Gigalum

Can you ever go wrong with £1 tacos on a tuesday? Big portions as well!
I’ve always had a good time here and there is always something going on and heaps of people. Really good vibe, lots of young people and they have a cool beer garden out the front which is also covered and perfect for winter with heaters outside.

Gigalum, Clapham — I have heard that Clapham is a trendy area for young professionals. And for that, Gigalum is in the right area. The restaurant /​bar is stylish and has a welcoming atmosphere. I have been to restaurants that took trendiness to the extreme making one feel uneasy. Here in Gigalum, there were elements of the building and space that give a rustic feel. The presence of a large television is a focal point that brings people together. The large leather sofa permits one to slouch in. The lit fireplace radiates warmth. There is a lot that is winsome about Gigalum.
On a Saturday afternoon it was not busy at Gigalum. But I do get a feeling when night falls, it can be quite the opposite. Gigalum is known as one of London’s free music venue with theme nights such as Eclectic Fridays, Saturday Sessions and DJ’s night on Sundays. But it is not always music. There are Taco Tuesdays and Flatshare Party, if you are looking for a flat to share or has a flat to share, getting to know your future flat mate here is not a bad idea. You could even take the opportunity of the cocktail 2 for 1 offers.
The menu in Gigalum offers standard pub food options with influence of Mediterranean, French, South American and Asian flavours. This is credit to the head chef, Gui Salvadori, who has an extensive experience working in high end kitchen around the world.
cumi cumi (deep fried Indonesian style squid with seaweed and sweet chilli sauce) GBP 6.50 — this was the best of the starter dishes. The squid was not overdone and the saltish element was an indulgence. Love it!
crunchy prawns GBP 6.50
chicken satay GBP 6.50 — chicken satay has to be on skewers otherwise it is not chicken satay. Even when it was served with a peanut sauce. Considering that the lamb shish was on skewers, why wouldn’t the satay be? The chicken was well cooked and had an aromatic smoky taste but the satay sauce was a let down. Biting into tiny pieces of the strong ginger was not nice.
lamb shish GBP 9.00 — a small main dish which was very average.
sirloin 10oz GBP 13.50 — the steak was tasty, but fairly chewy, medium rare is what I ordered, but what came was very rare. The black pepper sauce was, well, peppery. The chunky chips and the salad were the high points of this dish.
pork belly GBP 10.50 — once, where a slab of pork belly on a plate was considered unattractive but now it is actually a celebration in a meal. The meat was nicely cooked but the sauce did not contribute much to the dish.
brownie GBP 4.50 — the belgian dark chocolate was not intense and moist enough. The ice-​cream was brilliant but the garnish of orange slices, I didn’t like.
As for service we were initially not sure if we had to order from the bar. But I gather that if you are ready to order and do not want to wait, ordering over the bar is the way to do it. Staff were very friendly.
Overall, food in Gigalum was merely mediocre. Drinks were reasonably priced and it is situated in a great location. Looking out to Clapham South Park, the busy road did not seem to matter. If you need there are two disabled parking spaces available round the corner but with a maximum stay of 3 hours.
Want something to do for the weekend? Head to Gigalum. It can be relaxing or happening. You just need to choose the right time to go.

Great place, great Sunday session! We went on a bank holiday weekend so very busy, would recommend booking an area if you are going to be there all day/​night. DJs came on about 4pm and the crowd were great. Felt like an London equivalent of café mambo in Ibiza. Downside — not enough girls toilets, the queue takes about 20mins starting outside the bar!

Great location, amazing atmosphere. Best night to go are Sundays surprisingly!

Why did I agree to go!
This is not my type of place and I left after one drink. I knew I wouldn’t like it, but had my arm twisted! I hated the blatant use of illegal substances in the toilets. Perhaps I’m a prude. I don’t have an issue with people doing what they like, as long as it’s not so blatantly obvious.
It’s not my cup of tea and I won’t be returning.
Kx

The best bar in clapham by far, great crowd all looking for fun times, music is unreal and it get better and better in the summer time with the terrace.
Doubles only at the bar I think but the prices are very reasonable, décor is very cool and cosy great for after work drinks or to start of your night, but be careful with the crowd and music it’s very easy to stay in here all night and not move

If you are looking for a good night out in clapham then this is the place to go… Has a host of different dj’s and there is always something going on !
Great location in the winter even better in the summer with the terrace at the front!

I really enjoyed my 2^nd time to Claphams Gigalum on Friday just gone! Having just returned from sunny Marbella I had been suffering from the dreaded holiday blues. No longer in the constant Spanish heat sipping cocktails… sob sob sob. The only thing keeping me smiling was the fact it was Friday and I have a smoking hot tan to show off and also of course I was heading with my fella to Gigalum– the last time we were there it was a warm Sunday evening and the memory of the top house tunes, raspberry mohitios and a buzzing outdoor terrace were fresh in my mind.
Friday night just like that Sunday a few moons before excelled itself.
This Clapham joint is a gem! Right near Clapham South tube station its no effort at all to get to and if the weather is good the terrace has got a great vibe and looks onto the green parks opposite.
When my belly had taken a few too many cocktails there was a solid food menu to look over, hand cooked chips were a nice treat.
Going back on pay day with the girls this time!

Great food, drinks and atmosphere right across from Clapham Common. Good fun.

I’m still unsure why I stepped in here. Normally I steer well clear when I see the trendies hanging around, but some subtle magnetism tempted me in.
It really was a physical enticement, maybe it was the cool fresh colouring of the signage and decore, or maybe it was me wanting to be apart of a place wit outdoor sofas and pool table. Maybe Im a wannabe.
I just popped in for a pint after work at around 6.30 so it had that crowd in. The bar staff were polite enough, even gave me 20p off the quoted price of my pint. But at 4.30 u won’t be buying another.
I have to admit i loved the music, all the alternative versions of my guilty pleasures. Free wifi offered and a standard menu means I probably won’t remember this place by the next time I log on to Unilocal.But an ok enough place.

I really don’t get this place at all. I’ve been twice now with different people for different reasons and I can now say with conviction I’m really not keen.
The whole place has very little atmosphere and the clientele is a little ‘mixed’ to put it politely. Drinks prices are average for the area, and while the food menu has some good offerings, I fear it’d be quite a disappointment.
The other thing I don’t like about this place is that the first time I went, the bartender gave me white wine instead of red, and I was too polite to correct him (so that may be my own fault). I wouldn’t go again– I think there’s much better places around.

Two words immediately come to mind after stepping foot here: Meat. Market. They really should just have women walk through the crowd of leering men instead of searching their bags. It creates almost the same effect and would probably save on security.
Its almost as though they’ve managed to transplant your average touristy club in Leicester Square and moved it south of the river. Were it not for the birthday party that I was attending, I would have left immediately.
It was a Sunday night and people were partying like it was Saturday night but in the most obnoxious way possible. Apparently taking off your shirt and letting your beer gut hang out along with your plumber’s crack is an acceptable way to show that you’re having a good time here. No, thank you.
But if you manage to ignore the naked flab, ravishing gazes and clouds of Axe body spray, you might just have an okay time. I for one did not.

Great for food in the day and drinks at night. Staff are very friendly and welcoming, gets very busy on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights.