El Bandito
Eventide
Coordinates
53.4018031° N, -2.9803497° W
Address
41b Slater Street
Liverpool
Merseyside
L1 4BX
what3words
took.shade.asset
Website
www.elbandito.co.uk
Contact
info@elbandito.co.uk
Telephone
+44 (0)151 707 8560
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For years one of Mexico's finest exports was associated with hedonism and ritual helpings of salt and lemon wedges. However the past decade has seen the dawn of a new age for tequila, a delicate Mexican spirit distilled from the blue agave plant. The spirit is firmly back in vogue and at the core of most experimental cocktail creations.
El Bandito (translated as 'The Bandit') is Liverpool's intimate word-of-mouth tequila den famed for its low-lighting and hard-to-find location. Hidden away just a few steps from Santa Chupitos, this bar is concealed below street level behind thick curtains with no visible signage, just a solitary bulb above the entrance.
The décor in this tequileria pays homage to Central American tavernas with exposed brick and rustic wooden stools lined up alongside the bar. The bar's shelving illuminates a wealth of Mexican bottles and the odd Día de Muertos skull; pick the brains of one of the knowledgeable bartenders to choose your mix- on our visit we tried the sharp Millionaire's Cocktail (tequila, Sloe Gin, fresh lime and apricot), not for the faint-hearted.
Expect to hear a selection of hip-hop beats and lo-fi electro sounds reverberating around the dimly-lit room; occasionally guests will be treated to some live guitar sets before the party slides up a gear.
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Opening Hours
Monday - Tuesday
Closed
Wednesday
9:00pm – 3:00am
Thursday
9:00pm – 4:00am
Friday - Sunday
9:00pm – 5:00am
Nearest Train Station
Liverpool Central
Nearest Bus Station
Liverpool One
Words by James Courtney
Photography by Michael Gannon