grown-ups Version' by my dad David Robertson

Afternoon/early evening: Lloyd’s Bar, Queens Square. Although not in the centre of town it is located next to the Playhouse and Williamson Square fountains. With a lively, bubbly atmosphere it is great for drink deals and quality food. ****

Afternoon: Heebie Jeebies, Seel Street (next to Barfly).

Huge venue, often with local, live Liverpool bands playing; it has an upstairs and a large outdoor area. Cheap drinks and a busy, playful atmosphere. Pop/jazz/jive music. ****   Afternoon/evening: Food/eating out: La Tasca, Queens Sq. (Next to the Marriot Hotel). Spanish tapas. enjoyable atmosphere and reasonable prices. ***   Afternoon: Head off to Seel Street again where the Barfly will be buzzing with the lively, ‘indie’ type. Free entry before 10pm and only a £1 after, the drinks are cheap and good quality.

Heebe Jeebies

Music: indie/pop/dance. A huge bar/theatre/loft. I would highly recommend. (My place of choice every Thursday night :) ) If you get bored you can always head over the road, directly opposite is Lago’s; cheap drinks, jive music and always a friendly, happy atmosphere. ‘Bouncers’ along Seel Street are always guaranteed to make you laugh.

Evening: Arrive into town in a £5 cab and head straight for the busiest part of town; Concert Square. An absolute guaranteed quality night out. With many clubs and bars to choose from, you’ll definitely find something you’ll like. Ranging from the modern, classy Modo, with many drinks deals and a huge dance floor, to Mood which is casual, with three floors to choose from or the One 4, a snooker hall with many down to earth ‘scousers’. Cheap drinks and a friendly atmosphere are always guaranteed around Concert Square. Head to the modern, upmarket Eberle Street, where Garlands, Pacha and G Bar are located. *****

This is the famous ‘gay quarter’ of our city with some of the most fashionable, modern clubs in Liverpool. All three of these clubs are extremely loud, brass and out there, so, you have been warned! With drag queens and heavy techno, dance music until 8am in G-bar to heavily publicised themed ‘porn nights’ in Garlands, you are guaranteed an ‘eventful’ night to say the least!   Just down the road from all three of these is ‘Navy’, also a gay club, slightly more down tempo and chilled, usually starts the night off before heading to Eberle Street. I had some of my best nights (if I can remember) here!   Alternatively you could head to Barfly again and enjoy the Chibuku ‘shake shake’ nights, with live sets and DJ’s from the likes of Radio One’s Annie Mac to Pendulum, at £15-£23 a ticket it is definitely worth it. Usually involves dressing up, for example themes such as ‘the 80’s’.

The famous Cavern Club

Cavern Club: Cavern Walks (Mathew Street) the Cavern pub and club located directly opposite each other, both including local, live bans from in an around Liverpool, friendly bar staff, cheap drinks and a relaxed, laid back atmosphere. Usually a cheap entry fee into the Cavern Club. (£1-£6) ***

Bar Baa: famous for their £1 shots, it is an absolute favourite for anyone who visits there. A MUST visit when in Liverpool. **** With two floors, the first consisting of cheesy pop and 90’s music, to the second with plush leather couches and trendy dance music. Alternatively if you’re into your metal and rock, head to 16 Wood Street, just off Concert Square for ‘The Krazy House’. With a £6 entry fee and £1 to re-enter it is not for me. Three floors of intense music and three intense nights (Thursday, Friday and Saturday).

Thursday: Time Square, Friday: Ambush and Saturday: Loaded. With a ‘gothic’, retro feel I can see the appeal.

Classic Rock at the Krazy House Basically, the Krazy House is centered around Classic Rock. So you can expect to hear anything from the 50s to the present day, from 9:00 pm to 3:00 am. So, whether your taste is rock, punk rock, glam rock or goth rock.   You could of course just visit a few local pubs if you don’t want a huge night out, or are in recoveryJ. The Flute & Firkin: 53 Hardman Street. Friendly staff, fabulous atmosphere and excellent value for money. A good place to start or end the night or lazy Sunday afternoons With a regular DJ willing to play any requests from cheesy 80’s to the present day…and, (just for you girls) the boys are easy on the eyes.   The FACT picture house: 88 Wood Street is also a lovely, chilled place to spend an afternoon, with a relaxed café and affordable, comfy ticket prices, I’d highly recommend this. Whether you want this to start your night before heading out on the town or just for a lazy afternoon. Kimo’s, located on Mount Pleasant (opposite the Q Car Park) is a lovely, newly renovated middle eastern café/bistro, with lively, friendly staff, cheap food and a gorgeous atmosphere, I would definitely suggest you give it a try. Bear in mind that they don’t sell alcohol.

