London’s original, iconic DJ bar and still reliably packing them in every night of the week, the Dogstar is relaxed, Brixton style. The music gets loud about 8pm but Dogstar is busy all day as well and enjoys a genuinely friendly ambiance. A good tip for Dog virgins attending a party is to get here early. You can evade the door charge, play pool, and drink pints at pub prices.

Come nightfall the pool stops and the partying kicks off with hundreds of happy regulars and visitors rubbing shoulders to reliably fresh music (plus the odd “pints in the air” cheesy classic) and a general atmosphere of contented South London hedonism. The Dogstar is wicked – and very unpretentious.

With three floors, this is a choice venue for a small party upstairs, but don’t rent the whole club unless you are prepared to welcome the regulars. It also hosts the Brixton Comedy Club on Sunday evenings which gets decent line-ups of established acts, newcomers and the odd big names.