82 The Broadway,
Wimbledon,
London,
SW19 1RH
0872 148 4820
The ViewLondon Review
There are not many late night venues on offer in Wimbledon so you will find many locals frequenting Po Na Na just for that reason - they’ve been kicked out of whatever pub or bar has closed on the Broadway and stumbled down here to carry on.The VenueSituated on the Broadway, about a 10 minute walk from Wimbledon station, Po Na Na is easy to spot; just look for the crowds, it’s the only club there.
On entering the roped doorway and being searched by the OTT security, you enter the dark, low-ceilinged, Moroccan-themed main room where the DJ takes his little spot behind the bar. There are a few intimate booths around the dancefloor, which incidentally carries you back to the seventies with its luminous squares of flashing lights.
The bar is in the back of the room in the corner so it can get very crowded queuing up for a much needed pint on a Saturday night, as its only small and the punters are often packed in to the rafters. There is also a very small room upstairs on the same floor as the toilets, this has its own bar and more seating but no DJ – it's more cosy and intimate, usually only used for VIPs. They have also moved with the times of the smoking ban and provide an outdoor oasis for the smokers in the form of a very nice roof terrace with heaters.
The AtmosphereThe large number of drunken partygoers makes for a party atmosphere if that’s what you’re after, but beware of young social butterflies flitting around the place far too drunk to notice they’ve spilled red wine on your favourite white top or trodden on your delicate toes. The bar staff are friendly and the DJ is happy to play requests. However, it feels more like someone’s eighteenth birthday than a trendy cosmopolitan club.
The MusicMainly mainstream cheesy house anthems to sing along to at the weekends, although Po Na Na also has themed nights. They cater for the whole spectrum of clubber: students can enjoy a cheap drinks night, wannabe posh birds can attend the Cosmopolitan night where the cocktail is half price all night; they even hold a speed dating event once a month. All individual nights are accompanied by their own music policy so it’s just a case of trial and error till you find the right night for you at Po Na Na.
The DrinkThere are promos aplenty almost every night of the week, either half price bottled beer, reduced cocktails or cheap pints. Usual suspects present behind the bar are WKD, Budweiser, Stella, Absolute, shots, and Champagne by the glass or bottle.
The Last WordIf you’re in the area and your tipsy toes just cant stop dancing then head down to Po Na Na, but if it’s a more discerning, mature clubbing experience with cool, up-to-date music, classy people that can handle their alcohol and friendly professional security you’re after pay the extra couple of pounds and head further into the capital for a proper night out.
Po Na Na Souk Bar Wimbledon has been reviewed by 5 users