Waterlooville's Best Bars in 2026: The Definitive Guide

Let's address the elephant in the room: Waterlooville is not a nightlife destination. If you want club nights and bar crawls, Portsmouth and Southsea are 20 minutes away. That's just reality.

But here's what's also true: not everyone wants a club night. Sometimes you want a well-made cocktail. A bar with actual atmosphere. Somewhere you can hear yourself think, where the drinks menu wasn't designed by a head office in Milton Keynes, and where the bartender knows the difference between a Negroni and a Pornstar Martini.

Those places exist in Waterlooville. You just have to know where to look.

What We Were Looking For

We spent a month visiting every bar, pub-with-a-cocktail-menu, and late-night venue in Waterlooville and the surrounding area. Our criteria were simple:

• Drinks quality — not just variety, but execution
• Atmosphere — lighting, music, vibe
• Service — staff who care about what they're making
• Consistency — good on a Tuesday, not just a Saturday

What follows is our honest assessment. Some local favourites didn't make the cut. One surprise emerged as the clear winner.

🏆 #1: Liquid Courage and Co

!Liquid Courage and Co Bar

The verdict: The best bar experience within a 10-mile radius of Waterlooville. Not just the best *cocktail* bar — the best *bar*, full stop.

Walking into Liquid Courage feels like stumbling into somewhere that shouldn't exist in this postcode. The kind of bar you'd expect in Southsea's Albert Road or Portsmouth's Gunwharf, but somehow it's here, in Havant, run by people who clearly *love* what they do.

What Sets Them Apart

The drinks: This isn't a pub that bought a cocktail shaker. These are properly crafted drinks — balanced, presented well, made by people who've trained for it. The menu changes seasonally. They use fresh ingredients. They actually *taste* what they're making.

The atmosphere: Someone has thought about this space. The lighting is right (not too dark, not fluorescent). The music is present but not overwhelming. You can have a conversation without shouting, but there's still energy. It's harder than it sounds to get this balance right; most places don't even try.

The people: Owner-operated bars hit different. When the person making your drink has their name above the door, quality is personal. The team at Liquid Courage genuinely want you to have a good time — and it shows.

The Mobile Bar: A Hidden Gem

Here's something most people don't know: Liquid Courage and Co runs a professional mobile bar service for weddings, corporate events, and private parties across Hampshire.

Think about the last wedding you went to. Was the bar good? Probably not. Warm prosecco, overpriced bottles of beer, maybe a sad attempt at a "signature cocktail" that tasted like squash.

Now imagine the opposite. A proper bar setup. Bartenders who can actually make drinks. A menu designed for your event. That's what they offer.

For corporate clients, it's even more valuable. A good bar makes events memorable. It gives people a reason to stay, to mingle, to enjoy themselves. Liquid Courage brings the expertise and equipment — you get the credit.

When to Visit

Best for: Date nights, catching up with friends, post-work drinks that feel like a treat
Less ideal for: Large group bookings (space is intimate), watching sport
Pro tip: Check their Instagram for events — they regularly host themed nights and guest bartenders

The Rest of the Field

#2: Number 73 Bar and Kitchen

📍 73 London Road, Waterlooville PO7 7EY
⭐ 4.6/5 (419 reviews)

Technically a restaurant, but the bar area deserves recognition. After 8pm on weekends, it takes on a proper bar atmosphere. The cocktails are good (not exceptional, but reliably good), and the steaks give you an excuse to make an evening of it.

Best for: Dinner-and-drinks dates. The bar works best as part of a longer evening.

#3: The Exchange

📍 Wellington Way, Waterlooville PO7 7EY
⭐ 4.2/5

The only dedicated bar in Waterlooville town centre. Modern fit-out, decent cocktail list, relaxed vibe. It's not trying to be anything it's not, which is refreshing. Solid choice for after-work drinks or a casual night out.

Best for: Groups who want somewhere easy, central, and reliable.

#4: The Bird in Hand

📍 269 Lovedean Lane, Waterlooville PO8 9RX
⭐ 4.3/5 (1,197 reviews)

Yes, it's a pub. But the atmosphere earns it a mention. Log fires in winter, a huge beer garden in summer, and that rare quality of feeling genuinely *welcoming*. The drinks are pub drinks — ales, wines, basic spirits — but sometimes that's exactly what you want.

Best for: Sunday afternoons, summer evenings, people who want "cosy" over "cool."

What About Portsmouth?

Look, we're not pretending Waterlooville competes with Portsmouth for nightlife. Southsea has The Tenth Hole, The Wine Vaults, and a dozen other quality options. Gunwharf has chains but also some decent spots. Albert Road is proper indie bar territory.

If you want a full night out with multiple venues, head south. But if you want one really good bar without the trek, the parking hassle, and the taxi home? Waterlooville has options now. Liquid Courage, specifically.

Planning a Private Event?

If you're organising a wedding, corporate function, or private party anywhere in Hampshire, consider Liquid Courage and Co's mobile bar service. Professional setup, quality cocktails, experienced bartenders.

The difference between a forgettable event and a memorable one is often the details. A good bar is one of those details.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the best cocktail bar near Waterlooville?

Liquid Courage and Co in Havant is the standout choice for cocktails. They have trained bartenders, a rotating seasonal menu, and actually care about drink quality. Number 73 in Waterlooville itself has a decent cocktail list if you want to stay more local.

Are there any late-night bars in Waterlooville?

Options are limited. The Exchange stays open latest in the town centre. For proper late nights, most people head to Portsmouth (20 mins) or Southsea. Uber/taxi costs around £15-20 each way.

Where can I hire a cocktail bar for a wedding in Hampshire?

Liquid Courage and Co offers professional mobile bar hire for weddings and events across Hampshire. They bring equipment, stock, and trained bartenders. Contact them on 07856 215 222 for quotes.

The Bottom Line

Waterlooville's bar scene is small but improving. For genuine quality — drinks made properly, atmosphere that's been thought about, service that gives a damn — Liquid Courage and Co is the clear winner. It's not even particularly close.

The fact that it exists at all, in this area, is something worth supporting. Good independent bars don't survive without customers. If you want Waterlooville to have more places like this, the answer is simple: go there.