Santiago Bar

You'll hear Santiago before you see it – the thrum of bass lines seeping up from the Grand Arcade basement signals you've found one of the city's most gloriously unpretentious nights out. This is where cocktail culture meets rock culture, and somehow both sides win. The drinks are legitimately good (think proper spirit-forward classics, not sugary nonsense), while the live music policy skews deliciously toward the heavier end of the spectrum. By 11pm on weekends, the place transforms from civilised cocktail spot to sweaty, grinning chaos as bands take the stage. The crowd's an ace mix of seasoned gig-goers and cocktail converts, all united in their appreciation for venues that don't take themselves too seriously. Come for a proper drink, stay because the atmosphere's infectious and nowhere else lets you nurse a perfect Old Fashioned while someone screams about capitalism three feet away.