This three-floored Brixton stalwart has had a facelift since I was last there (which was about a year ago). And for a Brixton venue - which usually swings violently from grungy, dead-in-your-pint old-man’s dive to a trying too hard, overly-bouncered, ear-bleedingly loud, er, dive - it ain’t half bad now. Yes, downstairs is still a sure bet for a snog and grope (wanted or unwanted) after 1am on a weekend, but before that it serves OK Mexican food, and upstairs it has two great party venues, complete with flock wall paper, tasseled lamps and ‘Hoxtonesque’ battered leather sofas.

Set in the heart of Brixton, Dogstar is just one of those places where, upon going there for the first time, you know you will be making every effort to come back again soon. Whether it is packed out with the up-for-it party crew on a Friday or Saturday night, or playing old rave tunes at a low volume on a Sunday afternoon, the atmosphere is always cool.

The price of a pint is pretty standard for the area at £3 which isn't bad because on the weekend it pretty much turns into a club.

It's the sort of pub you want to introduce friends to, just because you feel lucky to have discovered it yourself!

The Dogstar has always been a cool hangout for cool music, right in the heart of Brixton give it an edge but the atmosphere is always sound.

The music is always wicked mainly hip hop, reggae and dub and only a small cover fee on weekends.

The Dogstar a pub is set over 3 floors, food is served and drinks are average.

Good night out with good music.

A half Mexican restaurant half pub rave up double right turn from Brixton Underground, or left from the train station. Good burritos here for a fiver and you can crank the heat to ‘don’t come to me crying’! A coffee shop loyalty card with a stamp for every time you visit and the tenth burrito is free. There’s a large bench table if bigger groups turn up at the back of the pub where the restaurant -which is run separately from the bar, and dunnies are. Occasionally they get some of the old knackered out 90s ravers like Stereo MCs advertised to play on the posters there, – but I swear I’ve been up dancing to some serious gouda on a Saturday night too. Never had a bad day/night involving this pub – but you will have to pay if you turn up late in the evening at the weekend.