Isha is a late night lounge bar in Kingston with a sexy Brazilian theme, a number of interesting cocktails and weekly salsa classes.

The Venue
Isha is a small, intimate den with a modern, almost exotic feel. The bar is located a two minute walk from Kingston station, along Richmond Road. It’s a bit of a shock to find a bar that is as stylish as this here because, although there are some upmarket venues in the area, the majority of its neighbours are cheap pizza, chicken and Indian takeaways.

Upon entering, you’ll notice the distinctly dark, moody colourscheme complete with red ceiling and dark leather chairs. A mixture of lighting such as a red straw lamp, integrated ceiling lights and candles give the whole room a subtle glow.

The Atmosphere
Unfortunately, many people aren’t aware of Isha’s existence as its location is more remote than much of its competition and they don’t advertise well. The bar gets busy in the late hours on weekends, but for the majority of the time there are only a few people inside - barely enough to fill the diminutive space. However, on the plus side, its location away from Kingston Town center means it avoids the student scene that is so commonly found in this area, and you will experience a more well-mannered crowd than you would find in the likes of Wetherspoons or Oceana.

The Music
Isha offers up a variety of musical styles. They hold a salsa class here every Wednesday with Sundays continuing the theme with live Latin American music. On Friday and Saturday nights the music is more commercial with the resident DJ playing funky house, RnB and club classics.

The Drink
There is a varied selection of cocktails and shooters that are quite exciting, although it’s worth noting that drinks here are more expensive than at many other places in Kingston. That said, they are good quality with fresh, interesting ingredients.

There are a number of cocktails developed by the bar’s own mixologists alongside the classics such as the caipirinha. Best of all, the staff are happy to mix you up requests and personalised cocktails, which, at £6.50 a pop, is well worth the money.

If beer is more your thing then they also offer draught options including Kronenbourg, Fosters and San Miguel, costing an average of £3.50 a pint. If the prices here are a little too ‘London’ for you, they do operate a happy hour from 6pm-8pm every day, offering two-for-one cocktails.

Last Word
If you are in or around Kingston then Isha is definitely worth a visit, but it’s not enough of a destination to make a special journey for. A decent drinking den for locals who don’t mind the slightly higher prices.

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