Shh, this way for Ex-Directory – Liverpool’s best kept secret

Not your average cocktail bar

Ex-Directory is a secret cocktail bar serving the highest quality cocktails, premium spirits, wine and beers. The Ex-Directory is the perfect bar for any occasion. A raucous birthday or hen party, a get-together with friends or just to show off your intimate knowledge of the great hidden gem of Liverpool’s nightlife. Once you have booked a table the fun really begins, because you will need to go on a bar hunt around Liverpool city centre until you discover a traditional red telephone box hidden away up an alley. 

This exclusive cocktail bar is only open Thursdays to Sundays and gets pretty packed over the weekend, so make sure you book your place! 
Signature cocktails include the Catwalk Bellini served in a stiletto and Put A Ring On It, which is served with a doughnut. You could choose to keep it classic, channelling your inner Bond as you sip a martini or indulging in a smoky old-fashioned. But your eyes might stray to Ex-Directory’s ‘Signatures’, which include the Hotline Bling (with French vanilla, violet and fresh basil), the Sour Patch Daiquiri (mixed with bubble-gum, strawberry and a dash of homemade sours) and the Lady Luck (white rum, sweet vermouth, eucalyptus and Prosecco). Don’t mind sharing? Another favourite cocktail is the Bathtub Time Machine. Where else would you find a cocktail that glows blue in a bathtub complete with floating yellow ducks? Prepare to be amazed!

Does the curtain match the drapes?

Well, the blast from the past doesn’t stop with the quirky exterior. Downstairs, the speakeasy-style ambience of luxurious pinned velour booths, paired with polaroid pictures being taken, retro décor and moody lighting might make you feel like you’re in a time warp. The lavish circular booths make this a great location for groups as it’s easy to sing and chat around the tables.

Once you’re settled and get started on the cocktails, it won’t matter what era you’re in. The array of concoctions on offer will soon have you forgetting what day it is, let alone what year!

A bit of family history

The Smith family are now running Ex-Directory on Vernon Street. SPOILERS: yes we have disclosed the secret location of The Ex-Directory! Why? Well, co-owner Paula Smith has said, “It was a big hype three years ago when it first opened but now we don’t want it to be as hidden as it used to be.”

When it first opened, finding the phone box was not enough to get in, you also had to enter a secret code on the old-fashioned dial phone, too. Now, the bar will be more viable with a large mural on the wall outside and the secret location is now on the website.

“I don’t want to take away from the quirkiness of the bar and the phone box, but we’re just trying to make it easier for people to find it and actually get in,” says Paula.  

For a memorable night out in Liverpool, book your table with Dish Cult for Ex-Directory.