Behind This Wall

Last night I had a few drinks at this lovely establishment. I walked past this place twice though when trying to find this bar. You have to walk downstairs before you're immediately welcomed by staff. I also hit my head when walking downstairs 😁 Enough of my personal trials and tribulations. The cocktail bar is dark and dingy, the lighting is just right so if you're looking for a moody bar, this is the place for you. I sat on the table and I received free popcorn which was lovely. I ordered sazerac absinthe, an old fashioned and a beer. The old fashioned had a hint of chocolate so that was my personal favourite. The service was sublime, the staff explained what was on offer, she was accommodating, friendly and there was service with a smile. Drinks arrived quick as well, which was lovely. If you're in the hackney central area and you're in need of a drink. Look no further than this place and if you're tall, duck so you don't hit your head on the wall 🙂

A really good cocktail bar, with good service and competent cocktails. The team worked to fit us in on short notice, and the service was always friendly. In terms of the cocktails they don't have a menu so you describe what you want; I find this approach a mixed bag in my experience. And with this bar it worked if you were on the rails of well known cocktails and knew what you wanted, then the cocktails were well made and met expectations. The issue comes on this approach if you aren't sure what you want. Or deliberately want to be surprised. A request for a cocktail like a Manhattan resulted in a Manhattan for example. I never got the sense that these were people inventing cocktails, they were more working on established concepts. Another small issue with this approach is cocktails varied quite widely in price. It wasn't an issue for us, but if you want certainty on what you're paying it's not there. A tiny thing left the bitter taste - and no, not a negroni. A member of our party asked for some more popcorn which came free when we arrived. It took four attempts, and we got some. Then they put £2.50 on the bill for it. I mean... you're spending hundreds on cocktails and they want to charge you £2.50 for popped corn that took them four attempts to deliver. That's the silliness that separates a bar from merely being a good but but a great bar. It leaves you ending on a low note over something silly, it feels petty. It's a good bar, with good drinks. You're unlikely to go wrong here. I would still recommend a visit. It's perhaps just not worth a repeat one.

My girlfriend and I stumbled across this wonderful bar last week whilst in the area for dinner. Doug and Flo were absolutely amazing hosts, making us feel extremely welcome and encouraging us to return for round 2 post dinner . The concept is lovely and the drinks were next level, each one unique and alarmingly drinkable. Easily our new favorite cocktail bar in London!

There’s no menu so you can ask for whatever you want from a classic or a unique creation, either way they’re all delicious and super reasonably priced. The decor, atmosphere and location may be the coolest of any bar I’ve been in London with a Scandi theme and an open plan where you’re both encouraged to enjoy the company you’ve brought with you but not cut off from the room. Finally the service is friendly and efficient and they serve the best olives I’ve ever had in my life, you have to get them if you go. Couldn’t recommend it more, definitely somewhere to checkout.

Went to Behind this wall as my Birthday treat and I couldn’t recomend it enough. Through an almost hidden door at the top end of Mare street and down the stairs to a speak easy cocktail bar is (totally at odds with the muddle of the street above). The space is intimate and modern- the staff were very welcoming and made us feel like we were old friends joining their secret party. Unsure about cocktails? We were asked about flvour prefrences and then presented with individual cocktails ALL hitting the mark. Five stars will be back and will be bringing friends

We privately hired this place for our office work party. The space was perfect for about 25 of us with alcoves to chat and a small dancefloor. The staff were incredibly helpful, friendly and could make anything you wanted. We were able to order decent pizza nearby from Yard sale, which really suited feeding a big party. Thanks again for having us! We'll definitely be back.

Me and some friends made a reservation for the bar and it did not disappoint!! Florence, our bartender, made the experience very personable and exciting! She was absolutely wonderful at creating cocktails matching the flavor profile we wanted! We left tipsy and fulfilled! 100% recommend reserving bar seats! Will definitely be going here again!

