Merchant Hotel Cocktail Bar

You're walking into one of Belfast's most impressive architectural conversions on Skipper Street—the kind of place that makes you clock the original brick, the soaring ceilings, the thoughtful lighting design. The Merchant Hotel's cocktail bar sits within this beautifully restored Victorian trading house, and it's unapologetically upscale without being stuffy. The bartenders actually know what they're doing, crafting drinks with precision rather than theatre. It's the sort of spot where you can ask for something classic and they'll nail it, or you can trust their suggestions if you're feeling adventurous.