Babble Bar City is a sophisticated lounge bar on Bishopsgate, just a stones throw from Liverpool Street station. Taking pride of place on London Wall and delivering a cool selection of cocktails to a thirsty bunch of after work drinkers, Babble Bar City has built quite the reputation for itself. The time had come for DesignMyNight to take a look.
The Venue:
Somewhat dwarfed by the surrounding skyscrapers, you'd be forgiven for underestimating the size of this charming City bar. Set across three floors, Babble Bar City boasts a wide range of areas. On the ground floor, you can chill in the Crystal Bar with a cocktail in hand, before making your way up to the Crimson Club to get the party started. If it's a little VIP treatment that you're after, the second floor Boudoir is just the spot. We enjoyed a couple of drinks in the Crystal Bar, a dimly lit space, scattered with a mix of plush faux-velvet furnishings and full to brim with Middle Eastern touches.
This good looking venue is decked out with Asian inspired decorations and Middle Eastern touches.
The Ambience & Clientele:
We settled ourselves within a large cushioned booth and began to absorb the vibe: Babble offers many a quiet corner to disappear into, especially early on in the week. We were informed by our waiter that come Wesdneday night, Babble really comes alive, welcoming larger groups who are keen to get the party started as the weekend draws ever closer. Towards the end of the week, the vibe is a lot more club like, as DJs spin dance and R&B tunes until 3am.
Despite the suave interiors, Babble is not overly expensive and happy hour deals always deliver a bargain.
The Food & Drink:
The cocktail selection is more than enough to whet your whistle, offering a range of Martinis, sparkling numbers and Mojitos - these curious creations are refreshing, with more than enough kick. There's not the same choice that you'd get from a cocktail bar perhaps, but then Babble offers more in terms of overall atmosphere alongside an impressive range of wines, champagnes and bottled beers.
Babble also caters its food menu towards parties and groups, offering a mix of finger food and snacks - perfect for soaking up the cocktails on a boozy school night. Continuing the exotic theme, the menu offers Indian nibbles such as spiced lamb samosas, Madras chicken skewers and poppadoms that are perfect for nibbling on. We opted for the Saffron & Spice sharing board containing all of the above, which was nothing too fancy but at £14.50 there's just enough there to fill a small hole without setting you back too much.
Master mixologists whip up a storm at Babble Bar City.
Summary:
Babble Bar City is a good all rounder and a venue that will be able to please those looking for a quiet Monday night catch up, as well as those looking to celebrate a birthday or office promotion on a Friday. The food is perfect for party bites and certainly enough to satisfy a small craving, and although this probably isn't the place to head to for a main meal on date night, it's certainly a good spot for drinks afterwards. Babble Bar City is a great choice, whatever the celebration.
