Dry Land Bar

Last night at Dry Land started off as it usually does: chic cocktails, bar meals, everyone politely sitting at tables, hipsters eating chips. The doors were open out onto the street. It was a warm night, and for once, it wasn’t raining. Everyone felt pretty relaxed.
5 minutes later, Dry Land was filled with 20 boistrous, singing men, all drinking cans of Budweiser, swaying, leaning on each other’s shoulders, bellowing toneless lyrics with heartfelt passion. One of them had plugged his own iPhone into the sound system. The speakers boomed with the new Springsteen album, plus a bit of the Pogues, and, oddly, half an Arcade Fire song.
It probably would have been annoying, had I wanted to have a romantic, quiet date with someone. But since I know these fellas, it turned into a hilarious spectacle. (Though I felt a bit sorry for some of the others at the bar.) It was kind of like being over-​run by a bucks night, except all the men *think* they’re Irish Americans from Baltimore.
The Dry Land owners seemed begrudgingly tolerant, after all, they had agreed to put on a Springsteen new-​album party. Budweisers were $ 6, and hot-​dogs were on the menu too.
Gotta love a bar that lets the clientele take over.

Oh my god did we have fun thinking up the copious puns for ‘Dry Land’ as we arrived on the last day of summer; sopping wet and cold.
On the plus side the staff were friendly, chatty and happy to cater to our little indecisive hearts…
On the downside I found the ambiance a bit lacking and stale, also the seats aren’t that comfy but by golly gosh did the cocktails make up for it! They were delicious, served in cute little cups with the perfect balance of flavour & strength.
We also ordered some fries with truffle mayo which when they finally arrived (it seemed they were forgotten) were passable but nothing to write home about.
Wouldn’t go outta my way but if I was in the area would pop back in.

Dry Land is drowning… in people. On our visit on a Thursday night I can not see a space to sit anywhere. Not an upside down paint bucket, milk crate or coffee bag to be seen anywhere. What I love most at the end of a day is to sit with my cocktail/​wine and converse. Tonight it looks like I will have to stand and shout.
So we stand on the footpath and wonder how to brave those crowds to get a cocktail. I take myself off to the bathroom and as instructed by one of the staff I press a big safety button and with this a massive door swings open. I consider that there is more space in here outside but don’t worry I did not choose to sit in the toilets and drink.
There is lots of tequila and rum cocktails and as there is no cocktail list we just order exactly those two ingredients and voila out they come. Our bespoke rum and tequila cocktails are really great we must say.
Unfortunately we do not stay around for more mainly because of the crowd that evening getting the Iphone out for a sneaky shot is hard to do when you are snuggled so tightly up to strangers but we will come back to revisit and review.