Kiss Bar is next to Lava & Ignite on Park End Street, and I’m guessing that not everyone will have set foot there before. This is more because it’s so tiny rather than being any reflection of how good it is.

It’s been there for as long as I remember living in Oxford. The intimate little venue has just reopened after a refurbishment and looks all set to entertain Oxford's clubbers once again, so we thought what could be a more fitting time to review it?

Armed with a handful of friends (not too many as I didn’t want to play a game of Sardines), we entered through the door to find wooden floors, fashionable neutral colours and mirror balls that gave it a funky edge over other bars and clubs in the surrounding area.

We sipped our cocktails in style while relaxing in one of the booths, before shaking our booty on the mirrored mini-dance floor. I remember coming here a few years ago when they used to put on gigs in the evening — indie and post-punk bands rocking out in this teeny-weeny space surrounded by mirrors made for a night to remember, even if some of the bands sucked.

The venue still hasn’t lost the unique feeling that you’re having an exclusive experience. I think that’s the main appeal of such a small place that has everything you need for an all night party — once you’re in, there’s no room for other people to come in and share the experience. You’ll fit probably 30 normal people comfortably, or 10 American fatties.

Apparently there’s even a VIP Room tucked away behind the DJ booth ‘for the ultimate private party’. I didn’t get the pleasure of having a peek, having myself not achieved VIP status around these parts. Well, maybe VHP (the H standing for ‘hated’; well I don’t always make friends wherever I go writing these reviews).

There’s buy-one- get-one-free on all house cocktails during the very Happy Hour, which runs for much longer than an hour. Normally happy hours are so ridiculously early that to be in attendance at one you would have to start your Saturday night out at 5pm.

Cue buying as many as possible before 6pm, and an early night of sick, gutters and taxis home long before the clubs kick out.

Kiss Bar’s happy hour runs from 7pm until 9.30pm, which should overlap nicely with a normal night out. There’ll be no rushing in to town and chucking Long Island Iced Teas down your neck in an attempt to get squiffy before the hour of happiness ends.

Kiss Bar, like Frankie, says ‘relax'.

There was a constant flow of good-looking, dressed-up party-people in and out which shows this is a very popular destination in a busy part of town.

I hope it continues to grow in popularity, because it certainly deserves to do well. I would especially recommend it as somewhere to hire out for a birthday party.