Live music, supper clubs, burlesque, games nights, DJs and cocktails are just some of the highlights of the dizzying social whirl that makes up a night at the Hanbury Club.

The Venue
An institution in Brighton, the Hanbury Ballroom is an 18th century Grade II-listed grand, domed building and was originally built as a mausoleum for the Sassoon family. Now it's co-owned by Chris Edwardes of London's Groucho Club fame and Blanch House just down the road. The main venue area which features regular live music, cabaret and burlesque nights has a dark floor and black bar, potted plants and tall art deco mirrors. There are small black lampshades dotted around the sides and enormous lampshades over the bar. The VIP bar is very plush and stylish, but snug at the same time with its two and three-seater brown leather sofas. Shiny red lampshades, silky red curtains and floor-to-ceiling oak panelling complete the decadent look and there's a glass panel so you can see into the rest of the venue. Until recently it was a private members club but it's now thrown open its doors to the masses and it's all the better for it.

The People
The great and the good of the city's arts scene come to socialise and perform at the Hanbury Club every night of the week, carousing until the early hours in the decadent fashion for which Brighton has always been famed. A night here is always about having fun.

The Food and Drink
Beers on draught include Tetleys Bitter, Staropramen and Guinness but this is a decadent venue so if you prefer sipping cocktails you'll be in your element here. The cocktail list starts at £7.00 and goes up to £8.50 but these are quality concoctions. Particularly recommended are the Hanbury Spring Punch (Grey Goose L'Orange shaken up with Valpolicella, Cherry Heering, vanilla sugar, lime juice, raspberry puree and topped with pink Champagne) and the Cool Geyser (gin muddled with cucumber, coriander, ginger and lemmongrass, shaken with lime and a dash of sugar and served straight up).

As for the food, take your pick from the bar menu and supper club menu. On the bar menu starters are from £5 and mains from £10. Recommended starters include the warm salad of rabbit, pinenuts and apple chutney and Thai fishcakes with Hanbury chilli jam. As for mains, try dishes such as sweet potato cakes, charred red pepper and tomato salsa or market fish, lemongrass, roasted peppers and winter slaw salad. The supper club menu offers 2 courses for £20 and 3 courses for £25. Start your meal with dishes such as squid, olive, tomato and garlic salad, for mains move on to dishes like pork loin on sage and onion mash, pan fried leeks and cognac sauce before finishing your meal with a trio of British cheese with homemade pickles.

The Last Word
Class, sophistication, comfort and quality food, drink and entertainment, all in a grandiose setting. The Hanbury Club has got it spot on.

venue information venue map view brighton review user reviews (6) image gallery (5)