Poetic License Bar

Head down to Roker and you'll find yourself in a place that takes its drinks seriously without being insufferable about it. Poetic License has that sweet spot where locals genuinely want to be—the kind of bar that feels lived-in rather than designed, with staff who actually know what they're doing behind the stick. You're looking at a proper grill operation too, so it's not just about the cocktails; the food holds its own. It's become the sort of place where you bump into the same faces, where a Friday night buzzes but you can still hear yourself think, and where they're not trying to be something they're not.