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Oriole

Cocktail Bar
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Description

From the founders of one of the world's most notorious and legendary bars, Nightjar, comes Oriole, a speakeasy inspired affair in the heart of the city. 

In November 2015, Nightjar parents Edmund Weil and Rosie Stimpson have took over the former Cock Tavern site in London's Smithfields Market to create a bespoke bar of global influence and unique design. Oriole is so named after the exotic bird species native across Africa, Europe, Asia and Australia with the cocktail menu reflecting this by interpreting the flavours and tastes of these parts of the world. Laced in gold flecks and art deco inspiration, Oriole lives in the glamour of the past with cocktails of the future.

With 120 covers over tables and banquettes, Oriole is bigger than its relative Nightjar, but still maintains all of the same values where custom drinks and live entertainment are the central focus. The bar features a central stage, host many a top notch night of live music and bands where jazz and swing folds into the entire aesthetic and feel of the bar, one that harks back to the romance and mystique of the 20s, 30s and 40s.

There's an evening menu of small Nikkei inspired sharing plates to enjoy whilst you sup on the delicious cocktails.

Info
Date night, Something a little different, After work drinks, Chatting and Drinking, Drinking and Eating, Private party, Stag/Hen, Gay/Lesbian
None
Booking required
Splash the Cash £££
East London
21
Live Music
Cocktail Bar
Disabled Toilets
No hoodies, Smart casual

Hours
Day Open Close Notes
18:00 23:00
18:00 02:00
18:00 02:00
18:00 02:00
18:00 02:00
18:00 02:00
18:00 02:00

Location
Oriole
Oriole East Poultry Avenue, London, EC1A 9LH

Area:
London

Nearest station:
Farringdon (Tube)
View on Citymapper
View on Google Maps

View large map / streetview

Menus
Drink Prices Price
Bottle of Lager (330ml) £4.00
Bottle of Cider (568ml) £4.50
Cocktail £10.00
Spirit and Mixer (50ml double shot and mixer) £10.00
Glass of Wine (175ml measure Large ) £5.50
Bottle of House Wine £22.00
Bottle of Champagne £60.00

Menus

Menu Download


This venue serves Asian/Oriental, Bar Snacks, International and Tapas food.

A word from the chef:
Our Nikkei-inspired food menu of small and sharing plates works well as an accompaniment to the cocktail menu or for guests looking to eat dinner.

Our Review
Oriole Smithfield Market - London Cocktail Bar Review

Oriole Smithfield Market - London Cocktail Bar Review

Literally hidden below the grounds of Smithfield Market lies Oriole, one of London’s newest and highly anticipated speakeasy bars. The capital already loves its older sister Nightjar, and it's safe to say Oriole has won the heart of Londoners,...

Read our full Oriole Smithfield Market - London Cocktail Bar Review review

Private Hire
Name Type Capacity
Seated		 Capacity
Standing		 Cost Min spend
Midweek*		 Min spend
Weekend*
Oriole Venue Hire 120 180
* The minimum spends are a guideline only and vary according to the day and time of the year.

