Elite Event: Cocktails & Blues @ The Bootlegger

(Belated) Review
In short, this is testament that Gloucester road has upped it’s (already reputable) game.
This was an awesome night out and a great choice of venue that I probably wouldn’t have spotted before. The Bootlegger advertises itself as a Prohibition bar, but try not to mistake that for a speakeasy. It’s not as intimidating, so you don’t need to knock or buzz to get in, you can just wander right inside and get served some amazing cocktails.
As for the evening; thoroughly enjoyed it. Especially loved the point when Unilocalers were asked to get up to the bar and make cocktails (under supervision of course: P). The braces were a nice touch, but sadly I had left mine in Wall Street, in the 20’s as I left my career as a Wall Street baron behind ;)
When the crowd of Unilocalers had got a nice alcohol buzz on, a blues band had materialised at the end of the bar and I made the decision to stay for a couple of Kraken Kicks and listen to some tunes.
Very good turn out and definitely a good call by Thom.
Good show!

What a night!
My first Elite Social and God! I am gasping for more!
Thom had been a stupendous organiser. I mean, as usual.
The place has its own charm and has come a long way from the Hush Hush Days!
The owner Lee knows his stuff and he proved it by making an instant cocktail just for us Unilocalers!
The music in the background provided the perfect backdrop! What made our night, was, that some of us were allowed to make cocktails in the bar under Lee’s strict supervision.
Fantastic experience. The food served was absolutely finger licking.
I mean, I just, loved it!
Definitely is going to visit the place again, for sure!

I’ve been to this venue under various names and different management plenty of times but something’s never really worked. This has generally been down to the the long narrow shape of the venue not really being ideal for a bar and dance floor.
However… Now in It’s current form as the Bootlegger, the layout has had a complete overhaul since its last incarnation as HushHush and you would hardly know you’re in the same place. The Bootlegger is a New York speakeasy bar complete with cocktail bar, black piano and a stage set up for blues, jazz and folk artists that play in the venue 7 nights a week.
On entry to the Unilocal Elite event we are greeted by a glass of bubbly with pomegranate seeds as classic notes come from the piano. We are then fitted with braces to go with our black and white shirts that were requested as dress code by our host!
The staff and management in the Bootlegger are a lot of fun and clearly take pride in what they do. The manager explained his passion for speakeasy bars and how his mission had been to set one up in the vibrant Gloucester/​Cheltenham Road area. He then took us through various cocktail recipes and gave us a go at making them. I think I did a pretty a good job (maybe a little top heavy on the rum). Amazing buffalo wings and nachos were brought out throughout the night and the drinks were flowing. Another fantastic Unilocal event. I think everyone would agree it was a fun filled night although I was a little rough around the edges the next morning!
The Bootlegger is a great bar on Cheltenham Road where there are a lot of extremely good options. It’s the first true speakeasy style bar in the area and is a great alternative. Fantastic cocktails and the food you would expect in an establishment of this sort. Live Jazz and Blues every night of the week. Highly Recommended!
The Unilocal event was another roaring success!

Okay so I already had pretty darn high expectations about tonight. Firstly it was a Unilocal night and being my third event I knew a lot of fun and something a bit different was definitely in store for us. Secondly I love blues music and cocktails so the theme was right up my street! I’d also heard nothing but good things about Bootlegger.
The venue is is quite small but it’s cool, stylish and there’s room to boogie so couldn’t complain.
The owner Lee showed us how to make some cocktails including the UnilocalLegger created just for us! He certainly knows his stuff and his passion for what he’s doing really makes the difference. We had nibbles, more cocktails and it was all accompanied by some great live music.
Thom our community manager had really gone that extra mile accessorising us all with braces and sunglasses to perfect the blues look!
My night ended with more cocktails and a boogie, perfect!
Can’t wait for the next Unilocal night and I will definitely be paying the Bootlegger a visit another time soon. The new menu coming our next wee will have 75 cocktails! Amazing :-D

What a cracking little place this is. Used to be Hush Hush. And to be honest was a little on the dingy side. Now they have moved it all about and shoved a piano in, and hey presto we have Bristols first speak easy bar.
A place where you can come for a chat, a cocktail and to appreciate the tunes.
I personally was here as an Elite Unilocal member and because someone mentioned that there would be cocktails involved.
Lee the owner took us through some of his tasty creations. All of which I enjoyed. And none of which I can remember the name of. I do recall very flavoursome one which contained Thantchers, but again no idea of the name !
They also provided us with some tasty chicken wings and cheesey natchos to soak up the booze. Maybe I should have paid more attention to these !

Fab venue and great event. Looking forward to sampling more cocktails from bootleggers!

