Bar Medusa in Brighton and Hove

Delicious cocktails & friendly staff. Pretty little bar

The bar strikes the perfect balance in size—neither too big nor too small, creating an ideal atmosphere. I loved the interior, and the music matched the vibe perfectly, set at the perfect volume—never too loud or overbearing. I tried a different cocktail each time, and they all hit the mark. Their twist on a whisky sour was particularly impressive. We even asked one of the staff to surprise us with a drink, and it was outstanding—absolutely nailed it. Service was excellent, with staff being friendly, welcoming, and attentive. A fantastic experience all around. Highly recommend!

Superb evening! Excellent table service, quality cocktails and fair prices, very atmospheric! Highly recommend

Pornstar martini but non alcoholic😋✌️ Yum drink, I'm James Bond btw guys.

Non alcoholic drinks are just as good as alcoholic, which were also great

Nice cozy cocktail bar with amazing staff!

What a hidden gem! Bar Medusa is dark, seductive and stylishly decorated with an effortlessly-cool vibe. We were seated at the downstairs bar which felt really intimate despite the buzz upstairs. The cocktails are imaginative and delicious - I ordered the Bridge Over the River Kwai, but also tried the classic Tommy’s Margarita, Sour Blood, and Tobacconist which my friends ordered. The ‘twists & riffs’ cocktails were so unusual and expertly made!!! We particularly enjoyed the theatre of The Tobacconist, which was smoked in front of us and filled the air with gorgeous woody aromas. My Bridge Over the River Kwai cocktail was something I never knew was missing from my life - a Thai Green Curry inspired drink!!! It was balanced, fresh, zesty and indulgent all at once. I would not hesitate to come back here for an evening of delicious drinks 🍹🍸✨

The internal décor of the bar is great, and the staff are nice when it's quiet. However, when it's busy, they can tended to ignore me, especially as i'm single. The last few times I've been in it's been very quiet, and I think the reason is that I believe people are going for pre-night cocktails and that should be the bars forte. The problem is generally with the cocktails. When you order a cocktail, even when I ordered a cocktail from the tall glasses on the menu, they came in tiny glasses and were drinkable within about 2 minutes. When you pay £12 for a cocktail, that's not impressive at all. What they should be doing and what happens if I go to other cocktail bars is served cocktails in nice tall glasses, you should get a nice tall drink with plenty of fruit juice. It looks like a proper drink. And you're paying £12, that's what you want to see. Unfortunately, with Bar Medusa, most cocktails look small. The last one I had was in a glass that looked smaller than a wine glass, and I paid £12 for something I drank in 2 minutes as mentioned, and I felt a little bit cheated, so they need to improve in that area and produce taller cocktails. Yes, I know it shows on the menu which are tall and which are small. Cocktails should all be tall drinks in my view, especially when paying a premium price which is double most drinks. That said I do really like Bar Medusa, and improvements will I'm sure increase its numbers, especially in summer :)

Went for drinks here on a Saturday night. Found us a table for 3 and the atmosphere was really good. Service was friendly on entry and then after by our waitress. The cocktails were very good. Nice to see different cocktails to the usual ones. Really liked the banana flavoured cocktail. Would definitely go back for drinks there again.

Great little cocktail bar. Lovely staff

I stopped off here to have a glass of red wine and read my book. Cosy and chilled Sunday afternoon vibe. Would recommend.

Wonderful staff, top notch cocktails. They all really knew what they were talking about, we had a great night there on Friday!

Love this place. The cocktails are a little expensive but great. Loved the atmosphere and service. Will be back!

Lovely gaff, knowledgable staff. Only popped in for a vino but will be returning soon to check out the cocktail menu :) Used to come here years ago and whilst the bar has def had a lovely revamp its still welcoming and not at all pretentious

Super cute place but £12 for a mocktail, same price as a cocktail left a sour taste in my mouth.

Fantastic place with very good cocktails. Welcoming friendly staff. Six of us asked for a table and they said they didn't have space upstairs but could help us downstairs. The service was great, good knowledge of cocktails and very good advise on who would enjoy what. Had a fantastic night and will definitely be going back.

Had my birthday party at Medusa’s yesterday and had a brilliant time. The whole place feels warm and cosy and despite the fact we were in a party of 15 or more which was bigger than originally planned/ booked we were made to feel welcome and Maddy our waitress was outstanding! She couldn’t have provided better service and was a credit to the bar. Also nice to meet the owner George. All round nice bar, great people, lush cocktails and fab service. Thank you!