(539 reviews) Show all Show fewer



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{{reviewWidget.review}} {{reviewWidget.userName}} visited {{reviewWidget.venue}} on {{reviewWidget.visited}}
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DMN-14284285731 Visited Oriole for my partners birthday. Had an amazing evening. The band were fabulous, we managed to move to a table with more room and a great view of the music. The cocktails were delicious and the atmosphere was great. The staff were very friendly and had a great understanding of each of the cocktails. Both me and my partner loved it and will definitely be coming back, maybe to try the food as it looked delicious. visited Oriole on 14 Jul 2017
24 Jul 2017 by
5
Amazing bar and drinks, the band Ish Kabible were superb! visited Oriole on 15 Jul 2017
24 Jul 2017 by
5
Great cocktails, great food, very nice waitresses visited Oriole on 17 Jul 2017
19 Jul 2017 by
5
Great staff, very interesting drinks! would not recommend going before 8:30pm visited Oriole on 17 Jul 2017
19 Jul 2017 by
4
The worst part of the experience is that the entrance to the bar is between two garbage containers (these really need to be moved somewhere), and the meat market smell is also not very pleasant, but once you are in, the ambiance, cocktails and music are very good. visited Oriole on 14 Jul 2017
17 Jul 2017 by
4
Amazing service, amazing atmosphere, the band was a lot of fun to watch and listen to. We had the best table to watch the concert and it was a pleasure to see that we could talk to each other and hear each other. I highly recommend this place! In terms of service, they are the best, I could not drink alcohol that night so I turned to mocktails, wisely advised by the friendly waitresses. My friends were just envious of me each time I was served a drink! My cocktails looked and tasted amazing! Isabelle visited Oriole on 15 Jul 2017
17 Jul 2017 by
5
I was there with a group of friends and therefore I will give you a joint feedback: What was your favourite aspect of your visit? Cocktails! All of us love it. What there anything you didn't enjoy? The food. The portions are far too small even for a tapas style food. Having said that the food itself was very nice. I also think charging people £8 extra for music is unnecessary. The first I came I actually stayed long enough and enjoy music very much but I think £8 is far too much. Also initially the environment feels quite cold and I believe that's why one of my friends didn't contemplate staying longer. The first time I visited Oriole our host was very engaging. This time we just got smiles, not much communication. What was your favourite cocktail and why? It is my second visit and I was hoping to have more than one but one of my friends didn't want to stay. So, I went for something familiar hoping to explore something new during the second round. However, only managed the one I had before. I don't remember the name of the cocktail but it comes with blue corn on the top. A friend of mine had something with pine apple and curry. I had a taste and it was fabulous. Was there a drink you didn't enjoy or missed from our menu? No! But I'd like to come back and explore more;-) If you ordered food, was there a dish you particularly enjoyed? I thought croquettes were particularly nice. Will you visit us again? Why/why not? Most certainly! I still believe you make the best cocktails in London but the food side could improve a bit. visited Oriole on 08 Jul 2017
17 Jul 2017 by
3
It met my expectations. Definitely worth a visit. visited Oriole on 14 Jul 2017
16 Jul 2017 by
5
Great venue, impeccable service, superb entertainment and delicious drinks!! A perfect alternative to it's hard-to-book sister bar, Nightjar. Would recommend far and wide. DMN-14399467784 visited Oriole on 14 Jul 2017
16 Jul 2017 by
5
Wild turkey bourbon was great .. and the cocktails were delicious fran71 visited Oriole on 11 Jul 2017
16 Jul 2017 by
5
It was great. The music was good, and we enjoyed that it was not as dark and loud as it is in other Jazz bars. The cocktails were really tasty. Our favourite was Lambok Mule! It was also really good that the waitress was coming frequently with water! DMN-14400851686 visited Oriole on 14 Jul 2017
16 Jul 2017 by
5
Lovely atmosphere/decor, and the music was great (although they had pretty long breaks which we didn't expect). Drinks were beautiful, particularly the presentation. Very expensive but I suppose that's to be expected (cocktails 10-14 pounds). Service wasn't very good to be honest - it took about 20 minutes to half an hour for someone to come and take our money at the end - even after we tried to signal people a couple of times. Probably won't return, but might check out Nightjar (although not sure about that as had a poor review from a friend!). visited Oriole on 12 Jul 2017
15 Jul 2017 by
3
Great live music, amazing cocktails, good food and friendly staff = Perfect evening! visited Oriole on 13 Jul 2017
15 Jul 2017 by
5
The interior is great and the cocktails are brilliant - I actually used pics on Instagram to select what I wanted as they do this amazing ice that looks like a load of roses. Doorman could have been friendlier though!
14 Jul 2017 by
4
The interior is really welcoming and sophisticated at the same time. Cocktails are extraordinary. Staff is super nice and the music really good as well. Highly recommended. (DMN-14361314808) visited Oriole on 09 Jul 2017
13 Jul 2017 by
5
The atmosphere was lovely and the band was great. Cocktails were a theatrical experience and mostly tasted good too! However, the service was very slow. We pre-ordered cocktails so that we could have a drink while deciding on our next cocktail (which was advised by the confirmation email). Unfortunately the waiter seemed particularly possessive over the menus to the point of being almost comical so we could not decide on our next cocktail and then had to request the menus every time we wanted to order a drink which took a hell of a long time! We left Oriole stone cold sober which was good in a way because I didn't have a hangover but kind of ruined the night a bit because everyone was lack lustre and tired so we all went home rather than on to the next place as we'd planned! I may come back again with my boyfriend for a quiet night out but definitely not ideal for groups especially because the band is quite loud so it is hard to have a conversation. visited Oriole on 24 Jun 2017
13 Jul 2017 by
3
We had a. Great time. The master classes are good but it's sometimes difficult to hear visited Oriole on 11 Jul 2017
13 Jul 2017 by
4
Great place, excellent atmosphere, friendly staff and good music. We pre-ordered cocktails and had to wait 30 minutes to get them when we arrived, which was a shame, but otherwise great fun. visited Oriole on 04 Jul 2017
