The Black Dove

Love love love the cocktails and the hipster vibe. Bar staff take the cocktail making very seriously. Cool, dark décor, pretty small and cosy place, so much so you often see people spilling out onto the pavement.
Can’t wait to go back.

really do want to like this pub: It’s well decorated with ephemera, has nice cosy seats and is quite mellow. It’s beer selection is decent if not spectacular. Apparently, it has a nice range of cocktails. So far, so good… My recent visit was cut short by two of the most inept bartenders it’s been my displeasure to come across. The bar was busy and myself and two other customers (a girl who was there before me and an elderly gentleman) were waiting to be served, and uh… waiting to be served. Meanwhile, one bartender was fiddling about with god knows what under the counter while the other was seemingly engaged in a novel-​length chat with a frankly ordinary pale ale. They both ignored those waiting. The girl left with a roll of her eyes at me. I attempted to remonstrate with the one bartender who barked at me’ be right with you buddy,’ By this point I’d been at the bar for a full ten minutes. The pale ale conversation continued and ‘buddy’ bartender started chatting to an admittedly pretty girl at the other end of the bar, flashing me occasional daggers. I left. In the interests of full disclosure, I was a bartender for 8 years in San Francisco then became a bar-​owner and this level of ‘customer service’ just wouldn’t wash there and should not wash in trendy Brighton. Avoid.

Great quirky pub nestled between Kemp Town and Brighton. Extremely friendly staff that seem to enjoy working there. Will definitely be back here.

A nice, but quite small pub which isn’t gay at all. The bar staff are very friendly and knowledgeable about the various drinks they sell. The pub also plays host to the Eggshell Life Drawing sessions, something which I go to whenever I get the chance. Nothing beats having a couple of ciders in the basement of a pub while drawing a naked young lady.

My favourite place to drink in Kemp Town hands down. And that’s really saying something. The area is brimming with lively bars, but this is my pick of the bunch.
Like a party everyone is invited to, it attracts a range of people due to its broad appeal. From the DJ effortlessly mixing classic vinyl with contemporary sounds to the team of mixologists shaking up a cocktail storm behind the bar — you’ll find something to fit your style. Aspall Suffolk Cyder sits next to Brooklyn Beer on tap, just as naturally as the buzzing crowd vying for seats and bar space. Taking the same approach to the furnishings, the interior is a nod to the cocktail golden age and a mix of characterful clutter.
For a more intimate experience you can duck downstairs to a cosy area reminiscent of an eccentric aristocrat’s bolt-​hole. The gallery style seating with its little nooks and the shell of an old performance stage makes for a more laid-​back atmosphere.
The enthusiastic staff reel off a knowledge of beers and spirits to intrigue even the most seasoned drinker. And they’re a joy to watch. The four lads on duty last night looked like a cocktail boy band, shaking and sliding their way around the bar.
The most impressive thing is that it manages to be cool without being pretentious. It’s understandably popular though so expect a busy old time at the weekend. It does have over spill seating outside which is welcome during this warmer weather and is also good for watching the Kemp Town nightlife go by in all its forms.
People come from all over the city for a tipple here so make sure you come and see what all the fuss is about. Oh and if you’re asking, mine’s a Chelsea Sidecar please!

This bar doesn’t boast the cosiest interior but I know some pyromaniac friends who would go nuts for the giant candle and all the wax hanging off it. (See photo below) Outside there is some quite nice space and they have a few good beers, including quality cotswald lagers, to enjoy. Open till late. When is late? Only one way to find out.

Finally went to this place last night after tip off from one of Brightons top Unilocalers! Wish i’d come here before now. Really nice inside, quite a lot of seating, a cosy little room down stairs.
Great selection of drink, whatever your taste is.
And in my eyes they played some of the best music i’ve heard in a bar for ages. Last night it was afro-​latin music, if i had my way every bar would play this type of music! Other nights are on as well… check local press!

