Behind This Wall

Behind This Wall hides in a basement beneath the Narrow Way on Mare Street in Hackney Central. It calls itself a lo-fi bar with hi-fi intentions, and it is built around a warm vintage sound system and a menu-free approach to cocktails. There is no list. You tell the bartender what you like, and they build a drink to taste.

This is a bar for people who care about music and want to slow down, not for a loud group night. Service is all-seated and the room is small, so it rewards booking ahead and settling in. If you want speed and a printed menu, this is the wrong door. If you want a considered drink and a good record, it is one of east London's most distinctive rooms.

The basement is minimalist and dim, designed around its sound system rather than its decor. The Nudge traces it back to a club night at the long-gone Plastic People and describes the room as a tribute to Martin Hannett's old Tannoy Gold speakers, with the music doing the talking. Vinyl and the hi-fi are the centre of the experience.

It sits steps from Hackney Central station, in the thick of one of east London's densest drinking strips. That makes it an easy first or last stop on a Hackney evening, though the all-seated format means it works best as a sit-down rather than a quick pop-in. Yard Sale Pizza can be ordered to the table if you want food with the records.

There is no menu, which is the whole idea. The bartender, working from a self-described medicinal mixology template, builds drinks to taste using small-batch distillers and additive-free ingredients. Cold beer and a short wine list cover anyone who would rather not improvise. The move is to describe a spirit and a mood and let the bar surprise you.

A music-led east London crowd fills the seats, skewing toward record enthusiasts and people after a calmer night. The all-seated format keeps the energy low and conversational rather than rowdy. Dress is relaxed and the focus stays on the sound system.

Explore more with our London cocktail bars guide and the London bar guide. For an east London night, pair Behind This Wall with Nightjar in Shoreditch, Swift in Soho, or Bar Termini in Soho. Searching nearby? Use our cocktail bars near me hub.