12 Jul 2017 by
4
Took my newly-18 y o brother out for cocktails for the first time in his life - he LOVED it ! He even bought a souvenir drink vessel to mark this new experience in his life. Thank you! (we were booking DMN-14120523624 ) visited Oriole on 08 Jul 2017
10 Jul 2017 by
5
We had a lovely time! The service was excellent and the cocktails superb. Highly recommend it! visited Oriole on 08 Jul 2017
10 Jul 2017 by
5
I was very disappointed in the service and overall experience. I love the Nightjar and was looking forward to treating my sister to Oriole for her birthday, however was very underwhelmed and embarrassed that I had picked it. The live band we're certainly not worth £8/head, they were gimmicky and jarred with the bar's theme; decorating their microphones with bike lights and trying to get us to take photos with them. They focussed more on the birthdays being celebrated in the bar that night than on playing to the wider crowd, hence it soon became very cheesey and awkward. The vegetarian menu was unfulfilling, and no flexibility in allowing us to order cassava chips that were available on the meat menu. The cocktails were ok, however the staff were not as knowledgeable or informed in their advice as elsewhere. We left our booking early visited Oriole on 07 Jul 2017
09 Jul 2017 by
1
Great place! Had a fun time! Quality, fun band (bone-shakers) that made our night! Only downside was the huge bill at the end of the evening! visited Oriole on 07 Jul 2017
09 Jul 2017 by
4
Great music and unique, tasty cocktails! DMN-14297560511 Michael visited Oriole on 07 Jul 2017
09 Jul 2017 by
5
Perfect night, the drinks are incredible, good music and food visited Oriole on 05 Jul 2017
07 Jul 2017 by
5
Unbelievable service and amazing cocktails visited Oriole on 02 Jul 2017
04 Jul 2017 by
5
Great service - chilled vibe! visited Oriole on 21 Jun 2017
03 Jul 2017 by
5
Great music & very attentive staff as always! Great night! visited Oriole on 30 Jun 2017
03 Jul 2017 by
5
Great venue and music. Service a bit slow. Pricey but worth it Erica visited Oriole on 30 Jun 2017
02 Jul 2017 by
4
Staff was amazing. Beautiful space, producing incredible cocktails. visited Oriole on 24 Jun 2017
01 Jul 2017 by
5
A perfect bar with a good atmosphere visited Oriole on 28 Jun 2017
30 Jun 2017 by
5
Life goal: worm my way through the entire delightful cocktail menu. Great drinks with creativity and skill, great food and atmosphere. This place is a real gem. visited Oriole on 28 Jun 2017
30 Jun 2017 by
5
Food and cocktails were good, but it took so much time for me to book a table, and when we came (rushing because we had it all booked) we realized we could just wait outside and, if there would be a table, we could take it or sit at the bar... Live music was quite disappointing. visited Oriole on 27 Jun 2017
29 Jun 2017 by
3
Booking Reference: 14189622865 I went to Oriole for the first time on Saturday for my girlfriends 30th birthday and it was simply a fantastic experience. From start to finish, the guys at Oriole were attentive, friendly and made the best cocktails. The band were amazing and we almost forgot to marvel at the splendour of the venue. I'd love to visit again. And soon! Ameet visited Oriole on 24 Jun 2017
28 Jun 2017 by
5
Oriole is simply a gem of London. Everyone loved it. It was the perfect way to wrap up our academic year as we had just finished with exams. The stuff was very helpful, very polite and everything was organised very well. Preorder worked out well too as they brought us the welcome punch when everyone arrived (which was spectacular). The only thing we wished is that the music set lasted for longer or if there was a 2nd one as well. Other than that we were thoroughly satisfied. visited Oriole on 23 Jun 2017
27 Jun 2017 by
5
Best Cocktail bar in the world ! I'm a traveller and been at countless cocktail bars and Oriole London TOP THEM ALL, by far ! visited Oriole on 25 Jun 2017
27 Jun 2017 by
5
Hands down, the best cocktail experience I've had in London. Will absolutely, without a doubt, be back. visited Oriole on 24 Jun 2017
26 Jun 2017 by
5
Being the sister bar of londons best Nightjar. Always gonna be tough!! I came around 7pm so it was quieter and before the live music. As the venue is much larger than nightjar I felt it lacked a bit of buZz and atmosphere. Perhaps music on louder even if not live, earlier. The service was great. Very attentive and friendly and informative on the drinks. We had 4 cocktails. All very beautiful to look at and complex to taste. The black rock Martini was rocket fuel! All in all top drinks and top service. Prob Awesome atmosphere when live band is on too. visited Oriole on 23 Jun 2017
25 Jun 2017 by
4
Delightful cocktails, made so beautifully. There were some weird and wonderful, yet familiar flavours which I was surprised to find, specifically the one with the durian foam - it's a bit like Marmite, you'd either love it or loathe is. Being from Asia, it is one of my favourite fruits. The service was brilliant! Would love to return to try more cocktails. visited Oriole on 15 Jun 2017
22 Jun 2017 by
5
Great night out. Great music and service visited Oriole on 20 Jun 2017
22 Jun 2017 by
5
I went to Oriole because I love Nightjar and saw a band there last year who was now playing at Oriole. I loved the decor and the drinks menu, it took me ages to decide on a cocktail though, they all sound (and taste) amazing! As I said I went for the music and it didn't disappoint, great band :) The service was also excellent, very friendly and attentive waitresses. Special mention for the French lady, (supervisor/ manager perhaps?) who helped me decide on a cocktail and took time to explain something about the cocktails as they arrived. We also requested to be moved as we couldn't see the band and she found us a new table. The only downside but not exactly the venue's fault (Hence 5 stars not 4!) is that people are quite loud, a bit annoying if you come for the music. The table next to us was literally drunk shouting to each other. Marie-Gabrielle visited Oriole on 20 Jun 2017
22 Jun 2017 by
5
It was a great evening - we came early and left just as the excellent band Tin Pan Band were closing. Great gins from the special menu for that night's promotion, super corner seats, attentive and friendly staff and a welcoming vibe. visited Oriole on 20 Jun 2017
22 Jun 2017 by
5
Cool blues music and our waitress was brilliant in explaining the cocktails we ordered. DMN-13966606456. visited Oriole on 17 Jun 2017
20 Jun 2017 by
5
Great venue, great music, great cocktails. Will definitely come again. visited Oriole on 18 Jun 2017
20 Jun 2017 by
5
