Barrio North

Barrio North is a cool place to hang out. Near to Angel underground and Essex Road train station it’s a short walk down Essex Road. A long narrow place with a long bar space and a caravan at the rear of the bar big groups can reserve. The staff are really friendly, always smiling and hard working. The smiling part doesn’t include the bouncers who make a point of looking ‘ard, scary and emotionless even when they really want to crack a smile.
Like any joint sometimes the DJ is a bit hit and miss but most of the times I’ve been here the DJ has been good. On this occasion however the DJ wasn’t up to scratch in the beginning. The RnB/​house/​pop music was just so, so and then we noticed that he kept repeating certain tracks which is a ‘mortal sin’ as far as DJ’s are concerned. Maybe he was being lazy because as the night wore on and more people arrived the music got better and people started to dance and enjoy themselves. As the bar is narrow, the manager arranged for the tables and chairs to be packed away so there was more room for dancing. Unfortunately there’s no cloakroom so people tend to place coats and bags wherever they can.
As far as the drinks are concerned, the cocktails tend to be quite sweet, in particular the Mojitos and Ram Berry Jam which is supposed to come with a jammy dodger but not always (sort it out Barrio).
Overall it’s a good place to chill out and let off a little steam, I just wish it was a bigger bar.

I’m a big fan of the barrio chain! Usually hit up the shoreditch one, but last night we went for our local and damnnnn was it good! There’s plenty of space for dancing, the staff are super friendly, even letting me dance in a sombrero and the tunes are banging! For me, anyone that plays 50 cent is winning for me!
I love the caravan at the top, we didn’t get to sit in it, but next time I’m reserving for a few cocktails. The colour scheme of the place is so bright and colourful, definitely up my street.
Drinks wise, I got a mojito, which was far too sweet, but some of the other cocktails I’ve tried at the sister branches were super yummy!

This place is just about everything I need after a busy week on a Friday night.
Great atmosphere — check.
It’s hip and funky, but not overdone. The colorful scheme, comfortable couches tucked away in little hippie ‘caravans’ and the fun, but not intrusive music altogether made me feel as if I had been transported from a bleak London afternoon into a lovely bar by the beach.
Great drinks — oh goodness, check.
We stuck to the Happy hour menu (cocktails for £5 until 8 pm) which has six cocktails: Mojito, Tommy’s Margarita, Caipirinha, Hula Colada, Catch the Pigeon (with Pink Pigeon spiced rum), and Papa Don’t Peach. Everything we tried was tasty, but Papa Don’t Peach was an absolute winner for me & my company — I haven’t had such a good cocktail for a long time. It’s made out of Blackwell rum, Wray and Nephew (very strong Jamaican rum), crème de peche, and fruit juices. The result is a refreshing drink that has a real kick, and perfectly balances the strength of the rums and sweetness of the juices. Yummy!
Great service — check.
The bar was very busy, but all the staff worked really swiftly to accommodate everyone. We were always served very quickly and our drinks came with a complimentary smile on the bartender’s face.
I had a great time at this place, and will be definitely coming back.

A quirky and funky place to get an unusual cocktail! The staff are always friendly and keen to impress with their fancy cocktail making moves. Make sure you get to any of the Barrios early as they can become choc-​o-​bloc with cocktail lovers. Once you get to the bar you will not be dissappointed with the wonders they produce. Think chilli powder in a drink is weird? Or alcohol served with a jammy dodger? Awesome!

Ah so much potential, so much fail.
My friend and I came here for al fresco drinks at happy hour and really ended up regretting that decision. The one large table outside is so grotty and dirty that it isn’t exactly a pleasant chill out space. It was happy hour so we got a couple of cocktails for £4.50. Watered down, overly sugared caiprinihas.
We made the very rooky mistake of ordering bar food. Salty nachos with canned salsa and canned guacamole. I really, really hate canned guac. It’s the lowest totem on the food chain and hardly makes for any authenticity in whatever they are trying to achieve.
The bar staff are lovely but struggled to serve when it was full with the World Cup on. The bar itself is large and colourful, but walking past certain areas that smell like a toilet is not welcomed. I’d never actually drink inside after this smell-​experience.