Came here for cocktails twice as we were staying in a nearby hotel. Great vibes and very friendly and efficient staff, the decor was also really nicely done and cosy. The cocktails were good value and although not all to my taste they were of good quality. Would definitely recommend.

Went here for after dinner cocktails and couldn’t fault it! The drinks were amazing, the atmosphere was inviting, music was playing at an acceptable volume. We had a great time.

Warm atmosphere, friendly and helpful staff, delicious drinks full of depth and creativity

Lovely little cocktail lounge, blink and you will miss it. Fabulous decor and delicious cocktails. The owner is super friendly and has a very cute dog ❤️

We visited Brighton from Canada. On a walk around the area we found this place. We enjoyed some drinks. Staff was super friendly and attentive. Tje atmosphere, decor and layout are fabulous!

Popped in for a quick drink. Lovely girl serving who made us some mocktails not on the menu. Very friendly. Would expect it to be popular and busy in the evening.

Love this place. Independent, Brighton local. Fantastic service. And fabulous cocktails!

Very beautiful place, but the owner invades the customers' privacy a little. He started talking and asking personal questions to my friend who I was with and interrupted us at least twice, starting a conversation and staying for a long time. We were kind, but we were uncomfortable. It would be good to have a little more understanding of what a customer is and what a friend is.

Best place in brighton super friendly family run cocktail bar plenty of options who'd recommended

We visited this bar a couple years ago, loved it & had to go back! It’s got great ambiance, brilliant service and divine cocktails! I went with a classic espresso martini and loved the way it was served. We’ll sure be back went visiting Brighton again!

Dishonest owners. Do NOT Recommend.

Best place to be in Brighton!! Amazing staff and great atmosphere

beautiful atmosphere, classy, amazing and kind staff, my favorite place in Brighton for sure

Best cocktails in town and the owners are wonderful

Highly recommend a chat with the bartender! She created signature cocktails to our specifications! The staff are really friendly. Thank you to Jess and Matianne for a lovely experience

I miss old menu, recently changed it. I wish they would bring back Wildflower drink. Best drink ever!

Jess was incredible! The best waitress ever

One of the best coctail lounges in Brighton. Nice place, good service and most importantly fabulous and reasonably priced 🍸

We were recommended to visit and weren't disappointed. The ambience was superb and on a nice hot sunny day the whole front was opened up making it feel like we were outside. They have a great cocktail menu which is very different although they will make you standard cocktails if you would prefer. They also have draught beers etc if you don't fancy a cocktail. The bar is decorated very nicely creating a great ambience and the staff were very knowledgeable and helpful. We would have stayed much longer if we weren't meeting friends.

Lovely Atmosphere but very slow service it was painful waited 25 minutes for a drink 🍸 😢

What a fab bar great music and the penicillin cocktail is to die for.

Great staff, drinks and atmosphere. One of my favourite spots in Brighton

They don't serve food so I can't rate it. But the drinks, especially the cocktails are unique, tasty and reasonably priced. The staff are wonderful and I know the owners who are lovely too. If you want a fun drink in the heart of Brighton, this is the place.

Very lovely cosy place. Made even more amazing by the owner Marian i believe. Was a wonderful place to go for our valentine drinks. Will definitely visit again when next in Brighton. (late review much)

The cocktail menu is extensive and there is a lot to choose from. Cocktails are super pretty and taste great! Service is really good and the it’s very cosy inside the bar. There is cute ambient light in and it feels cosy since the bar is relatively small but there are more tables downstairs!

Don’t bother went in there for a cocktail full, table left as I was at the door asked for their table but bar staff friends came in and got a table avoid!!!

Super place, wonderful atmosphere from the moment you walk in. You’re likely to get the warmest of welcomes from Marion and the team, you’ll not regret visiting this little gem. In fact, I’m slightly dubious about posting this as I don’t want it to be booked solid meaning I won’t get a table!

Such a gorgeous place for cocktails, ideal for a date. Fionn and Matthew were so lovely, we had a great laugh with them! You can tell they both take pride in their work and really care about making your experience with them a positive one. Great selection of cocktails, really tasty and well presented. We will definitely be back soon

delicious unusual cocktails, friendly staff, great atmosphere

The charcuterie board, drinks and service were all good, staff are very engaged, this is a business in its rising phase for sure. It has a personal energetic atmosphere that only businesses that are connected directly to their owners can ever achieve.

Helps to have a reservation. It’s difficult to get a table and many were turned away. Would visit again. Cosy and comfortable environment. Great selection of Mezcal drinks. Staff were great.

Beautiful bar, amazing service and great cocktails

Love this place. Found it on a whim but amazing staff and great cocktails!