The cocktails were great - even the non-alcoholic ones, and they all had little elements of surprise to them. The live music was amazing and the decor was stunning, with a "vintage botanical" feel to it. Well done! visited Oriole on 18 Jun 2017
20 Jun 2017 by
5
Excellent from start to finish - great presentation, flavours, and service. visited Oriole on 13 Jun 2017
20 Jun 2017 by
5
Dark and uncomfortable, it was impossible to chat or indeed hear the waitresses. Tiny (but tasty) food portions meant we left and went for a meal. Staff all faultless though. 13971205274 visited Oriole on 17 Jun 2017
19 Jun 2017 by
2
The musicians were good, the repertoire was totally touristic but agreeable. Trouble was the crowd which was too loud and noisy, paying no attention to the music. I think Oriole concept is more drinks than music so, to my judgment I wouldn't post this venue on the Jazz venues list but on bar-restaurant with live music list. visited Oriole on 08 Jun 2017
19 Jun 2017 by
2
All drinks we had were awesome. Special mention to the ever competent staff! Booking DMN-14136045289 David visited Oriole on 16 Jun 2017
18 Jun 2017 by
5
Food and cocktails were just lovely! But your ladies toilets are far too small!!! Couldn't even turn around in them. I didn't use them in the end, and left shortly afterwards. visited Oriole on 15 Jun 2017
17 Jun 2017 by
3
In spite of making a booking, no name at the door delaying getting in Put at back table with limited atmosphere visited Oriole on 15 Jun 2017
17 Jun 2017 by
3
Cool setting in an unexpected location in London. Brilliant interior design that follows a very interesting concept around the theme of the British explorer. Complex and traditional drinks are both great. Service is outstanding. visited Oriole on 13 Jun 2017
15 Jun 2017 by
5
I took part in the Perrier Jouet masterclass. It was great fun and really informative. We then had a couple of cocktails and listened to the pianist. Atmosphere was great. Service was spot on. Really ejooabllee evening. We will be back! visited Oriole on 13 Jun 2017
15 Jun 2017 by
5
Food was brilliant, atmosphere brilliant, service was brilliant, the attention to detail...... you guessed it brilliant! visited Oriole on 13 Jun 2017
15 Jun 2017 by
5
Booking reference: DMN-14050306965 Loved it! A gin-fused dinner! visited Oriole on 05 Jun 2017
13 Jun 2017 by
5
Oriole was fantastic: drinks, service, and ambiance. Can't wait to visit again. Arthur visited Oriole on 04 Jun 2017
12 Jun 2017 by
5
10/10 service & cocktails. Thank you for a lovely evening. visited Oriole on 25 May 2017
12 Jun 2017 by
5
Given we had a timed-slot (and were reminded of this frequently), it would have been nice to have been served faster and not had to wait so long for drinks once we had. We couldn't buy as much in the time as we would have been happy to. visited Oriole on 08 Jun 2017
10 Jun 2017 by
4
Oriole used to be my favourite bar in London, mainly due to the high quality of drinks and great atmosphere. This was our first visit since the "redesign", and apart from the warm service from the staff, everything else went downhill. Kiruna's updated recipe killed it, used to be our favourite drink. Crushed ice complimented it perfectly, slowly diluting the drink and making it less sweet. Other new cocktails were a huge disappointment, including numbers 24 and 28. The taste was really "specific", strong spices and smoke. Not something Oriole used to be :( We really hope you would take our comments onboard! visited Oriole on 08 Jun 2017
10 Jun 2017 by
2
Everything was really well designed and everybody was really nice. I plan to revisit soon. Thanks visited Oriole on 08 Jun 2017
10 Jun 2017 by
5
Lovely atmosphere, great music, fantastic service and incredible cocktails. visited Oriole on 06 Jun 2017
08 Jun 2017 by
5
Id been looking forwards to Oriole for weeks after finding out it was the sister bar of Nightjar (my favourite bar in London ever). Unfortunately, the experience failed to live up to my expectation. As it was my boyfriend's birthday I had requested a table close to the music but unfortunately this didn't happen. I asked to be moved as we could not see from our seats and the waitress was very kind but the only suitable table was even further away. Therefore, we felt excluded from the band and the experience was not at all intimate as it had been at Nightjar. We could only just about see the band due to other tables and the column blocking our view. Out of the three cocktails I had, two were not to my liking at all (one in particular looked very pretty in an Aztec cup but had a horribly overwhelming smokiness to it). Unfortunately I will not be returning to Oriole in the future. visited Oriole on 20 May 2017
08 Jun 2017 by
3
Another amazing night with delicious food based on Hendrick's gin, matched with great cocktails. Lennert visited Oriole on 05 Jun 2017
07 Jun 2017 by
5
Super! beautiful place and cocktails. Quality music visited Oriole on 04 Jun 2017
06 Jun 2017 by
4
DMN-13978455435 The atmoshphere was lovely. It wasnt too crowded on a Sunday night, which actually made the experience nicer. Had the best seats right next to the band and the waiters were also very helpful explaining a little about what's in the cocktails when they arrived. Will definitely go there again. visited Oriole on 04 Jun 2017
06 Jun 2017 by
5
We initially had a small table as the room was quite booked up and a pillar that prevented us from seeing the band but I checked with the hostess to see if she could find us a better table and she did. Right in front of the stage. We had help reading the menu and were offered recommendations. The band were brilliantly entertaining and we danced a little bit as well. A cosy little venue with a lot of heart and attentive costumer service. Thanks for the warm delightful evening x visited Oriole on 02 Jun 2017
05 Jun 2017 by
4
Fabulous ambience, nice seating with a good view of both the bar and the band, charming service, brilliant waitress (Sofia). Nice unpressured night out, and enjoyed some excellent cocktails. Not sure serving them in South American pottery though - I still prefer glasses. But we will definitely be back. DMN-13918064831 Toby visited Oriole on 03 Jun 2017
05 Jun 2017 by
5
This was the night of another terrorist attack. Although we agreed to a security search on entry - we think that security should be tighter at the door. This is a drinking club and could be a target - once people are inside the customers could not escape. One guy at the top would have easily been overpowered. Drinks - excellent. Food - some excellent - some OK. Band - really fantastic Service was very good - but not quite excellent. Atmosphere - very good Mix of clients - excellent - all ages visited Oriole on 03 Jun 2017
05 Jun 2017 by
4