Shopping

With Liverpool being Capital of Culture there have been many developments of the ‘cultural’ assortment, but also of the shopping kind. With the Met Quarter, an up-market, trendy, rather expensive shopping centre there has also been the opening of the much awaited ‘Liverpool One’ shopping centre. Personally, I don’t see the attraction, despite working there. With over 160 famous, stylish stores, including the famous, rival department stores John Lewis and Debenhams you’re bound to find something you like. Even if you don’t? Head of to Chavasse Park or to one of the new, probably over priced restaurants.

If you want a more personal, individual shopping experience, visit Quiggins, 12 School Lane. Aka ‘Grand Central’. In a Barcelona, Gaudi style building it houses many ‘alternative’ shops, attracting many ‘emos’, ‘goths’, ‘punks’ and ‘indie kids’. With many interesting, one off pieces it specializes in vintage and alternative style clothing. On the first floor, the most famous shop in Quiggins, being ‘Grin’ sells small and random but fun knick knacks, stylish hoodies, t shirts, gothic dress, boots and fairy wings. Walk down the curling stairs case on to the lower floor and your surrounded with vintage shops, housing many gorgeous one off, reasonably priced items. The ‘Miss Millie’ shop is also well known for her selective, handmade jewellery and bags.

Although some things can be quite expensive they are good quality and well worth the cash. Walk back out of Grin and turn left at the stair case, this will take you up to many tattooing parlours and piercing shops. Probably the most interesting shop you’ll enter. With only three in Britain; Liverpool, Manchester and Leeds.

Allerton Road/Smithdown, Eating out/drinking/nightlife

The Brookhouse is situated on the busy Smithdown Road, 2 miles out of town and easy to access with most buses (80, 80a, 86, 74, 75, 76, 76 and 176). With a large selection and reasonable priced drinks, and two meals for £8, it’s a lovely place to be before town to start the night and line your stomach or for a Sunday afternoon in the beer garden. Chilled, relaxed atmosphere. Juke box, Snooker/pool tables, QuizzesJ, TV’s, Plush couches.

The usual clientele is students and a few ‘scalls’ but, surprise, surprise they’re all sound.

You could always head down to Allerton Road, 5 miles from town, just stay on the bus from the city centre. Head to the many bars/pubs and restaurants Allerton has to offer. With many small, intimate, up market restaurants; Spoon, Pod, La Scala, The Other Place and The Bar and Grill they have great quality food to offer, well worth the price. You could always just go down to Allerton to have a drink in either Vinci or Yates’ which both do food, more of a casual contemporary, student atmosphere though.

Travel down to Allerton during the day and visit the local park; ‘Calderstones Park’. A large park with lakes, café and many blooming gardens. Gorgeous on a sunny day.

Lark Lane in the south of Liverpool is also on the way back from the city centre, just a few stops before the Brookhouse, round the side of Sefton Park. Full of students, with a bubbling atmosphere. Relaxed and chilled environment. Many gorgeous bars/pubs/shops/cafes and restaurants, I would absolutely recommend you visit here, especially for something to eat. Akis Greek Taverna – famous for their cocktails, not so much their food. Maranto’s, Keith’s Food and Wine Bar,, Que Pasa Cantina, Esteban, 52 Lark Lane.

Lark Lane

Esteban and Maranto’s are personal favourites of mine; Maranto’s doing Italian food and Esteban; traditional Spanish tapas. Travel over the road to the Albert Pub, for a drink and a chat with the local but lovely scousers.

Keith’s Wine Bar is famous for being the first wine bar in Liverpool and serves cheap, generous meals, a steak and vegetables at just £6.50. Although service can be slow, especially on Friday and Saturday nights, it’s worth the wait. Without pointing out the obvious, it largely sells wine, but also Sol, EFES, brandy and vodka.

Lark Lane Rating: **** - relaxed, yet feisty and very friendly.

Alternatively if none of this interests you (I can’t believe it wouldn’t though) you could visit the local tourist attractions, i.e. Walker, Tate Art Galleries, Maritime and World History Museums, The Playhouse, The Empire Theatre or the Everyman Bistro and Playhouse…

Anyone wanting a tour of the Liverpool nightlife, I’m more than willing to show you around J Boys especially beware if you’ve got an accent, you’re an instant chick magnet to all these lovely ladies of a Friday night. Don’t forget not only do we all love to drink; we also love to dress up, and pull. Scousers have a tendency to be loud, cheeky, brass and tactless…it’s all part of our charm really. Once you get over the copious amounts of skin, fake tan and bleach blonde hair that swims around you, and actually have a conversation with someone, you’ll realise we’re quite funny, AND can take the mick out of ourselves.