Wax Jambu

If you’re looking for an upscalish cocktail bar in the angel area, this is probably the best one. I can’t say it’s one of my regular spots — a little too many loud groups of cackling girls for my taste, but they do make good cocktails and the DJs can be very good some nights. It’s really more of a soho kind of place imho, but it’s an ok enough place to drink in a pinch if you can’t be bothered to go to LAB or somewhere central with great mixologists.
Décor is pretentious, but these sort of places always are, so no points docked. It is what it is and it does it well.

came here last night in a group of 6 around 6pm — it wasn’t too busy, but most tables had reserved signs on them for later on in the night. i’m not sure somewhere like this which is really quite small and obviously doesn’t have too much of an issue with lack of popularity really needs to reserve areas for groups — it basically makes the whole bar unavailable for walk ins.
i didn’t really like the vibe of the place — it was so loud that i couldn’t actually talk to my friends. i don’t think this is the fault of the bar because obviously a lot of people are looking for that on a saturday night, but for me, that’s not what i’m into.
the cocktail i tried which was 2 for £10 before 8pm (as long as it was the same drink) was sickeningly sweet — i think it was called the jambu breakfast. not to my taste, but i’m sure it would appeal to lots of other people!
probably wouldn’t come back here as there was nothing which stood out for me here.

Wow! Was steered here for a work colleague’s leaving do and had a great time. I have to say, I was dubious regarding claims of their excellent cocktails but was proven wrong! While you might have to wait a little while at the bar for a drink, it is well worth it as the bar staff make every effort to create delicious fresh cocktails, and with a smile.
I absolutely love their concept of bottle service: buy a bottle of booze and put it in a locker provided to you, and avoid the wait at the bar. Genius!

one of my friends had her birthday here on Saturday and we all had a great time! the place was swanky but accessible and packed with groups of well-​dressed young 20’s/30’s. it was super full, luckily we had two booths to ourselves so it made the evening significantly more comfortable. the drinks were expensive but good, i switched around from a fruity pink amaretto drink to champagne to tequila shots to wine, it was a bigger night for my liver than for anything else really. there was a DJ and a small dancing area as well.
sidenote: there’s no reception inside the bar even though it’s not underground and basically open air on one side, mysterious.

I’ve no idea why this bar has had such poor reviews before now! The theme may not be to everybody’s tastes, but I found it smart, relaxing and funky when I turned up with some friends, and we particularly enjoyed the live jazz which blended nicely into the background. The service was also excellent — very polite staff and no waiting around even on a busy night.
It’s a little on the pricey side, but tbh that’s not unexpected for a cocktail/​wine bar in the middle of Upper Street. Certainly made for a pleasant environment for catching up with friends, and a welcome change from beery pubs.

Have been here once and wouldn’t bother going again. They really need to sort their bar service out, snails could’ve gotten our drinks to us faster. The mocktail they came up with for me was nice though.

Their Mojitos are the BEST I’ve had in a long long time! Now, I’m dying for one in the worst way… sad.
On weekends, the place gets absolutely crazy-ze…on a scale of craziness, think Britney shortly before shaving her head crazy. You just can’t walk more than five feet within the door.
Because of this place, I seriously want a tree trunk stool. Honestly. How cool would that be, just have on sitting around for your friends to try to figure out WHY you have it and WHAT it’s for… brilliant.

This is actually a pretty decent bar in Islington to grab a cocktail. it’s well designed and cozy yet chic. The bartenders can make a mean drink, but the bar gets super crowded and it can take a loooong time to get a drink.
CAUTION: Do not reserve a space for a private party. The reservation process was smooth but the night itself was a debacle. They put several credit cards on the same tab, charging the wrong people for drinks and adding drinks we never ordered. It took us a long time and and a very frustrating exchange with the manager to sort it all out. Plus we ordered canapes that they never delivered.
So, pop in for a drink but don’t count on it as a destination for the evening.

Grooving to classic soul music, resting on a tree trunk and sipping some grapefruitilicious cocktail proved to be the perfect jet lag cure about six months ago, and this has been my little lounge that could ever since that fateful night in the woods.
(Have you ever played Balderdash? Cause I think I could win the «movie description» challenge with that one. The movie would be called «Night at the Naughty Pine Lodge» Dun dun duuuunnnnn…)
Sure, you may feel like you’re in some sort of boozy Bear Country Jamboree twilight zone, but let’s be honest, does that sound so terrible?

It’s an improvement on Kinky Mambo’s which didn’t even bother to try with its cocktails, just banking on location but.
I’m getting old, obviously, but they let far too many people in. There was nowhere to sit, stand, hide… I could barely lift my drink. This bar has alwasy had a bad layout and they have un-​improved it by adding a wall just where you don’t want one. I think. Or some chairs. Something isn’t right.
The cocktails were ok, but I can’t help but think if this bar was somewhere else (i.e. not the only ‘club’ place on Upper St), it would fail miserably. One of the cocktails on the menu was unavailable, and another was ‘printed wrong’. They were tasty but 25 Canonbury lane does it better! And it’s still too small to be a meaningful dancing venue.
I really like the artwork and décor though.

My favourite little bar on Upper St!
Good things come in small packages and Wax Jambu may be small — but thats part of what i love about it. Walk in to exposed brickwork, little alcoved lounges with small tree tables (you know those ones — where they chop a trunk off a tree and sand it down and make your one of a kind table).I digress. anyway on a late night visit– the place was filled with young and beautiful (and effortlessly fashionable) people and beats from the DJ. There is also a tiny hidden away upstairs bar — enjoy!

Recently added to the Upper St stretch; ive been here a couple of times — but wasnt impressed. Wax Jambu think they are in Mayfair/​Kensington and price accordingly. So if thats your bag, go for it.
Layout is very lounge like, and not accomodating for large groups (if you dont have a seats/​table)
For the cooler, younger people — go down the road to Keston or Slim Jim’s.

This is a kewl place. The waitress were all very friendly and very helpful. Their drinks were also very good. I also like the inner ambience of the bar with the kewl groovilicious music …
I have to go out this place again to quench some more of my cocktail thirst ~smile.

This is the place that used to be called Kinky Mambo on Upper Street and has been given a new name, new management (?) and a whole new soundtrack: random track of the night last night was The Birdy Song, weird. But don’t let that put you off.
I think the clientel may have changed a bit from its Kinky days, there seemed to be an older crowd in last night, but it has a really nice vibe, the bar staff are smiley, super-​friendly and fast and it still had that newly-​decorated aroma about the place.
They have a few random ornaments about too — old Ladybird books and a miniature keyboard come to mind — and a projection of a fire on a wall. In fact the more I type the stranger this place sounds. So all in all a ‘nice’ place. Suppose it’ll take a few months to develop a bit of identity, but it’s a good place to head if you’re looking for a drink and a dance on a night in Islington. Oh, they do food too, but we didn’t get chance to try it. Beers, wines and cocktails are all your usual London prices.
One final thing, they don’t charge door tax, not even on Saturdays and the bouncers are friendly, they were even dancing the other night — could be ’cause it’s Christmas though!

Wax Jambu is a sort of lounge bar on Upper Street. It is a small place with a bar at the back and a small DJ bar in the corner.
I came a few weeks ago with a friend for a mid afternoon drink. It is nice place, with clear effort having being put into the décor. The staff are really friendly. We came for a drink and a sandwich; both were well done. There were a few other small groups in, and there was a pleasant, relaxed atmosphere. There is a DJ booth, though was no DJ when we there. Nonetheless the music playing was down tempo and pretty cool.
One of the more successful bars on Upper Street.