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Reverend JW Simpson

4.0 (17 reviews)
ModerateCocktail Bars
Closed • 5:00 pm - 11:30 PM

Reverend JW Simpson Photos

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Quirky decor win!
Daniel P.

So my new-to-London friend tells me to introduce her to some cocktail bars that are near her work at Warren St. Now I also used to work by here so had to find a place neither of us had been to before (well I wanted to try something new too!!) and thought this the perfect opportunity to try out this place. I saw it in an article about hidden speakeasy bars and LOVE these places so already was excited. After a quick reservation (which we didn't need since it was a Wed!) 4 of us (we picked up some stragglers) rocked up outside. None of the others had been to a place like this so when they saw the scruffy sign outside and the corridor that descends into nowhere they thought I was leading them astray. But I wasn't - I led them down to a basement bar that resembled the epitome of shabby chic. Being quiet we got a great table and the waiters were really friendly and helpful - you could say this was because they were bored but here I actually believed that they were trying to help us pick cocktails we liked best. And it worked! Cocktails at 8 - 10 pounds and given the taste I was more than happy to pay (if you don't want a cocktail just don't come here tbh). Service was topped with nibbles and water without asking (which is always a nice touch), as well as a taster of new cocktail they were working on. If they put this cocktail on the menu I will be a regular here, it was perfect! The final touch came when my friends popped through a wall to beautifully laid out toilets as got really excited about the secret door. Deserves the full rating!

1st page of menu
Minnie M.

If you miss the discreet entrance leading into the a bare hallway of Reverend JW Simpson, look for the slightly bored looking bouncer in front holding a clipboard. Slightly bored looking bouncer asked us if we had reservations, and fortunately I had made one earlier that day for 8 pm on Friday, because it was very busy down in the basement. Save yourself a wait and make a reservation. The basement itself was charming in the sense you really feel like you're hidden away from the bustling street of Goodge in an unfinished basement (bf had a slight asthma reaction) with a young and trendy crowd. We ordered the £9.5 Laird's Old Fashioned and the £8.5 Blackberry Smash, which were very delicious and easy to drink. Perhaps a bit lighter on the alcohol than drinks I've had at other similar speakeasies, but definitely worth checking out. The menu had pictures of the types of glasses used for the drinks, which helps if it impacts your decision when ordering (see images I loaded of the menu). Coming back for sure, this is going on my list of favorite watering holes in London.

Original wall paper left from when the Reverend himself lived there!
Rowann B.

If you want good cocktails go here! My friend and I spontaneously decided to get cocktails after dinner and stumbled across this place! You would hardly notice it in the street because it's just a black door with the name Reverend JW in gold type above the door. The atmosphere is great. It has a speakeasy feel about it. If you read the beginning of the menu you'll read a bit of history about the place too! I had the Tiki Flip cocktail. A great rum cocktail with an infusion of spices - I could have had ten! It was Thursday and it was pretty busy so I guess at the weekends it gets packed. I would definitely go again!

Katie W.

Emailed them for a booking and got seated right away right in the back by an (unused) fireplace. Very fresh cocktails and old school decor! Again found this place through Thrillist and Minnie's review. It is an "untouched" flat that used to belong to a priest and still looks lived in. There is a secret door in the wall that goes to the bathroom which was cool. Would probably be "a fan" if I lived here but just "A-OK" for a tourist as it lacked the "wow" factor.

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14 years ago

Great little cocktail bar on goodge street fairly relaxed, good cocktails.

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Review Highlights - Reverend JW Simpson

“I saw it in an article about hidden speakeasy bars and LOVE these places so already was excited.”

Mentioned in 2 reviews

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Spiritual Caipirinha Bar

Spiritual Caipirinha Bar

4.5(14 reviews)
1.7 mi•Camden Town
•££

In this bar ... No rules ! Write on the wall, speak to everyone, hear to random music or live…read moremusic, drink Mojitos you never drink before ! Their mojitos are made with brown sugar (really good) and are cheap ! I haven't tries the Caipirina but I've been told that this is their specialty so must be really good as their mojitos are ... Wow ! Tiny bar with often loooooots of people, there's a 2nd floor with a little room that is often less busy. Bartenders are really nice and cool ! Go there and experiment the spiritual experience !

Brazilians are known for their love of life, passion, joy of movement, music and dance as well as…read moretheir wonderful lime laden cocktails. I'm not sure how close this bar is to Brazilian nightlife, but to me this bar feels typically Brazilian in cadence. I just love the atmosphere, the enthusiasm, the music, you feel transported to another place and I just don't understand how very few people, even those living in Camden, don't know about this bar! I was introduced by a lovely Yelp friend and try and get back whenever I'm in Camden as I really love this place. To me this is one of Camden's real hidden gems. So why do I love it? Let me count the ways: Live music: I'm not sure if there is someone on every night, but I'm always shocked by them hosting some fantastic, extremely talented musicians. Intimate setting: As a tiny little venue you huddle around small tables, it feels cozy, personable and warm. Art work: Walls, ceilings and tables are plastered with art, pictures, paintings collages drape all surfaces. It's like some hipster arty underground cavern... like so many bars in Shoreditch are trying to achieve, but this place isn't trying, it has charm and personality without having to try. Caipirinhas and mojitos: Using traditional Brazilian ingredients the cocktails here are just superb... and after a few you can't help but sink back into your seat and enjoy the ambiance. I'd also recommend the Cuba Libra, I'm usually not a fan, but would make an exception here. As a cocktail bar you need to expect to pay cocktail prices, but the live music, amazing atmosphere and art are free.

