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The name Cellar Bar is arguably a strange one for a venue which, for most of the day, operates only at street level. Many people may only know it for its daytime operation and I for one have only ever visited the non-cellar bit of the Cellar Bar, so apologies if this review manages to miss the point of the place, at least on one level.
The simple décor and layout may come as a surprise to new visitors. When most of the city's bars have invested heavily in their stylish interiors, the Cellar Bar seems almost insanely underdesigned. Walls and floors are decorated with found objects. High tables and stools provide what little comfort is to be had. It is spartan, utilitarian, manly. However, newspapers are provided in a rack to take your mind off the lack of luxury.
One has to visit the bar to get the point of the place. Not especially large, it is fantastically well stocked. I'm talking about beer. The range of brews available is so extensive that you don't even notice how well they're sorted for wines and spirits. For all I know, they don't have any (actually they do, a good list - Ed). There are locally-brewed draft beers as well as notable imports such as powerful Belgian beers on tap. Bottled beers include more Belgians as well as American favourites Brooklyn and Goose Island.
There are DJs on Friday and Saturday nights playing cool tunes and live music at other times, including live acoustic music on Sunday afternoons to accompany the Sunday roast dinners.
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