It was perfect and the staff was so helpful and kind to us. visited Oriole on 03 Jun 2017
05 Jun 2017 by
5
Great drinks, service and music visited Oriole on 01 Jun 2017
05 Jun 2017 by
5
We went to celebrate "Reeeeena's" 21st Birthday on Friday. I can't fault this venue at all. Had a really lovely evening and will definitely go back. The food and drinks were very tasty. visited Oriole on 02 Jun 2017
05 Jun 2017 by
5
Amazing cocktails. Exotic range of tastes. Food was delicious and a perfect accompaniment to the interesting range of cocktails. Music was all wrong! It was a back up band as original band couldn't make the gig. I'd have rather had no music than bad music! Sorry!! visited Oriole on 02 Jun 2017
04 Jun 2017 by
4
Fantastic atmosphere, drinks and of course fabulous music! visited Oriole on 02 Jun 2017
04 Jun 2017 by
5
Overpriced drinks Advertised jazz - it's not jazz and it's £8 cover charge for it... Toilets stank Would not go back visited Oriole on 02 Jun 2017
04 Jun 2017 by
1
Great vibe, good music and amazing cocktails! It was my boyfriend birthday and the whole staff was very helpful in making a small surprise! visited Oriole on 01 Jun 2017
03 Jun 2017 by
5
Really enjoyed it. Great choice of really cool cocktails and nice ambience. Marianne visited Oriole on 31 May 2017
02 Jun 2017 by
5
What an evening. Had a wonderful experience. The music, cocktails and service were more than I could have hoped for with friends over from NY, the evening at Oriole topped off an amazing day. Sophia (hope I got that right) looked after us really well - she gets 6 stars! visited Oriole on 27 May 2017
01 Jun 2017 by
5
A lovely venue in such a nice location. The music from the Eric Ranzoni trio was super and his enthusiasm was infectious. The cocktails were amazing and the we were struck by the clear quality of the ice! The staff were very good and good with explaining some of the more unusual ingredients. I would really recommend the place. visited Oriole on 30 May 2017
01 Jun 2017 by
4
I'm been a fan of Night Jar and Oriole since it opened and find the staff normally very knowledgable and good at giving advice from the menu. However the experience on Monday was probably the worst. The waitress didn't know the menu very well at all and gave poor advice. It meant all the three drinks I had were far too sweet. When I asked her which drinks on the menu weren't so sweet she gave another vague answer "all the drinks are sweet to cater for everyone, but they are naturally sweetened not sugared". She gave no direction. Stephanie visited Oriole on 29 May 2017
31 May 2017 by
2
The band was fantastic though, and the service was great too. However, there were a few things that were disappointments. Despite making a booking over a month ago and requesting a table in front of the live band, unfortunately from our table we could only see the back of the piano. Also, the cocktails menu has changed since the last time I was here as well as it seems like the venue has added tables/seats making the seating more cramped, which isn't great either. visited Oriole on 28 May 2017
31 May 2017 by
3
Cocktails were excellent, as was the service and the live music. It is quite a pricey night out but ideal for a special occasion, highly recommended. Sarah visited Oriole on 24 May 2017
30 May 2017 by
5
Nice music, great cocktails and service. Regular customer and there is as reason for that. visited Oriole on 27 May 2017
29 May 2017 by
4
Oriole provided an exceptional night out for my girlfriend and I. The drinks are creative and delicious, and each was a spectacle. The food was delicious and the band were fantastic, however neither offered great value for money as they emphasised quality over quantity (small portions and short sets with large gaps in between). DMN-13968655336 visited Oriole on 27 May 2017
29 May 2017 by
4
Good service, amazing cocktails and fun music, though we were placed quite far from the stage. visited Oriole on 26 May 2017
29 May 2017 by
4
Staff are always very friendly. Nice entertainment from the Top Shelf Jazz Band tonight! Lennert visited Oriole on 26 May 2017
28 May 2017 by
5
Fantastic drinks which were like works of art, great service and good music, a great experience! visited Oriole on 26 May 2017
28 May 2017 by
5
2/4 cocktails were genuinely good, a little disappointed in comparison to nightjar, experience is so so visited Oriole on 26 May 2017
28 May 2017 by
3
We had an excellent evening, the staff were very knowledgeable about the cocktail menu which was extensive. I changed my booked a couple of times and it was easy and no problem at all which was very helpful. The Jazz was very relaxing and perfect for a Tuesday evening. Thank you very much Oriole! Tiffany visited Oriole on 23 May 2017
25 May 2017 by
5
We had three cocktails, all of which were really delicious and interesting, and we enjoyed sitting at the bar and watching them being made. The pianist was very good too, but since we were there on a Monday night it was quite empty and would probably be more atmospheric later on in the week. DMN-13905722603 visited Oriole on 22 May 2017
24 May 2017 by
4
We had three cocktails, all of which were really delicious and interesting, and we enjoyed sitting at the bar and watching them being made. The pianist was very good too, but since we were there on a Monday night it was quite empty and would probably be more atmospheric later on in the week. visited Oriole on 22 May 2017
24 May 2017 by
4
We had a truly wonderful night. Can't believe we only found you now and we've been in London for so long. Thank you's to the staff that were very pleasant, to the chefs both for food and cocktails as our senses were in full delight all through our 4 dishes and 3 cocktails and thank you to the wonderful musicians that were transporting and moving us through both their sets. And all that in the most tasteful of dim-lit settings, bravo all round, really. We were celebrating our 6 years together and couldn't have found better place. It was a divine night, we were floating on a cloud! Thank you all so much, well be back very soon. visited Oriole on 21 May 2017
23 May 2017 by
5
