Mau Mau Bar is an authentic little live music spot with a shabby chic appeal that will keep the real musos happy.

The Venue
Mau Mau may not be quite what you expect. It looks more like a shop than a live music spot with a short black canopy covered in bold red lettering that leaves you in no doubt that yes, this is a place where you can buy and drink and listen to music. A little tacky perhaps, but at least it states its case. Otherwise, the wooden front filled with large windows isn’t much to write home about. The only real point of interest is a large circular yellow sign that hangs off the side of the building with comic-book-style imagery.

Inside, it’s similarly simple. And it is tiny. And we mean tiny. Best not to swing any cats in here. There is what they call a dance floor, but it’s so small that throwing out some moves on it will be tricky. Not that that stops anyone. There’s also a small stage area with a big Mau Mau logo on the wall right behind it, which is rather funky. As far as the seating goes they have made an effort with incredibly comfortable – albeit rather tatty – sinking armchairs and sofas nestled against low wooden tables, ideal for collapsing into after a hard day hitting Portobello Market. However, these do fill up very – very – quickly. As far as the decor goes, they’ve kept it simple with a warm red colourscheme enlivened with a few arty paintings on the walls. Not that you’ll be looking at the walls when there’s an act on.

The Atmosphere
Mau Mau Bar has a unique charm to it. Maybe it’s the ‘I don’t give a damn’ attitude or laid back muso vibe? Or perhaps it’s because they really don’t care if you like them or not. Either way, it’s a very together, self assured spot. The people seem to be of the cooler ilk than at many spots in and around the area and it’s very light on anyone even remotely resembling a tourist. In terms of music and entertainment, this is purely down to luck or you phoning ahead. They offer everything from salsa to acoustic sets from unsigned artists with plenty in between. Riz MC, aka actor Riz Ahmed, is a fan of their free Thursday night jazz sessions, a glowing endorsement if ever there was one.

The Drink
The drink at Mau Mau Bar really plays second fiddle to the music, as it does at many muso spots in London. Still, they do make an effort to offer something for everyone and the prices are a lot cheaper than at many Notting Hill bars. There’s a rather bog standard choice of bottled beer (Becks, anyone?) and a few bottles of old and new world wine, all priced at under £20. Perhaps surprisingly, though, they do also have a cocktail menu here and they’re very well priced at under £7 a pop. The old favourite, the mojito, is actually pretty well mixed with just the right amount of ‘garden’ and a good hit of rum, which is impressive for a spot like this.

The Last Word
Mau Mau Bar is so laid back it’s horizontal and it really does make a good spot for chilling out in whilst listening to live music. Just be sure to get in early to grab one of the few seats. You have been warned.

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