Be At One

One of the worst bars in the Be At One chain I’ve ever visited. It was happy hour when we arrived, but right at the start of it, even at this early hour it was heaving with people, with no room to get to or from the bar — we had to stand in the service area to order drinks, which meant constantly being jostled by staff moving back and forth to order drinks. The situation was worsened by drunken patrons trying to dance in already cramped conditions.
Rather than tasting the cocktail out of the shaker, while it’s being made, like you’re supposed to, the barmaid waited until she’d served them to me before dunking her straw in which was a) too late in the process and b) gross. I ordered an almond mocha cocktail, a vegan take on a hardshake. It was honestly one of the worst things I’ve ever tasted and I was annoyed that I was stuck with two; they tasted like protein shakes.
We stood outside for the brief period we were there and left without finishing our drinks. Says it all, really.

Lovely, great music, great selection of cocktails, very good service and ideas from the barman.
Very good atmosphere.

I have to say this Be At One is probably a TARDIS because it’s definitely bigger on the inside. As a big fan of this chain I have visited most of their bars in London and I never paid too much attention to this one. The main reason is that the ground floor always seems very small and crowded so unless it was warm enough to spread out to the pavement in Spitalfields I would not bother to go in.
That is why when my friend Emma booked her leaving party there I was confused as to where the 30 people she invited could possibly fit on a Saturday night. Turns out they have a basement which is ideal for a group of 30 – 50 people, has its own bar and bartender just for your group and offer the privacy and exclusivity you would want on the night.
A tiny mishap on the night, the power cut off for a bit and it took a while to get it back, even if the upstairs was not affected. However the staff were very nice and friendly like they always are in B@1 (it is part of how they have to behave) so they kept checking up on us to make sure we were ok. The rest of the night went on without any problems.
The cocktails were great as always and there have been some new additions to their menu, which was also recently redesigned. The music was great for dancing, pop, RnB, hip hop etc. For me it is the perfect bar as you can dance all night and enjoy cocktails but without the crowded, dark, stinky environment of a club.
If you are thinking of visiting, it’s a pretty good option but I will have to recommend the Covent Garden Russell Street B@1 or the Soho Greek Street ones instead if it is your first Be At One experience.

This place is a bit of a nightmare on a Friday eve around 10pm. The saving grace is that downstairs there is a bar with tables… their lame version of a speakeasy I think, but did the trick for a nightcap.

I’ll give it to Be At One — they’ve brought cocktails to the masses in a very easy format.
and yet.
It all feels so try hard, but I don’t actually think it is. I just don’t think i’m the type of person who enjoys this kind of bar. It’s a party bar, make no mistake, and everyone is having so much bloody fun, I’m actually jealous. I wish I was the type of person who liked this bar.
There’s light swinging and loud music and 2−4−1 deals al the time, with loads of younger city types out to have a good time.
and yet.
Honestly — it does a great job at what it sets out to so. Unfortunately, that thing, is just not my thing generally speaking.
But as my mother always said «it takes all kinds.»

my friend and i got the long island iced tea and the kale vodka cocktail.
i ordered the kale drink because i thought it would be funny.
it was funny but it was also great.
there is ice and spinach in it also.
thank you for this experience, be at one. i had a nice time.
i am back in brooklyn now but i hope to come back to see you again.

I actually like this place during the week days than weekends.
Ok, so you do get the gold diggers coming out in drove after work hours. Test it yourself. All you need to do is buy a couple of £150 champagnes and watch them come over to you.
Atmosphere here is generally good. Everyone is out for a good time. Bar tenders are awesome and they look like they actually like their jobs.
When I am around Liverpool Street area. This is the bar I go to for a quick drink.

It brings tears of joy every time I think of this place. Happy hour at B@1 was the best discovery my friends and I had ever made.
The place is small, and during happy hour this place becomes packed. Just know that there’s a downstairs area where you might or might not be able to escape the crowd. My friends and I had birthday drinks once. We booked the downstairs area and it was awesome. We had cake so they refrigerated the cake for us until we were nice and merry. When we were ready for cake they even brought out plates and silverware.
This bar is especially nice during the summer when it’s still nice and bright outside during happy hour. Grab a seat by the window or outside and sip your cocktails as you mock those still at work across the street at Allen&Ovary. Just kidding. Those cool kids from A&O are probably at happy hour getting trashed alongside us second class kids. The only difference is that they get paid gazillion pounds to go back to the office after the best hour of the day… happy hour.
These memories make up the reason why this place brings me joy.
** Apparently if you book your birthday part at b@1, they’ll give you bar credit towards drinks! **

I had a lot of fun here yesterday but I think the place is horrible and something you have to really be in the mood for.
We were already pretty drunk when we got here at 2030 which made it alright. The upstairs is dominated by the bar so the entire area is quite narrow. We managed to get some stools by the counter at the back. There’s also a downstairs but it was way too loud.
Anyway, really loud music — mostly generic popular songs from various eras (cheese I guess), alright ish cocktails and a really weird crowd. Don’t go here sober (unless it’s for the 2 for 1 they apparently have).

Great place for a night out with friends. The bartenders and staff here are so incredibly friendly & welcoming. 2−4−1 drinks in happy hour is a great deal. The bartenders here are knowledgeable and have recommended some great drinks. My favorite was the cuban zombie. The area inside is small but if you get here early enough you can settle in an area. Great customer service (one of the best in London) & great vibes here. Will return!

So silly, so fun and so decent!
The cocktails aren’t what I’d call ‘haute drinking’, but when you’re there with mates — you get a good bit of banter, good drinks and a nice ‘warm glow’ when you leave!
2−4−1 drinks in happy hour also pleases my wallet, which in turn pleases me.
Not had a bad evening in Be At One ever… Customer service = makes it!

About as good as this sort of place can get; great staff; great cocktails; good location; two for one before 7pm. Mamamamamymymymymojito

always fantastic cocktails, especially the great deals during happy hours!
their creamy banana drinks bolero, YUM :)
mocha tini, MMM MM MMMM!
friendly staffs and goood relaxing vibe
mi gusto
PS free wifi!

Was taken here by a friend who wanted to take advantage of the 2−4−1 cocktail deal. The bar is really small and super packed during happy hour. Expect to wait at least 20 mins for your cocktails to be made. I decided to try the peach caipirinha, and was disappointed. There was tons of born sugar in there. The glasses were both quite small and half of it was filled with ice. In essence you are paying for 1 full drink and they split it into 2 separate glasses.

I found this place by following some people that looked like they were out to have a good time… no, I was not stalking… just following… closely.
Ha… actually, I did not go in that night and came back Sunday night for 2−4−1 drinks… WHAT A GOOD CALL!
My #1 selling point — they made me one hell of a Sazerac. It takes time and know how, hence the extra £ to get it. I had the option of having it with bourbon or rye whiskey and of course ordered bourbon. The bartender says to me. ‘Americans always want bourbon.’ Hmmm, go figure.
Our bartender was awesome… she looked a little like Rachel Dratch. Oddly, I met her again at a bar in Shoreditch, where she and a friend pinched my ass. I guess that makes us friends.