Entertainment in England
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A
Eagle
Cambridge's most famous pub has loosened the tongues and pickled the grey cells of many an illustrious academic in its day; among them Nobel Prize-winning scientists Crick and Watson, who are thought to have discovered the form of DNA. It's a traditional 16th-century pub with five cluttered cosy rooms, the back one popular with WWII airmen, who left their signatures on the ceiling.
reviewed
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B
El Vino
A venerable institution that plays host to barristers, solicitors and other legal types from the Royal Courts of Justice across the way, this wine bar (one of five in a small chain) has one of the better wine lists in the City and prices at the attached shops are reasonable. El Vino featured as the wine bar Pomeroys in the TV series Rumpole of the Bailey.
reviewed
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C
Bar Vinyl DJ Bar
Bar Vinyl is the epicentre for Camden’s young and urban crowd, with cool kids behind the decks, a record shop downstairs and graffiti whirling along narrow walls. But it’s superfriendly at the same time. Weekends are packed and buzzing, midweek nights are quieter, and the music is always good. There is happy hour every night of the week between 5pm and 9pm.
reviewed
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D
Dalston Superstore
This two-level industrial space, with the feel of New York’s meat-packing district, is open all day but really comes into its own after dark when there are club nights in the basement and DJs spinning upstairs.
reviewed
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E
Little Angel Theatre
It might sound like kids’ stuff but this puppet theatre down an alleyway in Islington has programs for grownups, including the adults-only Puppet Grinder Cabaret. Especially memorable was their staged version of Shakespeare’s lengthy poem, Venus and Adonis. We’d never seen marionette birds before (or puppets in the throes of, err, passion, for that matter).
reviewed
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F
Gin Parlour
For a taste of life in a Victorian gentleman’s club, head to this sophisticated drinking den. Purple banquettes and dark wood panels frame a backlit bar stocked with the largest selection of gin in the West Midlands. Legal eagles, city slickers and students bowl up for classic movies on Wednesday, Gin’ll Fix It on Friday and a burlesque show on the last Thursday of every month.
reviewed
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G
Menier Chocolate Factory
Theatre and chocolate, two of many Londoners’ major passions, have never been as gloriously paired as they are here – a theatre inside a gorgeous conversion of a 19th-century chocolate factory. To make matters better, the theatre’s superb restaurant offers attractive combination deals: a two-course dinner and ticket.
reviewed
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H
Garlic & Shots
A fantastic place if you like your make-up pale and your hair raven black and your drinks laced with garlic, though it's equally fun for anyone who wants to have a drink while checking out London's Goth crowd. It's never too crowded here and you can get a seat at the cosy back garden on summer days or head down to the slightly scary bar where monster masks watch as you order.
reviewed
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I
Filthy MacNasty’s
The local of ‘Amwell Village’, tucked between Clerkenwell and Islington, is this stellar Irish music pub and whiskey bar that’s every bit as cool as its name suggests. The two-room pub attracts an up-for-it young crowd that comes for live bands in the back room, the great whiskey list and the ‘filthy food’.
reviewed
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J
Ruby Lounge
King’s Cross is being gentrified slowly, so what was once an area frequented only by hardened clubbers, prostitutes and junkies is now turning into a three-Starbucks-per-square-metre neighbourhood. But the Ruby Lounge was around when the going was tough and is here to stay. It’s a great place, with a fantastic boutique-design interior, excellent DJs and an up-for-it pre-clubbing crowd.
reviewed
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K
Herbal
You’ll recognise Herbal by all the plastic grass stapled to its front wall. Inside is a two-level bar-club. The laid-back, grown-up loft upstairs has a small dance floor, seating and a window overlooking Shoreditch. Downstairs is more minimalist and can get very sweaty. There’s a mix of drum and bass, house, funk-house and hip hop, interspersed with live shows.
reviewed
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L
Jazz Café
Though its name would have you think that jazz is this club’s main staple, its real speciality is the crossover of jazz into the mainstream. It’s a trendy industrial-style restaurant with jazz gigs around once a week, while the rest of the month is filled with Afro, funk, hip hop, R&B and soul styles with big-name acts and a faithful bohemian Camden crowd.
