Below Stairs review: Why I was blown away by this hidden gem bar in Leeds with personalised cocktails

I’ve walked past the bar on South Parade many times since it opened in 2017 – and I’ve never once noticed it. The discreet sign outside and the fact that the bar is, indeed, below the stairs, makes it easy to miss.

Walking down said stairs, I wasn’t confident we had found the entrance but peeking through the windows to see a dimly-lit bar with couples, friends and work colleagues bunched around tables with drinks in hand and smiles on face, it became evident why people refer to the bar as one of Leeds’ true ‘hidden gems’.

The servers made us feel very welcome from the second we walked in and continued to do so throughout the night, checking in and topping up the water without us prompting them to do so. They explained the concept of the bar – where the house-created cocktails are designed to replicate personality types, emotions and sensory stories – and we got to choosing. The bar also has an extensive range of classic cocktails, beers and wines with a few low percentage alcoholic and non-alcoholic cocktails to pick from.

My friend chose ‘the challenger’ cocktail priced at £10 which came with a black or red playing card. She was asked to guess which colour the cocktail was to receive a small prize. Despite not winning and the drink not being quite to her taste, the interactive nature of the cocktail made her smile and declare that this was a perfect date night location.

I ordered the bitter spritz made with Aecorn bitter, soda water and orange syrup which was good but paled in comparison to my second drink, the pinolada, made with pineapple, passionfruit, lime, coconut syrup, pomegranate molasses and mint. It was just delicious. Both drinks were priced at £4.50.

A server approached us to ask whether my friend disliked her drink, noticing she had not taken more than three small sips since it arrived. The server took away the drink and reassured her that with the number of different and unique cocktails available, it is possible that not everything will match our preferences. We later noticed the server took ‘the challenger’ off the bill, which was a lovely touch.

More people poured into the venue as the night went on and I could understand why, planning my own return soon. The experience itself was nothing short of perfect – a lively but intimate atmosphere, affordable prices and servers that go above-and-beyond to make its guests as comfortable as possible.

Factfile

Address: 12 South Parade, Leeds LS1 5QS

Telephone: 07810 177836

Opening hours: 5pm-11pm on Wednesday and Thursday, 2pm-1am on Saturday, 2pm-11pm on Sunday, closed Monday and Tuesday

Website: https://www.belowstairsbar.com/

Scores

Drinks: 7/10

Value: 9/10

Atmosphere: 9/10

Service: 10/10