Right on time for Saturday night – our cocktail bar review.
I ended up going to the Bermondsey Arts Club thrice in the span of a week. This was for two reasons – one, its literally diagonally opposite my house and two, I loved the place (hence, the second and third visit).
So what’s so lovable about another cocktail bar?
‘Former public conveniences’: The now cocktail bar was ‘former public conveniences’ aka toilets. How fun is that! Clarification: No ick factor. Thankfully, there is no way you know of its former avatar once inside. From the outside you do know it’s a ‘public toilet island’ like the others London has scattered about.
The cocktail menu
It has great drinks: …with lovely names like ‘Bermondsey Gardens’. And one of the drinks came with a marshmellow in it. How adorable is that? (The friend who ordered the drink said it was too sweet but the drink description included the words ‘marshmellow’ and ‘sugar syrup’ so I blame him.)
The most expensive drink with champagne and strawberries is £12 (picture below) which both looks and tastes beautiful. Most of the other cocktails range from £7 to £9, and they have beer, whiskey, all the rest of it. Warning: they have no food at all, not even nibbles.
Southside Royale
Jimidor’s Treat
The people manning the place are friendly, helpful and pleasant: From the bouncer outside to the waitresses below, the staff is great. (In my attempt to close the door I think I ended up breaking one of the hinges. The waitress looked at me sadly, I looked back sadly as well. And that was it. Disclaimer: I usually do not break things at most places I go. This was an off-night.)
The place is ‘open till late’: And this does not mean the London late of 12 and 1 am. This is genuine, proper late. So even though everything in nearby trendy Bermondsey Street is done and dusted by 12 in the night, BAC is still up and running. And it stays the same easy going place – no music cranked up after 12 or people drunk or struggling with their drinks. We left the bar around 2 am while it was still going strong although the crowd had thinned out a bit.
Bonus points: they currently have live music on every Wednesdays and come September, live music is scheduled for three nights a week. And there is a gun in a case in the corner (no real relevance to the review but how could I not mention a live real gun in a cocktail bar?).
Kalashnikov in a glass case
Please let me know if you would like to see more reviews, no more reviews, particular places reviewed – I assure you I will be up for it.
– Anisha
Thank you!