I love this place! There is something about sitting in a jazzy caravan inside a bar sipping a delicious mojito that somehow just makes sense…
The staff were great craic and the cocktails were really tasty (happy hour also helps them go down easily). I didn’t have to wait very long to be served despite it being pretty busy.
The front patio doors are open in the early evening so that a nice place to sit, but as the night goes on they have to be shut and its best to explore the cool stuff covering the walls on the inside.
Only downside? This bar is quite narrow so if you’re in a big group it’s a little tricky not to get in everyone’s way (unless you are sat in the inside caravan as previously mentioned and highly recommended)

Meh. Overly designed bar which tends to attract annoying groups and loud bankers from Essex. The owner is a former IT consultant btw, so that explains a lot. I personally preferred this location when it was the Warwick (my all time favourte bar in London), but I digress. The place is always too crowded and I honestly have no idea why. I guess it is open late… If in doubt — Queens Head, Winchester and New Rose are all better bets within a block.

Love this place great cocktails and good music

This bar isn’t nearly as cool as it thinks it is. Disinterested staff (um, can you stop flirting with each other and take my order? Why are there four of you back there anyway when there’s four people in the entire bar?) that tried real hard to give that vibe that you’re really interrupting their standing around time by having the gall to want a cocktail.
An attempt at kitschy retro décor with a personality disorder: Is it Cuban, Mexican, Brazilian or Tiki? The mojitos were actually pretty good. Food was lacklustre. Chorizo plate had the thin slices of pre-​packaged chorizo you can buy at Tesco express scattered around a plate. Tortilla chips platter was fine (hard to mess that up) but would be more appropriately priced at £3, not £5.
Sad I had such a under-​whelming experience at the very place where I had my first Unilocal Check In freebie! By checking in I got a free cocktail. Pretty good, but not enough Barrio North … not enough.

eh.
its alright.
i mean, its a kindda quirky bar in Angel, filled with a mix of city types who are dressing down and letting their hair loose.
the staff are fabulous and the décor interesting (at least at the first glance… and then you realize that it just repeats itself over and over throughout the bar…) not a place i would go out of my way for, but wouldnt necessarily object to either.

This bar with its Frida Kahlo pictures, and Mexican folk art makes me think it belongs along Smith Street in Brooklyn, NYC.
I’d walked by here probably a hundred times and never found an excuse to have a drink here, but when I did, it was happy hour. The happy hour menu is decent, and they do make a good mojito. However, they won me over on the regularly priced drinks on their extensive cocktail menu.
The music was good but the service is a bit slow. I was there in the early evening, so I imagine late at night when it’s heaving, this would become tiresome.
Overall, a fun happy hour bar. I hope to return.

Love this place! Best mojhitos in Angel, easily. A funky place to go for a first date.

Although I’m not as in love with this place as I am with it’s sister location in Soho, this place is still pretty cool.
There are loads of comfy couches towards the back and smaller café tables in the front. The bar staff are really nice and the atmosphere is very chill.
It’s also well worth signing up for their membership card. You get two for one deals from 5 – 8 on cocktails and beer. The resuls? We got four pints of beer last night and only paid £7.50. Yes, that’s less than £2 a pint. Very cool!

Gosto muito d’este lugar — mas sempre tem muita gente. Mas, os «cocktails» saos boms, mas carros. Acho que o «caravan» e simpatico. Ai tem tequillas muitos boas!

