The Railway Bell

You'll find yourself on Surrey Street in the thick of it—close enough to the Lanes to feel central, but far enough that you're mixing with actual Brighton residents rather than stag dos. The Railway Bell is the kind of place that feels lived-in: sticky floors that tell stories, a jukebox that gets properly used, and a crowd that ranges from builders to students to people who've been coming here since the nineties. The real draw is the no-nonsense approach to hospitality—decent pints, unpretentious spirits, and staff who know regulars by name. It's the pub you'd want your mates to find when they visit, not because it's fancy, but because it's genuine.