Cool spot hidden away with a good vibe Free popcorn was a nice touch No menu concept is fun however to just be told 'we make all classic cocktails' wasn't particularly inspiring, would've been nice to have a more bespoke conversation to taste/preference Only seemed to be one staff member serving so service was slow (2 drinks each in nearly 2 hours), we were going to stay for a third as the drinks were really good, but whenever we tried to get the waitresses attention, we were ignored and rushed past as opposed to being acknowledged and told they'd be there in a minute - so we decided best to get the bill and leave (which took some time to get as well). Completely understand being understaffed however service does make part of the experience and it did leave a slight sour taste in our mouth If you want to stop by for one cocktail, potentially 2, this would be the spot (recommend the lychee martini and espresso martini)

What a dope little minimalist bar! Vibes are immaculate. Tiny little nooks and crannies to hide in and talk about all the things, not too dark and not too bright― juuuust right. My friends reserved in advance and we got to see them spin music for a few hours. The house endured our twerkng and loud antics (sorry to the other guests who were hoping for a quiet atmosphere that night), and the cherry negroni came highly recommended. I would definitely come back and hang out again. Give it a visit if you're in Hackney Central!

So glad I finally went to Behind the Wall. I've been wanting to give it a try, and the 2-4-1 Poke' Bowl deal and £1 Oysters on a Tuesday were more than enough motivation. OMG....the tuna poke was amazing. I'd almost go as far as saying that it might have been even better than the poke I've had in Hawaii. The oysters were also pretty good...although I like mine with tabasco(to be fair, I didn't ask if they had tabasco...just ate as served). In addition to the food, the cocktails were also very palate-pleasing. I started with the Ramos Gin Fizz. This cocktail involves a very lengthy shaking process, but it was worth the wait. It reminded me of a dreamsicle mixed with an orange julius. Next I moved onto the Old Fashioned. It was a bit sweeter than I'm used to, but still awesome...with a bit of a orange zest kick. I finished off the night with a Sazerac...strong, flavorful and easy to drink. Also, my sister was visiting from the states where a drink called The Last Word has gotten popular. She's ordered it at every bar we've been to in London, and Behind This Wall was the first that new what she was talking about...and the bartender made a great one. Finally, the atmosphere and decor were very nice. Simplistic yet attractive wood booths and stools. A dim room, but not too dark. I was there with a couple of girlfriends(getting accidentally tipsy before a movie at Hackney Picturehouse), but it would also be great for a date. Around 8pm, a DJ started playing decent tunes, and our waitress was attentive and friendly. As mentioned, they have a great deal on Tuesdays, but also have a £1 oyster Happy Hour from 6pm - 7pm everyday. I will 100% be returning.

My first impression was so-so... Came here last friday night after eating in, to enjoy a few cocktails. This place is literally behind a wall and down the stairs, just find the "Bar" sign. Kind of like that secret/word-of-mouth feeling around it. Unfortunately couldn't find anywhere to sit but at the bar. The place looks well...still "under construction" which I get might be the entire point of the pop-up. In any case, those very uncomfortable wooden stools made me think about how important comfortable seats can be. Wasn't completely blown away but the cocktails either :( Need to give it another shot.

We were really excited to go to this bar as it featured in the nudge newsletter. Hm..not that impresses. It seems like it's new and feels relatively basic. The cocktails have a bit of a twist to the normal cocktails but not interesting enlighten for me to want to go there again.

A Happy Hour Hackney Hideaway. Great cocktails, and the service is attentive and friendly but not over the top. It feels like a speakeasy, had a first date here and we keep coming back. A must visit if you're Hackney Central way.

Nice vibe, easy going, small and pretty chill! Drinks are fine, only thing is music is bit too loud in the evening for such a small venue :)

Really nice spot with an exclusive feel. Its situated down some stairs and behind a curtain and i think the name 'behind this wall is quite fitting'. The cocktails there are really nice and well presented, My fav was the Margarita which was lime green due to some cucumber juice (i think) with the rim of the glass coated in black salt. It was really cool! My girlfriend had a Sazerac which came with an oyster on top which neither of us had seen before, pretty cool again! Its also fairly priced and the staff are really nice and helpful and explain each drink in detail, they really know their stuff down there. Well worth a visit. "Woohoo! As good as it gets!" is a fitting statement