Bars in Chester

An all-encompassing £37 million entertainment complex that includes a theatre, library, restaurant and cinema, no trip to Storyhouse is complete without a visit to their rooftop Garret Bar. The fourth-floor bar has cracking views across Chester and also houses regular events under its glass roof, including film screenings, guest speakers and arts festivals. And it’s the perfect spot to get pre- or post-theatre drinks, and if you’re really quick, some interval refreshments!

A ‘neighbourhood social and drinking den,’ Liquor and Co. in Watergate Street is a heavily styled dark leather and bare lights bar, echoing speakeasies and back-street bars from generations past. Always lively, the cocktails are some of the best in the city and, if you’re lucky, you might get invited into the secret room where you’ll be served by your very own waiter. Open from mid-afternoon to late every day of the week, you can easily come for a quick drink and be the last one standing – or wobbling – come last orders.

A northern chain of neon-lit cocktail bars, also in Watergate Street, Kuckoo take their alcohol very seriously. Bartenders will divulge the ingredients of each cocktail whilst mid-pour – the absinthe history is fascinating – and will even make up bespoke drinks based on your tastes. The music – a winning mix of indie and alternative classics – is a toe-tapping winner and combined with the strong drinks, may even get you dancing on the tables by the end of the night.

A cocktail and tapas bar (is there a better combination in history?), Fiesta Havana is a cool, laid-back affair a 15-minute walk from our Chester (Railway Station) hotel. With rum and tequila concoctions to the fore and plenty of tapas dishes to line your stomach, the chain bar is popular on the weekends. We suggest you order one of their cocktail jugs to beat the queues.

If you’re looking for a romantic meal for two topped off with quality cocktails, then look no further than The Suburbs. Located in Hoole – a fashionable area just a short walk north from the train station – they serve up a delicious range of tapas and schooners or steins instead of pints. It might be on the hipster side of cool, but this trendy bar has helped elevate Chester’s bar scene.