250 rums, Caribbean music and cocktail fuelled parties, welcome to Cottons Rhum Shack
Cottons Rhum Shack
Bar in Shoreditch
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Cottons Rhum Shack Picture Gallery
All In London Review
Caribbean trinkets and souvenirs add a welcome touch of soul to this industrial retail pop-up.
Located within Boxpark – the world’s first pop-up mall – Cottons Rhum Shack is a sort of antidote to the plain boxes that it stands beside. It may share the same simple sign as every other unit here but the outside bar adds some pizzazz to the monochrome found elsewhere.
Carib, Trinidad and Tobago’s beer of choice, fills up the fridges and there is naturally a predilection for rum. The colourful cocktails resemble the pictures of overblown drinks you might find on a postcard from St. Barts and taste as tropical as they look. Fruit juices deliciously mask the rum, which makes them a dangerous daytime beverage if you’re not counting.
Salt fish, plantain, dumplings, minced chicken patties and large doses of tangy hot sauce is the Cottons way. Dishes are served like tapas and it is well worth sampling a selection. The mix of flavours in the salt fish is particularly striking.
Unfortunately, the outdoor shack section of this branch of Cottons (there are locations in Camden and Angel) is reliant on the weather. There isn’t much appeal in sitting outside in the cold looking at grey skies and traffic shooting down Bethnal Green Road. But when the sun is shining the party is on. We get that, it’s just a shame that this part of the venue’s charms are so reliant on weather that we don’t see enough of.
In a pop-up world that feels so industrial, Cottons adds a touch of authenticity to Boxpark that should appeal to visiting shoppers at the very least.
Reviewed by T.A.O
Published on May 13, 2013
User Reviews
Jennifer
from East london
from East london
Nov 17, 2013
Quite dissapointed as the portions are small. Ordered half a chicken and it was more like half of a tiny baby chicken. The plantains were soggy, service quite poor, we went as a group and didnt all get the food on time together. One person actually canceled their order as it took too long. Wont be going back.
Sheila Davies
from Hackney
from Hackney
Jul 13, 2013
The music is too noisy here. I arranged to meet a friend and we could barely hear each other speak so we had to go elsewhere after we'd had our rum cocktail each.
The decor is quote pleasant and I see what they are trying to do but it does seem a strange place to locate a bar to be honest as BoxPark was supposed to be a pop-up shopping mall rather than bars / restaurants.
If they could create a nicer ambience by turning the loud music down then I may come back as the cocktail was quite nice and fruity.
The decor is quote pleasant and I see what they are trying to do but it does seem a strange place to locate a bar to be honest as BoxPark was supposed to be a pop-up shopping mall rather than bars / restaurants.
If they could create a nicer ambience by turning the loud music down then I may come back as the cocktail was quite nice and fruity.
kimmy
from harrow
from harrow
Jul 1, 2013
Best caribbean food i have tried in London! We had skewered jerk chicken for starters and baby roast jerk chicken with pilau rice and peppered lamb steak as mains. We went to the camden branch and the service we revieved from the waiter(Manuel) was overwhelming! Defintely recomend this resturant for first time tryers! Only thing i would say is music gets really loud on weekends if you go around 9pm which kind of destroys the dining ambience other than that food and service 10/10.
Jonathan Mercer
from Hammersmith
from Hammersmith
Jun 3, 2013
Went to cottons rhum shack Shoreditch with a few friends having already been to the other two and am impressed. Had a superb night out. There was a steel band playing and carnival dancers that created an electric atmosphere. We enjoyed the happy hour that's between 5-8pm and tucked in to some authentic tasting jerk chicken. curry goat, salt fish fritters and platters of well presented Caribbean delicacies. Definitely recommend.
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