Bar Music Hall, Shoreditchback to pub details please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
After having to spend 1 evening here recently, I thought I would add my own review as I heard many stories of the vile bar staff, rude bouncers and horrid clientele. Well, most is true, but still a good night out if you don't mind waiting up to 30 minutes to get a drink...
It was a very fun evening, walked in early when no door staff where there, got a place and was served by a miserable old trout at the bar, but hey, this is London, used to rude bar staff. Gradually got more and more packed throughout the evening, so much so it eventually took around 30 mins for each drink, unless you were a sexy girl, when the buff men at the bar would be happy to help.
Smokers beware. You can go out and come back in, but if it's busy, expect to have to queue a little while to get in, all fair I suppose, but not if they are leaving you out there for 15 minutes.
The mix of party goers is exactly that, a mix. Rocky grungers, pretentious wannabes and people out for fun. The majority is pretentious wannabes, but go with those you like so you can laugh at those that think they are it.
The bouncers are vile. Rude, aggressive, unhelpful and down right disrespectful. They just are, and for no reason. Guys you are not door staff at a celeb hangout, give it up and let people back in to collect their belongings at the end of the night!
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Try getting served by one of the male barmen if you aren't a girl. I did - and waited 45 minutes! Even when I pointed out how long I'd been waiting I was told to wait my turn! Eventually just gave up and left - won't be going back.
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Lots of straight people pretending to be gay and dressing for attention, which could be fun until you realise how seriously it is all being taken. After having your dress sense evaluated by a sickly looking waif yet to grow out of his new romantic phase you'll find yourself amongst wannabe fashionista cretins whose idea of a fun night out is watching Britains next top model and air kissing to the faux papparazzi.
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Reputedly the centre of the nu-rave scene (you know, the one that doesn't actually involve any "rave" music, just bog standard indie like the Klaxons), this pub divides punters in the same way that it exercises a velvet rope door policy after about 9pm.
However, I think this joint might just be a little underrated. Yes, it's poncey, but this is Shoreditch, not Ludlow. I found the nu-romantic staff to be charming and the presence of a killer Belgian beer in Maredsous to be quite welcome. I even found my toes tapping to the music. Cutting edge in a way cities like Manchester can only dream about these days.
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Awful! Went here to see my mates band play and the place is not set up for it. Sound was terrible and clientele spent whole set throwing things at the band without any intervention from staff. The drinks here are also very expensive, although there is a fairly good selection.
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I went here on Friday night with a mixed sex group to continue celebrating my birthday. I have never encountered such rude door staff who for some reason were only letting three people in at a time, even though once inside the place was half empty. Utterly pointless and put a bit of a dampner on the night.
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Not impressed incredibly rude bar staff and door people. There is exclusive and then poor manners the latter of which when properly educated is certainly not something to be proud of. Once inside I found the venue to be half empty and completely lacking in atmosphere. The toilets were dirty and unpleasant. I would not recommend this place and I left shortly afterwards. I am a venue scout for an international company and I certainly would not suggest an event/trip here. Very disappointing.
anonymous - 27 Feb 2007 12:05 |
Yes, it is annoying to be denied entry somewhere. But the thing with places like Bar Music Hall, which hosts Computer Blue on a Friday and art disco Anti Social on a saturday is that they are trying to create and maintain a particular atmosphere. It does get busy later on and I think it's absolutely fine to expect people to make the effort in terms of their look (they love boys in make-up and gay girls in hoodies), especially in an area which is increasingly being infiltrated by boring city boys and gangs of beered up blokes from out of town. A lot of the people inside would probably be turned away from certain places for looking too freakish so if you don't care about these particular nights and don't know what they're called then there's a whole load of other places to visit in Shoreditch.
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Don't bother going here unless you want to be exposed to a draconian door policy run by someone who declares,"I'm on the door" and won't let anyone in unless they "recognise" them. The place was half empty. Avoid.
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wow i remember this place 6 months ago as a corporate hellhole and suddenly it's a technicolor happening. very cool music and mellow attitude in the bar.
slightly confused about anonymous's comments above. i've been there saturday and it was the most happy party in shoreditch that night. i know what he means by shoreditch crazies (and i'd like to think of myself as slightly chicer than that) but hey you can't have a tea-party without the monkeys.
went couple of times on a friday and thursday there was totally different but interesting stuff going on. haven't checked it out midweek, except in daytime for lunch. food was pretty good but not enough veggie stuff. doesn't mean i'm a vegetarian but i like vegetables. but they did have fresh carrot juice which makes anything forgivable.
seems to be getting better by the week. shoreditch definately needs a new big venue, now that 333 is a dingy toilet and t-bar a unpredictable bore.
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Tried to pop in here to see some mates on Saturday night. Large, veiled(!), hoxtonian cretin barred my way. Thought she was just a Shoreditch crazy and humored her until she asked if I knew what night it was. I replied 'Saturday'. She didn't take this very well and I wasn't allowed in. Bouncers even gave my mate the 3rd degree as he wanted to get out to have a chat with me.
It was around 9.30 on a Saturday night in Feb...get a grip!!
Mates duly left and pointed out they'd received the same pointlessly high handed treatment and that inside was absolutely ca-ca. Even met someone in Fabric that night who had the same experience.
Will never even attempt to visit this place again...nice work door staff.
anonymous - 13 Feb 2006 11:08 |
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