Bulldog Tavern in Brighton and Hove

I've been going for a month every weekend, and sometimes I got bored and other times I had a great time. It is true that the atmosphere is more of older people than young people, more like "bears", although not all, and the atmosphere is good. If you are open and talk to people you can have a great time. I, personally, recommend that you at least visit it...and repeating is a matter of taste and impressions.

Not for me - went for a drink with a friend, didn't like the vibe of this bar at all. The drinks were meh and the music was way too loud. Some people had their shirts off and even wore some kind of dog masks, how gross!

Best gay bar in Brighton ! Fun and easy going place . Freddie is the hottest🥵🥵🥵. All staff are fun and welcoming xxxxxx

Great lgbt spot in Kemptown. Bulldog is a staple of the scene but do be warned (reading some of the reviews) the vibe changes - weekdays you’ll find locals catching up, weekend nights this is a late night spot with a drag show on Friday at midnight and pre DILF parties so it gets busy! Staff always cope when it gets manic and you can tell they’re having fun. They have fetish themed days and events too so if that’s your thing check their instagram, if not well you’ve been warned. Also shout out to the bar manager Freddie, lovely guy who you can find chatting to the locals on quiet shifts and keeping things going with the team (flash, dan, Brendan, to name a few) when it’s crazy.

Fantastic Birthday week I was looked after by every member of staff David,Flash making my 14 shots daily and even made my day seeing Joe b4 I left thanks for making my week special Suzanne

Proper lovely little boozer slap bang in the middle of the St James Street and absolutely perfect Freddie the bar manager is always polite respectful when you come in always has a smile and has excellent customer service

Visited on the Friday before pride 2024 the place was rammed security outside were very friendly allowing one in one out but explaining everything clearly. The bar staff were exceptional especially under pressure managed to get served in only a few minutes considering the place was rammed and it was pride I thought the staff were exceptional and the atmosphere was electric

Fantastic bar been more than once on my visits from Peterborough with my husband and felt welcomed everytime and staff 100% and Freddie and Joe knows the best shots to get me going thankyou.

Great experience. Good vegan food.

Brightons oldest gay pub and clearly Brightons worst.Horrendously rude staff, mainly the alleged bar manager. This place should have stayed closed. Avoid at all costs. Trust and believe.

This establishment left much to be desired. The staff, particularly the manager, exhibited rudeness that tainted the entire experience. The cramped and dated atmosphere, combined with exorbitant prices, created an overall bad vibe. Unfortunately, I cannot recommend this place.

Came in for a drink and the bartender was great unfortunately it was one of the quieter nights so the atmosphere wasn't amazing but would definitely check it out again if we come back to Brighton.

Can't wait to see you all soon great place ❤️🤩❤️

This gay bar stands out as one of the poorest experiences I have encountered. While I refrain from giving it a one-star rating due to the kindness of one or two bartenders who have allowed me to bring fish and chips from across the street in the past, my overall impression remains dismal. The exorbitant drink prices, filthy toilets swarming with flies, and visibly unwashed glasses all contribute to a subpar atmosphere. Moreover, the majority of the bartenders have exhibited extreme rudeness and unprofessional behaviour, including one who openly engaged in unsanitary habits behind the bar. Adding to the discomfort, I received disparaging glances from the staff whenever I was accompanied by an older friend, leading me to believe we were being surveilled. Shouldn't people of different ages be permitted to enjoy each other's company without scrutiny? It is disheartening to encounter such judgmental attitudes within my LGB community that should promote acceptance and inclusivity. Instead of fostering unity, such behaviour only reinforces negative stereotypes and contributes to the marginalisation of our community. We must strive for a culture of support and camaraderie, rejecting divisiveness and jealousy.

Stopped by and walked into a fetish scene. Not my cup of tea.

All staff here are well trustworthy with the exception of Freddy. i have reported him for stealing from customers (and yes it is on video) yet he still works there months later. Its clear customers come second over thieving staff. As i say most all the other staff here are fine. Even though i have been going here for 34 years i am stopping that today. It is a same that bad staff are put ahead of customers.

Was told private party. Made to feel discriminated not nice really. There was no sign to say private party think maybe as I was women. We all the Same only wanted to buy a drink not my problem 👍

My landlord told me Brighton always go down to the bulldog great atmosphere, great music really friendly, went New Year’s Eve. Had a great time and staff already friendly clean place as well.

