Stratford may be best known for the Olympic Park, the London Stadium and of course Westfield, but in between sports and shopping there are some pretty great bars to be found here as well. And when I found myself weaving my way through the crowds of shoppers on a Friday night, it was the bustling Bat & Ball that was calling my name. This gaming bar promises three floors of fun, boasting an outdoor terrace too, so I rounded up three of my most competitive friends and went to check out the entertainment on offer.

A haven for sports fans: there are screens on every floor here.

DesignMyNight Review Of Bat & Ball

You're met with the relaxed but lively atmosphere of this place as soon as you step in, with live sports playing on their screens and tantalising aromas coming from their partially open kitchen. The ground floor was dedicated to food and drink, though we could see a glimpse of the games upstairs to come. Of course, we needed to fuel up before getting involved ourselves, so we took a seat at one of their window tables, giving us a view of Westfield's exterior and the busy walkway outside.

First up was a round of drinks, and my first choice was the bramble (£11.50) - a fruity cocktail that combined gin with Chambord, lemon and sugar. My friend chose a classic pornstar martini (£10.50), which had a strong passionfruit flavour offset by the dry shot of prosecco, while the others went for an Amstel (£6.20) and an Orchard Thieves cider (£6.40). 

The Bat And Ball Stratford menu specialises in pizzas and burgers.

After feeling suitably refreshed, we perused the extensive, American-inspired Bat and Ball menu. My choice was the vegetarian pizza (£13.50), which had a doughy, Neapolitan-style base topped with a generous portion of mozzarella, alongside roasted red peppers, mushrooms, red onion and salty black olives. One of my friends also opted for pizza, the prosciutto (£15) - layered with thin slices of parma ham, parmesan shavings and rocket leaves that added a crisp, refreshing element to the meal. We also ordered a smoky tasting garlic mayo to dip our slices in - definitely a worthwhile addition.

The other two both decided on burgers instead, the first being a lucky fried chicken (£17). This contained a tender cornflake-breaded buttermilk chicken breast, coated in garlic mayonnaise and resting on a base of shredded iceberg lettuce and red onion on a brioche bun. Last but not least was the smash burger (£16), also served in a brioche bun, featuring two juicy beef patties, dill pickles, oozing American cheese and a mysterious secret sauce that really elevated the flavour.

We ordered another round of drinks before heading up to the games area, and we swapped the cocktails for a round of pints: two of us chose summer berries Old Mout cider (£6.60 each), alongside another Amstel (£6.20) and an Orchard Thieves (£6.40) again.

Get stuck into competitive activities at Bat and Ball.

We tried out two of their entertainment options after dinner, the first being table tennis (£7 per person). The four of us played doubles in rotating team combinations, and while I won't disclose how many times I won, we all had a lot of fun. You can book each activity for an hour here, and this gave us plenty of time to play without feeling rushed. The only downside of this was that the tables were in the centre of the upstairs bar, so occasionally the balls did go flying towards other groups.

Our second pick was their interactive darts (£10 per person), which takes place in an exclusive room on their mezzanine level. These electronic boards are complete with all kinds of fun minigames, from classic 501 rules to Shanghai or round the world. This was our favourite of the two activities, and the boards adding up the scores for you was a nice bonus.

Bat & Ball Westfield: Overall

If you're looking for a chilled out spot for drinks and American eats, then you can't go wrong with Bat and Ball. Pub, sports bar and restaurant all in one, this three-floor venue has got something for everyone, even before you get involved in the games. They've got everything from karaoke to beer pong and pool here on top of the activities we tried, and I would definitely recommend this place for groups of friends and unique date nights alike.

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