Salt Dog Slims

Christina McDermott

Part New York speakeasy, part Berlin cabaret club, the Seel Street bar brings the lethal combination of chilli dogs and beer to Liverpool.

In a city like Liverpool, where it can feel as though there’s a new drinking establishment opening on every corner, it takes something unique to stand out (and we mean “unique” here, not another psychic night or Beatles karaoke extravaganza). But when a place like Salt Dog Slims appears on the scene, resembling a cross between a New York speakeasy and a Weimar-era Berlin cabaret club – complete with a fairy light-bedecked bathtub as a table – and promotes its wares as “steins and brines,” it can’t help but grab the attention of the city’s more discerning booze hounds.

Situated at the foot of Seel Street, across from the Blue Angel (another infamous Scouse drinking den), Salt Dog Slims is the third bar to be opened by the rather clever chaps behind Santo Chupitos (arguably Liverpool’s best cocktail bar) and El Bandito (almost certainly Liverpool’s liveliest Tequila joint). True to form, it’s sleazy, rowdy, raucous and, more often than not, rammed to the rafters. This is not a place to go to sip a sedate pre-theatre half pint. Owing to its rather bijou dimensions, getting a seat here usually warrants Pentagon-worthy strategic planning – or a least a bit of blind luck. But once you settle in, it’s totally worth it. With a killer cocktail list and an even better craft beer menu, this is a bar where, once ensconced, you can kick back, admire the arresting bar staff, scoff a chilli dog or five and sing along to Rainbow’s “Since You’ve Been Gone” without drawing too much attention to yourself.

As befitting an American-inspired bar, the range of craft beers is impressively all-encompassing, from Pabst Blue Ribbon to Brooklyn Lager. Those with a more robust constitution should opt for the “Dortmeister,” a two-pint stein of beer that requires such upper body strength to lift that it could almost be counted as a weekly workout. If that sounds like too much effort, there’s always the cocktails. We’re fans of the Five Dollar Shake, a ridiculous combination of ice cream and neat spirits (the inclusion of Chambord making it a kind of boozy raspberry ripple) and the punningly named Salt Dog Millionaire, a concoction of rum, sloe gin, apricot brandy, passion fruit syrup and lime juice that’s definitely not for the lily livered. They also do a mean chilli dog. Not just for soaking up all that booze (although they are great at that too), these American-style hot dogs are surprisingly tasty specimens: smoky, snappy and smothered in a deliciously piquant chilli. Eating them is an unavoidably sloppy experience, especially after a few of those steins. Fine dining this is not.

Bold, ballsy and brash, Salt Dog Slims is the place to go if you’re looking for an unpretentious night out. But leave any airs and graces at the door: when you step through that velvet curtain, things will get messy – and we’re not just talking about the chilli dogs.

79-83 Seel StreetLiverpoolL1 4BB View map
Telephone: 0151 709 7172 Visit Now

Admission Charges

Free

Opening Hours

  • Monday3:00pm - 2:00am
  • Tuesday3:00pm - 2:00am
  • Wednesday3:00pm - 2:00am
  • Thursday3:00pm - 2:00am
  • Friday3:00pm - 2:00am
  • Saturday1:00pm - 2:00am
  • Sunday1:00pm - 2:00am

Always double check opening hours with the venue before making a special visit.

Culture Guides

Music

We go all in on festivals, with a round-up of everything from city-spanning giants to grassroots gems you may not know about.

Exhibitions

There's no rest for the art lover - this month brings outdoor sculpture, musings on water, political drawings and Liverpool Biennial 2023!

Classical Music

Summer's classical music calendar is filling up nicely! Read our top picks of concerts happening in Manchester and the North.

Winnie the Pooh at Manchester Opera House
Families

The sun has finally got his hat on! Enjoy our top picks of family-friendly events and activities, both indoors and outdoors.

Gerry Potter (credit Lee Baxter)
Literature

Books are big this summer, with festival readings, poetry slams, creative writing activities and famous faces all putting in an appearance.

Food and Drink

All signs point toward June being a scorcher of a month, so let’s take a look at all things summery food and drink.

Tours and Activities

From literary activities to brilliant independent shops, keep your minds and homes filled with the good stuff this month.

Theatre in Manchester
Theatre

Check out our updated guide for lively theatre festivals, rip-roaring rooftop circus and dreamy outdoor shows.