Filthy! Had the worst night out here. Left pretty soon after arriving. Gross

Be sure not to have a disability, you will be singled out, humiliated and forced to leave due to feeling so unwelcome!! Staff are vile, saying things like "well you dont look disabled" and "15 years in hospitality and ive never seen an access card" like ive printed it at home to lie about being disabled! Gross toilets. No toilets seats, no toilet rolls, broken doors and locks. No disabled toilets, and your not allowed any type of assistance in the 'normal' toilets either, despite needing it, and showing proof. Its STILL against the pubs policy! Avoid!!

Staff were incredibly rude and discriminatory towards me and my partner. ‘You don’t look disabled’ when presenting a card stating she needs assistance to use the toilet. What does disabled look like? Is this really happening in 2024? Also the place is old and dingy looking. Expensive drinks and toilets were broken and covered in urine. Avoid at all costs.

Awful little dive with rude and unwelcoming staff. Expensive drinks and crowded. Owner has zero respect for anyone. Don’t come here if you have any disability, you will be told ‘you don’t look disabled’. Vile

Bar staff were really nice both times visiting recently. Not been in there for years, so good to see it's changed a lot! :) Although, not many places to sit at the weekend!

Gay bar certainly not what I expected but everyone was great 👍 didn't make me feel out of place even though I was the only woman in the place. Absolutely used to that, currently living in an HMO with 10 guys in it so well used to holding my own 💯

Fun gay bar. Smaller /cosy since with good service and has a good vibe. Definitely more of a leather and bear Daddy bar. But still fun and not intimidating. Bar servers are very nice too.

Well it was just a midweek night and so I went to the bulldog for a drink hoping for a more convivial experience. The people all seemed to know each other but insisted on shouting across from one side of the bar to the other. Music was cheesy and most of it from before I was 15 (im 45) good points was a cheap beer somewhere to sit and really pleasant staff.

Great place for a night out, prices are good, fantastic entertainment with amazing acts ,very friendly staff, relaxed atmosphere, can get very busy at weekends , sits in the heart of kemptown Bumping music

Friendly bar in Brighton, locals and tourists enjoy it and there's a great vibe.

Brutal security at the door! Be careful if you are going there and are a female.

It's fantastic that this venue has not closed for good. I'm looking forward to it returning to its best. Came back to Brighton for a few days and visited The Bulldog. The barman Nick was lovely and very attentive. Another reason to return. Came to Brighton again for my birthday, with my husband and dog. The dog was warmly welcomed in the bar and spoiled with lots of treats and a big bowl of water.

Under new management for this gay men's bar.

LGBT Bar is very popular in Brighton. It's a small place but often packed. There is no access for wheelchair with toilets in the basement. But there are only two steps to get inside. But, I'm sure anyone would help pick up your wheelchair in & out as many bears go there, so A++

The barman couldn't have been more helpful, professional and polite. The atmosphere in the evening was great when we visited.

This used to be my old haunt quite a few years ago but a previous change of management (certainly not the current chaps) completely ruin the atmosphere and essentially the reason to be Bulldog regular, hence dozens of us decided to stay away from the place in our droves. They managed to suck every molecule of character out of the place. Fortunately, this newer crew are starting to revive the place, perhaps not to the old el cheapo, sticky floor, ram jam full at happy hour it used to be, which is (partially) a relief!

Such a nice place! We weren't the target clientele, we stumbled in drunk and found the cocktails on tap. But wow, what a lovely atmosphere! The guys were all amazing, so polite and welcoming and safe. Music was banging too.

Was an absolutely shocked with toilets an staff attitude

Great atmosphere, good service .

As a trans person, I feel accepted and safe in this space. Good vibes, nice atmosphere, will go again.

I use this pub regularly altho previously it was a bit unsavoury under its previous owners. The place is fine now and well worth a visit.

Fun bar and great service. Definitely a staple in the Brighton gay scene.

Nice place for a drink. Great hosts and service

Super nice bar. The bartender is super cute and friendly. I was there in the Thursday night, it was not so crowded. The music was nice and the beers and drinks had a fair price.

Had Long Man beer 🍺. Was as lovely as I remembered it.

