Table for One. Counter Side. At The Bar.
I am a very proud British-Sri Lankan, even in spite of the race wars the media is currently drumming up. However, there was a time when young Rumali who consumed a great deal of Disney Channel did question why my parents elected to move us to Poole in Dorset; or as I understood it to be at that time, the most boring place on planet earth; and not sunny California or really anywhere in America where I could be going to a cool high school with a large canteen where the jocks and cheerleaders gather and I could have a fun, decorated locker and watch my quarterback boyfriend from the bleachers on game day (this was a pipe dream, I was a late bloomer). It goes without saying that the glamorised depiction of the American schooling system that the TV shows and movies purported soon fell to the wayside and was swiftly replaced by the startling reality of it- alongside an ever-growing ardour for being a Brit.
Yet, one relenting facet of American culture continued to intrigue me from the movies and that is the concept of going to bars alone. Whether this is portrayed in a scene where a tortured individual is sat at a Dive bar throwing back a couple neat Whisky’s, or it’s the setting for the serendipitous meet of the protagonist and her lover in the Rom Com, there is a uniquely American popularisation of this occurrence that I don’t believe exists in the same way at all in England. That being said, brimming with journalistic rigour, I decided to put this to the test and take myself to some bars alone to asses the vibes. As a huge advocate of doing things alone, I frequently wine and dine myself because let’s face it somebody has to!! But, I had never just wined myself and so the prospect of this was of course daunting, largely because it’s hard to avoid looking like a total alcoholic when drinking on your ones.
I decided to conduct this experiment during London Cocktail Week, which if you’re unfamiliar with is an 11 day festival that takes place annually in London. By purchasing a £20 wristband you have access to over 200 participating bars across the city that offer specially priced cocktails from £6 - £9 throughout the duration of the festival. It’s an incredible way to sample the astonishing mixology scene here in London and is also an affordable way to try some of the more high-end bars that you might not venture into all that often. This was my first year doing it and it certainly won’t be my last!
When selecting which bars to go to, I was conscious of choosing a variety of venues i.e. hotel bars, independent bars and artisanal bars to truly gauge the solo bar experience. I had originally intended to visit 11 bars over the 11 days of Cocktail Week, but sadly I am no longer the owner of my 21-year old liver who bounced back without a care in the world even after being forced to metabolise litres of Squadka on a weekly basis, and now drinking carries real-world consequences for me. After denial had faded and the dust settled, 11 bars became condensed to a humble 6- I hope this is still enough to paint a decent picture.
Overall, my conclusion for this experiment is that going to bars alone is over-romanticised. At each bar, I was the only person who was there alone that night and if I didn’t have my notebook I honestly don’t know how I would’ve entertained myself. Whilst it’s true that I had the most spectacular time at Bluethroat and The Bloomsbury Club Bar, I think I got super lucky in picking these as options to go to and I don’t think they are reflective of the typical solo bar experience- if that makes sense? As in, if you were to randomly take yourself to a bar on any given day, I believe you’re more likely to sit and scroll on your phone, have a drink and leave as opposed to having the time of your life.
Ultimately…..
Did I enjoy the challenge? Yes.
Will I be back to Bluethroat and The Bloomsbury Club Bar solo again? Yes.
Do I think you should try it? Yes.
But, do I feel that there are far more fun and fruitful activities to do alone? Yes.
Archive & Myth, Covent Garden
London Cocktail Week Cocktail: Mikul’s Pickle Martini - Ramsbury Vodka, salt & vinegar vermouth, tomato liqueur, served with a British-grown pickle platter.
Synopsis: A great place to impress a date.
Date & Time of visit: Friday at 19:00.
Suitable for walk-ins? No, reservation recommended.
Warmth of Bartenders - 7/10
General Atmosphere - 8/10
Were there other people at the bar alone? Yes (1)
Price- ££ - the cocktail I had would typically be £16.
How long did I comfortably sit at the bar with one drink - 1 hour
Amount of seating at bar- 5 seats.
