Mephisto, brought to you by the guys behind Cherry Jam and Neighbourhood, tries to bring an urban flavour and trendy vibe to Edgware Road, but doesn’t quite make the grade.

The Venue
Located a five minute walk from Edgware Road tube – along a not very pleasant main road – lies the late night DJ bar Mephisto. Located in the basement, the only clue to its location is the outside sign and a single doorway, leading down a set of edgy, metal steps into the venue (just be careful after one too many!).

Inside, you’re met with a small basement space and a red hue that emits from everything. With a raw decor that’s fitting with its image, there’s more seating packed in then you might expect. A slightly secluded area lies immediately to your right, seemingly carved into the basement with two large tables - perfect for big groups. Further large seating areas can be found along the outer edge of the main room, not leaving much space for standing patrons. A DJ box is located here and a small bar, capable of dishing out the drinks in a speedy enough manner thanks to the limited capacity.

The decor is helped along by a large red strip that encapsulates the room with words like ‘Mephisto’, ‘Electric’, and ‘Disco’ emblazoned across it in edgy black writing, alongside graffiti art imagery of an eye and a guy in oversized shades with a hood. There’s even a TV screen for showing live art. Trendy, certainly, it does what it’s trying to do. However, you get the feeling that it’s trying a little hard to go down the Shoreditch route, falling just short of the mark. This is, after all, Edgware Road, not trendy East London. Maybe it’s what this area needs? Only time will tell.

The Atmosphere
Mephisto does well to build a decent atmosphere for the area. The sounds of the DJ pump out and people chatter loudly over the music and seem to have fun (helped along by the fact that the seating arrangements here encourage large groups of mates to visit). The staff are friendly and there’s no pretension like you get in similar bars further east. It comes across as being a little try hard perhaps, but it does what it sets out to do, if not with a great deal of style.

The Music
It’s hard being a DJ in this day and age – what with the smoking ban – so don’t be surprised to see them ducking out for a quick fag every now and then. However, they do have a good music policy here and play plenty of loud, brash urban sounds. Different nights play different tunes, from house to sounds from the ‘70s and ‘80s, funk and even disco. The DJ judges the crowd and keeps the pulse racing, which is the saving grace of Mephisto and fits in nicely with what it’s trying to do.

The Food
There’s a small but decent selection of bar snacks available at Mephisto, from its light bites (£3.50-£4.50) including dishes like chips, olives and hummus, spring rolls, and Jalapenos peppers, to larger sharing platters (£11.50) with themes like Rustic, Middle Eastern and Mexican. There’s also a sprinkling of main meals (£6-£7) of standard bar food like burgers, club sandwich, fish fingers and a Caesar salad. Nothing particularly inspiring, but well priced and good for lining the stomach.

The Drink
Mephisto touts itself as a cocktail and DJ bar, however, it should concentrate more on the music side, which it does well. There’s a large range of cocktails on offer, reasonably priced at £5.75-£6.50, including the usual range of classics – think daiquiris, Bloody Mary, Singapore Sling and martinis. There’s also a nice choice of Champagne cocktails, including the ever-present Bellini, and an interesting selection of signature cocktails with a cinnamon mojito thrown in.

However, how well these cocktails are made is dependent on the bar staff and can be a little hit and miss. For example, the French martini of Zubrowka, pineapple juice and Chambord claims it’s ‘a taste you’ll never forget’ although you may wish you could. A little too cloying in fruit juice, it’s not as pure and clean a taste as it should be, missing the mark (although for the price, it’s not awful).

The Last Word
Mephisto brings a try-hard taste of ‘the street’ to Edgware Road. Although it’s a decent option for locals - living in an area where such venues are sparse - it’s not worth the journey for other Londoners who could just as easily head over to East London for a taste of the real thing.

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