The Sidewinder

The Sidewinder is a pub I used to frequent a lot when I worked at Amex (along with about half the graduate population of Brighton) as it’s not too far away in Kemptown.
Great spacious pub with good deals for Amex staff and students, as well as happy hours. It’s got a lovely outside heated seating area and it’s great for groups.
I went last weekend for the first time in ages, and I was very pleased to see that they now do a few jam jar cocktails! Obviously they aren’t the standard you’d expect to see in a high end cocktail bar, but they were pretty damn good! The Ginger Mojitio was delicious.
I live on the other side of town to Sidewinder else I would definitely be here a lot more often.

The Sidewinder is one of the bigger pubs at the tailend of Kemptown, with a large bar, ample seating and two (yes two) beer gardens.
The food is as good as the pub is large (nb: if it says hot on the menu, it means HOT!)
Finally, they have DJs and /​or live music every weekend, so if shaking your tailfeathers is an important part of your night out (God, I sound old) then this is another box you can tick off in the Sidewinders favour.

Best pub and burgers in town yum yum!

Only went here for a couple of drinks with friends who live in Brighton. Was a warmish night so was nice to sit outside in the HUGE garden. They have two big outdoor bits, and one of them is heated. Great for us smokers. Garden closes at midnight as opposed to London pub gardens that usually close at 9.30 or 10pm.
Can’t really say much about it as only here briefly but what we did experience was quite enjoyable.

We ended up here nearly every night because the Sidewinder stays opena bit later than the other pubs in the area. I know it must be a pain in the ass to deal with all the drunks ending up in your bar so I can sympathize there but they really don’t want to make you feel welcome here. Starts with the security guy at the door who tells you that americans aren’t allowed (in a joking way?) and the bar staff who tell you to drink up and get out when you are ¹⁄₃ in to your beer. What are you gonna do? I kept coming back! This place does seem really good for groups and they have a nice garden to sit and smoke in.

One of my fave pubs in Brighton. Unfortunately there’s a nasty crowd that get in there early in the evening (presumably cashing in on the ‘happy hour’), shouting and effing and blinding.
I sat on the next sofa to a crowd of them tonight and they were dissing pubs in Kemp Town (namely the Ginger Pig), because they all have ‘gays’ working in them. He went on to say that he doesn’t like that end of town because it’s ‘full of them’.
Then went on to say that he has recently been in a gay pub on the seafront (wiv some geezer on the door in drag wiv tattoos), that sells drinks for £1.25!
He said that he went in there «wiv a couple of birds» (you understand)!! God forbid should he be mistaken for being gay! Can’t imagine what class of ‘bird’ escorted him safely onto the premises!
I think we should
A) rejoice he keeps away from darkest Kemp Town, and
B) he stays in that vile seafront bar (don’t know which one, but I’ve got a good idea), and doesn’t get touched up by ‘the geezer in drag’!! and,
C) takes his obnoxious friends with him!
Shame about The Sidewinder. I still really like the place for all the reasons others have mentioned previously but this trash that seem always in search of cheap booze are really spoiling it and lets just hope that they drag this venue down to the level of many others in Brighton!

This was my first English pub I experienced in Brighton. I went here on a Saturday night for an English girl’s birthday party after a long and eventful day in London. When my friend and I got in, the whole party in this pub was just getting started at around 11:00. Although I did not eat the food there, I did enjoy the atmosphere, the drinks, and chatting with various people. They had a disc jockey playing various music that night, so it was definitely loud.
I was introduced to supposedly one of the most popular English ciders, which is Strongbow. Liked the refreshing taste and the slight sweetness. I think I drank more than two pints here. I think it’s a better alternative to just drinking beer all the time. We sat down on a hardwood table, but there is a place outside filled with sofas if you need a comfortable place to sit outside while fulfilling a smoking craving. Another great advantage this pub has is that it has free wi-​fi, which is great if you need internet.
Overall, this is a pretty good pub, one of the loudest I have been to during a Saturday night, and I had a great time hanging out with my friend and meeting a lot of really cool people. Just don’t use the toilets here, it’s pretty dirty, like most of pubs I’ve been to in England.

