Purl

What an incredible experience on the weekend. Staff were amazing and the drinks to die for. Will definitely be back soon! thank you Purl

just moved into the marylebone area and stumbled across Purl on Friday night. We didn't have a reservation but the doorman realising we were locals made all he effort to find us space. It was an amazing experience and we will be down there most weekends from now on!

5 star service....this bar is getting better and better every time we come! there needs to be more purl's around london!!!!

people saying bad things about the drinks obviously don't appreciate cocktails. I've had the drinks mentioned below- they were outstanding, best cocktails I've ever tasted. maybe they are just beer and wine drinkers and need appreciate well made cocktails.

The idea of what they are trying to achieve with the speak-easy style is good but the execution is dreadful.

I went with a group of about 14 and they put us in a booth in the basement, which was fine, however the waitresses did not come down to serve us on their own initiative once - every time we wanted a drink we had to go up to the bar and get someone to come down and take our order. Each time the drinks took over 20mins to arrive which is crazy.

We started off sampling a few of the cocktails - we appreciated the theatre of the balloon popping and liquid nitrogen drinks but surely the main priority should be to make drinks which actually taste nice, which these definitely didn't. So we moved onto wine and ordered a bottle of their white which was absolutely disgusting. Having exhausted those options we ended up drinking gin&tonics and red stripe all night for which we could have gone to any bar or pub and paid half the price.

Definitely would not go back here, terrible drinks, terrible service.

If you want to go to this type of bar but done well I recommend Experimental Cocktail Club.

This is the best speakeasy style bar in London. Fact.
Amazing combination of old school atmosphere with 'wow' drinks and theatre behind the bar. Try the Ceres Joker... a helium balloon garnish - awesome!

Almost didn't go based off some of the previous reviews about bad service. None the less I decided to book a table for nine people and hope for the best.

In short we hard a brilliant time. We had a small alcove area booked for us which we ended up filling with 12 people with no mind from the poor waitress who looked after us. She herself was lovely, very welcoming and looked after our rowdy (yet friendly) group of people brilliantly.

The drinks were fantastic, we really enjoyed them though some are obviously very strong and if you like your 'sweet can't taste the alcohol' type of cocktails then ask your server for a recommendation ;)

All in all, brilliant place to go with old friends and new friends you want to impress. I loved it and recommend it.

Especially loved it when my drunk musician friend decided to start playing the piano at the end and even the bouncers were impressed and started clapping.

Can't believe I have only just found this place.... Most imaginative cocktails I have ever seen

This place is the best speakeasy I have ever been too and that includes PDT, death & co, little branch, milk and honey, ECC, night jar.

PURL YOU ROCK MY WORLD

Really enjoyed this bar - really nice decor and great drinks. Perfect Christmas venue.

Still one of the best bars in London due to imaginative drinks, great music and a really nice intimate atmosphere. I was there last night and the Christmas decor is looking spot on too. Surprised TO only give it 3 stars?

Was beyond apprehensive post booking (and putting a credit card down as it was a party of 10) - and then reading reviews before attending - however we as a group of girls in our late 20s & early 30s absolutely LOVED the bar. Very cute / kitsch decor, lovely private alcove booths , really sweet staff and nice drinks. Had a really nice birthday and would definately be back. xx

most unbelievable bar. coming from australia i was told to visit Purl, i was blown away. i have never seen anything like it. thank you to the purl staff, they made us feel very welcome ( even though we didn't have a reservation)

Rude staff, very bad cocktails but nice design.
Won t ever go again.
T.

lovely venue and great cocktails. the waitress Gemma was a STAR! Great experience, definitely worth going back :)

Started badly with an extremely rude doorman and continued with a rude and arrogant host! We (a hen party) were ushered into a booth (aka cave) and forgotten, managing to get only two drinks each in the 2 1/2 hours we were there. When the drinks did arrive the waitress poured one between two glasses and didn't even replace it (£11 a pop). The atmosphere was tired, the stale bread on the table worse and it completely deflated the hen 'high' we had been on! The host was even rude to the hen. All in all, a real shame and we won't be visiting again!