We came here as a group of 4 on Saturday night in the hopes to enjoy some live jazz. We booked three weeks ahead and still found it difficult to find a booking at an ideal time. Initially we had hoped to book the Sister club, the night jar. Alas, no luck so we turned to Oriole. Still, we were able to get table for 11:15 pm. The booking system is pretty chaotic. There should be a way to see what times and size of groups are available without first entering a exact time. I suppose the difficulty in finding a booking adds to the anticipation of something great. Regardless and not detracting from the the amazing night we had; The cocktails were presented in the most glorious fashion. I'd never experienced such an interesting combination of liqueurs. The cocktails play on texture, fragrance, and novel presentation. Who would have thought a cocktail could have so much texture. Without a doubt I have found my favorite cocktail here. I will not go into too much detail as to the particular cocktails we had so not to ruin the element of surprise. The waitress who served us was French, her accent, a bonus to her knowledge. Each drink was well explained. We were told how best to enjoy each drink. My complaint lies mostly with the layout of the venue. When booking, there no choice as to where one can sit. This would not be so much of a problem if each set was of equal standard. The booking system should at least tell me what you if there will be an obscured view of the live band. So when we arrived and saw that there are a couple of pillars obscuring the view of the live band, we were somewhat disappointed. Not to mention the band was actually quite far away from our seating. This is particularly annoying if you came with the intention of enjoying live music. You still have to pay for the band even if you can't see them. This amounted to £5 per person, which is not a lot. However, the set was short. I recall only 5 or 6 songs being played. Overall this is still a fantastic experience. The cocktails made the night. I would suggest that you offer more transparency as to where you will be sat relative to the band. Also, the booking system needs work - both for Oriole and the Night Jar. It is particularly difficult to use. It took several attempts to find an available slot. Also, do give further information about timing of the musician. Experience is based on expectation. Jade visited Oriole on 20 May 2017
22 May 2017 by
4
Friendly staff, creative cocktails, brilliant music set in timeless decor. This is Subterranean Coolness! visited Oriole on 20 May 2017
22 May 2017 by
5
The venue has a great energy, with the decor really setting the vibe. Service is fantastic and the cocktails are really something special. The music makes it, with everyone there enjoying it, even getting up to dance. I was disappointed on arrival when we were sat at bar stools, as making an advance booking along with the amount of money you spend, I think should always mean you are seated at a table. On request, our host went away and managed to sort out us moving to a table, otherwise we would have left. 3 hours on a bar stool wouldn't have been enjoyable or comfortable. My only other negative was the amount of hen parties. It took away from the opulent experience, with pink fluffy headbands bobbing about in front of you, penis straws everywhere and hen games being played. It's not what I'd expect from this kind of venue. There was 4 groups of hens around us during the 3 hours we were there, so it really did take over! Overall, it was a lovely evening, but I'd hesitate going back incase we were sandwiched between more hen groups! visited Oriole on 20 May 2017
22 May 2017 by
4
- The entry to your restrooms smell. - A lot of the cocktails on the menu are very sweet, not much choice for sour cocktails. - Amazon staff! visited Oriole on 20 May 2017
22 May 2017 by
3
Nice spot, but given the number of amazing cocktail place in London, I'm not sure this is making my top 5. I don't care much about service, but at a fancy place like this, where the menu is long and complicated, I do expect the server to be knowledgable about the menu. I didn't get that impression. My drink was nice, but nothing special in terms of wow factor or uniqueness for 14 quid. We went pre live music so can't judge that. Might give it another try with a bigger group to taste more drinks. visited Oriole on 17 May 2017
21 May 2017 by
3
location, decor, inventive cocktails....we loved it! visited Oriole on 19 May 2017
21 May 2017 by
5
There is much left to be desired if you have been to Nightjar and are now visiting its sister bar Oriole. Firstly, the location is a bit 'shady', the entrance being from the underpassage for delivery lorries to the Smithfield Market. The space is rather large with the main bar mostly hidden by a divider wall, so many tables do not have a direct view to either the bar or the stage with the band. Despite the large space, our table for 4 felt squashed and uncomfortable (if you are leaning back you can't comfortably reach your drink on the small table). The cocktail menu had an interesting travel theme, which for me however didn't convey in the drinks themselves (having travelled to a lot of those locations and expecting for the flavours to take me back). A number of our drinks were different to what we expected, either the mix was too strong, too sweet/sticky or a bit weird to be fully enjoyed (the prawn cracker with a vegetable salad on top of one). I do not enjoy a sweet drink (I like quirky, bitter, whiskey based and non-fruity) yet managed to order 2 of those despite reading the menu description. Would have loved to see plain drinks such as the arrack on ice, beer or even water on the menu, rather than just cocktails or to accompany the cocktails. Ian visited Oriole on 13 May 2017
21 May 2017 by
3
Superb atmosphere and decor. Lovely staff. Great lighting. We didn't stay for music as only had an early book but looked like it would be great. Cocktail menu is out of this world. Can't wait to go back! DMN-13864346796 visited Oriole on 12 May 2017
21 May 2017 by
5
cocktails were incredible! Music was amazing! Totally recommend! Maria Lujan visited Oriole on 19 May 2017
21 May 2017 by
5
Service was great. Atmosphere amazing. Drinks and food great. Will definately be back. visited Oriole on 05 May 2017
21 May 2017 by
4
DMN-13908564407 The other day I was looking for a last minute evening date location and Oriole did not disappoint. All the staff were polite and charming. The new food menu was so good, the two of us must have sampled over half of it. The cocktails were sublime, in perticular their take on an Old Fashioned was memorable. We soaked up the atmosphere, enjoyed the superb jazz trio playing and even enjoyed a dance. Would highly recommend and we'll certainly return in the future. visited Oriole on 17 May 2017
19 May 2017 by
5
The food took ages to come and they forgot the olives. The drinks (champagne, so not cocktails) also took ages and the service in general was slow. The music was super loud too and they charged £5 per person for playing the music without mentioning it. visited Oriole on 17 May 2017
19 May 2017 by
2
Perfect again. Great support from the Fobo Jug Band for live music Lennert visited Oriole on 14 May 2017
16 May 2017 by
5
Amazing Bar. Great Atmosphere, Better Drinks and the Jazz Band were Phenomenal visited Oriole on 13 May 2017
