If, at first mention, the name ‘The Dog House’ rings no bells, this may be because this charmingly quirky bar, conveniently located at 18-24 Clerk Street, was known until recently as McSorley’s. With musical instruments in the window and an upside down bicycle bedecked with fairy lights hanging on the inside of the pub, the décor can be described as chaotic and unconventional, to say the least. The mascot of the pub, an English bulldog named Hero, is something of a regular who can occasionally be seen ambling around greeting customers, his toys strewn across the floor.
In terms of drinks, the bar serves up a range of alcohol as eclectic as its décor: beers, whiskeys, shots, cocktails – you name it, they will have it. The prices are the cherry on top of the variety of the menu; a board next to the bar announces the names of the £3 cocktails on offer, with classics like Cosmopolitan and White Russian as well as slightly less well-known options, such as the ‘Drumstick Lolly’ and mysterious-sounding ‘Purple Drank’.
Ignore the fact that it is freezing outside and cool down with a £4 frozen cocktail like a Strawberry Daiquiri or, my personal favourite, a ‘Rich Bitch’ (described on the menu as “practically an orgasm but with a classier name”); it may be cold, but it is worth it.
There is a chance that you are not a poor student trying to maintain a façade of sophistication by drinking cocktails. If this is the case, fret not! The Dog House also has you covered, with a student deal for £2.50 Fosters and house mixers, which might explain how busy the bar gets at night. £1.50 slices of pizza or £5 food bowls are also available, if there’s an ache inside you that alcohol can’t dull. So head down there to drink a delicious Butterbeer, whilst admiring the model farm animals hanging upside-down from the ceiling and listening to the dulcet tones of Sufjan Stevens; it really is the ultimate student bar.
Photo Credit: Mallika Sriram