The Domino Club sits beneath Lords Barbering in Leeds’ Grand Arcade, a listed Victorian shopping arcade, entered through the working barbershop above. The interior was designed by co-founder Matthew Sanderson with the feel of an underground New York jazz club – round brass-topped tables lining the stage area, leather seating in muted browns and reds, red stage lighting, and a neon Domino sign illuminating the performance space. The back bar is lit with white lights, the only ones of that colour in the venue, making the spirits feel like an active part of the decor. A bespoke sandalwood scent runs throughout, and candles remain lit on every table at all times. Photographs around the bar were selected from the work of a close friend of Sanderson’s, adding to the local and personal character of the space. The bathrooms continue the design language of the main room, with artwork, a hand-selected playlist, and soundproofing.

Every week, the leather-bound menu opens with the musician lineup – names, set times, and a short biography of each act – followed by a dedicated page on the breakeven bottle of the week. High-end whiskies ranging from £120 to £180 a bottle are offered at cost price per 25ml serve, with the menu detailing the dram, the reason it was chosen, and both the cost price and what would normally be charged to make a profit. The bar’s back bar runs to around 200 bottles, with approximately seventy whiskies spanning Japanese, single malt, blended, American, and world styles, alongside a range of cognacs and armagnacs.

All cocktails are entirely vegan and gluten free, ensuring every guest can order anything on the menu without restriction. House gin and vodka come from Wolfe Bros, the bar’s sister distillery, available in bag-in-box format to reduce glass waste. A Fijian Planteray rum cask was hand-picked by the team in Cognac and sits at 47.5% – used as the base for the house Old Fashioned. A jalapeno distillate is produced at the sister distillery using a rotovap. Champagne syrup is made from flat Champagne that would otherwise go to waste. The house rhubarbcello uses Yorkshire rhubarb. Superjuice is used for all citrus, with six lemons or eight limes yielding 1.2 litres with a ten-day shelf life. The Espresso Martini is made with a stout syrup from a local brewery and served in an Irish Coffee glass as a nod to the ingredient.

On queuing nights in winter, complimentary warm cocktails are offered to guests waiting outside. Regulars have seats held for them even on evenings they do not attend, and the host radios ahead so their drink is ready before they reach the table. Pay as You Feel operates three nights a week, with no obligation to contribute anything toward the live music. Since opening in 2017, the bar has invested a substantial amount in the musicians who have performed on its stage. Monthly training sessions are open to the wider Leeds hospitality industry. Staff sign language training is in place, and seats are always kept available for guests who cannot stand on busier nights.