123 Acre Lane,
Brixton,
London,
SW2 5UA
(020) 7274 8794
The ViewLondon Review
Part of a chain of bar/pubs, The Grand Union Brixton offers a wide range of cocktails and a choice of gourmet burgers, pizzas and sharing plates if you fancy grabbing a bite to eat. With DJs pumping out the latest tunes and a huge outside seating area, this is a brilliant choice for those looking for a fun, relaxed night out with friends.
The Venue
Inside, the space is cosy and uncluttered – a long bar runs down the centre of the room, with squishy sofas and tables surrounding the outer edges. This means there’s plenty of space for dancing when the DJ gets going, particularly at the weekend when the place is packed to the rafters with students, young professionals and locals all looking for a good time.
Outside is where things really get interesting though. The Grand Union Brixton has an extensive garden, which boasts a patio area, and several Thai-style treehouses, which must be reached by a short set of steps and can be booked in advance for larger parties.
In the summer the outdoor area is open to the elements and hosts screenings of cult films on specific nights – but it’s in the winter that it really comes into its own. Rather than being abandoned like some pub gardens in London, huge draping marquees are set up and installed with patio heaters to protect from the rain and keep punters warm and toasty.
The Atmosphere
Brilliantly relaxed but with a party atmosphere as the music kicks in later – particularly at the weekends. Inside, the crackling fire (yes, a real one), low lighting, and charmingly mismatched furniture make for a cosy and homely feel – while outside in the winter the tents, heaters, and huge scatter cushions give an almost Arabian Nights feel to the place.
The Food
If you’re looking for an extensive menu with endless choice then this isn’t the place for you – but fans of simple, high quality pub grub won’t be disappointed. Gourmet burgers make up the bulk of the menu, but there’s also pizzas, ribs, hotdogs, salads and a variety of sharing plates on offer.
The garden pizza (goat’s cheese, roasted pepper, sun dried tomato and spinach) is mouth-wateringly good with rich flavours on a thin crust combining to make a truly delicious meal. The avocado and bacon burger, meanwhile, is of restaurant quality – succulent meat, fresh ingredients and served piping hot, it’s definitely worth a try. Sides must be ordered separately but overall the menu is very reasonable, with burger prices ranging from £7-£9, sharing plates coming in at £5 each and no dish on the menu exceeding £12. There’s also some great deals – from 12pm-3pm every day you can get a burger and fries, hot dog and fries or a pizza for just £6.50.
The Drink
The Grand Union Brixton boasts an impressive cocktail list- and offers 2-for-1 cocktails between 5pm and 8pm every day – with the only condition being that they must be the same cocktail. The Russian Sting (vodka, watermelon and lemonade) is sweet and refreshing – with a kick – while the Jim Jam Cola (Jim Beam Black, Cointreau, lemon juice and cola) is both strong and subtle, and comes served in an actual jam jar. Sharing cocktails are also available and wine by the bottle is under £20.
The Last Word
A fantastic place that knows exactly what it’s doing, and how to do it well. There’s a fantastic, buzzy atmosphere without things being try hard, and even when it’s rammed it feels fairly relaxed. Great food, original drinks and an almighty outside area all combine to make this one hell of a five star venue.
The Grand Union has been reviewed by 12 users