Ever been insulted by a member of bar staff within 30 seconds of arriving at a bar? It’s not pleasant. Popping in to take advantage of the Qype-​advertised 2-​for-​1 cocktails last night we were told we first had to fill out a form with our postal addresses so they could send us «membership cards» in the post. When I asked whether an email address might suffice (in the vain hope of avoiding another stack of junk mail), the barman proceeded to explain to us, in a voice dripping with sarcasm, that we needn’t worry ourselves about unexpected home visits from Barrio staff. «I don’t know what kind of bars you usually go to», he smirked, shaking his head disdainfully, and downhill it went from there. You have to trust me that his snorts and asides were less cheeky banter than they were sneeringly offensive.
A question for Barrio North, which (hilariously) boasts about its «personable approach» and its «friendly and inclusive environment»… have you ever wondered why your bar is virtually empty on a Tuesday night?
We left without buying a drink, vowing never to return, and the management should understand that I plan to dedicate the rest of my life, and beyond, to ensuring everyone else in north London does the same.

Went along for my birthday celebrations and had a lot of fun. Was busy, but the crowd were friendly and attitude free. The music was fun without being cheesy and the cocktails were great. Only place I’ve seen organic cachaça.

Unbelievable cocktails!
So close to greatness – I’ll need to go back again to judge. Went on a Friday night around 8 or 9. Not too crowded and an unbelievable innovative cocktail menu (which my only complaint is in these crazy cocktails it doesn’t always tell you what the base liquor is). But still AMAZING concoctions. My friend had a red pepper, vanilla and vodka drink that was to die for! The bartenders were super cheezy though – they definitely copied t heir moves from Tom Cruise in Cocktail.
The music at the beginning was great – chill, upbeat, a bit of Latin influence. Was totally digging it and the crowd was mixed – after work drinkers, locals, hipster-​lites.
As the night progressed it went downhill – got packed and the music turned cheezy. Some salsa (which the salsa sluts and drunkards were all about) and cheezy hits. That’s when I bailed to get a burrito…
I’ll do a few more tests – nice to have a true «bar» amongst all the pubs on Essex Rd.

This is one of my favorite venues in Islington/​Angel. It is a latin bar which in my opinion really has that NY/​Barcalona/​street feel to it. Great Djs and music, this place is open pretty late compared to most Angel bars.
No entrance cost, so you can always get in pretty much. It can get very busy at the weekends, but it alo adds to the vibe. Nice cocktails and beers. Drinks are not cheap though.

Barrio North is one of the cutest bars I think I’ve ever seen. Whoever came up with the interior design is a very talented person indeed. With a big helping of retro in its décor, it still manages to seem sleek, and forward-​thinking and even intimate with vinatge sofas and soft lighting. The piece de resistance though has to be the gutted caravan — yes caravan — sitting in the middle of the bar and decorated with fairylights and popart wallpaper, which provides enough seating for a small group. Get here early if you want to spend the night in the caravan!
The food and beer are great with a lot of South American influence, and the music too is anything but cheesy, and the tequilas… if only I could remember!

I went to the Barrio North opening night, (or was it week?) and was pleasantly surprised, impressed even.
Nice cocktails with a kick, and a lovely friendly atmosphere. The owners have made a real effort with the décor, and it really adds to the style and atmosphere of the bar.
This is particularly true of the odd and quite stunning addition of a caravan! Its looks comfy as hell, but very popular so we didn’t get to sit in it yet.
Great music playing, I was especially happy to hear some Marvin Gaye, which you just don’t get enough of in bars these days!

Barrio North is a vibrant and unpretentious bar on Essex Rd, just around the corner from Upper St, which has a sort of a Brazilian or general Latin vibe.
It’s quite long and narrow, but feels spacious and welcoming, and the rustic and colourful décor is really charming and helps set this place apart from the many slick bars in Islington.
They serve a wide range of beers, not exactly cheap, but the usual prices for Islington, and they also serve tasty bar snacks if you are hungry.
My favourite part of Barrio North, however, is the caravan stuck inside the venue! With comfy seats inside, it makes for a fun and snug place to enjoy a drink