In the mood for some tequila time? This rustic Mexican retreat in Putney is an exciting new restaurant bar with spicy flavours, potent cocktails and a thriving atmosphere. Don your sombrero and let Mexico show you how it’s done.
The Venue
Wooden tables and tribal paintings on the walls give El Patron an authentic stripped back look, and touches such as the ornate panelled ceiling and the colourful bunting in the downstairs bar liven up the space and create a homely environment.
A photo booth in the corner of the bar, complete with props such as furry moustaches mounted on sticks and a fabulous selection of multicoloured sombreros, will entice you and your friends inside for hours at a time. You didn’t know how exciting a photo could become with the added aspect of fraudulent facial hair but after a night behind that curtain, trust me, you will.
Check out the basement bar and admire the quirky wall art in this decadent downstairs den.
The Atmosphere
This self-titled ‘social club’ brings together a mix of delicious food, gorgeous cocktails packing punches and regular live music and entertainment, a combination that will leave your taste buds tingling, your head spinning and your feet moving at a pace way ahead of your body. It’s a combo that can’t be beaten and makes for an unpredictable and lively atmosphere. The venue is a casual spot, with no need for a dance floor – you’ll find yourself dancing between the tables with everyone else.
Seat yourself upstairs for relaxed vibes and have that great catch up with those long-lost friends you haven’t seen for years, or for the usual crew out on the town, grab a stall downstairs for a rowdy evening with easy access to the bar and a pulsing dance beat. Either way, whether you’re new to drinking or have just hit middle age, whether you work in a bank or vote for the Green Party, El Patron has a space for you.
Delicious cocktails are served in jam jars, skull-shaped mugs and sometimes even normal cocktail glasses. But don't worry, all are delicious!
Food and Drinks
Delights such as Carnitas (tender slow roasted pork) in toasted flour tortillas, bursting with pinto beans, rice, cheese, guacamole and pico de gallo salsa, are enough to make the fullest of stomachs commence their hungry rumblings, and for £7 you'll be tempted to indulge yourself. It’s a meal raging with perfectly balanced flavours, the tasty guacamole offset by a spicy jalapeno salsa for a melt-in-your-mouth extravaganza. There’s also a great selection of quesadillas, nachos and tacos for any who can’t handle that bulky burrito.
With ingredients such as egg whites, chipotle and jalapeno infused Arette Blanco, the drinks at this venue will have you shaking maracas and growing that famous moustache by the end of the night. The Poncho is particularly popular, uniting sweet coconut essence with zesty peach and orange bitters, all for only £8.50. Watch the bar staff skilfully cradle yolk in the broken shell as the egg white drops into your cocktail and enjoy a beverage that fights back.
The only downside to this skillful cocktail making is a frustrating wait at the bar. It’s rare that someone will order a simple beer with such an impressive menu, which means that staff slave over their drinks with a precise attention to detail that at first leaves us mesmerised, and then leaves us standing at the bar for too long, with an empty glass and sweaty change in our palms. Make sure you get at least two drinks to keep you going!
Check out these bad boys... Anyone else salivating all over the screen?
Summary
So don’t overlook this small entrance near Putney station. Walk right in, bounce off the walls, try on those moustaches, scream ARRIBA at the top of your lungs as you jig that jig and for one night only, let out your inner Mexican.