Worst bar ever !!! Staff are rude and unhelpful. Service is non existent

No atmosphere, expensive, poor service

Purl is an outstanding bar. We first started going there when nobody else knew about it, and it would only be for selfish reasons that we say we wish it hadn't caught on! Its definitely a busier bar now than it was a year ago but the bar has evolved to cope with this. We always book as tables get snapped up quickly and love the fact that even though there is sometimes a small queue outside - it never feels packed out inside. The table service is a nice touch and the cocktails are definitely some of the best i've had. The staff there all seem to be knowledgable and really friendly - they've written down drinks recipes for us, and booked us taxi's - nothing seems too much trouble! I'm really sad to see the reviews below as this isn't the bar we know!! Purl isn't going to be quickly serving disco drinks over the bar to office parties - but that's why its one of the best bars in London!

We prebooked an area Purl which was great (a little cave that sat 12 peope). However, when we got there at our allotted time, we were left waiting for 20 minutes whilst they cleared the table from the previous guests. We were then told it was table service only and we were not able to order from the bar. This is absoloutely fine... when you get service! We were constantly trying to track our waiter down to order drinks/ask him to clear our full to the brim table. When he did finally show his face he told us he would be back... then dissapeared again!The waiter that was looking after our table had a major attitude problem and was too busy swanning around rather than doing his job which was looking after the guests in this very small bar. A night of lovely cocktails was ruined by a waiter who could do his job, we could of easily had double the amount of cocktails we did due to seriously slow service. The venue is nice, the waiter was not! Cocktails fun and interesting.

Great for: dropping casually by on the way to Under The Bridge with some pals you want to impress: "wow a cocktail served in a caravan tin mug how amazing!" whilst wearing your recently purchased night goggles. Great for your one liners "I was in Moscow the other week and everyone was talking about Purl". And don't these plebs that can't get in realise that you need to tip the bouncer?

Not so good: if you're thirsty, for those without night goggles (though at least everything won't look green), anyone with a sore throat (the music is more than loud enough but several divisions below the Buddha bar) or if you're not on expenses.

I didn't have a cocktail, but for those that did only one out of five enjoyed it.

A victory of style over substance.

Well presented cocktails that don’t actually taste very good. Funky décor but essentially a dark, humid, slightly stinky basement. A nice waitress but very slow service.

Probably won’t go back.

i had never heard of purl until someone told me. we went down on the off chance that we could get a seat. unlike the below reviews. we were greeted by such a friendly girl and was swiftly seated at a vacant table. drinks were the best i have ever tasted ( and i travel the world). The service was great to. Staff were knowledgable. I will be back and will bring all my clients in.

I completely agree with the review below, when we went the waitress was completely rude and uninterested, our drinks did not come for over 40 minutes for which we were told they had forgottten to print the ticket but the manager came down and tried to explain how its just that the drinks are completely prepared from scratch and take time, he had no idea that the waitress had already told us the ticket hadn't printed, was not apologetic at all, said he would go and find out what happened and never came back. When the drinks did arrive the waitress as stated below asked in the most uninterested way if we enjoyed them, which actually we didn't. The cocktails which we ordered of the special list were almost toxic, most of us couldn't even drink them with a straight face - this seems to be a wanna be experimental cocktail bar but doesn't even compare to the service and drinks offered there.

I read the great reviews, and I was keen to try. Sadly, I was disappointed.

I visited with three friends on a Thursday evening. There was no problem getting in and the bouncer was friendly. My drink - the Rum Grog - was quite good. My friends' drinks, I thought, were average. But, Purl sorely disappointed. Problems?

1) We arrived without reservations. The place was not busy and the waitress hesitated for far too long, staring at her nearly blank clipboard, before deciding to let us have a table.

