Madisons Bar (formerly The Newark Bar and Restaurant) is situated behind the gates of London’s most talked about gated community, The Bow Quarter.

The Venue
Madisons is located in the vaults of the original warehouse buildings of the famous Bryant and May match factory and forms the social hub of the Bow Quarter community. Although predominantly a small and intimate venue, it offers all the traditional features you would expect from a warehouse conversion with its traditional wooden beamed ceilings coupled with authentic red brick walls. The interior comprises of brown leather upholstery and dark wooden furniture, giving the bar a relatively modern feel. The three paramount features of Madisons appear to be its brand spanking new digital jukebox with its library of over two million songs, the pool table and last but by no means least the football table.

The Atmosphere
Principally this is an exclusive bar for the residents of the Bow Quarter, however of late it appears to be making an attempt to reach out to a wider market. The venue offers the typical environment of your local pub where everybody knows your name. It offers a friendly and relaxed atmosphere where customers can have a chat and get to know each other over a vino or two. This bar appears to be a hive of activity offering weekly quiz nights, monthly karaoke nights and pool competitions to name but a few. This is a bar that offers an element of community sprit and newcomers are more than welcome.

The Food
The food at Madisons is, by far, its best feature, offering a wide range of authentic Bangladeshi and Indian cuisine, the curries come highly recommended at a price tag of under £6. In recent times the menu has been expanded to include pizzas, salads and bar snacks all of which are cooked to a tasty standard. However, this is not the place to eat if you are in a hurry, with an average serving time of half an hour. Having said that, when the food finally arrives it is well worth the wait.

The Drink
The bar offers a reasonable choice of beverages with the old favourites of Carling and Stella and the addition of Cobra on tap, a popular tipple with the regulars. The wine list is not particularly lengthy but is excellent value with bottles starting at under £10. For something a little bit different, Madisons also offer a select range of shooters and cocktails. Considering the lack of competition within the vicinity of this bar, the prices are inexpensive and offer value for money.

The Last Word
If you love Cheers you will love this place, it’s a real home from home venue, a place where people are always glad you came. Its offers community sprit, entertainment and authentic home cooked cuisine.

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