Bourbon

So, last Saturday my friends and I went out to partake of a few easy ales (and yes, searching for ‘easy ales’ is the very antithesis of Leeds city centre on a Saturday night) and found ourselves firstly at Fab Café, followed by Bourbon. Not precisely what I’d planned for, but these things do happen. We were trying to avoid our somewhat stale routine and usual haunts, and whose grand idea it was to end up here I don’t know, but it wasn’t mine.
We arrived at roughly 12.30am and the night was already winding down, clearly this is a venue for pre-​midnight ventures, with a few stragglers still hanging on to their bar stools and their friends. The atmosphere was certainly jovial — with lively 80s classics blaring out, including The Eye Of The Tiger, Don’t Stop Me Know and a few other tracks that I’m not so keen on. Come On Eileen is one of my most despised tracks ever! *Shudder*
In spite of the music, and the cheap drinks chain pub feel, we still managed to have a bit of a giggle — dancing like fools to the music — but I was ready to go home in all honesty. I’m not sure that this would have ever been ‘my kind of venue’ at any age since it’s just not got anything I look for in a pub. The cheap lager deals aren’t really my thing and the vibe was a touch too raucous.
That being said the staff were all lovely, from the bouncers to the bar maids, so you can be sure of a warm welcome. If you’re looking for somewhere to warm up the night you could certainly find worse as well, it’s not a total dive by any means. The sofas are huge and comfortable and the space itself is not too dissimilar to The Reliance, with the big exposed pipe work and other similar features. However, it just doesn’t have the charm and class of the Reliance, and I doubt I’ll be back any time soon. Nice, but just really not my thing.

Always have a good laugh and giggle at bourbon, ok so its not immaculate but they play decent music, have some crazy drinks offers on and the staff and bouncers are always up for a some banter

Oh no… please don’t go here. It’s just not nice. At all.
Imagine a dirty, pokey, skanky little pub where you might find a few old men sipping Guinness and you have Bourbon. Sticky floors, dark and dingy walls and a laid back attitude don’t make this place my number one stop by on a night out.
I visited once. And once only. Had the house ‘champagne’ that was basically fizzy grape juice. Yum… not. Well, what did I expect? Moet? Veuve?.. Nah.
The music was alright, and I say that in the loosest sense of the word.
I think we stayed for round about twenty minutes to finish our drinks then headed for somewhere a little more exciting.
Yawn…

Bourbon suffers from its popularity in some respects — anywhere that offers a pound-​a-​pint night and a double vodka and mixer for under £2 is bound to attract the sort of people that can’t hold their drink. Or can, but drink more than they can hold.
Either way, the chain goes like this: cheap booze … plenty of drunken students and locals … spilt beer, and a constant smell of vomit and urine … a generally sticky venue.
You have to leave your standards at the door (where you’ll also leave £2 if it’s pound-​a-​pint night) when entering Bourbon, and if you manage to do this, you will have a pretty good night in the company of friendly staff and good music.
For most people, like myself, Bourbon is more of a stop-​off on the way to somewhere less grimy. But a welcome stop-​off none the less.

Take a look to your right. Look where the red pointer is. Right in the middle of the big ‘LEEDS’, right near the university and right near the central shopping centres.
Bourbon has a prime location to exploit not only students (see cheap promotion-​based nights, such as Tuesdays) but professionals working in the city centre. It’s almost schizophrenic in the way that by day, it’s quite a cool little bar with retro prints on the wall — then come the night, it’s full to the brim with 18 – 25 year olds chasing a £1.75 double vodka and [insert mixer here].
My tip; go on a Tuesday night. Have a few. Drink responsibly, of course. Dance. Sweat a little. But not if you’ve got work the next day.

Bourbon offers an ideal cheap night out for students. Especially on a Tuesday (Mixtape Project) and Thursday (Poundin).
It is a little dirty, sweaty and small for me. However this doesn’t put off the hoards of drinkers that queue for up to half an hour to get to the queue for the bar! I find it all a little squashed, nevertheless after a £1.20 vodka and cokes I enjoy a boogie (even if a little cramped) on the dance-​floor.
The same music seems to be played every week with Bourbon classics such as Mr Brightside, Dancing In The Moonlight, I Want You Back, Working 9 – 5 and (drum roll please) The Fresh Prince and Belair theme tune!

To descibe this place in one word I would use the term: sticky. Sticky floors. Sticky tables. Sticky bar.
If it wasn’t so cheap I would say ‘never again’! But pound-​a-​pint (after £2 entrance) is a pretty good deal
A word to the wise: watch your step, rogue spillages and vomit cover the floors at all times.

Eeeek, what has happened to Bourbon??? Either I was really really p*ssed every time I went here (which is highly likely) or this place has gone downhill! We popped in here after visiting the Academy for some post gig drinks and the first thing that I noticed was the smell, it stank of wee and nasty staleness and its also in serious need of a rerfurb. The toilets are manky as well. I don’t think I’ll be visiting here again on a night out.

I didn’t really enjoy my visit to Bourbon much. It was jam packed with students and the floor was sticky. The drinks tasted cheap and nasty although alcohol is alcohol and I supped it anyway, lol.
A good selection of music was played and from what I saw they do have some good drinks deals, maybe I was just unlucky.

Bourbon is cheap and chearful, with a few nice cocktails available at very reasonable prices. Does what it says on the tin and is a place to include on your list when going out in that area of town.