Late-night drinking and dancing spots in London

[baboon2004]

*Parochial thread alert. Well, given that 10 million people live here, or whatever, not that parochial*

I'm getting bored of many of London's big clubs, due mainly to insipid music selection that I can't believe anyone actually selected, and a preponderance of twats (the correct collective noun, according to the OED).

Therefore I'm edging towards considering a good night out as one where you can go, sit down, have a chat and then a dance to records that you know (hopefully something a bit more interesting than a playlist that goes from Kinky Afro to James Brown to Valerie, much as I like all those, the last unbelievably given the presence of Mark "Cunt" Ronson). Preferably somewhere that doesn't close until late on weekends (ie 3am or later).

Places I tend to go to myself...

Dogstar, Brixton - crap in so many ways, but something very soothing about it.
Proud, Camden - was quite impressed with this. twat count less than expected, and they played some good hip-hop/dancehall in the end.
Arts Theatre, Frith Street, Soho

Er, ok, that's three....

 

[mistersloane]

Good thread idea.

I like the Soho members places but they're not very conducive to dancing, and the people can be unbearable; the Phoenix is nice, Gerry's is the best one but don't expect to remember getting home if you go there. Other than that I end up in the Quebec in Marble Arch which is where old gay men go to die and is amazing.

But I wouldn't half like a speakeasy that played really good music.

 

[Slothrop]

The Castle on Commercial Road is an unspeakably civilised place to drink, dance, and chat until 5am.

Often has good music, frequently has a few Subvert Central / Dissensus regulars and irregulars about (if you view the presence of internet music pedants as a recommendation for a nightspot) and it's open 'til god knows at the weekend.

 

[baboon2004]

Thanks for the tips. Founf the Beach Bar in Brixton last night, which will be my Saturday-night haunt for the next few weeks at least. It's not boring!

 

[craner]

The Phoenix is hateful. All the actors' bars are appalling, I think. The Italian Bar aka Trishas (or is that the other way around?) is the place to be.

 

[craner]

I wonder if I've ever met Mr. Sloan in a Soho basement. It really is entirely possible.

 

[luka]

wheelers in stratford
http://www.thebestof.co.uk/local/newham/business-guide/feature/wheelers-bar/29268

 

[viktorvaughn]

Had a wicked night at the Graphone on Commercial St on Friday. Downstairs is clubby, upstairs is a free bar which was open till 4.30 playing wicked reggae.

Bardens Boudoir in Dalston is a wicked venue but they never seem to have anything good one.

Cafe Oto in Dalston is a lovely lovely venue, intimate, cosy, nice coffee in the day, nice ales in the evening, cool decor and clientèle. Have a lot of avant guard stuff plus bits of folks, rocknroll etc.

Bethnal Green working men's club has bits and bobs on.

 

[baboon2004]

Ah, two venues I know pretty well!

Always liked Gramaphone - haven't been downstairs that much really though. I was a bit disappointed they took those lovely photos of Aretha etc down, but still a nice place and uncrowded compared to Ten Bells etc.

Cafe Oto I went to twice last week, to see John Sinclair and Francoiz Breut. Lovely venue, if a bit homogenous (and I was very much part of that homogeneity outwardly, though not inwardly ). My friend took video footage of the worst dancing I have seen in a very long while, from people who were trying too hard to like very bland music (the support act for John Sinclair, who was himself very boring aside from a version of 'Welcome' by Coltrane). "This is what it must have been like when white people went to Harlem in the '20s" said my friend, and I dare say he was right. One punter seemed to be doing some kind of 'jungle' dance... I haven't been so embarrassed in a while...

But, excellent venue, certainly, and Francoiz was great.

 

[baboon2004]

Oh, and i found a Cameroonian pub round the corner from Oto on Saturday, which was quite a nice local if one were to live near there (I live south....)

 

[IdleRich]

"Bardens Boudoir in Dalston is a wicked venue but they never seem to have anything good one.
Cafe Oto in Dalston is a lovely lovely venue, intimate, cosy, nice coffee in the day, nice ales in the evening, cool decor and clientèle. Have a lot of avant guard stuff plus bits of folks, rocknroll etc.
Bethnal Green working men's club has bits and bobs on."

None of these are really open late though are they?

"Oh, and i found a Cameroonian pub round the corner from Oto on Saturday"

Which one is that then? I remember trying to go to a Cameroon rave thing in that same building as Oto a few years back but they wouldn't let me in 'cause I wasn't from Cameroon (or maybe I was just too drunk).

 

[luka]

tell me where that cameroon one is please, my brothers from cameroon

 

[baboon2004]

@IdleRich and Luka - the pub is the Victoria, down Dalston Lane and to the right (on Queensbridge Road, I think - it's fairly prominent).

Got talking to a bloke at the bar, who had come from west London that evening, cos apparently it's the best-known Cameroonian pub in London, possibly? He said there were lots of Black Belgians there, lots of French speakers from DRC etc. he was Camerooonian himself.

@Idelrich - Oto closed quite early, I thought, esp for a Friday night

 

[IdleRich]

Oh I know the one you mean, it's kind of white and purple right? Never knew it was a Cameroon pub though and never been in it.

 

[Mr. Tea]

Is Kingsland Road's Russian Bar still any good? I think it got tarted up a few years ago, which is often not a good thing to happen to a somewhat quirky or unusual place.

 

[baboon2004]

Oh I know the one you mean, it's kind of white and purple right? Never knew it was a Cameroon pub though and never been in it.

yeah, iirc. Not very good with visual memories sometimes! The windows are kinda one-way glass effect, if you know what I mean. Pool table inside, classic English pub design. Seemed friendly enough.

 

[BareBones]

Is Kingsland Road's Russian Bar still any good? I think it got tarted up a few years ago, which is often not a good thing to happen to a somewhat quirky or unusual place.

is that the one with all the pool tables and arcades when you come in and then a bar/club bit down the stairs?

 

[Mr. Tea]

is that the one with all the pool tables and arcades when you come in and then a bar/club bit down the stairs?

I don't remember tables or machines, there's a bar upstairs with a small dancefloor at the back, and a smaller bar downstairs that looks like it's used mainly for poledancing etc. It might have changed since I was there last, but I doubt there'd be enough room to install anything as large as a pool table.

 

[IdleRich]

"I don't remember tables or machines, there's a bar upstairs with a small dancefloor at the back, and a smaller bar downstairs that looks like it's used mainly for poledancing etc. It might have changed since I was there last, but I doubt there'd be enough room to install anything as large as a pool table."

There are two (at least) Russian bars on Kingsland Road, you're talking about the A10 place on the left hand side of the road as you head away from Old Street which has become a kind of trendy hang-out dealing with the Shoreditch overspill over the last couple of years. It used to stay open all night but now it's only licensed until three or something. Further up the road on the other side is a more Russian bar which I think is what BareBones is talking about, I've only been in there once but I reckon it does have pool tables and stuff.

 

[mistersloane]

The Phoenix is hateful. All the actors' bars are appalling, I think. The Italian Bar aka Trishas (or is that the other way around?) is the place to be.

Probably been in the same bars though I'm out much less than I used to be. Trishas is amazing early on but gets too packed out for me, I like empty places. You're right though it's about the best one there at the moment, don't tell no-one though