A funky little bar on Vauxhall Bridge Road, Brass Monkey is a nice addition to the area and is a good option when you don't fancy chain bars and boozers.

The Venue
Although not a big venue, Brass Monkey makes great use of its space. The cream walls make it feel bigger than it is, as does the pale coloured carpet. Large windows at the front stop it from feeling claustrophobic and the majority of the high tables and rather uncomfortable accompanying stools are located around the periphery of the space, allowing more room for standing. The seating area extends around and behind the bar where you’ll find more comfortable sofa seating. The bar itself is a real centrepiece to the simply decorated space, with bottles of spirits held in slanted shelving units and funky backlights in vibrant pinks, greens and blues. Making the bar the main focal point of the room is certainly a clever way of drawing the eye to the array of drinks on offer.

The Atmosphere
Brass Monkey appears to have found its niche as an after-work bar in an area dominated by the high street chains. Expect it to get busy after 5.30pm, especially towards the weekend, and you will find that the main bulk of the clientele is made up of suited and booted office workers. In the way that so many after-work bars benefit from, there is a great atmosphere as a result with people winding down after a hard day in the office. The staff are well equipped at handling peak periods at the bar and manage to stay smiling even when juggling two orders at once.

The Food
Although Brass Monkey does offer lunches and main courses, such as fish and chips and bangers and mash for well under a tenner, the real appeal on the menu are the sharers, ideal for an after-work snack. Their nachos (£3.50) are suitably piled high with lots of gooey melted cheese, tangy salsa, a creamy sour cream and chunky guacamole. You can add chilli as a topping for just 50p more.

The Drink
Wine seems to be the big order of the day at Brass Monkey, and they do have an excellent selection with bottles starting at just over £13, which is very reasonable for the area. White, red and sparkling varieties include a good mix of grapes and regions and you’ll struggle to pay more than £20 for a good bottle here, making it a very cost effective option, especially on the run-up to pay day. If wine isn’t your thing then there are a few commercial lagers on tap, such as Heineken, and the prices reflect the reasonable levels of the wine with a pint barely breaking the £3 mark. If that doesn’t take your fancy there’s always the Smirnoff Ice…

The Last Word
A nice option for office workers in and around Vauxhall Bridge Road, Brass Monkey looks to be making a niche for itself.

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