15 May 2017 by
5
Excellent venue an a great team to look after us all. DMN-13814074201 visited Oriole on 13 May 2017
15 May 2017 by
5
First time here as usually go to Nightjar. We like that a booking can be made for late evening as our group attends a formal dinner before. Excellent service from all the team. visited Oriole on 13 May 2017
15 May 2017 by
5
My godson and I loved our evening at the Oriole. Initially, we were seated at the stools on the outside of the seating area which we did not like very much, it's cramped and no good view of the band. Luckily, we were re-seated to the main floor and it really made a difference. We loved the 1920 jazz band (Benoit Viellefon), the cocktails were fantastic (we wished we could drink more!) and the food delicious. Overall, a great night out. We'll be back! DMN-13793147616 visited Oriole on 12 May 2017
14 May 2017 by
5
The one thing that was disappointing was how long we had to wait to get in despite the fact that the place was almost empty and we had a reservation. The experience of having to unessasarily queu for a long time when you've reserved takes away from the overall experience quite significantly. My advice would be that the process of checking the reservation list and escorting people in needs to be handled a lot more efficiently and professionally, as is the case in many other exclusive bars and restaurants. Otherwise once we were in it was great, which makes it such a shame that our mood was affected by the awful wait at the door. Thanks visited Oriole on 12 May 2017
14 May 2017 by
4
not my best experience at oriole. we had a table booking of 12. we ordered food and sharing cocktails. 2 cocktails were full of ice and didn't really go round many. We tried to order more but we were told our table had to leave in 25 mins. So we sat there drink less for the rest of the duration. Im sorry to give this poor review but it really didn't make my experience very enjoyable. visited Oriole on 12 May 2017
14 May 2017 by
2
We had a wonderful evening at Oriole. The band was amazing & we tried nearly all the cocktails on the menu - none of them disappointed! Great and very attentive service as well - and they even agreed to let us stay beyond our table booking time slot despite the bar being fully booked. Overall really happy and will definitely return soon! visited Oriole on 05 May 2017
10 May 2017 by
5
We had an amazing night. The email communication beforehand was great. Loved the pre-order cocktail. Great drinks presentation. Staff were all very approachable, relaxed and made for a fun enjoyable night. Great music also. We will be back in sure. DMN-13742455466 visited Oriole on 06 May 2017
08 May 2017 by
5
Would love to visit again, great night visited Oriole on 06 May 2017
08 May 2017 by
5
Amazing place amazing service would highly recommend visited Oriole on 06 May 2017
08 May 2017 by
5
The staff was really great, refined and profesional. We were taken care of very well. The place is exotic, one of a kind and great for a date where you want to impress! Claudy visited Oriole on 06 May 2017
08 May 2017 by
5
Great night out - loved the jazz band - the drummer was amazing visited Oriole on 06 May 2017
08 May 2017 by
5
Great venue, and the drinks are fantastic - accommodated a group of 7 of us very friendly and helpfully. Only question is, why not have the band play longer than just 0.15am?! visited Oriole on 06 May 2017
08 May 2017 by
4
Beautiful bar, friendly staff and amazing cocktails. What more do you want? Lennert visited Oriole on 30 Apr 2017
07 May 2017 by
5
I went to Oriole with a few friends for a few drinks and had one of the best times I've ever had. The cocktails were so interesting and absolutely delicious. The staff were more than friendly and helpful while the ambience was beautiful, virbrant and relaxed. We didn't stay for the live music, unfortunately but will definitely do so next time. I definitely recommend Oriole and look forward to going again soon. avantika visited Oriole on 05 May 2017
07 May 2017 by
5
13685904881 We had a really lovely time! The staff where great, moved us to more comfortable seating and service was friendly and attentive. The cocktails were great. The small dishes we had were mixed. Padron peppers undercooked and bitter, chipotle crackers greasy and bland. Though the chorizo and little roast pork bun were gorgeous! A great evening and we will definitely be back. visited Oriole on 05 May 2017
07 May 2017 by
5
Oriole never dissappoints ! We had a great time Lennert visited Oriole on 16 Apr 2017
07 May 2017 by
5
I'd prefer my favourite Kiruna in previous version (in a glass pot with smoking pine(?) on top). Otherwise everything was great (as always). One of the best cocktail bars in the world. visited Oriole on 04 May 2017
06 May 2017 by
5
Great bar! Really enjoyed the Skyefall cocktail - octopus milk and all. Live music was really fun. The only snag is that the chairs we had were a little uncomfortable! visited Oriole on 04 May 2017
06 May 2017 by
4
Very cool cocktails. Music nothing to write home about, but it wasn't intrusive. visited Oriole on 30 Apr 2017
03 May 2017 by
5
DMN-13702703411 What was your favourite aspect of your visit? It's hard to pick out one particular aspect, but I thought the service was fantastic. We were served by the same person for the duration of our visit and she was really friendly, informative and engaging. It really makes a huge difference. What there anything you didn't enjoy? No not at all. Sometimes the cocktails take a little time to arrive, but the quality is worth the wait. What was your favourite cocktail and why? Lambanog Mule. Deliciously sweet, generously portioned and it arrives in that absurd sack which makes it all the more fun. Was there a drink you didn't enjoy or missed from our menu? No, I just would like to come back and sample more options! If you ordered food, was there a dish you particularly enjoyed? I had the pork cheeks, they were exceedingly tasty and quite filling for such a small plate. Will you visit us again? Why/why not? Yes, I still feel I have many more cocktails I wish to try, not to mention that I'd love to try out Nightjar at Old St. at some point soon also. Lee visited Oriole on 30 Apr 2017
02 May 2017 by
5
Nice music and amazing cocktails! visited Oriole on 30 Apr 2017
02 May 2017 by
5
We had the most wonderful evening, such delicious cocktails and food, and the service was brilliant. Will definitely be back. visited Oriole on 28 Apr 2017
02 May 2017 by
5
Excellent service, great cocktails, good music, awesome vibe. visited Oriole on 29 Apr 2017
01 May 2017 by
5
Excellent night! Better than we expected and will definitely be back! visited Oriole on 28 Apr 2017
01 May 2017 by
5
