Really nice bar!! Always busy it seems. Nikusha first told me about it (apparently it's a really…read morepopular bar for our school), but somehow I never made it there all of last year. I finally did this fall with Ivan though, and it was a really fun time!! We got a couple of the Tiki-Tango drinks (pineapple juice, mango vodka, cherry rum -- super fruity!!) and they tasted great. Talked a lot about some serious issues, and I obstinately tried defending my viewpoints (and even convinced him on quite a few I think ;)). It was a week night but there were still quite a few people out there which made the ambience a lot more fun! The rest of Marylebone High Street surprisingly appeared super quiet late in the evening.

If your hot and young go! If you have even a hint at not being the bar managers ideal perfection of…read morea woman (that he has no chance with) you won't get a seat and you won't get served. His tie is too short and his attitude too poor. If I was you I would skip, the bartender is mediocre at best and their knowledge of wine sums up to the back of a bottle. Too many places to go to slum down to this place.

Lovely bar, well hidden, in the midst of the bustling Portobello Street market. Worth seeking out!read more

Ginstitute class is a truly impressive experience satisfying the adult needs of any true Sensuist…read more **well worth the price **great gift idea, make special memories with loved ones Backdrop of first session, a classy gorgeous dark-wooded, candle-lit room finished out with literature displays, collectible bottles and stunning mirror masterpieces paying worthy tribute to the glitz of gin palaces gone bye. Very sexy ambience complimenting a genuine & comprehensive tale detailing the arts, literature, politics, social, & economic times of lifestyle through the history of gin, given by instructor Jake Burger, whose intellect, wit, professionalism, expertise & individual care stimulate any interesting & curious mind. The romantic details of his glamorously seedy tale touch the feminine wiles of ladies and passionate prowess of any man's soul. The frosting of the class is flowing to the mixing room where Jake talks nerdy & interesting science of distilling. Each guest smells & examines many ingredients from which they get to choose & create their own custom recipe. Holiday buzz drove me to choose cubbed berries, cardamom, cinnamon, casio, nutmeg (loved end product so much and can't wait to experiment with gingerbread, vanilla, eggnog mixers). Another fellow from Spain went for a peppery savory mix which sounded delicious (I almost switched to cheat off his recipe). A few refreshing gin drinks, good company and jokes later, you depart the class with 2 bottles gin in your hands and that undeniable molecule of splendor and excitement for the 'night to come' arcing in the air as you enjoy another drink downstairs at the fun nice bar with your new classmate friends. ****Be sure and read the entire Portobello Star menu. It's a masterpiece and forced me to drink my way through it. Something for everyone. I especially enjoyed the Tommy's margarita, Guinness Punch, and a warm drink (can't recall title of drink but included a mans name). I never got to try the Grasshopper Shake but alas there's hope for one day. Note- Jake F Burger is an intoxicating expert charting the map of my tongue and various other organs. Ladies beware, and gentlemen too.

Awesome cocktails in a retro environment. 4.5 stars…read more Highlights: - Unique cocktails: list up on the wall was hard to choose from because all looked intriguing. Was very happy with my chili infused vodka, strawberry, lime, and Cointreau one (piquant cocktail). Could see the custom infusions and mixers behind the bar - Atmosphere: small bar area and couches in side room. Cozy and understatedly cool Lowlights: - Were in a rush for dinner so only got to have one cocktail I'm not often out this way, but would love to come back for more cocktails

Secluded speakeasy A…read moreromantic speakeasy great for a first date provided you can get a seat or are doing a quick stopover. Upperstreet is changing and my once favourite cocktail bar was gone having first been taken over by a chain before permenantly closing down so my wife suggested Four Sisters. I was greeted by a dark and intimate bar area where many people were standing around the bar or the few tables and chairs. The classic 1930s Jazz was blaring away and I felt that I was being transported back to a time of late night cocktails in the depression era. My wife was sitting in the back room which for some reason was darker and with no people at all. The music was distant here and the seats were really for a large group so eventually we had to share this space with others. The cocktails were different from the chains and the mixologist knew what they were doing. The choices though were somewhat limited and there was no happy hour. We enjoyed our drinks and had seconds before we left. This was a place to revisit and good for couples to hide away and share their own company.

This bar gets rather crowded, or some would like to say, 'cosy', during happy hours and on Fridays…read more Not really a big bar for huge groups to hang out at, I would even say it got a little squishy as the night came along. But anyway, the bar atmosphere isn't bad, although I feel like something is missing there Been here a few times since drinks are fairly reasonably priced. There are large sofas and also a few bar tables near the entrance of the bar. Bar tenders are mostly friendly and patient with you order, as the bar area does get quite busy once the buzz gets going. The several times I was there, the crowd mostly consisted of men in suits who just got off of work, ones who are ready to down themselves in a few bottles of alcohol before heading home. Not the youngest, most energetic crowd, but overall, the people are easy going so that's fine with me. PS £5 minimum if you want to use your card!