Loved the place as soon as I walked in - lovely and cosey with good music. Barmaid was lovely and engaging ❤️ Fab selection of drinks and reasonably priced for the area. Would recommend 👍🏻

Truly excellent bar. Lovely, cosy surroundings. First rate, knowledgeable services. Best cocktail bar I've been too (and that includes the Dorchester Vesper bar)

Def the top bar/pub in Preston Street by a country mile. Owner's lovely & staff are really great. Special mention to Fin & Marian @the bar. 5 stars

Amazing place the barman was such a lovely guy and so helpful , will definitely return when next in brighton and have already recommended

As someone who’s been in the industry for over 10+ years I must say I never really write review but this one really surprised me, I’ve only been to Brighton twice but me and the other half love to go to cocktail bars and this is what we call “the one” from classy interiors to well trained, happy and knowledgeable staff they have fun and innovative cocktails as well as the classics and have room for all sorts of experimentation, the owner George was very pleasant to talk to and has been in the industry for a while and the bar woman had actual passion for what she was doing after a few really good cocktails and one of my own creation I gave her the wheel for her to express her creative freedom and she went above and beyond. Nothing is perfect but boy does this come so, so close! Keep it up you don’t see any other place giving this good vibes at this price. P.s send me that mezcal cocktail that was outstanding ️

Lovely vibe as soon as you walk in. You do need to wait for a host to seat you. It’s a small and intimate bar, but wow! The drinks are delicious. I got a Passionfruit Martini and my husband got an Old Fashioned. We were welcomed by one of the male mixologists which was nice of him to go out of his way to ask how we are and how our day has been. First class service!

We were staying in the airbnb on top of this Bar Medusa. We didn't have any food here, just drinks. The pub has a very cosy, relaxed ambience. Friendly people around.. the staff & patrons alike. We love love this place.

Lovely, cosy bar for drinks. The cocktails were great. The staff were all really lovely and knowledgable about the drinks menu. Will be recommending to everyone!

Lovely & friendly Thank you for making us feel welcome

I love this bar. Everyone I take there falls in love and can’t wait to take their friends there. It’s a magical place with lovely vibes, great service and tasty cocktails.

Lovely atmosphere and lovely servers. Had a Pensacola, not as creamy as other bars but very nice and refreshing.

Amazing atmosphere, friendly staff and great cocktails. Definitely would come back!

Great service and a good selection of cocktails and opportunities to go off the menu...

Popped in for a quick drink and stayed for 3. The cocktails were delicious and our waitress was so friendly.

Lovely atmosphere and staff are really helpful as recommendations. Drinks were amazing. Quite expensive but nice for a couple of drinks!!

Very unique interior design and atmosphere, magic forest like decor. Great service and mescal based cocktails. My personal favourites were the Fire & Smoke (spicy!) and the classic margarita.

Such a rad, swanky little place. Love the ambiance and the bartender & server were absolutely lovely. I plan on coming back here more frequently

Phenomenal service, excellent cocktails and great atmosphere!

Celebrated my birthday in the downstairs speakeasy last weekend! Marian was a massive help in getting everything organised and the staff on the day were amazing! Would 100% recommend this cocktail bar and will return for sure!

분위기 정말 좋고 직원들도 너무 친절했어요! 칵테일도 진짜 맛있어서 기분 좋게 취하네요 ㅎㅎ

Like a hidden secret, great little bar! Has a whiskey bar in the basement ❤️👌Will definitely be back.

Came in here to celebrate getting engaged by having a couple of cocktails and I CANNOT recommend this place enough! The atmosphere, the staff, the decor, the drinks - everything was just amazing! We’ll definitely come back next time we come to Brighton.

Great tasting cocktails, attentive bar tender and great vibe.

Great atmosphere, lovely staff and delicious cocktails. The best expresso martini I’ve had so far

Went here with my partner after being recommended it by someone at the gym. We really enjoyed it and the place has a cool vibe to it. Would go back when down that way.

Warm, welcoming, friendly, tasty drinks, lovely place.

Me and my partner had a weekend in Brighton this weekend (4th & 5th) staying at the Kings hotel round the corner from this bar. After spending most the night trying our various cocktail bars we had given up trying to find a decent one, until we came across Medusa about a 5 min walk from our hotel. Usually you have to book but the lady who I am assuming is the bar manager or owner welcomed us in and we tried various cocktails which were all brilliant. Our host Matt who said he'd only been working there 3 days recommended my partners first drink, and then one of the barmaids (didn't catch her name unfortunately!) Made two different cocktails from scratch that are not on the menu (one bramble, and a rose one) which were amazing!. We then finished the night off on a shot, one jagerbomb and one absinthe which we joked looked like a science experiment going on, when being prepared by the previously mentioned barmaid. But again it was great. Overall great drinks, even better service and left very happy (and slightly tipsy!) From our experience. Made our first night out after becoming parents 9 months ago worth the 100 mile trip from our hometown. Will definitely be going back here next time were in Brighton and left a tip for the staff and an extra individual one for the barmaid who made our night. BEST COCKTAIL BAR IN BRIGHTON!!