An absolute blast! Not only are the drinks delicious, but the presentation creates an experience on its own, making you want to work your way through the menu just to see what will come out next! What truly distinguishes this place from others is that they really take care of their customer. You don't have to look and hail down a waiter, they are always on top of it- making sure you have what you need all night. visited Oriole on 29 Apr 2017
01 May 2017 by
5
Visited on friday 28/04 (DMN-13678853259) Lovely little joint. The live music was engaging but not in your face. Staff are wonderful. Sampled all the punches which were delicious, and served in the most unexpected containers. Only thing to watch out for is the price of the group drinks. The actual cost of a drink listed as £12, with mininum serve 4 people is actually 12x4 pounds. Oops. Racked up a bit of a bill, but it was worth it. Will be visiting again for sure osman visited Oriole on 28 Apr 2017
30 Apr 2017 by
5
Another wonderful evening at Oriole! Inventive cocktails (any martini fans simply must try the blackrock martini - delightful); warm atmosphere, friendly service, charming music ... need I say more? If in doubt - go! visited Oriole on 27 Apr 2017
30 Apr 2017 by
5
Thank you for a wonderful night at Oriole, my boyfriend and I had a lovely time. The service was excellent and the cocktails were exceptional, we loved the descriptions in the menu and the way the staff were able to explain each one in detail. The jazz band were fabulous too, creating a vibrant evening atmosphere. See you there again soon! My reference number is: 13674567233 Olivia visited Oriole on 22 Apr 2017
29 Apr 2017 by
5
DMN - 13712333866. Good night, would have stayed longer if the music went on later into the night. Cocktails were fun though. visited Oriole on 27 Apr 2017
29 Apr 2017 by
4
Not too bad. Could have been better drinks. Would have liked music to go on later. visited Oriole on 27 Apr 2017
29 Apr 2017 by
3
Music was really good! Unfortunately, we sat in a very dark corner, quite far away from the stage, where we could hardly hear anything... It would be nice, if the tables at the back would still have some of the nice atmosphere, more light and decoration. The cocktails were really expensive for the portions we got, which was quite disappointing; the bar snacks were really good though (especially the padron peppers)! I'd recommend to book more than only a few days in advance to get a better table. visited Oriole on 27 Apr 2017
29 Apr 2017 by
3
Brilliant as always very accommodating. Suggest they also have some mocktail options as we had some people joining who didn't drink or who were very light drinkers. Also the man who helped us (from Bulgaria) was really friendly and helpful Sarah visited Oriole on 27 Apr 2017
29 Apr 2017 by
5
It is interesting that you have sent me a Review and billed me a cancellation fee. One of these things is clearly inaccurate. Our visit to you bar was amazing. The service superb. Down to bringing for me to see and explaining to me what Milk Oolong was! The cocktails 10 out of 10. Yonezawa perhaps the best I have ever had. Thank-you. We'll obviously be back. However, I'd be grateful if you could refund my cancellation fee on the basis of the above proof that we did indeed turn up. :-) My table was reserved in the name of Bruce Perry. But mistakes happen, no drama, and the cocktails and the service really were wonderful. Thank-you. visited Oriole on 26 Apr 2017
28 Apr 2017 by
5
Almost my favourite bar in London, only surpassed by the Nightjar (it was very, very close). Not much of a surprise, because it seems to be Nightjars little sister. The drinks are very well done, the staff is very nice (and also very attractive). My favourite drink there was "Cortez the killer". The chili finish almost ruined it for me, because it wasn't spicy and the bits kind of ruined the smoothness of this masterpiece but it still was the best drink I ever drank in London. I had goosebumps and it puts a smile on my face everytime I remember this piece of art. Like in every good mixology bar you can get smoky drinks, which make quite a presentation. The live music they had this evening was a mixture of blues and boogie woogie, which rounded up the atmosphere of the whole venue. I can recommend this bar unconditionally. Samuel visited Oriole on 20 Apr 2017
25 Apr 2017 by
5
A really wonderful evening, exceeded expectations! We'll certainly be back for more of the incredible cocktails and the fantastic service. visited Oriole on 21 Apr 2017
25 Apr 2017 by
5
Oriole never ceases to amaze us! Lennert visited Oriole on 26 Mar 2017
24 Apr 2017 by
5
Great food. Great cocktails. Great Music Lennert visited Oriole on 19 Apr 2017
24 Apr 2017 by
5
Great cocktails, food and music. Very good atmosphere definitely worth a visit. visited Oriole on 22 Apr 2017
24 Apr 2017 by
5
Fantastic atmosphere and great cocktails visited Oriole on 21 Apr 2017
24 Apr 2017 by
5
My friend and I went on a friday evening. cocktails, atmosphere, food, live jazz was superb. I love Nightjar and this second outfit of great too. DMN-13576578656 visited Oriole on 21 Apr 2017
23 Apr 2017 by
5
Great cocktails and service ! Only down side was that we couldn't all see the band which was a pity and I prefer the old menu that had pictures ! Sarah visited Oriole on 20 Apr 2017
22 Apr 2017 by
4
Excellent service and cocktails! All round great night out visited Oriole on 18 Apr 2017
21 Apr 2017 by
5
friendly team, good cocktails and good food, nice music band visited Oriole on 15 Apr 2017
21 Apr 2017 by
5
Same as last time...cocktails are expensive and being that there is only table service available it is a bit cheeky to add a service charge on top as well. I mean why not add 12.5% or whatever it is to the price of the cocktails and the price of watching the music...just be a bit more transparent about the high prices you charge. Lovely cocktails as usual and the live music was good as well. visited Oriole on 18 Apr 2017
20 Apr 2017 by
4
A great bar with some lovely drinks (really enjoyed Cydonia Cup) sadly one of our drinks was wrong (ordered the martini from the special menu and got the 1st drink instead and though queried it was told it was right but when we ordered the 1st drink later on it was obvious the previous drink had been wrong all along) DMN-13476000241 visited Oriole on 18 Apr 2017
20 Apr 2017 by
3
Great service, great drinks, Easter special with bonbons was particularly a nice touch. Great atmosphere with live music. This is the next level of bartending craftsmanship, never seen such well thought through and executed beverages, where every little detail is impeccable. visited Oriole on 16 Apr 2017
18 Apr 2017 by
5

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