There is a big problem with pubs in Britain. Almost all are owned by bigger corporations and are forced into buying from a a set menu of beers and other drinks. The ones that aren’t, do not have the buying power of the chains and end up paying alot more for the same drinks. They therefore cannot compete with the other pubs and shut down or are bought out. This isn’t just the obvious Wether Spoons etc almost every pub in Brighton, and the rest of the country is owned by a larger company. The Black Dove is one of the very very few true independent pubs in Brighton. It gets around the aforementioned problem by not going near the standard drinks, and instead having an eclectic mix of beers and spirits ffrom around the world. The staff are very knowledgeable, and always willling to recommendmend something new and different. They have some great whiskeys and make an awesome old fashioned. the place looks great too. Give it a go it will become your regular in no time!

Got to be my favourite place in Brighton at the moment. They have an excellent selection of drinks including the excellent Brooklyn and Anchor Steam beers plus many other craft and Belgium styles. The place has a relaxed atmosphere and is a great place for spending a few hours with friends chatting. Make sure you take a look downstairs, it is a pretty unique pub already but it’s made even more so by the brilliant downstairs.

Brooklyn Ales… In Brighton! This is my favourite bar, and it is located just up from st. james street in the heart of Kemptown.
There is a huge variety of beers, ales and wines as well as liquors, and the décor is lovely! It has real character and I always buzzing with people. It is also off the student track, which is a plus, and the staff are really friendly and knowledgable on all the drinks.
Definitely pop in on a visit to Brighton, especially if you are a beer lover or like a place with charm and character.

Friendly staff, fantastic cocktails and a buzzing atmosphere make the Black Dove a compelling place to drink at. I really enjoyed my couple of nights drinking there, the DJ played some fresh tunes and the bar staff put real care into making cocktails and knew their beers. Well worth a visit!

Really nice pub with a great selection of international beers and drinks. Friendly barkeepers with help you to make your choice. Atmosphere is extremly English with lot’s of typical accessories. Get your own impressions while visiting!

This place is my «local», and I live more than two miles away. Seriously, the Black Dove is a gem. Step inside and you’re transported to a cocktail parlour at the turn of the Twentieth Century. Deep colours, wood accents, heavy curtains, chandeliers, and that’s before you even descend into the sumptuous basement lounge.
On certain nights, the Dove has DJs spinning music, and it’s (gasp) actually enjoyable, ranging from speakeasy sounds to new stuff that makes you stop at the booth and ask what’s playing. The staff are knowledgeable, friendly, quite charming, and got the muscle for those cocktail shakers, and those boys are some of my favourite bartenders in town.
The bar snacks… well, I’m not allowed to have the pork scratchings anymore, so if you see me reaching for the jar, just slap my hand. There’s a fantastic selection of stuff to please every palate, from salty to sweet to super spicy, all for cheap.
And the drinks… Really, if this place was just a hole-​in-​the-​wall with dusty bar stools and surly servers, the drinks selection alone would keep me coming back. The Dove had me at Absinthe. This the only place I know of that will make me a Sazerac, while I sit and dreamily watch the performance. Beyond that, the bar has a Cocktail Bible that you can peruse, and the boys will make you just about anything listed in its scriptures. Also, the bottled ciders collection is astounding, and, believe it, decently priced.
Anyway, I’ll stop my rant. It’s clear that I have a crush on the Dove. In other words, yes, it’s worth a visit.

A comfortable and friendly bar with exceptional selection of high quality booze…
Best g&t in town!

Great, relaxed place where the owner and staff are genuinely friendly and tell you all about the cocktails and speciality beers and organic wines they offer. It’s nice to be able to enjoy well made cocktails in a relaxed fun place.

If you havn’t tried this place, which you probably haven’t, I’d really recommend giving it a go. It is a fairly odd mixture of things in that the cocktails and décor of the place make you think it should be some swanky exlusive wine bar full of toffs and the type, yet behind the bar you get tatooed and bearded bar men that look like they’re fresh from a biking trip. Add in the great selection of beers, ciders, fresh pork scratchings and local food and you get a really great place where you can sit in comfort, listen to good music and relax! It is new idependent and hip. I’ve spent many night here and never failed to have a good time.