A great little bar, surprisingly located just behind King's Cross mainline train station…read more Comfortable sofas, a good selection of drinks and a friendly atmosphere. Not too crowded either. This really reminds me of some of the better bars in Shoreditch 5 or 10 years ago. Unfussy and just getting on with being a good place to meet for a drink. King's Cross and Caledonian Road are surely on the up, and this place is proof. An out-of-the-way gem.

Typical O'Neils bar with the usual offerings. A selection of quite well sized tables if you are in…read morea group (if you get there nice and early that is as it can get very busy). Quite well laid out with the pub being split about 50/50 with half being able to see and hear the sport they are showing and the other half for people that couldn't care less about it. For big sporting events they will use a large screen and create an area of chairs to allow as many people as possible to watch the game; this can create quite a good atmosphere as everyone is clearing watching it. Beyond that, it's nothing special but serves a purpose and does it quite well.

My friends and I were looking around for a new lunchtime hangout, turns out this isn't the place…read more Well, not for us at least. The service here was atrocious, all except one waitress who appeared to have appropriate social skills considering the environment ! come on, it's a pub RELAX. Anyway the food looked amazing however I'd never tasted anything so bland. Please keep trying. we just won't be back to check.

This is a cool place to hang and get a drink. It looks like they have live music being performed…read morehere. The crowd that hangs here is young and hipster types are about. I thought the hipster thing was long over but.....

I'm gonna do it, first 5 star review of the Big Chill…read more Honestly, this is my favorite bar so far in London and if it was in LA I think I would go quite often. The Big Chill is located on the awesome Brick Lane, a street overflowing with energy. The Big Chill is the same way. It always seems to be full. The Big Chill attracts a lot of young, hip kids from the shoreditch area who like good drink and good music. Inside it has some of the coolest art/wall design I have seen for a bar. Reminded me if some one took alot of drugs and drew stream of conciousness what they saw at Bestival Music Festival on the Isle of Wight. Check out http://www.bestival.net/ for a taste. Some psychedelic stuff. The Big Chill always plays great music(probably helps they are located right by Rough Trade East) and they often have live DJs and music. They have relatively cheap drinks with a good selections of beers on draft and in bottles. Many times they have great deals like 4 bottles for 10 pounds. Also they just added burgers to their menu and they are more than decent. One of the better burgers I've had in this city. Another big plus is that there is plenty to do in the near by areas. During the day stop by the brick lane or spitalfields markets or enjoy some quality indian food. At night The Big Chill can be a wonderful stop to any night out in Shoreditch. So as of now after more than a couple visits, The Big Chill remains my favorite bar in London. Even if you don't make it to this bar, no trip to London is complete without experiencing Brick Lane.

Overpriced food, very small portions and not great service. This is a nice bar. Maybe best to drop…read moreby for a drink and eat elsewhere.

Jack's is a place in transition. Having been recovered and iterated, it's invested heavily in craft…read morebeers, a tight american themed comfort food menu and most recently ping pong! The decor is very much intentionally hipster. You have a multitude of wood tables, with antique furniture and a sparse array of bookshelves littered around the very large venue. These serve to make the place more cosy and afford some privacy. Prior to this, the place felt extremely large and slightly intimidating, particularly during the day, when the place is pretty empty. Food wise, the pizzas are okay. The Spicy Nduja is good as is the florentina. The gorgonzola is disappointing, as are the american hot. The toppings being quite spase on these, despite sounding quite full featured on the menu. The bingo wings are small but served with a lovely blue cheese dip and fall quite easily off the bone. There's even a roulette game you can play where they make one of your wings extra spicy, but quite often you can't tell which one this is. So the option is easy. Ask for them all to be extra spicy, you (probably) won't regret it! (that same day...at least) And then there's ping pong. It's here and the table is very good. It's situated by the window and if you're closest to the door, there isn't a great deal of space, so if you're into smashing, then it's best to tone this down in order to avoid either hitting the wall or lamp in the corner of this space. The staff are very nice and there is table service. It's quite easy to head to the bar in order to get service a little quicker, but if you're getting food, they often won't serve you from the bar, so ensure you get the staff's attention toward your table if looking to eat. Drinks can be either at the table or bar.

We stayed at the Westin around the corner. This pub is under rated. Although they do not have a…read morekitchen, this was a perfect spot for us to end each day; share our experiences and get ideas for the next day's adventure from fellow patrons. I found it odd that there was a different bartender every night but was jealous that this was not my neighborhood pub back home. Would return on my next trip back to London.

Don't know why this pub has some low ratings?…read more Guess they were just with the wrong crowd? Fantastic service, great pulls, cocktails, ambience and straight up fun! If you want a classic visit the Sea Horse!