A rough gem concealed in the basement of The Shakespeare pub: Sapphire Lounge sparkles with (some) life.

The Venue
Joined via a flight of stairs to its Siamese twin pub located on the ground floor, The Shakespeare, Sapphire Lounge also has its own entrance on a blue wall right beside the famous club Pacha.

This place is curiously built: a small central bar is surrounded by a few tall stools but most of the seats are nested into small semi-private rooms, each baptised in a different way. You kneel to enter through a very low door (most rooms also have a small window overlooking the bar) to sit on wall couches fitted on three sides around a small table. If this basement bar has low ceilings, the rooms have even less vertical elevation, contributing to the feeling of intimacy. These structures are slightly reminiscent of the Flinstones homes but they serve the purpose nevertheless. The Sapphire Lounge is mostly a piano bar but from the private rooms you cannot see the grand piano located at the back.

The Atmosphere
The area is definitely very touristy and generally deserted by Londoners at night. Sapphire Lounge is often far from crowded - even on weekend nights -and most of the people coming in are lodged in nearby hotels or are here because turned down by the Pacha bouncer. Expect to be able to enjoy the night and grab a room for your group if it’s not too packed. Do not envision a boring place: the Sapphire Lounge is a bit risque. The rooms are often occupied by steamy couples looking for privacy - the piano player is often left alone to do a show for nobody but few lonely punters sitting at the bar, more interested in their beers.

The Drink
Piano bar with ‘lounge’ in its name means expensive cocktails, surely? Not at all. Sapphire Lounge provides the same drinks as the pub upstairs. Do not expect too much since the pub is pretty standard, but you can still ditch the Carling in favour of Leffe, Staropramen, Hoegaarden or Peetermain Artois (a relative to the more common Stella). Prices range around £3, slightly cheaper than the London average.

Wines and spirits are also available: the wine selection draws almost no interest from patrons, but shots are quite popular.

The Last Word
Sapphire Lounge would be ideal for a funny cabaret night, given its bizarre set-up and the behaviour of some of its customers. As it is, it may be worth a visit when you feel like ditching both the pub and cocktail bar.

venue information venue map view london review user reviews (1)