Bad Sports
184 Hackney Rd, E2 7QL
Seriously good tacos upstairs, seriously good drinks downstairs. Margarita slushies, frozen daiquiris and a shot called ‘unnecessary roughness’, combined with Bad Sports‘ ever-rotating roster of DJs, usually makes for a very fun night.
Black Axe Mangal
156 Canonbury Rd, N1 2UP
If you like your innovative Turkish-inspired food served with a side of tattoos and heavy metal, look no further than Black Axe Mangal. There’s no set menu, but you can expect pig cheek doughnuts, flatbread BLTs, pastrami bao and a lot of homages to Kiss.
Brilliant Corners
70 Kingsland Rd, E8 4AE
Modelled on Tokyo’s listening bars, Brilliant Corners combines one of the best sound systems in London with hand-picked DJs, stellar sushi and an intimate vibe for something a little different from your usual night out.
Del 74
87 Lower Clapton Rd, E5 0NP
A taqueria to rival Bad Sports in its rowdiness, Del 74 is just a bit further into Hackney and just as worth checking out. The tequila is always flowing, the music is always loud, and the tacos are always good.
Hoi Polloi
100 Shoreditch High St, E1 6JQ
Anything affiliated with both the Ace and Bistrotheque is going to promise a good time, and Hoi Polloi get the mix of refined dining and good vibes just right. Head down to one of their Super Hot Sitting Spot nights for dinner accompanied by tunes from some of London’s best musical selectors.
La Bodega Negra Soho
9 Old Compton Street, W1D 5JF
It’s probably already on your radar, but if you’re after late night Mexican food in Soho, it’s La Bodega Negra or bust – and we don’t mean the café, we mean the bit under the sex shop. Make a booking (you can’t eat downstairs without one), descend the stairs under the neon signs on Old Compton Street, check your coat and have some fun in UJ’s fave candlelit tequila den.
MNKY HSE
10 Dover St, Mayfair, W1S 4LD
With the addition of MNKY LNGE – their hidden, exclusive and intimate house-party room – MNKY HSE has cemented its reputation as one of London’s best spots for a dinner-and-party combo. Head there on a Friday night for Latin-American inspired tostadas, ceviche and tacos, and we guarantee you’ll be on your feet dancing by dessert.
Smoking Goat Shoreditch
64 Shoreditch High St, E1 6JJ
Loud, dark and (unsurprisingly) smoky, Smoking Goat Shoreditch serves up Thai ‘drinking food’ in a former strip club. It’s the Thai answer to Japan’s izakaya’s – expect small plates of BBQ pork skewers, steamed oysters with chilli, and smoked brisket with drunken noodles. Wash it all down with a drink from the bar, which serves wines, pale ales and sours on tap.
Torshi
9b Markfield Rd, N15 4QA
Don’t be fooled by the industrial estate vibes – it’s keeping this party spot under the radar. While the club next door is a favourite with the likes of Bradley Zero’s Rhythm Section and Gilles Peterson, come on weeknights for Torshi’s deep-fried chicken and mujaddara, and don’t miss negronis on tap.
Voodoo Ray's Dalston
5 Kingsland High St, E8 2PB
By the slice never tasted so good. Voodoo Ray’s make some of the best pizza in east London, and they only operate late at night, with house pours, prosecco and frozen margaritas to boot. We’d expect nothing less from Dalston Superstore’s little sister.
Lifestyle: Lists
Top 10: Party Restaurants
Good music, great food and rowdy crowds