I don’t know as many pubs in Brighton as I thought I did. I had never been here until last week but I really liked it.
It has a nice, laid back vibe. I approved very highly of the Nintendo 64 that was available for anyone to play. Mario Kart is somewhat distracting in the background of conversation, but an understandable one. There is also a large outdoor seating area which on the hot summer nights is definitely a plus as it is not just a refuge for smokers.
In terms of price it seemed a little expensive but that’s to be expected. They also sell Kopparberg which definitely gets them more points from me. Overall, a good place for a drink with friends. They also have really big tables to can accommodate larger parties. Good pub methinks.

The good people at City Socialising reserved a few tables at the Sidewinder yesterday and a large and enthusiastic crowd gathered to watch England progress to the quarter finals of the World Cup. Enough ink has been spilled and blogosphere space filled with verdicts on that debacle, so I’ll confine myself to the venue.
It’s spacious, sofa-​strewn and staffed by friendly, helpful types. Judging by the flyers and posters pasted around the place, it goes big on theme nights and booze offers. As it was Sunday lunchtime (or thereabouts), I went for the roast beef not incredible, but it was tasty and filling and fair value.
The outside area was perfect for smokers, sun-​lovers and those who could bear no longer to watch the sorry saga unfolding on the television screens…

This sizable boozer always has some sort of offer on, normally if you get there early enough there will be a happy hour giving you some real good deals on drinks.
The outside area has a covered section as well as an open area so you can enjoy the sun when its out and shelter and smoke when the rain is falling!
The food is reasonable and cheap nought special but you get what you pay for really.
Many a good night been had in here and will most likely be a lot more!

Nestled cosily on the corner of St James’ Street, just before you enter Kemptown, The Sidewinder is one of the best bars in the area; great if you’re looking for a quiet pint — there are plenty of homely sofas all over it — or even better if you’re looking for a fun night out. The outdoor seated area caters brilliantly for smokers and non-​smokers alike. During the summer months, you’ll often find a barbecue blazing and on a given week night (Wednesday), you’ll be treated to a great pub quiz (not too difficult!). Price-​wise, it’s on a par with most of the other pubs in Kemptown. It can get really busy at weekends, so you would be advised to get in there early to get a seat and occasionally, the music can be just a little loud. Minor issues aside, The Sidewinder should be a «must visit» bar for anyone living in or visiting Brighton

This is one of Kemp Town’s most popular pubs, and you can definitely see why. Having come here during our recent sunshine filled spring, I was delighted to find a large outdoor area that was one of the better ones in Brighton.
The bar staff were good fun, chatting away and generally being very friendly. As the day grew older, the daytime crowded changed towards a less enjoyable evening crowd consisting of a few rowdy members of the community.
Despite that, it was pretty enjoyable all round and I certainly wouldn’t mind coming back again.

This is one of Kemp Towns best spots to head to. Really friendly, down to earth bar staff and a fantastic music policy. Its a big old drum but doesn’t feel at all cold and empty (usually because there’s a fair few people milling around).
My favourite thing about this place is the old leather sofas outside which can fit loads of people on or if you want, just relax and read your paper and get ready for a big night out.
The crowd that drink here are always just up for a laugh and a boogie, I’ve never seen any trouble in 10 years of drinking here.

The Sidewinder is one of the classic Kemptown pubs, and for good reason: it offers plenty of different drinks, especially a nice selection of wines, a huge outdoor area (two different ones in day and night time, both massive and lovely to sit in), the staff friendly and the music relaxed. This is a great place for a chilled out evening, either sitting and smoking in the garden or perching indoors, although it does get horribly busy with the more lout-​y crowd on the weekend.
Kemptown does have its fair share of great pubs, and the Sidewinder is a great addition to the scene. The big Buddha at the front shouldn’t scare you off: that’s just a nice indicator of what’s beyond: chill zone central. It’s all very convivial and relaxed, a nice place to put your feet up and read the paper, or just chill out. In the evenings, it does get a bit more song-​and-​dance, with upbeat house or drum and bass being the forte here, but it’s generally not too loud or too over the top.
That is, until the weekends come around. In the week, where the Sidewinder is normally quiet and relaxed, it becomes loud, aggressive and unpleasant on Fridays and Saturdays. Some sort of switch flips, and the place goes from relaxed, cool space into loud, unpleasant drinking hole. So, unless you like your lager all over your shoes, go in the week and give it a miss on the weekend.