Nestled underneath the Hippodrome Casino, Archive & Myth is a refined speakeasy which serves luxe, innovative cocktails: think Absinthe Frappes- which I had to try even though I am not the biggest liquorice fan and I really enjoyed! The bar is quite small and is accessed via the Magic Mike entrance on Cranbourn Street. I was meeting a friend at 20:00 and so I only really had 1 hour to review this bar as a solo spot. Although, the staff were nice and the drinks were lush, I am not in a hurry to come back here alone and this is mainly due to the fact that there is a certain amount of craftsmanship that is required to make the cocktails served here which does not leave the bartenders a surplus of time to chit-chat. A good solo bar gives you enough stimuli so that you can get a little bit lost and not be so aware of your surroundings and whilst Archive & Myth is not that bar, it is definitely a triumph in the London bar scene and well worth a visit.
Blue Throat Bar, Brixton
London Cocktail Week Cocktail: Pandan Mai Tai - Dark Rum (infused with pandan & lemongrass), brandy, apéritif wine, triple sec and house made spicy mango syrup.
Synopsis: A bar that encapsulates hospitality. Go!
Date & Time of visit: Friday at 19:30.
Suitable for walk-ins? Yes, it’s walk-ins only.
Warmth of Bartenders - 10/10
General Atmosphere - 8/10
Were there other people at the bar alone? No
Price- ££ - the cocktail I had would typically be £13.
How long did I comfortably sit at the bar with one drink - 2 hours. After three drinks and a free goodbye shot I was on my very merry way.
Amount of seating at bar- 5 seats.
Bluethroat Brixton is my new favourite bar in London. From the minute I arrived, the warmth of Harry (owner) and Dina was so huge that I felt immediately at ease. I sat at the bar and spent the next 2 hours chatting away to them both whilst drinking the most delicious cocktails. As someone who frequents Brixton I was so surprised that this bar has been sitting under my nose for the past 2 years since it opened. This is also their second location, with the original Bluethroat Bar being located next to Deptford station. I went on a Friday night and by 20:00 the place was pretty full. It has great music and a fabulous disco ball. I wouldn’t say that this is a bar where you’re going to see other people on solo dates, but I truly had so much fun and could not recommend it enough. Go alone, go with friends, just go!
Note: Happy Hour is 17:00 - 19:00 where all cocktails are £9.
The Bloomsbury Club Bar at The Bloomsbury Hotel, Fitzrovia
London Cocktail Week Cocktail: Cenote - 1800 Blanco Tequila, 1800 Coconut Tequila, lime oleo saccharum, topped with roasted pineapple soda and served with a double cream float.
Synopsis: Just like the movies!
Date & Time of visit: Thursday at 20:00.
Suitable for walk-ins? Yes. No reservation and seated immediately at the bar.
Warmth of Bartenders - 10/10
General Atmosphere - 9/10
Were there other people at the bar alone? No
Price- £££ - the cocktails are £17.
How long did I comfortably sit at the bar with one drink - 1 hr. I ended up ordering 3 drinks and left almost 3 hours later!
Amount of seating at bar- 6 seats.
This review has been the most challenging to write because I was having SO much fun that I barely made any notes, and now I am relying on my memory which is rapidly deteriorating with each trip around the sun. From it’s website, The Bloomsbury Club Bar looks swanky and mildly pretentious: further evidenced by the layout of their cocktail menu and the fact that every drink is £17, so I was not anticipating the joyous evening that laid ahead. But, let me tell you that the energy of this place is immaculate for a solo drink. To begin, Alex: the resident bartender and Mia: one of the primary server’s, are two of the chattiest and most down to earth people you will meet in such settings. I took a seat at the bar and was instantly brought into the chat by them and two wonderful gents who were having an after work drink. These wonderful gents soon became my best friends and we spent the ensuing 3 hours talking about life and laughing away against the background of beautiful jazz music, which is performed live Tuesday - Saturday from 9pm. I just want to mention that one of these wonderful guys was gay and the other was married so me hanging out with them was not remotely romantically inclined. When I left the bar that evening, I was of course rather drunk, but also so invigorated by life and meeting new people and how fun it can be to put yourself out of your comfort zone sometimes. Mia assured me that people come to this bar alone all the time and so, overdraft permitting, I will continue to be one of them.
