Be At One

I love the Be At One chain, over my time in London I got to know a few of the bartenders in the different spots across London so I was always welcome wherever I went. Balham was my local so I spent quite a few nights in here.
The Be At One chain itself has a very cool vibe. The cocktails are very good, the bartenders are fantastic and the atmosphere is always hopping. In some of the more vibrant bars, it’s no strange sight to see a bartender hopping onto the bar with a megaphone for a rendition of Teenage Dirtbag, or any other wild activity. They have staff on the floor all the time to keep the customers entertained and happy.
The Balham spot is probably one of the most quiet bars in the chain. It’s smallish but still there are always people dancing if it’s a weekend night. The bartenders are just as good but they don’t tend to get into the same groove as some of the other bars. Take advantage of the 2 for 1 happy hour.

Fair prices for the drinks. They do buy one get one free. Did not like the drink I got though. Not sure what happened. Would try again but with a more basic drink so maybe less likely to be bheh tasting drink. Staff is friendly.

B@1. No, despite what you might think (and I did at first too), it’s not a dingy internet café. It’s, for lack of a better description, London’s answer to karaōke bars.
The dress code is casual, the atmosphere loud, hyper energetic, and in your face, and the drinks will get you in the singing mood in no time. Keep your eye out for the specials board as these will not only be good value for money but you are likely to get them served in record time since it’s the bartenders’ pick of the day. Don’t be shy about belting one out if your favourite tune comes out over the speakers. The music mix may also be up to the barstaff as it can be quite eclectic with Linkin Park smashing out one minute and a softer Beatles ballad the next.
I’ve also got to give credit to the barman for making 24 mojitos in one go to satisfy our pub golf group.
I’d recommend buying your bartender a drink or two early on in the night. I’ve found that no matter when I go or even to which B@1, the bartenders love a good drink and will take care of you if you are willing to include them in a couple of rounds. I’ve even managed to get jaegerbombs passed over a crowd. So listen when I say — GET YOUR BARTENDER A DRINK! Plus, drunk bartenders are a little more generous with the pouring so really everyone is a winner.
Overall, it’s a good place to start a fun night out. Only problem is sometimes you just don’t want to leave.

This bar is part of the B@1 Cocktail Chain. I believe that B@1 is one of the best cocktail chains in London and this is very similar to the other bars in this chain that you can find around the city.
The cocktails are of good quality, there are so many to try and they are a good price. The Happy Hour is also a fantastic time to try 2 for 1. This is perfect when meeting people after work for a drink.

What a disappointment.
This place had so much hype behind it and fails to deliver. This supposed London institution is clearly a victim of itself. I can imagine that this was once a fun place to be, but judging from their website this brand has recently undergone significant expansion, which is probably where it lost all its character.
Staff were poorly under-​skilled, the music was a mish mash of ‘classics from all ages’ and the drinks prices truly offensive considering the low quality of the drinks on offer. Not even their happy hour could make them worth while. After being robbed to the tune of £7.50 for a poor mojito I tried a beer and was informed I had to pay £4.50 for the privelege of a single bottle.
Given the previous reviews I like to think this was once the best bar in town, but unfortunately it is now just an over priced, uncharacteristic bar with the sole benefit of being open later than everywhere else.
Shame

Such a fun and friendly pub — ideal for pre-​night out cocktails, with reasonable happy hour times for BOGOF drinkies.
There are plenty of staff who are full of beans and act as if they’re on a night out themselves, which is great on the weekend, but might be a little off-​putting if you’re there for a monday evening wind-​down. The music is always good and gets you in the mood for a little song and jig.
The ice-​cream cocktails are highly recommended and the barkeeps really know how to mix a good drink, they’re always happy to recommend something tasty, but my favourite has to be the «irish disco biscuit». Heavenly as sin and pretty filling which is a good way to save a bit of dosh!
I’m not sure how reasonable the rest of the bar is outside of happy hour cocktails, but it’s rarely busy at other times so get your drinks in in good time.
Overall this bar (and it’s sister in Clapham Common) is definitely worthy of a visit or two. You’ll need a couple of goes to get through the vast cocktail menu. Yum!

Fun! Fun! Fun!
This is a cracking bar and although part of a chain it has a more personal feel than most other chain pubs. Feel good music and a lively crowd ensure that there’s always lots of laughs to be had.
There is a wide range of cocktails, the staff really know their stuff when it comes to mixing a good drink! The staff are also very friendly and and so welcoming, they seem to know each and every one of their customers personally and go a long way to ensure you have a good night :-)
A great place to come with friends.

This is a good little bar to go to if you want to try out a selection of cocktails and you want somewhere a bit more cosy than the bigger pubs. They also have some comfy sofas at the back and quite a few bar stools if you want to be sociable at the bar!
The place is open pretty late so it’s worth heading down there after the other pubs have shut. Being a quite nice bar, the prices are more than a pub.

South London certainly has a few good drinking establishments to its credit. Be At One or B@1 if you talk in text talk, is one of these and you are always sure to have a fun time in here.
I have been a few times after work and no matter what day of the week there is always a real lively atmosphere and everyone is up for a party! They serve a cool selection of cocktails and myself having a terribly sweet tooth, I always go for the ice-​cream based ones (try the Irish Disco Biscuit) which are calorific but delicious. I would try and opt for cocktails during happy hour though as they are fairly expensive outside of that at £6.50 each.
It does attract a young crowd and if you get easily annoyed by groups of people singing along to cheesy music, it probably isn’t the ideal place for you.
Good tunes, friendly people and fab atmosphere.

The drinks are fairly well priced and very well mixed. I’m always impressed by this place and can see why it gets so busy. Well worth a visit if you’re having drinks in the area — and if you’re not sure what you fancy, the barmen can make some helpful suggestions

Totally agree with HRH that these are the best bars in South London to get the party started. The music is always great, a good crowd and the cocktails are bang on. Even better if you go during happy hour and get 2 for1! The bar staff are always really friendly and chatty and usually end up getting us hammered as the punters which always makes for a fun night.
The cocktail list really is extensive and ranges from the usual mojitos and cosmpolitans as well as really yummy fresh fruit and champagne cocktails. Always good to make use of happy hour to quaff as many champagne cocktails as you can! I’ve been to the Clapham and Balham Be@1 and both are always brilliant nights. The late licence means you don’t have to fork out for going to some god awful club too!

This has to be one of THE best ‘feel good’ bars in the local area! The music is loud, the drinks are strong and the atmosphere is PARTY, PARTY, PARTY!
The staff greet you like you are a part of the family which is probably why I often start a night out here (or indeed finish one as it’s very difficult to leave!!)
I am continually surprised at the quality of the cocktails these guys produce, the staff take real pride in their creations and it is clear that the bar men have been trained within an inch of their lives… if you’re lucky your drinks will be mixed ‘Tom Cruise’ style!
I would highly recommend this bar if you want let your hair down and sing along to some classic tunes!