Edit widget

Secret Bars In Liverpool

Scarlett Welch's profile picture
By Scarlett Welch • Editor, DesignMyNight Scarlett has covered the UK's best restaurants, bars and events for DesignMyNight since 2023. She holds an MA in Media & Journalism, with bylines in The Crack magazine and South London News, among others. Last updated on 6th October 2026

This stunning city offers a number of elusive gems with beautiful drinks and quirky interiors hidden in plain sight. Wondering where they are? Read on to discover the very best secret bars in Liverpool, perfect for an intimate occasion that feels slightly more sophisticated.

There's everything from hidden haunts accessed via phone boxes to glowing green absinthe hideouts on Seel Street. If you need a hand deciding, check out our full guide of favourites below.

Find out more about how we curated this guide in our Editorial Policy.

Best Hidden Bars In Liverpool: Secret Sips

Alcotraz Liverpool: Cell Block Three-Six

234 reviews

@ Alcotraz Penitentiary: Liverpool on Various dates from Wednesday 4th November 2026

Alcotraz: Cell Block Three-Six is the immersive cocktail experience that sees you smuggling in booze past the guards for your fellow 'intmates' to shake up into delicious cocktails. The secret Liverpool bar is perfect for unique date nights and quirky evenings out. For more, check out Alcotraz - The Yard. 

Buy Tickets

Tailors Liverpool

It doesn't get much more secret than needing a password to frequent the intimate, cosy drinking den that's Tailors Liverpool. Disguised as a traditional haberdashery, it offers plush furnishing and expert mixologists who are famed for whipping up wowing dry ice-infused tipples. On the menu? A vodka, grenadine and lemonade-based Mad Shark, Churchill Old Fashioned and floral-flavoured Diamond Of The Season. 

Tell me more

Moonshine Saloon Liverpool: Western Cocktail Experience

2 reviews

@ Moonshine Saloon on Various dates from Wednesday 4th November 2026

It doesn't get more secret than a covert saloon run by wanted man Clyde Cassidy. Moonshine Saloon's Western Cocktail Experience is an immersive event where you'll enjoy four bespoke cocktails from a bottle of liquor that you'll smuggle in yourself. While you drink, you'll be able to rub shoulders with the locals and take part in fun card games. Watch out for the Sheriff though, as he's out to shut the whole operation down.

Buy Tickets

The Oracle

Hidden behind a nondescript door in Ropewalks, The Oracle is one of the coolest secret cocktail bars in Liverpool. Keep your eyes peeled for the hanging lamp on Duke Street and you'll be welcomed into a vintage drinking den boasting some of the city's most enchanting pours.

Tell me more

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you need to book in advance to visit Liverpool's secret bars?

It depends on the venue. Ex-Directory requires you to reserve a table online before you'll receive the location details and entry instructions. 81LTD is by appointment only — you'll need to text a number to receive the secret access code before you arrive. The Oracle operates on a walk-in basis (no bookings), so you may need to queue. Berry and Rye is also walk-in, though it's small and fills up quickly at weekends. Tailors Liverpool and El Bandito both accept bookings, which is recommended for groups.

What is a speakeasy bar and how is it different from a secret bar?

A speakeasy is a bar inspired by the illegal drinking dens of 1920s Prohibition-era America — typically characterised by hidden entrances, vintage décor, and a clandestine atmosphere. A secret bar is a broader term for any bar that's deliberately hard to find, whether that's through a hidden door, a password, or a cryptic entry process. In Liverpool, many secret bars are also speakeasies — Berry and Rye and The Oracle both draw heavily on Prohibition-era aesthetics — while others like Alcotraz Liverpool: Cell Block Three-Six and Moonshine Saloon offer immersive, theatrical experiences with their own unique themes.

Are Liverpool's secret bars good for a date night?

Yes — several of Liverpool's secret bars are ideal for date nights. Berry and Rye's candlelit, Prohibition-era atmosphere is frequently cited as one of the city's most romantic bar settings. Tailors Liverpool offers an intimate, cosy environment with expert mixologists and theatrical dry ice cocktails. The Oracle adds a twist with close-up magic alongside its cocktail menu. For something more immersive, Alcotraz Liverpool: Cell Block Three-Six and Moonshine Saloon's Western Cocktail Experience both offer unique, story-led evenings that make for a memorable night out.

How do you get into Liverpool's secret bars — what are the entry requirements?

Each venue has its own entry ritual. For Ex-Directory, you book a table online and receive the entry instructions — look for the red telephone box in the Cavern Quarter. For 81LTD, text the number listed on their website to receive a secret code before you arrive. Tailors Liverpool requires a password, which you'll get when you book. The Oracle has no bookings — knock on the door on Duke Street and wait to be let in. El Bandito is a hidden basement bar on Slater Street; head downstairs to find it. Berry and Rye is on Berry Street — look for the unmarked black door.

Recommended by