Mark's Bar

Bar in Soho
Mark's Bar image
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No longer at this address

Our records show that Mark's Bar is closed.


8 / 10 from 2 reviews
Address
Hix
66-70 Brewer Street
Soho
London
W1F 9UP
Map
Region
Soho
Nearest Station
Piccadilly Circus
0.15 miles
Category
Bars

Even if we do say it ourselves (and a lot of others do too), Mark’s is one of the coolest bars in London. Leather chesterfields, smoky mirrors, ambient lighting, and its apothecary cocktail bar give the place a very New York vibe. With a traditional bar billiards table and a cocktail list of historical curiosities and celebrations, Mark’s is the place to sit back and enjoy a more eccentric approach to drinking. Not forgetting of course, a long list of cocktails with provenance designed by Nick Strangeway which go hand in hand with Mark Hix’s British bar snax.

We have a no reservations policy at Mark’s. But you can come early and stay late, we’re open until 1am. Please note that if you are joining us for drinks only, Mark's has a restaurant license and therefore guests are required to purchase a little nibble from the bar snax menu. The maximum party size we can accommodate in Mark's is 6.

Mark's Bar Picture Gallery

Mark's Bar
Mark's Bar

All In London Review

A cocktail bar is only as strong as its cocktails, which makes Mark’s Bar pretty tough.

Done right, a cocktail bar is the sweetest place in the world. You can lounge, soak up the vibes coming from the crowd (which is always a mix of the aspirational and the ‘already made-its’) and just generally feel pretty happy with yourself. Perhaps this is because you’re not in a pub, perhaps it’s because we all like to dream or maybe it’s because cocktail bars go to so much effort to make you feel like you’re drinking somewhere special. Somewhere refined. Somewhere Daft Punk might come when they’re in town…

Mark’s Bar is a bit like that. It’s sophisticated without being snobby, classic without being fusty. And it knows how to serve a drink. Housed in the basement of Hix on Brewer Street, the space works with a long bar that stretches across the room with front row seating all the way. An old-fashioned billiards table doubles up as a drinking space (covered by a board) and there are some intimate areas pushed into the corners. For our money, a place among the row of chairs along the bar makes a case for the best seat in the house. They offer you the chance to watch the bar staff toil, which means smoking peppercorns, flame throwing, shaking and mixing etc.

The only problem we have with the place is the floor. Scattered rugs cover an ugly white slab, where full carpeting would have done a better job at matching the venue’s style. But we’re not picky so we keep our heads up and refrain from eyeing the floor.

Obviously, a cocktail bar is only as strong as its cocktails, which makes Mark’s Bar pretty tough. The Hix Fix is worthy of receiving the owner’s name. It’s a Champagne cocktail that uses morello cherry with apple eau de vie and tops off with Nyetimber Classic Cuvee 2004. We also sample the Ship Shape and Bristol Fashioned. We watch as the barman mixes a drink with Doorly’s 5 year-old rum, bramley and gage quince liqueur, sugar syrup and Xocotatl bitters before flaming some peppercorns and adding the smoke. Even more impressive than watching it made is how it tastes. Mark’s Bar uses the best British spirits and liqueurs, a combination of ancient drinks recipes and Hix originals. The bar also serves ‘snax’ from quails eggs to oysters, fish fingers to steak tartare.

As we said, done right, a cocktail bar is the sweetest place in the world. With the time and the money, you could definitely stay a while at Mark’s Bar.

Reviewed by T.A.O
Published on Sep 20, 2013


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More than just a waiting area

The basement bar at Hix Soho manages to be homely yet glam at the same time,thanks to comfy Chesterfields, Persian rugs and a pool table. The cocktail list provides a lesson in historical British beverages and the “snax” are good enough to forfeit dinner for.

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The basement bar at Mark Hix’s Brewer Street restaurant is as popular as the main dining area, if not more. Cool starlets (read: up-and-coming models and MTV presenters) mingle with media bods over cocktails and ‘snax’.

User Reviews

T.A.O

Oct 3, 2013

People rave about Mark's Bar and while yes, it may be quite a bar, it still has its issues. Seated right at the bar we got a view into the kitchen/back-room, a neon lit utility area that kind of shattered the illusion of where we were drinking. Had we sat at the other end of the bar I'm sure I'd have no issues at all.

The rest of the place was thoroughly good. Really liked the billiard table, the rugs and was a huge fan of the dim, basement vibe it had going on. Oh and the drinks were superb.