Dusk – 8 New Street
Nestled in the midst of New Street, between the swanky Blue Fly Lounge and depreciated hairdresser ‘Supercuts’ lies Dusk, a bar that embodies as many contradictions as the estranged establishments that flank it. It serves cheap 2 for 1 cocktails yet also offers a decadent choice of champagne; it’s upstairs will baffle your alcohol-clouded mind with swathes of psychedelic color (think Willy Wonka-esque stripes) yet its downstairs is bursting with London grunge quirks (think dark corners and flooded toilets) whilst the bar plays everything from Patrick Wolf to Take That. Essentially, Dusk is hard to define.
Take for instance its cocktail menu; with names like ‘The Milky Bar Kid’ and ‘Sarah Jessica Parker’ it’s pure guess work to try to discern the drinks’ ingredients… but that’s all part of the charm. At the reasonable price of two for a fiver from Monday to Thursday, they serve as an affordable alternative to the more sophisticated cocktails crafted by Evil Eye or Vudu lounge.
‘Lacking in atmosphere’ is a term that could never be applied to Dusk, with the two-story bar attracting a sizeable crowd most nights of the week. A particular hidden gem is ‘Busk at Dusk’ on a Sunday night, where anyone with a guitar and working vocal chords can showcase their talent on the top floor to an intimate audience. On every other night the music is aggressively loud, so those hoping to perform on the live music night should avoid the bar on a Saturday night… your vocal chords will be in tatters the morning after you’ve been screaming at the barman to be heard.
Another tip is to avoid the toilets – even staff have found themselves locked in a cubicle after the dodgy locks fell off and the graffiti is less Banksy, more bawdy. Still, what Dusk lacks in cleanliness it makes up for in character with energetic bar staff, a vibrant image and late opening hours (it stops serving at 2am).
The perfect pit-stop before Willow, this is one cocktail bar you’re sure to make full use of during your time in York.