I’d forgotten how much I love this place until we went for a drink here the other day. Most definitely one of the most popular places to go drinking in Kemp Town, it might not look much from the outside (although the enormous one-​eyed crab painted on the outdoor wall will make you do a double-​take) but it’s blimmin’ great in here. It manages to be just the right level of dark and shabby without being dingy in the slightest and is always buzzing with people. The walls are covered in coloured, quirky artwork they even have a little TV with an N64 brilliant!
My favourite thing about The Sidewinder though is its outdoor area. After a night of popping in and out of crowded, stuffy pubs with either no seating or ankle-​high wooden stools around packed out tables, to come in here and head out to the sagging leather sofas and patio heaters was heaven (even though we ended up coming back inside after half an hour… March is still just too cold for outdoor drinking!)

If you’re looking for a nice, comfortable Kemp Town pub, and a bag full of clichés for a review, then look no further.
We like the Sidewinder because it’s kind to our wallets, with happy hour (s) 4pm-​8pm Monday to Friday, chucking out pints of Kronenberg and Fosters for a mere £2.60. If you’re a student you can bask in the glory of happy hour prices all day long.
It boasts a ton of sofas (indoor and out), large comfy seating areas perfect for big groups, is decorated with Buddha’s and funky artwork, and has two separate beer gardens, one of which is covered and heated, perfect for the Winter months.
Proper good pub grub is on offer for the usual Brighton prices, but if you’re feeling the pinch you can treat yourself to a pint of chips for £2.50. Genius!
It also hosts the Sidewinder Cider Festival and various other events, and it’s open ’til 1am Monday to Thursday, 2am Friday and Saturday, making it a busy and bustling Kemp Town drinking hole.

‘The Sidey’ is the stuff of local legend. At the top end of St James St, this big pub has an even bigger garden,. and is one of those places you go into for a quick pint and then end up swaying drunkenly out of many hours later.
Inside, it can be difficult to get a seat, and the place could do with removing the big sofas, comfy as they are, to fit a few more tables in. Outside though, there is no shortage of seating, and as there are gardens on two sides, it’s easy to find a sunny spot in summer. In winter, one garden is covered with a huge umbrella and well heated, meaning it is possible to sit out here comfortably on all but the coldlest nights. In summer, there is often outdoor music and barbeques, while there is a simple food menu and djs indoors at weeknds year round. Speed up the service a little and I think this place would be unbeatable.

For a large pub, the Sidewinder is pretty great. Whereas many bigger pubs tend to lack atmosphere and character, this place has it in spades! The pub naturally divides into separate areas, despite being essentially open plan. There is the front section with tables are chairs, the bar area, and a back section with comfy sofas and a pool table. They often have a DJ on weekend nights and the place can get really lively– nearly every time I’ve been on a Friday or Saturday night it’s been packed and people inevitably end up dancing drunkenly about the place!
Because it gets so busy, you can be waiting at the bar a while, but its a small payoff for such a great atmosphere. If it gets too hectic inside, they have a massive split-​level garden, with plenty of seating and heaters. It’s a great place to go if you’re in a big group, because you’ll usually find a seat. With great tunes, good drinks and fun people, the Sidewinder is the perfect place to go if you don’t quite fancy a club, but you want to dance in to the wee hours!

One of my favourite Brighton hang outs the Sidewinder has so much to offer. A vast outside seating area one side is covered with heaters and sofas, and the other side has a more gardeny feel with picnic tables. Offering gorgeous roasts and BBQs through out the summer months, its great for a bite any time of the year. They also offer summerly jugs of Sangria and Pimms which is fab in the sunshine,
The venue is particularly excellent on Bank Holiday weekends, always offering a variety of live music events and festivities, Last August they had an Icelandic themed day with Icelandic bands, food and beer!
The interier has an odd combination of looks with an enourmous budda with insence burning in hand to a massive pop art pic of ieth moon.
They have a selection of DJs play at the weekends and local heroes Doll and the Kicks acoustic sets were a regular occurrence for a bit, think they may be too big time these days. Deffo always worth a go if you in the vicinity.

The Sidewinder is a large, comfortable pub, just far enough up St James street to avoid the Brighton crush.
Large bar area with plenty of seating and two beer gardens. To the rear, open graden with traditional table and chair set up, but to the side is a large covered area with lots of comfy leather sofas, perfect for sunny afternoon drinking.
Serves food all day, with a nice range and healthy portions. Staff are friendly.
DJs most nights, with Friday & Saturday nites usually very busy.
A cool vibe and clientele to match. Well worth checking out.