Rita’s Cocktail Bar Southampton

Are you looking to elevate your evening out with a highly sophisticated social experience, stunning 1920s Art Deco styling, and master-crafted signature mixology? Rita’s Cocktail Bar Southampton offers an elegant, exceptionally atmospheric independent cocktail lounge and small plates kitchen on the city’s historic Oxford Street where you can settle into plush velvet seating, sample artisan drinks, and enjoy an upscale, high-energy weekend social buzz.

What Is Rita’s Cocktail Bar?

Rita’s Cocktail Bar is a glamorous independent cocktail lounge, contemporary small plates eatery, and late-night weekend entertainment hub located on Oxford Street within the cosmopolitan dining district, serving as one of the city’s premier destinations for upscale group gatherings, romantic date nights, and stylish celebrations.

• How it works: You step through the main doors into a beautifully lit, 1920s-inspired lounge room, select an intimate booth under the custom design fixtures, and order high-end drinks or premium small plates from the main counter.
• Why people love it: It remains a dominant local favorite because it delivers a consistently luxurious, high-end aesthetic combined with exceptional mixology standards, excellent customer hospitality, and a bright, sophisticated vibe.
• Who can go: The upscale, highly social environment caters perfectly to groups celebrating special weekend occasions, professionals gathering for post-work drinks, and couples looking for a chic night out.

What Is Rita’s Cocktail Bar Known For?

Familiarising yourself with the premier entertainment features and unique design assets at this flagship Oxford Street venue highlights why it remains a standout choice on any premium night out in the city.

• Stunning Art Deco Design Aesthetics: The venue is widely recognized for its beautiful, highly photogenic interior styling, featuring rich velvet booth spaces, brass accents, and glamorous retro elements.
• Bespoke Hand-Shaken Artisan Mixology: They are famous across the central district for their highly creative cocktail menus, combining house-made syrups, premium spirit bases, and beautiful structural garnishes.
• Vibrant Weekend Live Entertainment: The lounge comes completely alive every Friday and Saturday evening, hosting popular local acoustic performers and upscale lounge DJs to supply the perfect backing track.

Who Is The Night Out Best For?

The Food & Drink Experience

Sampling a custom drink or grazing across their premium sharing plates during a live music session at this upscale bar ensures a highly satisfying experience. The kitchen and bar teams take massive pride in keeping standards exceptionally high across the menu.

• Expertly Balanced Signature Cocktails: The bar prepares an exceptional menu of mixed drinks, featuring premium gin creations, classic martinis, and complex house-designed specials.
• Artisan Small Plates & Sharing Platters: The kitchen serves up popular, universally loved sharing items, including loaded sliders, crispy pork belly bites, and beautifully styled grazing boards.
• Chilled Premium Wines & Prosecco: Perfect for a relaxed evening toast, their cellars hold a fantastic line of crisp international white wines, robust reds, elegant rosés, and champagne.
• Selected Craft Beers & Lagers: Ideal for anyone wanting a casual refreshment, they pour a high-quality line of premium draught lagers and cold bottled ciders.

Important Lounge Guidelines & Policies

Keeping the lounge’s regular operational policies and booking structures in mind will guarantee a completely fluid and stress-free social gathering.

• Independent Kitchen Operating Cycles: While the main bar counters remain active late into the evening for social drinks and cocktails, hot food orders from the small plates sharing menu typically close at 09:30 pm.
• Mid-Week Closed Door Operational Schedule: Unlike typical city high street lounges, the venue runs on a structured weekend pattern, keeping doors closed to the public from Monday to Wednesday daily.
• Peak Weekend Lounge Bookings: During Friday and Saturday evening sets, the main floor seating areas hit maximum capacity quickly, making early online bookings highly advisable to secure the best booth layouts.
• Upscale Smart-Casual Dress Code: Management maintains a high standard of dress for evening hours, meaning clean social footwear and smart fashionable attire are required, while heavy sportswear or industrial wear are restricted.

Rita’s Cocktail Bar Menu

Reviewing the menu choices and average pricing tiers before finalising your trip ensures your party samples the absolute best local culinary options.

