Dirty Martini

Seen one, seen them all? Think again. Dirty Martini may be the first name in ‘after work glamour bars’ but move from venue to venue and there is a noticeable difference in aesthetic. With a handful of bars centred around the financial district, Dirty Martini seem to have a bit of a thing for attracting a certain type of clientele – which means they know how to appeal to them. The Monument venue is the most individual of the chain’s bars that we’ve been to. It has an appealing subterranean location below the city and splits itself into two sections – for those who like things a little quieter and for those who want the full-on earful of commercial dance.

We visit on a Wednesday night and opt out of the makeshift dance floor, settling instead for a table in the smaller bar where we sample the cocktail range. Of all the ‘Dirty Martinis’ our favourite is the espresso but after moving on from vodka to darker spirits, we find a drink that really impresses us. A take on the Manhattan and the Old Fashioned both at once, the Scotch Mist is a deep, rich brooding cocktail that wouldn’t be out of place on the menu at the Savoy. Our preconceptions of the cocktails at Dirty Martini were blown away after a night of sampling, leaving us pleasantly surprised… and slightly drunk. We probably should have ordered a sharing platter or two.

Dirty Martini Monument appeals beyond its place in the company chain; the low lit classiness works, a surprisingly warm atmosphere runs through it and the service was great.