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Sat / Jan 23
Party Earth Review Far down the rabbit hole and into the heart of Shoreditch lies Callooh Callay, an Alice in Wonderland-themed bar that’s as serious about its cocktails as the Mad Hatter is about his tea parties. A beautifully kitschy room... ... read full review
65 Rivington Street
London EC2A 3AY
Northern Line: Old Street
020 7739 4781
M–W, Su 6pm–midnight, Th–Sa 6pm–1am
Shoreditch / Brick Lane, London –
Far down the rabbit hole and into the heart of Shoreditch lies Callooh Callay, an Alice in Wonderland-themed bar that’s as serious about its cocktails as the Mad Hatter is about his tea parties.
A beautifully kitschy room awaits the trendy and creative patrons who regularly come in looking to warm themselves with absinthe and specialty rums before a night on the town.
Vivid patterned wallpaper, walls of mirrors, and gaudy vintage furniture evoke the bright and abstract fantasy world created by Lewis Carroll, topped off by the venue’s name itself, an invented phrase from the author’s nonsense poem “Jabberwocky.”
Groups of styled girls and hip young guys sit on the purple padded sofas, selecting from the long list of eccentric artisan cocktails with names like If You Don’t Gnome Me By Now, a gin- and Prosecco-based shareable served in a giant gnome punchbowl.
A fake wardrobe is actually the door to the Back Lounge, a popular space with groups looking to party privately among the spotlights, loud prints, and retro 70s disco furniture.
Busy most nights, the bar usually draws a long line of pretty people, waiting to step into the cozy space to down a few potions.
Despite the wait times, Callooh Callay has garnered acclaim from visitors for its commitment to cutting-edge cocktails and original design that leave patrons ready for more fantasy-fueled adventures – perhaps drinking their way Through the Looking Glass?
Your adventure isn’t over. Upstairs there’s the member’s-only Jubjub bar, where in-the-know locals enjoy a different mixologist host every week. Membership, while not guaranteed, is free! Make an appointment to check out the bar before you join, and then ask for an application if you love what you see.
Trendy and creative mix of design and media types, pretty girls with salon-perfect hair, and smart young professionals looking to buy them a round, 20s to 30s+.
Soothing ambient lounge tracks. Various DJs play a wide range of music genres in the Front Room on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
Range of hot and cold bar snacks including chips, olives, crab cakes, calamari, trio of mini-burgers, and charcuterie boards to share. Reservations recommended.
Bar food/snacks £2–£12. Beer £5, wine £5–£6/glass or £18–£28/bottle, cocktails £8.50–£9.50, Gnome Punchbowl £55, champagne £9–£11/glass or £45–£75/bottle.
Upscale hip and dressy: sweater vests, suits, button-downs, cardigans, cocktail dresses, stilettos, smart shoes.
After 9pm on Fridays and Saturdays when the Front Room is always packed and buzzing, earlier in the week to ensure a quicker seat, or anytime the Back Lounge is available for private parties.
Club Aquarium (256-264 Old Street) has two dance floors, a VIP lounge, and a giant swimming pool for when patrons get too hot from dancing.
Callooh Callay User Reviews