This is a varied clientele place. Ground floor is bar first floor more wine bar. Drink is cheap and can be entertaining. If you are not used to the more earthy side of gay life probably not a good starter pub. Always had a laugh there.

Haven’t been to the Bulldog for a few years. We went for drinks to find its back to a true old gay bar which is refreshing and good to see, a lot of gay bars these days and are very mixed and don’t feel like a gay bar. It was friendly and welcoming and we look forward to many more nights there! Well done to the new owners and good wishes for the future.

Little gem in the Brighton scene. Though it gets quite hot, so dress accordingly! ;)

This is a varied clientele place. Ground floor is bar first floor more wine bar. Drink is cheap and can be entertaining. If you are not used to the more earthy side of gay life probably not a good starter pub. Always had a laugh there.

Haven’t been to the Bulldog for a few years. We went for drinks to find its back to a true old gay bar which is refreshing and good to see, a lot of gay bars these days and are very mixed and don’t feel like a gay bar. It was friendly and welcoming and we look forward to many more nights there! Well done to the new owners and good wishes for the future.

The bar is much better now it’s run properly by professionals so I would recommend it once again. It’s an old school style gay bar with good entertainment at no cost.

Back to being a male oriented pub.

Friendly and helpful staff, prices were high and it wasn't busy. I would go again, but not high on the list.

Lovely barman. Same old crowd. Good to see nothing has changed. Even the same music. Ha ha.

Recently changed hands so back to an old school mens bar. Visited on leathermen south night which is once a month and was packed and great.

I would like to thank Nick,Jamal and Paul for making me so welcome on my weekend in Brighton. They are a great team. They all went above and beyond to make everyones experience comfortable. I would like to say well done to Paul for the playlist on Friday evening. The place was amazing. Everyone enjoying it. The bull dog is definitely worth visiting when you are in Brighton. See you again soon boys Thanks Mark

A unique, little bar with a very accepting atmosphere. Cannot wait to visit again ;).

Friendly staff, nice music and relaxing atmosphere on the bank holiday Monday evening . Many thanks!

Haven’t been to the Bulldog for a few years. We went for drinks to find its back to a true old gay bar which is refreshing and good to see, a lot of gay bars these days and are very mixed and don’t feel like a gay bar. It was friendly and welcoming and we look forward to many more nights there! Well done to the new owners and good wishes for the future.

Brighton's oldest and much loved gay bar undergoing a new surge in popularity with the leather, rubber, fetish and bear communities. Well done, people!

Nice evening on the Bears night with great dj josh.

Very friendly bartenders, good music good atmosphere and always a good place to meet nice people

Joined a couple of mates here, who were in town the same night as I was. A great little place, chilled atmosphere, very relaxed. Plus, the barman has a great name 😁

Went there a few weeks ago....as a women I didn't feel welcome at all. I felt like it was all about men and that you wanted me out of the pub. I shouldn't feel like this in a pub at all

Good to see it open again for it's traditional customers after losing its way the last few years. Busy!

Very expensive. Not big enough for the amount of people that were there. Not Very friendly, unfortunately.

An amazingly welcoming pub no matter who what you are; the reopening I December was a welcome treat and we're glad it has found its foothold in the heart of Kemptown once more.

The new management is completely changed the vibe of the bar it’s fun and lively great Dj and a positive environment the security are really nice and we had a really great night ! The new manager is a credit to the venue and really hot !

Went to the Amsterdam on Monday 6th November for lunch with a friend and had nice experience. Nice decor and ambience. Classic lunch menu was very tasty and extremely reasonably priced - £6 for main choice & £3 for desserts. Decided to book again for Thursday 30th November in the evening for group of 5 female friends. Our evening could not have gone better, good company, good food - well priced and served by friendly staff. Will definitely put the Amsterdam on our regular visit list. This pub was friendly and inviting and had nice atmosphere. Would not hesitate to recommend it.

we stopped here on a business trip for lunch. i had the old favourite Scampi and chips, a nice plate full for £6.00. i tried the mulled cider which sounded strange but tasted great, i had never had a warm cider before and i plan on having more.

Disappointed there was no karaoke, what was an institution and has become just another bar 😕 still fun but not the same

First time, I understand just been updated, clean good act. Will definitely be going again.

