The Black Lion, Brighton

It's a real shame that, on a site that comes up at the top of the listings on Google, such a friendly and lively pub has such mixed reviews over the last few years and no comments for almost 12 months.

Having had a recent new floor and fresh lick of paint (the toilets we re-furbished before Christmas as well - which were not great beforehand), the Black Lion is now looking fantastic - clean, good lighting, nicely laid out and carefully selected music to set the tone.

The food is the equal of any pub in town (far better than most) and is served by enthusiastic and attentive staff who are as happy for you to order from the bar as they are to do table service, which is no mean feat considering how busy this pub can be at lunch time and weekends. By day, customers are a mix of about 80% locals, 20% tourists and range from students and young professionals, through local business people to retired couples. This creates a busy, friendly buzz and a great atmosphere for lunch or an early evening meal.

By night, the pub transforms into a cosy, dimly-lit space, with a cavern-like feel. Early in the week, you can expect to find live music and staff with great taste in what to play and when. From Thursday onwards, some of the best DJs in Brighton play rare vinyl spanning from '60s Motown and Northern Soul, Funk, Ska, Mod Revival, '80s Anthems, Hip Hop, Breaks, Electronica, Punk, Rock and classic and modern Indie.

The Black Lion is a fine example of a pub that manages to constantly and seemingly effortlessly transform itself from busy day to busy night, almost without you noticing.

There is also a front terrace for seating (it doesn't look much like the above pic any more) and a good sized beer garden, which can be covered and heated in the colder months.

Well worth a visit if you haven't been for a while.

12 May 2010 16:11