Interior design of the place is amazing!

Lovely bar and staff had a great brandy alexander 😀

Great cocktails. Good service and atmosphere. Great place to drop into.

Fab cocktail bar! Great staff and gorgeous drinks.

I headed here to lift my mood and they do not disappoint. I had the Sour Blood and peri-peri biltong which complimented eachother well and the rye cocktail was even better than expected. The waiter was a blessing (antoine)

Lovely place, lovely atmosphere. A little surprised when, from the menu, we asked for crisps n nuts, and the crisps get served in their bag and unfortunately out of date. Otherwise, a great little bar 🍸👍

We like this bar, great staff and ambiance

This is literally the worst place, with the worst service I have ever experienced. Went in for drinks a lady took our order we ordered a non alcohol pina colada and a dry martini & lemonade, they brought up a disgusting drink that was like drinking pure sugar and a concoction that tasted like mouthwash that was meant to be a martini & lemonade, we told them our order was wrong the waitress didn’t have a clue what we was on about as she could hardly understand English, anyway the guy came over and we explained so he said he would take it all back and we ordered a martini and lemonade for a second time and a Diet Coke instead, anyway we asked for the bill and was sitting there for ages we ended up going to the bar to pay and we did say we asked for the bill and she said I thought you ordered another 🙄 when she gave us the bill it had all of the drinks even the ones we sent back that was sent back because of THEIR mistake we refused to pay for those ones as that wasn’t our fault the waitress was about to argue with us but the guy said “not worth the drama” no apology no so sorry for the mixup just pure rudeness, lovely and cosy but the service let’s it down big time definitely not return plus the cocktails are awful sorry but I can make a better one myself.

Somehow, I’d not been here before, and I intend on making up for loss time swiftly! I booked a table for a large group of us for my birthday on a Saturday and to my delight, we found ourselves with exclusive use of the hidden downstairs bar with two really lovely cocktail servers playing wonderful hosts! It was a gorgeous night of the most delicious cocktails - favourites among us were the sliding spice scale margaritas, the Pisco and my personal obsession: Naked and Famous. All my friends were gushing about the place, Medusa’s has gained some fans for sure! Thank you thank you THANK YOU to the gorgeous team. What a gem of a bar!

Such friendly and lovely staff!! First time here and don't often come to Brighton but everyone was fantastic. Great prices and service highly recommended visiting.

Amazing atmosphere!!! Since it has first opened, this bar has been one of our favourites. The renovation and new menus after Covid make Medusa a must visit place in Brighton!

Great little bar. Cosy. not over priced. Really liked it

Great bar, lovely atmosphere, great bar man, very friendly and attentive. Reasonable prices for main area. Recommended a visit.

A nice little bar which serves really amazing cocktails. If you come to Preston Street for delicious international food, you must pay a visit to Bar Medusa!!! We absolutely loved the cocktails 🍹 the service and the atmosphere. It was magical!! Thank you Soyi for her friendliness and fabulous customer service. Also the bartender who made us fantastic cocktails. We had a great time!!

Beautifully cute magical venue with cocktails to match!! They have their specials menu but can make you any cocktail your heart desires! Perfect way to round of an evening.

This is a great place to sit. There are lots of bars in Brighton but this stands out because the service and attention to detail is so good.

Fantastic service, great drinks, great bar!

Always a wonderful place, staff are friendly and efficient, cocktails are lovely and price is about right.

A lovely small bar. Very atmospheric. Would definitely go their again. A bit on the pricey side and could do with some bar food or snacks.

A lovely welcoming bar with amazing staff! Every time myself and my partner have come here the cocktails have been PERFECT!! The atmosphere in here is beautiful and sooo cosy. You definitely won’t be disappointed when you come here. Thanks for making our visits with you perfect :)

Lovely place with amazing cocktails. The bar is very cozy and lovely decorated ❤️

My favourite bar in Brighton 😋 Wildflower is the best!

We went on Tuesday night for cocktails. I had the best espresso martini I’ve had out in years. Our waiter was great and really knew his stuff. Would recommend 👍