Brighton Palace Pier

You're perched above the Channel with a pint in hand, watching the West Pier's skeletal remains while kids shriek on the helter-skelter behind you. The bar here isn't trying to be anything fancy – just cold lager, decent wine, and spirits that'll do the job while you soak up that proper seaside atmosphere that makes Brighton special. The setting does all the heavy lifting: Victorian ironwork, crashing waves below, and that carnival energy that's been drawing people to this stretch of Madeira Drive for over 150 years. Sure, you're paying pier prices, but where else can you nurse a drink while watching the sunset paint the seafront orange, with the sound of arcade machines providing the soundtrack? It's touristy as hell, but sometimes that's exactly what Brighton's about.