Booking Office 1869, King’s Cross
London Cocktail Week Cocktail: Golden Orchard - Vodka, lemon juice, green herbal liqueur, Italian bitters, peach liqueur and foamer.
Synopsis: Wouldn’t recommend for a solo drink, unless you’re loaded and have a book.
Date & Time of visit: Thursday at 19:00.
Suitable for walk-ins? Yes. No reservation and seated immediately at the bar.
Warmth of Bartenders - 5/10 (FOH were absolutely lovely though)
General Atmosphere - 7/10
Were there other people at the bar alone? No
Price- £££ - the cocktail I had would typically be £17.
How long did I comfortably sit at the bar with one drink - approximately 50 minutes, I had one drink and then left.
Amount of seating at bar- 13 seats.
The Booking Office is absolutely stunning. It’s gorgeously opulent and dimly lit, with nice background music playing. The demographic when I visited was mainly people in their late 30s/40s- quite suited and booted. This is definitely a must-visit bar but for a special occasion or when you just fancy throwing £20 a pop at very well-made cocktails. It’s not really the kind of bar where you can sit and chat to the bartenders and watch the world go by, and so I would not recommend it to be a stop on your solo bar tour.
Chiave, Shoreditch
London Cocktail Week Cocktail: Wake Me Up - Belvedere Dirty Brew, espresso, white chocolate, crème de cacao, and a dash of absinthe. Served with a vanilla & tahini mousse.
Synopsis: A weekday people watching spot.
Date & Time of visit: Saturday at 18:00.
Suitable for walk-ins? No, reservation recommended.
Warmth of Bartenders - 8/10
General Atmosphere - 6/10
Were there other people at the bar alone? No
Price- ££ - Cocktails £11 - £14.
How long did I comfortably sit at the bar with one drink - 30 mins.
Amount of seating at bar- 4 seats.
Chiave {key-ah-vay} is a very chic cocktail bar just a stone’s throw away from Shoreditch High Street station. There is no seating available at the bar but they have gorgeous window counter seats that make this a paradise for people watching. The bar is next to The Owl & Pussycat Pub so you can expect a spill over in some of the rowdiness which is great for your viewing pleasure. Owing to the fact that the space is quite small, reservations are only 1-hour long. Perhaps it was just me, but I felt very aware of the space I was taking up and if I were to come again alone, I would come on a weekday and not on the weekend. Aside from this, the cocktails were pretty decent and the bartenders were super lovely and very attentive. They also have beautiful coasters! The bar is open until 2am on weekends, so it’s somewhere to consider if you’re in Shoreditch and looking for a late night tipple.
Scales, Marleybone
London Cocktail Week Cocktail: Jalapeño - 1800 Coconut Tequila infused with Jalapeño, lychee cordial, lime and topped with grapefruit soda.
Synopsis: Has potential but I went on the wrong night.
Date & Time of visit: Tuesday at 19:00.
Suitable for walk-ins? Yes, walked in and seated swiftly at the bar.
Warmth of Bartenders - 8/10
General Atmosphere - 7/10
Were there other people at the bar alone? Yes (1)
Price- ££ - Cocktails £14 - £19.
How long did I comfortably sit at the bar with one drink - 30 mins.
Amount of seating at bar- 16 seats.
If I were to describe Scales in one word it would be: suave. Think, dark wood interiors and super low-lighting, a big central bar and candles burning away. I can see that Scales has potential, especially considering it’s location: right off of Oxford Street; but sadly, I went on a night where they were hosting a takeover with another bar and so the vibe was slightly chaotic. Due to this takeover, they weren't serving their standard menu and so I didn’t have the opportunity to try any of their other cocktails after not being wowed by their London Cocktail Week offering: Jalapeño. I was very surprised that I was disappointed by this cocktail, especially because the ingredients listed are my version of heaven, but sadly I found the grapefruit soda to overpower all of the other flavours. Cocktail aside, the bartenders did seem really nice and were very intensely chatting to some of the guests there, so I think on a standard night this would be a nice place to pop in solo and enjoy a cocktail, maybe after a spot of shopping. However, bear in mind that the bar is located in the basement of the Drink With Sasha shop and therefore there’s 0 reception or WiFI- in case you’re thinking of scrolling on your phone, you won’t be.
