Tucked into a stretch of Old Christchurch Road on the edge of the East Cliff, Barbera’s Bier Haus trades on an Alpine, apres-ski theme rather than a typical British boozer feel, with wooden tables, bench seating and alpine-style decor running through several linked bar spaces. It sits within easy walking distance of Bournemouth train station, making it a fairly convenient stop for anyone arriving by rail before a night out in the town centre.
The bar
Spread across multiple ground-floor rooms, including separate bar areas and a dedicated karaoke room, the venue is built around group nights out rather than a quiet pint. Expect a fuller, louder atmosphere later in the evening, with a stage for live music, a DJ booth and a dancefloor feeding into themed nights that run through the week. It has built a reputation locally as somewhere for hen and stag groups, birthdays and larger celebrations, helped by the fact its several rooms can be hired individually or combined for bigger parties.
Drinks and food
The drinks list runs from cocktails and shot skis to beer served in shareable towers, with a daily happy hour from 4pm to 8pm knocking 50% off selected drinks. Food follows the same Alpine theme, with pizzas, bratwurst and Bavarian-style buffet spreads available alongside the bar menu, and there’s a bottomless brunch slot on Saturday afternoons. It’s better suited to a group grazing between rounds than a sit-down meal, and the venue itself is licensed to serve until 3am on most nights.
Where it is
The address is 163-167 Old Christchurch Road, in the East Cliff area just inland from Bournemouth’s seafront and pier. It’s roughly a 10-12 minute walk from Bournemouth train station, and there are a few paid car parks nearby, including the Terrace Road NCP and the Richmond Gardens multi-storey, for anyone driving in. The whole venue operates on a single ground floor, which makes it easier to navigate than some of the older buildings along this stretch of road.
Good to know
This is very much an evening and late-night venue rather than a daytime cafe-bar, so it’s best suited to those planning a night out rather than a quick daytime drink. Music levels pick up as the night goes on, and karaoke and DJ sets are a regular fixture, so it won’t suit anyone after somewhere quiet. Anyone planning a group celebration should get in touch directly, since the room configurations and any minimum spend requirements for private hire can vary by date and party size.