40 Acre Lane,
Brixton,
London,
SW2 5SP
(020) 3588 1111
The ViewLondon Review
Situated directly opposite the massive Tesco supermarket in Acre Lane, Electric Social is a DJ bar, live music venue and restaurant rolled into one, and it’s designed to cater for the more stylish end of Brixton’s nightlife market.
The Venue
On two levels, this former Somali bar has been completely redecorated in the theme of an urban hunting lodge, with wood panelling and plenty of modern twists like illuminated stag’s heads on the walls and subtly altered portraits on the walls downstairs. The downstairs is a long thin room with a bar at one end, with a choice of high tables and stools or Union Jack-covered sofas, plus an ingeniously submerged ‘snug’, complete with piano. Upstairs is the live music room, with a small stage, a fully equipped PA, one of the longest sofas you’ll see anywhere and room for 150-200 people. They’ve really gone to town with the urban hunting lodge theme, and it’s totally paid off – this is one of the most spectacularly decorated venues not only in Brixton but anywhere in London.
The Atmosphere
Earlier on in the evening, when most of the customers are dining rather than drinking, it’s relaxed, but a livelier atmosphere slowly takes hold once 9pm comes and goes, and the louder drinking crowd begins to gather and the DJs start spinning downstairs. It’s the kind of place where you can take your choice of dancing or chatting – you’ll have to raise your voice a bit, but the music’s still kept at a (fairly) sensible level.
The Music
Turntable technician A Skillz played at the launch party and regular nights include Loveless Club, Kung Fu Disco and Funk Punk, playing a diverse mix of indie, electro, funk, house and reggae.
The Food
The kitchen’s open from midday to 10pm, offering lunch, dinner and the promise of weekend brunches, as well as the obligatory Sunday roast. The menu is adventurous without being pretentious, with the likes of Cornish squid (£5.95), stuffed peppers (£5.95) and smoked chicken salad (£5.50) among the starters. Try the sizeable goat’s cheese tartlet (£5.95) – tasty, even though it could be warmer – or the potted haddock with a generous spread of Ritz crackers (£5.25), before heading onto the even more exotic main courses. Stuffed globe artichoke (£11.50) and butternut squash filled with ratatouille (£8.95) will keep the vegetarians happy, but there’s plenty of choice for fish and meat eaters too – the seriously fat fish fingers (£10.95) are definitely to die for, as is the parmesan and watercress salad (£2.95). Load up on these and skip the puddings, such as the watery fruit salad (£4.50) and apricot cheesecake (£4.95) which are reasonable but not quite up to the standard of the savoury dishes.
The Drink
The cocktails (all £7.50) are clearly the bar’s pride and joy, with a serious selection that, again, goes beyond the realms of the usual. The bourbon blush, made with Maker’s Mark and strawberry liqueur, is highly recommended, as is the English garden, with gin, cucumber and elderflower cordial, while the apple pie and custard martini, which comes with a shot of Advocaat on the side, will have your neighbours asking you what you’ve ordered. As well as pints on tap at the bar, there’s a carefully put together list of about 20 wines varying from house choices Castelbello dry white or merlot (both £13.50), up to the Paul Deloux Chablis (£22.95).
The Last Word
With the recently reopened Electric Brixton around the corner – strangely, absolutely no relation – and this unusually stylish bar just up the road, this hitherto unexploited side of Brixton is suddenly looking like the place to be.
Electric Social has been reviewed by 11 users