Friendly, fun, and opulent; Opal can provide you with a classic night of dancing, lounging and highballed booze. It’s also one of the rare West End establishments that’s open after 2am.
The Venue
This riverside jewel rests alongside Embankment station, snuggled underneath the mighty Hungerford Bridge. It’d be hard to resist not stopping for a drink here after a stroll by the Thames or through Victoria Embankment Gardens.
You'll find this vibrant party palace in the heart of Embankment.
Ambience and Clientele
I popped in a little after 7pm and found the place to be already filling up with professionals looking for some after work refreshment. It doesn’t look like much from the outside, but inside, Opal finds a way of glittering like some kind of cavern gemstone.
It was Opal’s ‘Mad Hatter’ themed night, so there was a ‘wonderland’ feel; playing cards were strewn all over the tables, and staff were donning vibrant costumes. There were people chatting and joking over their drinks around every corner; there was also plenty of space to grab a seat and chow down on some bar food on the bar's black leather sofas. Still, even at 7pm the house beats were bumping and a few early starters made their tipsy entrances on to the dance floor.
A lively crowd of young professionals are drawn to Opal's quirky themed nights.
Food and Drinks
The food menu at Opal is full of the traditional pub grub such as chicken wings, burgers, and nachos, and I definitely wasn’t disappointed after finishing the sharing platter.
I also really enjoyed my ‘Get Lucky’ cocktail. It was made with strawberry puree, rum, mint, limes and gomme - but the best part was without doubt the rhubarb. I can honestly say that I’ve never had anything like it before. I could've drank them all night. Another tasty concoction was the gin-based White Noise, which was deeply flavored with lychee. Perhaps there’s a reason why those two drinks are named after two of the hottest songs of 2013.
Line 'em up and work your way through the colourful and flavoursome cocktail card.
Summary
I’d recommend booking early and heading down to Opal for after work drinks or group outings. Happy hour at Opal starts at 5pm, so you can enjoy up to 50% off all drinks until 8pm. Before you head down, check the DJ line-up; as Opal has been known to feature some really talented artists.