A bar gone back to its roots. It's had a refurb and under new management now. It has a feel of the old bulldog, with new decor making it more of the man's bar it used to be. Staff are friendly and the drinks prices are much better. They just need to finish some of the finer details like adding toilet seats and filling in a few holes in the walls and it'll be good to go. Would recommend and start going again 👌

We had an absolute grand night in the Bulldog! We weren’t entirely sure where to go in Brighton, but we’re glad we ended up here. Lovely atmosphere, lovely staff, well priced drinks. We adored Domina Trix! All round great night and we will definitely be back

Been for several meals here over the last few years, never been disappointed. Fantastic food, large portions, and friendly staff. Definitely recommend.

Must visit pub, small but great lively atmosphere. Friendly services.

Very nice place to hang out with friends . The karaoke nights are so much fun 😊 staff are super friendly !

Had a couple of hours here and there was drag karaoke on. Friendly staff

Best bar in Brighton. Amazing staff. Great atmosphere and good drinks selection

Second time visiting Brighton and decided to go in the Bulldog,it was our first night of holiday and what a great place it was. Brilliant drag dj and karaoke, the owner came over to us and chatted ect. We enjoyed it so much that we called in every night of our holiday and visiting Brighton again in November so will be calling in again.

Went to this pub years ago and it was great, went to go in this evening with four other friends and they point blanked refused us entry as "we were a group" no other reason given, I've never been so unwelcomed in any other establishment in Brighton before, avoid at all costs!

Karaoke fun, great friendly atmosphere last Saturday night

What a lovely host was (Davina) Peter. And Sam his partner made myself and my partner very welcome. Of which were on holiday from Walsall near Birmingham. It's a very rare that you hear a voice. And you were fantastic. We will see you very soon kindness and respect from Mick and Phil

I like it anyway. £5 for pint of Atlantic Pale Ale!

Fun place with lots of events going on like karaoke. Limited selection of drinks and friendly bartenders

Buen bar , poco decadente pero con identidad

Had a laugh, The karaoke was fun! nice friendly owner :)

Lovely atmosphere..... does what it says

A stranger in town and found this gem. A great night of warmth and community with Domina Trix belting out the standards. Wonderful dancing too. No malice. Just drink, dance, drag and karaoke. Loved it

I visited with friends on a Wednesday. We've been told that we "have to" buy a drink to sing, despite it being completely empty. Quite rude attitude from the older customers and tiny, stuffy room. Do not recommend.

Nice big spacious pub with an outdoors seating area. Sells food aswell. Worth a visit

Lovely place, warm atmosphere. I sang for the first time ;)

The owner was very friendly. The place is small and nice. We went for karaoke. You can't control the bad singers, but they were terrible. The 2 stars are for the smoke machine. Why would you do that. The place is so small and you decided to pump it with fog? This isn't a Def Leppard concert!

For 1 drink you can not pay with card , it’s min of £ 5 - , beer I wanted was 4.30 had to buy 2 in one use of the card , how cheap is this ? save 00,5 is that customer freindly you tell me ?

Had a really great night and will come again!

Had a fantastic night, was made to feel so welcome and a great singer , would recommend to anyone

Amazing atmosphere, great fun highly recommend

Has a charm of its own. Always friendly, good mixed crowd

This is a beautiful place for the lgbtq+ community. I started going to this bar in 1983 and it was a great place to spend the whole evening. The ownership has changed over the years and the newish owner Pete, has made it a lovely venue for couples and groups to visit. He is very friendly to the customers and makes you feel at home. I really enjoyed my visit recently and hope to go there again soon. I am the Barry Gibbs lookalike who was at the front door end of the bar all night. Good luck Pete and your team. 👍 Love Richard Here's to the next 40 years running the Bulldog👏❤️💜🎶🎵🎶🎶🎵😊

Sad sad sad ...seems gone are the days when you went into the Bulldog,and staff actually chatted and laughed with you ... we were the only 2 in here, and the barmen chose to stay down the furthest end of the bar chatting to themselves ..and service seemed to be a hardship ... the days of a warm welcome long gone ?? £17 for two JD and coke ..bit excessive if you were to ask me ... will be a very long time before we return ...

Great vibes. Great music, awesome place to go 😁

Great staff everyone friendly always love to visit. Good music.