Shut away from those who 'only do tubes', The Dolphin remains legendary to all in Hackney thanks to its karaoke and dingy all-night party.

The Venue
The Dolphin looms large over the bottom of Mare Street, a Victorian original inside and out. It doesn't look like much and, in truth, it's not. However, the lack of frills within the venue is what makes it perfect for what goes on here. Apart from the grand tiled ceiling, which manages to be as far from the rest of the pub's ugliness as you could imagine, there's not a lot to look at. Odd furnishings are scattered around the edges, leaving large spaces for dancing drunks and pub singers hooked up to the karaoke machine. The outside space to the rear makes a lovely spot for smokers, with a lot of space to escape the racket indoors. Back inside, a large bar sits in the middle of the pub, serving in a circular fashion, while a separate room holds an overused pool table for those who neither like to dance or sing.

The Atmosphere
The Dolphin is surely the messiest place in Hackney and to be here and to be sober is to be here at the wrong time. Although the famous karaoke starts early, it takes a little Dutch courage to pit yourself against the crème de la crème of pub singers in competition. Open until 5am on Saturday, the Dolphin knows not whether it's a pub or a club and past midnight, it’s the latter by far (a small door charge is required to). A mixed crowd of East End stereotypes make use of the spacious dance floor and they’re encouraged by lenient staff to get as raucous as possible. It's not a place to be when the lights come up, but while it's dim, anything goes.

The Drink
The selection of drinks is probably far from most peoples’ minds when coming to The Dolphin, and it doesn't need spelling out that cocktails and fine wines aren't on offer. There's a good selection of bottled beers in the fridges, which definitely have more integrity to them than the likes of Kronenbourg, Stella and Fosters on draught. Shots are the key here, and prices are low compared to the shinier pubs nearby.

The Last Word
Once tried, never forgotten, it’s entirely up to you whether you find The Dolphin as seductive as the masses who swear by its seedy appeal.

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