New CLASS writer James March is in Bristol and at The Juke Box for his first CLASS bar review.
For years the site of popular pub The Bristol Ram (its name is still inscribed on the glass doors), The Juke Box is a low-lit, music-themed bar on busy Park Street.
Flanked by a vintage store and bric-a-brac shop, it’s an odd location for a joint of this type. Inside, the walls are decked out with pop culture stars at various levels of indulgence – Rod Stewart sharing wine with Elton John, Tom Hanks smiling with a pint of beer – while acoustic guitars hang on the exposed brick back wall and vinyl records line the space above the spirits shelf.
The 20-strong cocktail menu’s snappy descriptions read like they were written by a young marketing intern trying to impress, but my Bananarama – rum, cacao and a chunk of caramelised banana – is balanced and mellow, with the sweetness mercifully turned down.
I could happily drink another two of these. It sits even better when the slow groove of Dusty Springfield’s Spooky eases out of the speakers. Though it’s trying a little too hard to be cool, The Juke Box still has all the right elements going for it.
SCORE: 7/10
» 32 Park St, Bristol, BS1 5JA