Casey C.
Yelp
My husband and I had been really looking forward to trying Bermondsey Arts Club, as we have recently moved here and we are still getting to know the neighborhood and are in search of our "go-to" spot. The perfect opportunity arose when our friend was visiting from out of town and wanted to have some proper London cocktails. The atmosphere is inviting and funky - the allure of the public toilets turned speakeasy certainly holds true. Our first round of drinks was very enjoyable. Our friend and I tried the "Thymes Up" and my husband had the classic Old Fashioned. We ordered a second round and all of us opted to try something different. While my and our friend's new "Twelve Miles In" was just as enjoyable as our first drink, I could tell that my husband was not having the same palatable experience. I asked him what was wrong with his "Big Smoke" and he said that it tasted horribly bitter. I tried a sip and the taste was indeed offensive. We politely asked our waitress if the bartender could check whether he had over poured the bitters. She gave my husband a smug look and said she could bring the drink to the bartender for him to try it, but he was unlikely to agree. We watched from afar as the bartender rolled his eyes at our request, pretended to taste the drink, and insisted to our waitress that she bring the same drink back to my husband to finish. When paying 12 quid for a drink, I would expect better service from a bar that deems to call itself professional. Bermondsey Arts Club had the opportunity to win our future frequent business if the bartender had been more friendly and respectful of a customers opinion. The worst we could have hoped for was an apology and an offer to mix in additional whiskey and vermouth to balance out the bitters; the best we were hoping for was a new drink, even if it was a cheaper menu option so that my husband could have finished the evening enjoying his drink with us. Instead he left his 12 quid drink 9/10 full on the table and we will not be returning.