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Spiritual Caipirinha Bar
Spiritual Caipirinha Bar
Spiritual Caipirinha Bar

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Knowhere Special - Otto the bar pup

Knowhere Special

4.1(11 reviews)
2.2 mi•Kentish Town
•££

I have a couple of friends living in Kentish Town who happily researched and booked this charming…read morelittle basement bar which is a must-visit in the area. Apparently the owners want it to feel like someone's living room and it definitely has a relaxed and locals-come-here vibe, although our seating area was in what was once a VIctorian police cell, which was probably less cosy back in the day. The interesting concept here is to serve small bites of food tailored to each house cocktail which a beautifully presented and explained, as are the cocktails themselves. We sampled almost all of the house cocktail menu and generally everyone was very impressed. I think several people really liked the park bench, with its strong apple flavour, although I personally found it a bit one-note. In fact, I wouldn't say any of the cocktails here got it quite right for my palate, some of the balancing of flavours didn't quite work for me and none of them particularly blew me away. They were pretty good, but there weren't any I found incredibly delicious and "incredibly delicious" is really what I am looking for in a cocktail. I had the Get Me a Bourbon, I'm Hungry and Lost in Alaska. The first was a short drink which wasn't massively memorable, contra my favourite ever bourbon cocktail, the fantastic bourborini once on the specials at Pitt Cue Co. Lost in Alaska I thought was nice although others said they thought it tasted medicinal! Service was great - helpful, patient and attentive. It's expensive, especially now I live in Manchester and can get better cocktails at the Fitzgerald for £4 less, but I would still recommend Knowhere Special, especially if you're nearby having dinner. They have such an inventive and passionate approach, it's very impressive already and I'm sure will just get better with time.

This is definitely a place to put on your amazing cocktail bar list! A stone's throw away from the…read moretube, you walk down into a cozy space that they don't overfill. We were lucky to be able to occupy the couple of free seats at the bar but there are also little "dens" to sit in the natural arches of this old basement. The playlist they were playing was awesome, the bartenders were so friendly and engaging, and they are soooo into making fabulous cocktails. The amount of care that goes into every drink is stunning. The house cocktails come with a "pairing". My spiced rum drink with a million little touches I can't remember came with orange chocolate and homemade toffee apples (they literally caramelized the sugar in front of me at the bar). Low key, neighborhoody, a cocktail bar with character but without the scene. A must go if you are in the hood.

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Knowhere Special - Duck A L'Orange

Duck A L'Orange

Knowhere Special - At the bottom of your garden

At the bottom of your garden

Knowhere Special

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The Gallery - Fried chicken

The Gallery

4.3(27 reviews)
3.0 mi•West Hampstead
•££

Cute place in Hampstead! We had just gotten off of a 10 hour flight and was recommended this place…read moreby our friend. Got seated quickly and ordered. I got the fried chicken with buffalo sauce on the side. It was good! A bit small for the price but filling. Our waiter was nice. Cute spot.

When I lived in West Hampstead, The Gallery was our regular hangout and meet-up place. It's the…read morequintessential neighbourhood bar. Definitely more of a bar than a pub, there are a handful of wooden tables and chairs downstairs, with a large sofa corner on a landing halfway up the stairs, and a few leather sofas and stools around some low tables on a raised section at the top, overlooking the downstairs. In warm weather they open the front windows and put a couple of tables out on the pavement. As the other reviews point out, there are some tasty beers on tap here, including Kirin, Red Stripe, and Erdinger. They'll often have something a bit more unusual too: I remember banana beer for a while. No ales on tap, unfortunately. Mixed drinks are easily had, and they have a happy hour between 5 and 7pm most days. Food is good, although I rarely had more than bar snacks. Downstairs are several tables and a dining area, which I think only gets service in the evenings. It's very popular in the neighbourhood, and will fill up with a young, good-looking crowd quickly every weekend night. Sunny weekend afternoon. In 2005, The Gallery came in at second place in the best local bar category for the LBC/Independent Living London Awards. I'm not sure if it's continued to place since, or if those awards are still even held, but they made a big deal of it at the time. The staff there are very friendly, and as regulars we got to be quite chatty with them.

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The Gallery
The Gallery - Poached egg, cream cheese, smoked salmon on savoury waffle

Poached egg, cream cheese, smoked salmon on savoury waffle

The Gallery - Poached  egg, chorizo, pardón peppers on savoury waffle

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Poached egg, chorizo, pardón peppers on savoury waffle

Reverend JW Simpson - cocktailbars - Updated October 2026

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