Lab 22 stands as a decade-old staple in Cardiff’s vibrant nightlife scene, blending its signature dark, atmospheric charm with an immersive cocktail experience. Tucked away up a narrow staircase, guests are immediately greeted by the sight of the sleek bar and bartenders at work. The bar’s design combines a minimalist black-and-white palette with gold accents, creating a space that is both intimate and visually striking. The colourful yet strategic lighting enhances the venue’s mood, while artwork from the bar’s main menu is hung on the walls, sparking conversation and adding a layer of narrative to the surroundings.

A key feature of Lab 22 is its terrace – a small outdoor space that contrasts with the more moody interior. It provides a quieter atmosphere where guests can still feel connected to the venue’s overall vibe. Inside, the bar itself serves as the focal point of the room, with the back bar featuring five shelves of spirits, crowned by the bar’s logo – a mural of Albert Einstein – the inspiration behind many of the bar’s menus. 

Lab 22 is known for its innovative and interactive drinks. The main menu is crafted to suit a variety of palates, often encouraging guest participation in the experience. Cocktails come presented in the likes of bell jars filled with smoke, inviting guests to complete the serve themselves, creating a memorable and tactile moment. Other drinks feature interactive garnishes such as flash paper styled as a £50 note that guests are encouraged to set light to using branded matches.

The bar is also deeply rooted in its Welsh identity, evident in its commitment to showcasing local ingredients and supporting the community. Each drink on the menu features at least one Welsh-sourced ingredient, and the bar proudly offers a Welsh-language version of its menu. At any given time, Lab 22 maintains a selection of Welsh whiskies, gins, and even vermouth and vodka, ensuring a strong connection to local producers.

One of the most celebrated aspects of Lab 22 is its weekly Moonshine Mondays. This live jazz night, now a Cardiff institution, transforms the bar into a speakeasy-style venue, with low lighting, candlelit tables, and the brass beats of The Bandits, the in-house jazz band. Guests are invited to travel back in time with classic cocktails and bespoke drinks created specifically for this night. The event’s longevity and consistency have made it a cornerstone of Cardiff’s live music scene.

On weekends, the venue brings in a resident DJ, while during the week, a rotation of carefully curated playlists set the tone for the night. With a mix of hip hop, pop, and indie during the early evening, Lab 22 creates an ever-changing yet familiar atmosphere that welcomes both new visitors and returning regulars alike.

Behind the scenes, they place a huge focus on training and development of the team. Impressively, they operate a 1-1 Mentorship system, whereby all staff are allocated someone from the senior team to coach and support them through training and beyond. New starters undergo a two week training programme focussing on techniques, spirits knowledge, round building efficiency and accuracy. Personal goals as well as career progression is taken into account and shared with the team where appropriate as they believe strongly in the mantra “we rise by lifting each other”. 

This training isn’t exclusively for the Lab 22 team – and all members of the hospitality industry are invited free of charge to attend Lab sessions which can focus on more typical topics like service or spirits knowledge, to mental health in hospitality or foraging techniques. The team often travel together and aside from industry excursions – these have also included hikes and visits to a local apiary and brewery. The team now operates on a four day working week – ensuring that staff wellbeing is truly considered and ample time away from the bar is available. 

They work very closely with the local authority to implement and encourage any schemes that are introduced in order to make the nightlife scene in Cardiff as safe and welcoming as possible and are proud to be a part of the schemes within the heart of the city.