Ain't Nothin' But Blues Bar

"A welcome respite from the multitude of pretentious London hangouts"

Added Thu 24 Jul 2008 by Leila Hawkins

Truly one of London’s lesser known gems, this bar provides welcome respite from the multitude of pretentious hangouts currently dominating London.

A venue for music lovers, a crowd of smiling faces packs itself in here every night to enjoy a live band. The whole bar plus the stage is pretty much the size of a large bedroom, so I have always made a point of leaping here straight after work in order to get a table, and the large queues on Friday and Saturday nights don’t move quickly. However the atmosphere is fantastic, the band will often have a drink with you after performing and the prices are very reasonable.

Entry is free during the week and before 9.30 at weekends, a very welcome touch for music lovers on a budget. This fact, together with the friendly staff and punters does make me despair slightly at the countless evenings where I’ve paid through the nose for a watered down cocktail on a leather sofa.

Don’t expect lush surroundings, this bar has been ‘lived in’ for a very long time, the toilet walls are covered in ubiquitous pub graffiti, and on one occasion I got the distinct impression my heels were making holes in the steps leading down to them. However one look at the happy people enjoying nothing but the blues is enough to make this venue well worth the visit.

10 out of 10 stars

Calling all Girls!!! If you're single and hoping to hook up but hate the sleaze of the nightclub scene there are always loads of guys hoping to do the same. This is a fantastic bar with tonnes of atmosphere. If you love live music (especially blues, funk and jazz) then this place is perfect for you. It's small and very popular so be prepared to deal with crowds and expect to queue on Friday and Saturday nights. The M:F ratio is totally unbalanced; it definitely needs more girls to keep all the nice, young men company; so get down there!