A Date Night with the Lads..

Picture this, Tuesday night, ready to snuggle in to bed with Netflix and a brew, and then your boyfriend gets a phone call to see if he wants to go for a drink with the lads. It's the last thing you want to do, but you still tear yourself away from the cries of your bed; yes this was my Tuesday night!

Saying this, I am so glad I did go out because I got to find some secret beauties that I'd never heard of before.

The first one was called Pepper Rocks, it was a sweet hidden away bar down a small road, which I always thought was a dead end. From the front it looks like nothing, but for a quite drink and an open mic night, it certainly is something different. Being skint the majority of the time, we always end up going to 'spoons, where you can get a pint for like £3.00; but with cocktails only £3.50 until ten, its an absolute bargain!!

Long Island Ice Tea, An English Garden and A Disaranno Sour

Also, another thing about this place, is the smoking area. Its located on the second floor and there is a small seating area that is laced  with fairy lights and foliage. It would be the perfect place to have a summer drink in the sun. This isn't just any old bar it is also a creperie and it seems there is a hot dog stand outside called Bunk Dogs, open on Fridays and Saturdays- which after 'googling' I will certainly be going back to try!! The staff were really efficient and friendly. After reading some other reviews on certain forums, it was said, they weren't very quick, this wasn't my experience at all, but  in all fairness to them they were making 4 different cocktails at a time and that was just for our group?

Our Bradders

Outside Area- this photo does it no justice!

Then we decided to go to a place, which I've heard of before, but the waiting time for a table is normally like 2 hours long on a weekend (this is because it is all table service, and no standing) so I've never had the chance to go in. It is called the Boiler Maker.

Now I won't spoil the surprise for you, but this is what you enter in on; it literally looks like you are waiting at a taxi rank!!

This is a cartooned version of the entrance (taken from the website)

Boiler Maker is a spacious bar, situated in the middle of Hockley. It has a kind of eclectic feel to it but with it all stemming back to a modern and old fashioned feel. Being a atd more upmarket than Pepper Rocks it doe come with a dearer price tag (I'd only be able to afford one in a night!). Cocktails were £7.50 each, with a wide variety of new and exciting concoctions. The service was absolutely brilliant, we were seated straight away and ordered as soon as we looked up from the menu. The waitresses were really helpful, and recommended this cocktail to me; something fruity with a kick- on a piece of lime was brown sugar which they lit before serving. This added to the luxurious feeling of the surroundings. Definitely somewhere to go if you are celebrating!

Have a date night with the lads, or lasses, just get out of bed and stop watching Netflix!

So next time someone wants to drag you away from your beloved Netflix and a night of countless episodes of Vampire Diaries (yes I do watch rubbish, I know), literally bite their hand off (lol) and go and find somewhere different.

Overview:

Pepper Rocks- 4*
Great prices, but because it is a rather small bar we were huddled around a small table, there was more seating upstairs which we found out later.
The Boiler Maker- 3*
Even though it is a really nice place, it is a bit pricey for me.

If you fancy giving any of these places a go, here are the websites with opening times and addresses:

http://pepperrocks.co.uk/

http://www.bunkdogs.com/

http://boilermakerbar.co.uk/