Open since October 2002, The River has already won best new bar in the COUNTRY at the prestigious theme magazine awards.

The River was opened on the harbourside to challenge the dominance of soul-less chain-bars serving the same choice of food and drinks as the soul-less chain bar next door, and to help prevent the harbourside becoming a no-go zone for most people on Friday and Saturday nights.

The River has the widest choice of drinks of virtually any bar in Bristol, with a cocktail list compiled by award-winning bartender Liam Davey. The best time to explore these is Sunday nights when the cocktails are £2 cheaper.

The River hosts djs playing funk, latin, hiphop, soul, house, & disco on Fridays. Saturday nights boast a range of top local bands playing funk, electro, soul, jazz, hip-hop – and everything in between.

The River serves a full menu of mainly classic British dishes, including its now-legendary range of delicious sausage & mash, and a similarly tempting range of gourmet pies from Bristol-based The Pie Minister. The River can host parties for up to 200 guests and offers a very tempting canapé menu. For private bookings we can tailor entertainment, food and drink menus to your requirements. Smaller parties can reserve areas of the bar for their exclusive use, free of charge.