• Master-Crafted Signature Cocktails: Their extensive mixology menu—featuring creative house infusions, classic martinis, and premium spirits—generally ranges from £9.50 to £13.50 per drink.
• Artisan Small Plates & Sliders: Freshly prepared sharing mains—including crispy pork belly bites, loaded sliders, and seasoned fries—typically cost between £7.00 and £11.50 per plate.
• High-End Sharing Boards: Large grazing platters loaded with premium charcuterie, international cheeses, and artisan breads run from £16.00 to £24.00.
• Chilled Premium Wines & Prosecco: Elegant international white wines, robust reds, rosés, and sparkling prosecco run from £6.00 by the glass up to £32.00 for full bottles.

How to Get to Rita’s Cocktail Bar

Travelling to this chic cocktail lounge at 50-52 Oxford Street is straightforward due to direct road links and central transit networks serving the main shopping and cosmopolitan restaurant quarter.

• By train: Southampton Central Station acts as the main railway hub, leaving a convenient 18 to 20-minute walk tracking southeast down through the High Street before turning east into the Oxford Street corridor. Alternatively, Southampton Town Quay station is within a 10-minute stroll.
• By bus: The city’s primary bus lines and main municipal transport corridors stop continuously at the adjacent Ocean Village gates and along the lower High Street perimeters, leaving a brief 3-minute stroll to the venue frontage.
• By car: Navigate southernmost into the city center via the main A33 corridor, tracking directly onto Bernard Street or custom dock lanes before turning into the central Oxford Street zone.

Parking Near Rita’s Cocktail Bar

If you are planning to travel by private vehicle, locating public parking bays within a short walking distance of the bustling venue footprint is quick and convenient.

• Ocean Village Car Park: A massive, secure parking facility situated just a 4-minute walk away, providing extensive spaces and secure evening rates close to the marina strip.
• College Street Car Park: A reliable open-air surface parking area positioned just a 5-minute stroll north, offering exceptionally quick pedestrian access directly to the main restaurant district.
• Eastgate Street Multi-Storey Car Park: A spacious multi-storey council parking facility situated within a 9-minute walk, providing alternative covered spaces and secure overnight parking rates.

Nearby Attractions

Pairing your high-style small plates or cocktail evening with a stroll through the immediate neighborhood allows you to experience the absolute best heritage and modern landmarks in the city.

• The Oxford Street Historic Architecture: Located directly outside the venue perimeters, explore the remarkably preserved Victorian and Edwardian facades, grand buildings, and gas-lamp styles that frame the streetscape.
• The Ocean Village Marina: Walk just a short 5-minute stroll east to view the iconic modern yachting marina development, packed with luxury waterside views, warmth, and sleek floating pontoons.
• The Holy Rood Church Ruins: Situated a short 7-minute walk away, this historic landmark delivers a fascinating look into the port’s merchant past and stands as a beautiful structural shell.

Rita’s Cocktail Bar FAQs

1. Do we absolutely have to book a table in advance for weekend drinks?

While casual walk-ins are welcome across the primary bar counter and front terrace spaces, reserving your lounge booths or dining tables online early is highly advised for peak Friday and Saturday evening hours.

2. Is there a strict dress code enforced at the door for evening hours?

Management runs an upscale smart-casual standard of dress for weekend evening hours, meaning stylish shirts, smart trousers, dresses, and fashionable footwear are ideal, while heavy sports tracksuits or industrial workwear are restricted.

3. What are the specific opening days for the cocktail lounge?

The venue runs on a structured weekend pattern, keeping its doors open from Thursday to Sunday, meaning the premises remain closed to the public from Monday to Wednesday daily.

4. When does the kitchen close for hot small plate orders?

While the main bar counters remain active late into the night for social drinks and craft cocktails, hot food orders from the small plates sharing menu typically close at 09:30 pm.

5. Is the Oxford Street cocktail bar fully accessible for all visitors?

The primary internal dining rooms, main bar counters, plush booth zones, and the front outdoor seating terrace are completely flat, level, and step-free, ensuring excellent access for all guests.