Chapel Bar is a DJ bar that specialises in private hire. Based in the heart of Islington, it’s an attractive space with an almost gothic vibe that is simple enough to fit most occasions, be it a birthday party, wedding reception or club night.

The Venue
Chapel Bar is located a short walk from Angel tube station down Chapel Market, past popular venues like Anam and Salmon and Compass, tucked just out of the way on Penton Street. You can’t miss the large corner-positioned building with its clear signage and neon red lights beaming out like a beacon in the night.

Upon entering you’ll find an attractive, stylish space and it’s easy to see why it appeals as a private hire space. Gothic furnishings in the form of black leather sofas, dark, opulent chandeliers, an intricate bar with beautifully engraved dark wood partially covering a mirrored back and a general feeling of well thought out styling really makes this venue stand out from the crowd. Through carved archways is the large dancefloor, complete with a raised DJ booth and small stage for live performances. More simple than the bar area, this space is made all the more appealing with twinkling lights above. An outdoor covered smoking space helps chilly, rained upon smokers feel a little better about going outside for a ciggie.

Upstairs is a second space, called the Venetian chandelier bar, which is similar in decor to downstairs if less kitsch. Up here glamour rules with white chandeliers, a large mirror and a small bar with an adjoining, heated roof terrace.

The Atmosphere
The atmosphere at Chapel Bar is really dependent upon what’s going on. They cover a huge variety of events here, from wedding receptions to birthday parties and office gatherings. They also have club nights that are open to the general public. If you’re here with 90 or so of your best mates then you’re certainly in for a great time, and the stunning space does help to make for a glamorous party.

The staff here are friendly although the service isn’t the speediest and the quality of the drinks variable. Queues at the bar build fast, even with three or more staff on, but they do their best to make sure everyone is enjoying themselves and they are good at serving people when it’s their turn, rather than alienating one person stood at the bar for half an hour whilst everyone around them is served.

The Music
The music is also dependent on what you want from an event: cheesy disco, hard house, or live music, their decent 3500W turbosound system can cope with whatever you fancy. You can bring your own DJ or use theirs, it’s all pretty open – you can even just plug in your iPod for a selection of your favourite tunes. The rest of the time you can choose between laid back mid week grooves, open deck sessions for aspiring DJs, live jazz, and Sunday’s popular afternoon session SASH.

The Food
The choice of food at Chapel Bar is pretty astounding. From formal dining for a large party to canapes or buffets of every type of food you can imagine, the selection is impressive and good quality. If you want to go all out then your guests could be munching on such offerings as oysters, king prawns and cheesey risotto balls – this is certainly no cucumber sandwiches buffet. Prices range from £18 per head and include all manner of options, from a barbecue menu to a luxury buffet or more standard choice of meatballs, chicken legs and pasta salad.

Alternatively, if you are planning a sit-down dinner for your party then it’s £23.50 for two courses or £26.50 for three, with a huge choice of starters, mains and desserts covering a range of cuisines and tastes. You’ll be hard pushed not to find something to suit your party and the food is good quality, fresh and well presented.

The Drink
The drink menu is especially nice, with a good choice of well priced cocktails, coming in at an average of £7 a drink. Classic short cocktails (£6.50) include such favourites as a whiskey sour and Bramble and there are some nice martini variations, including the French martini and apple and espresso varieties. Of course, the mojito, caipirinha, julips and mules all make an appearance with various flavours available. However, the real highlight of the cocktail menu is the Champagne cocktails. The Bling Sling (bellini flavoured with raspberry puree and Stoli) is particularly good, tasting strongly of raspberries with a nice sparkling kick that lets you know this isn’t fruit juice. Alternatively, the Russian Spring Punch (classic bellini with cassis and Stoli) is a lot stronger but equally quaffable.

If cocktails aren’t your thing and you’re out to celebrate in style then there is a great choice of Champagne, ranging from a cheap bottle of Cava for £22 to the ubiquitous Louis Roederer Cristal for £239. There are also a handful of reds, white and a couple of roses if you prefer more straightforward wine, which is particularly inexpensive at under £20 a bottle. In all, it’s an impressive selection that does well for a venue that specialises in upmarket parties.

The Last Word
Chapel Bar is an attractive, well located DJ bar that is opulent enough to provide an attractive background to a party whilst being simple enough to be moulded to fit the needs of the particular event. An impressive addition to Islington.

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