Marks Bar just oozes cool, everything about your visit to this Soho bar will impress. Easy to miss on Brewer Street, give the doorman a nod, glide through the big wooden door, take in the delicious smells of the Hix Restaurant as you then step down into this sleek and stylish London basement bar.
Decor and Vibe
Small, tight and cosy, Marks Bar exudes the energy and class of a high end members club but without the membership. Leather chesterfields, smoky mirrors and a low zinc bar bring a distinct New York flavour to proceedings but with some genius British touches including a stunning billiards table and silver tankards to sip your beer in. You will find small tables and sofas packed every night with just about enough space to navigate to the neon lit bathroom. Those with a more eagle eye will spot the exclusive artworks of Tracey Emin an Damien Hurst on the walls. Low lighting, a whisky and wine wall packed with some sought after bottles and a busy cocktail bar hosted by Nick Strangeway add to the x factor that Marks Bar exudes.
Marks Bar in Soho is a classy establishment for a drink in London.
Clientele and Atmosphere
Very much the media crowd and Soho centric as Mark's Bar has established itself very as the locals favourite cocktail bar. A mix of couples, business meetings and friends having an expensive catch up drink, Mark's Bar is a great meeting bar and hangout to impress whoever you bring but remember to bring the card. No Djs or dancing here, itâs more about soaking up the atmosphere and marvelling at your ability to drink in such cool places in London!
Food and Drink
A bar created by Mark Hix was never going to be a let down with the food. A blackboard automatically caught my eye at the bar with a delightful selection of bar snacks all around the £5 mark. You can get yourself a tasty Chips n Curry to go with an ice cold beer, or perhaps Websters Fish Fingers to take you back to your younger days. If there is one recommendation you must try I would plump for the Scotch Quails egg with Bath pig chorizo, sounds impressive and tastes delicious. It's all about cocktails behind the bar, Nick Strangeway has painstakingly crafted a cocktail menu that lists concoctions from early British empire days through to the 1920's golden age and up to the present. Try a Hanky Panky, Beefeater 24 Gin shaken with Antica Formula and Fernet Branca finished with orange zest, but sip it slowly as these will set you back £10 a go. A visit to Marks Bar isn't complete without trying one of his very own brewed beers, sip on an ice cold Hix Oyster Beer served up in a delightful silver tankard with the words Sir Ben crafted on it. The only black mark from behind the bar is the welcome upon arrival, where a lack of acknowledgement and a slow response to hand us the drinks menu meant a failure in what is surely a requisite for any new patron in a bar.
Take a seat at the low zinc bar and pick a crafted cocktail from Nick Strangeways menu.
Music and Events
It's all about the atmosphere here, so don't come here hoping for a dance and a DJ. The music is vintage and at a volume to chat without shouting and perfectly suits the vibe, with 1920's rock n roll perfectly sound-tracking our night out at this uber-cool London bar.
Summary
Mark's Bar is the gem of a bar you have been looking for all those years. An effortless display of style, grandeur and warmth, even if you pop in just for one drink, it will be enough to make it a memorable visit to a London bar that is fast becoming an institution for the discerning drinkers of London.