Went to a Unilocal Elite event last night in the Bootlegger by the Arches. Firstly, it’s a really nice place, it looks teeny from the front but opens up into a really cool ‘speakeasy’ vibe venue, with a nice little terrace out back. The atmosphere is set with a chap sitting playing amazing bluesy tunes on the piano.
We were welcomed with champagne cocktails, followed by cocktail making sessions, which were very impressive. The drinks were so good, especially the Cider /​Cassis cocktail, surprisingly delicious, easy to make, and suitably Bristolian. Also, the posh G&T with strawberries and pink peppercorns, simple, inventive and lovely. The bar staff really know their stuff and it’s lovely to have someone behind a bar who really wants to make you something you will enjoy with delicious, fresh ingredients. I will be back Bootlegger x

I Like Booze
The venue is great and much improved since the Hush Hush days with a cool speak easy feel to the décor. Better than the venue though are the drinks. There is a wide range of cocktails available that have obviously had some time and care taken over their creation.
I partook in the construction of a tasty G&T with the added twist of strawberries and pink peppercorns.
The food we sampled was also great with chicken wings that were spicy and loaded nachos that are a cut above the normal pub standard. The brunch menu looked particularly inviting and I hope to return to sample its wares.
There was a also some nice blues music with both a modern pianist and a variety of singers belting out some tunes.
With knowledgeable and friendly bar staff & owners the venue deserves to do well in a great location.

Another top night at the Bristol Unilocal elite event. 5 stars are easily given here.
The Bootlegger has to be one of my favs at the moment, a great vibe with great staff and lots of supper amazing cocktails.
Really enjoyed the live jazz and listening to the piano. After plenty of cocktails, I certainly found one I loved. A cocktail with cider what more could a Bristolian want. Cider and fresh black cocktail was by far the best I have had.
Was great to see how some of the cocktails are made and some Unilocalers even had ago, brilliant !
We also had some nachos and chicken wings which were both very nice. Will Deffo be back for more of the food.
I love the décor inside, there are some great touches !
There are still plenty of drinks to try along with more of the food so will find myself back there I am sure.
Another great elite event at a fantastic place which is well worth a visit.
Thom has done wonders with lee who had organised such a brilliant event.

The bootlegger is one of Gloucester road’s new bright shiny gems!
Lee the owner made some outstanding innovative cocktails which were sooo good.
So much so i bought several after the event ended.
We had the chance to try making some though and despite it being great funi think it’s a good idea that we leave it to the lovely professionals!
The music was great, just what i love to listen to, soulful, blues… music with feeling and the atmosphere was electric.
Great night, great people, great event.
Well done Thom on organizing it and putting so much effort in.

Love love love this place! We paid a visit last night for the second Bristol Unilocal Elite event, and we were very very impressed!
Thom arranged a cocktail making evening, where Lee the owner talked us through making a range of his cocktails, one of which the Unilocallegger was a quite possibly my favourite ever cocktail, it’s was a very posh take on a cider and black which brings back some not so posh but very fond memories of my youth!
Lee was great, he really knows his stuff and has a creative and very knowledge mind when it comes to cocktails, in fact I don’t think I’ve ever met someone so passionate about what he does. They offer a huge menu ranging from American classics to the Bootleggers signatures!
These aren’t the cocktails you’d find in a usual bar, there’s no straining, purée or naff juice these ingredients are fresh and literally what you see is what you get, quite frankly in my opinion there’s nothing better than eating the alcohol soaked fruit at the end if your cocktail!
We were served nacho’s and some mighty fine hot wings which we shared. The sauce on both was incredible, perfect sticky finger food to share with friends. I will have to go back and try some more of their menu because it looks gooood!!!
It was great catching up with other Unilocalers, seeing new faces just getting hooked on Unilocal and obviously catching up with the other Elites is always great
The Bootlegger has a speakeasy vibe and with some of the décor and punters you could almost think you were in a saloon in the prohibition era. However you are slap bang on the Bohemian heart of Gloucester/​Cheltenham rd and this adds a whole other dimension to this trendy bar!
I will certainly be going back for a Unilocallegger and also a twist on an old favourite Jaffa espresso martini, oh my!
I could go on for ever about how great this place was but I won’t, instead I’m just planning my next visit! Watch out Bootlegger I’m becoming a regular!

Wow, another amazing elite event held by Thom, he has outdone himself this time.
We were greeted with champagne cocktails which were a huge winner, they were delicious. Thom had arranged for us to make some cocktails so Lee the owner made one, then the Unilocalers had a go at re creating them some with more ease than others. We were then all given one of each cocktail, my favourite was definitely lee’s twist on a g&t…Gin, tonic water, fresh strawberrys & pink peppercorns, it was so refreshing I could have drank them all night.
We were also given plates if chicken wings & nachos which were a lovely touch.
I loved the relaxed atmosphere here, the décor is really inviting and the staff were absolutely lovely. It was so nice just stood around chatting with the other Unilocalers drinking delicious drinks and listening to a live Jazz band and pianist.
The bootlegger is definitely my new favourite cocktail bar, so much so I’ve arranged to go back next week.
Five star event, absolutely loved it!