reviewed
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M
Elk in the Woods
A wonderful take on a stylish countryside hunters’ pub, this comfy Islington bar is also equally notable for its good, simple food. With its large, rough oak-wood tables, old mirrors, stuffed deer head and friendly staff, this is a spot to savour – though, as ever, come early, as tables are always sought after and it’s not the kind of bar you stand in.
reviewed
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N
Ku Bar
The Ku Bar now runs a small Soho empire, consisting of two bars and a club. All three venues are very popular – the former pub on Lisle St is always rammed with teens warming up for the evening with the Ku Klub downstairs hosting a range of fun nights throughout the week, while the new Ku Bar Frith St is popular with a slightly older, smarter crowd.
reviewed
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O
Effra
Behind the black, gold and cream exterior is a lovely old boozer that brings you closer to the heart of the Brixton Caribbean vibe than any other pub in the area, thanks to the spicy Jamaican menu, lively local regulars and live jazz in the evenings. A lovely garden with palm trees is out back, while the interior is all shabby and charming Victorian splendour.
reviewed
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P
Queen’s
While the ghost of actress, royal ‘friend’ and former next-door neighbour Lillie Langtry is said to reside in the cellar of this spirited joint, the pub proper is haunted by contemporary beauties such as Jude Law and the other fashionistas of Primrose Hill. The food and drinks won’t disappoint, and there’s plenty to look at among the clientele.
reviewed
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Q
Jongleurs Battersea
This is something like a Starbucks-size international chain that serves comedy instead of coffee. There’s eating, drinking and laughing (probably all at the same, choke-risking time). Friday and Saturday nights normally feature one big-name comedian and a couple of guys on unicycles (or thereabouts) and the shows are so popular, you usually have to book in advance.
reviewed
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R
Jongleurs Bow
This is something like a Starbucks-size international chain that serves comedy instead of coffee. There’s eating, drinking and laughing (probably all at the same, choke-risking time). Friday and Saturday nights normally feature one big-name comedian and a couple of guys on unicycles (or thereabouts) and the shows are so popular, you usually have to book in advance.
reviewed
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Barcode
Tucked away down a Soho side street, this fun gay bar is full of a diverse range of people enjoying a pint or two and some evening cruising. There are frequent club nights in the downstairs area, including the popular Industri on Wednesday and Comedy Camp on Tuesdays.
reviewed
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T
Philharmonic
This extraordinary bar, designed by the shipwrights who built the Lusitania, is one of the most beautiful bars in all of England. The interior is resplendent with etched and stained glass, wrought iron, mosaics and ceramic tiling - and if you think that's good, just wait until you see inside the marble men's toilets, the only heritage-listed lav in the country.
reviewed
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Moustache Bar
Look for its signature moustache sign to find this local favourite – the Moustache packs them in at the weekends for sweaty and crowded drinking and dancing in its basement bar, or – equally crowded – on its makeshift smoking terrace. Drinks are cheap, and the cleverly decorated bar has some fascinating oddities on its walls (when you can see them).
reviewed
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U
Barfly@the Monarch
Barfly, Charles Bukowski, lounge lizards – you get the picture. This typically grungy, indie-rock Camden venue is full of small-time artists looking for their big break. The focus is on rock from the US and UK, with alternative-music radio station Xfm hosting regular nights. There’s a new sister venue, the Fly, with a similar set up.
reviewed
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No 15 Café Bar
Fifteen reasons to visit this café-bar-gallery are chalked up on the blackboard behind the counter, but you won't need much persuasion. It's Penrith's best place for lunch, cakes and coffee, with a light-filled dining room and a gallery annexe displaying local photography and artwork; lunchtime mains range from turkey and cranberry burgers to homemade soups.
reviewed
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V
Salmon & Compass
It's all about music here, be it in DJ or live set form, with young and trendy Islingtonites crowding in over the weekend. There are large sofas for sitting, but it's mainly standing, drinking and dancing that take place, illuminated by fairy lights and a couple of sky lights during the day, when the bar serves Thai food. Monthly comedy nights are held here, too.
reviewed
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W
Loungelover
The drinks and the look are both faultless at this Shoreditch institution, where it’s all about the superb, expensive cocktails and the junk-shop chic of the decor. Sometimes it gets packed out with city suits, and service can be hit-and-miss, so it’s always best to reserve a table, but despite these gripes this is a glamorous, camp place for a killer cocktail.
reviewed