Tucked beneath a men's salon on Stoke Newington Road, and noticeable only by a signpost emblazoned with their signature facial hair, The Moustache Bar offers straightforward fun in an area that is so often criticised for being a bit too trendy. After walking past and catching a glimmer of what lies behind this mysterious little door, I couldn't help but venture in for a little moustache-ed fun.
The Venue
Much of Moustache Bar's charm lies in the feeling one gets upon entry; this basement bar in East London is quite content not being discovered by East London revellers - blink and you'd miss it. Take a trip downstairs and you find yourself in a small but perfectly formed living room-cum-dance floor, scattered with all sorts of rustic oddities, giving it a uniquely homely feel. The walls are adorned with framed (and moustache-ed) paintings and portraits, whilst battered leather sofas line the dance floor and the DJ booth backs onto an extraordinarily over-sized world map. You'll be hard pressed not to fall in love with this gem of an East London party spot.
The paintings certainly live up to the name of this cool East London DJ bar.
The Atmosphere and Clientele
Upon entering the main bar, I found myself utterly consumed by the energy on show - sure, The Moustache Bar is small, but it packs one hell of a party punch. London's late-night pleasure seekers bop across the dance floor, singing to the rafters and spilling very reasonably priced drinks all over themselves - the crowd at The Moustache Bar is as wonderfully unassuming as the venue itself.
Head to the bar and spot the owner (and full-time barman) who, surprise surprise, boasts a rather impressive tash and serves drinks with a smile. Ever endearing and quite frankly adorable, The Moustache Bar is a pretense free, fun time party venue that'll keep you dancing until the early hours.
Lose your inhibitions and party with a cool, fun loving crowd at The Moustache Bar.
The Music
The Moustache Bar hosts all manner of DJs and live music acts; each with their own individual style and, I get the impression, without an overwhelming desire for mass appeal. We stopped by on a Saturday night, only to discover Scared To Dance, an indie-pop DJ collective on the decks; we were in for a treat, as they were playing only the best in post-punk, new wave, sixties, C86 and lo-fi. These guys have a cosy bi-monthly residency at The Moustache Bar, along with a number other small to medium sized DJ troupes playing all sorts of wonderfully eccentric sounds, ranging from disco boogie madness and psychedelic gems to primitive grooves from the dawn of rock and roll.
With cool DJs, affordable drinks and a friendly owner, what more could you want from Moustache Bar?
Summary
The Moustache Bar charms instantly. As aforementioned, much of its allure comes from the sense that this noisy retreat is quite content not being found. Unashamedly flamboyant yet wonderfully unassuming, The Moustache Bar is your one stop shop for straightforward, frill free debauchery in East London.
