Danger of Death Cocktail Bar / Lounge

Shoreditch / Brick Lane, London –

Refined but with a touch of cheeky sophistication, Danger of Death is a favorite of hipster Hoxonites and moneyed artistic professionals looking for an exclusive night of cocktails and conversation.

Tucked behind the façade of a former antique shop, the cozy escape retains its secretive underground vibe through its stringent members-only policy.

For those lucky patrons, however, slipping into the club’s basic wooden booths and ordering Cold War-inspired cocktails like the Old Cuban or the Atomizer – measured by the menu in terms of “liquid blast intensity” – is a welcome way to sneak off and unwind.

Minimally decked out in Art Deco lamps, nautical paintings, and a collection of antique medicine bottles, the former speakeasy is surprisingly modest, the only flashy things being the designer clothes and sharp wit of its intellectually curious clientele, who trade barbs and get flirty with the other networking regulars at the back bar.

Though the place may never be in danger of losing its cool, Danger of Death is nevertheless a chic drinking den to mix with artists and creative types who appreciate a sophisticated night out in their very own hideaway.