There aren’t many things that can accurately be described as universally loved, but cocktails and music surely fit into this category. Of course, this is because both are so broad that there is something for everyone to enjoy. There is no one who hates every type of music. There is no one who hates every single cocktail.
So, an experience that entwines the two with great care and attention sounds like an absolute winner.
That’s exactly what you’ll find at The Back Room Cocktail Experience.
Hidden just behind Hard Rock Cafe London, this speakeasy-style establishment leans heavily into atmosphere, offering something closer to an immersive night out than a standard cocktail stop.
READ NEXT: Restaurant review: Dim Sum Library, Covent Garden
The concept is built around a two-hour, four-course “set”, where each round combines a cocktail with a paired bite, alongside a thread of storytelling and a carefully curated soundtrack. It’s a structured format that could feel gimmicky elsewhere, but here it largely lands – giving the evening a sense of momentum and occasion.
Music plays a central role in shaping the experience. DJs affiliated with the Pete Tong DJ Academy guide the tone of the evening, shifting the energy as each “track” unfolds. Combined with cinematic lighting and deliberately intimate seating, the space manages to feel somewhere between a private members’ lounge and a stripped-back late-night set.
To start things off, we get a boozy vodka martini with hot smoked salmon crostini, for a Scandinavian themed experience (Elegance Reborn). Each ‘track’ is thoughtfully explained to us before it is served, and here our host warns that this is a vodka martini that isn’t messing about, but that it felt appropriate to start the evening with a strong drink. The drink also comes with a misted lemon reduction, to be sprayed over to enhance the aromas.
The smoked salmon is served in a pot, alongside the crostini, soused onion and horseradish, allowing us to put together our own crostini accustomed to our palettes. This adds a nice element of interactivity to proceedings, a theme that will carry on throughout the evening.
Next, it’s a negroni with a twist, as Aperol is added to the drink for an Italian venture (Fire & Balance). This comes with a spoon of orange marmalade and a sea salt reduction, allowing us to tailor the drink depending on whether we’d like it a little sweeter or a little dryer.
This comes alongside a healthily-sized saffron risotto Arancini filled with rich beef ragu. Put simply, it’s as wonderful as it sounds.
Track three (Chaos & Creation) takes us to Mexico, where we’re treated to a spicy margarita, with the choice of adding either tequila or mezcal. Alongside this is a mound of pork tostada, topped with lime crema and served with plantain and corn chips.
After the richness of the ragu and arancini, this is a fresh and zingy course which, alongside the appropriately themed music, gets all the senses dancing.
Finally, track four provides a decadent finish as we’re transported back to London (Soho Electricity) for an Espresso Martini and Dark Chocolate and Amaretto pot. Not too heavy, this dessert is the perfect way to round off the meal, with everyone’s favourite caffeinated cocktail vanquishing any post-meal fatigue.
Every cocktail and every course hit the spot, each complimenting the other beautifully, and leaving us well-fed and suitably tipsy. This was proper cocktails and proper food.
At less than £50 (£49.95) per person for the full two-hour experience, it represents great value for money as well. You’d be hard-pressed to find anywhere else in central London where you can get four cocktails and what is effectively a meal’s worth of food for less.
This curated and stylish experience aims to elevate a couple of cocktails at a bar into something more memorable – and succeeds in doing exactly that.
The Back Room Cocktail Experience, £49.95 per person for the full two-hour experience including cocktails and paired bites.
Reservations are open on Fridays & Saturdays, with various set session times of 6.pm-8pm &7pm-9pm.