2) We were led to a nice booth-style area in the basement. But, as commented in Timeout's review, the humidity (and, therefore, the smell) was slightly off-putting. Not enough to complain maybe, but not a great start.

3) We waited and waited and waited for ou orders to be taken. Eventually we gave up, and just as my friend had decided to find and order drinks at the bar, the waitress finally appeared. Once the waitress took our orders, we waited and waited and waited for the drinks to be served. We were literally at the point of just walking out, and refusing to pay, when she finally returned with the drinks. The waitress returned once to ask, in the most uninterested way, whether we liked the drinks.

Needless to say, we reduced the optional service charge. London is full of bars; I would rather visit one that cares about customer satisfaction.

My favourite bar in London, bar none! Could get lost in there for hours just taking it all in.

easily the best place to impress your friends for cocktails. i have never seen cocktails so visually stimulating before
the staff i have on the numerous occasions i have been are incredibly knowledgable
give it a try you wont be disappointed

Brilliant little bar, been visiting for almost a year now and never fails to impress.

I live around the corner and have visited several times. It's a good place to bring out-of-town friends or book for a special night. I'd like to go more often but, unfortunately, it's not a place where you can just drop in for a good drink.
Bouncers - unnecessarily rude on several occasions. I understand that you should book ahead of time for this place, however, since I live a block away I do not think it is unreasonable to stop by and ask the bouncer if there is a free table or bar stool for a quick drink on a weeknight. If not, a simple no will do rather than a confrontation.
Drinks - Original and very well done. Changing menu keeps it fresh.
Waiters/Waitresses - Average
Bartenders - Very knowledgeable and personable

horrible attitude, could wipe the taste of even a standard cocktail... If they could mix one... Avoid unless you like a side of ugly arrogance with your drink

I was disgusted by the attitude of both the door staff and some of the bar staff at Purl. I have never been spoken to so rudely for no reason and I am very unimpressed. Fancy potions and trendy decor are all very well but it is ultimately the staff that make the difference in any venue. Don't bother with this one, not worth the effort.

Visited this bar on Saturday night, it was Halloween and we were dressed to impress. We had an area booked and there was approximately 25 people. The bar was empty upon arrival and did not fill up over the next few hours, initally we wanted to move as there was no atmosphere. What became apparent by the staff is that they did not want our custom. We are aged 29-35 high earners and granted we were in fancy dress the bouncer made several unneccessary indignant comments towards us so we left. In my opinion, this bar has an attitude above its station primarily with the bouncer who is out in the cold on a Friday night making extra cash to add to his most likely minimum paid job.

In response to the reviewer below. I live around the corner and every time I have come in both the doorman and the staff have been amazing. The owners work behind the bar and are always so friendly when me and my wife sit at the bar. There is noway the owners would miss an opportunity to speak to a potential customer unless they were busy behind the bar serving. My advice- try again as you won't be dissapiinted!!!!!

I love this place. It offers something completely new to the London bar scene, how many places can you get a liquid notrogen martini?
They even made me a margarita sorbet with dry ice that wasnt on the menu - I think I have found my new local.

Having visited Purl recently and having read a lot about it the expectations were high. That said the place is awesome, not only is the ambience perfect but the drinks they serve are like northing I have seen before. The Mr Hydes served in a potion bottle not only had the theatre but tasted great... just my kind of drink. Great drinks, service and the knowledge of the bartenders is amazing. Will be back soon...

In response to the reviewer below, I can see no reason why I could not pass the door, I was there half an hour before they close, I was sober, I am an attractive woman in my early thirties and was wearing more than appropriate clothes (a suit) - my intention was only to have a look at the venue to decide whether I celebrate my birthday there with a group of at least 15 people; so speak-easy or not, I see no reason why the manager could not talk to me and explain why I could not view the venue rather than sending a card with the bouncer so that I email the next day with my request when I was standing outside. Consideration to your potential customers (or to any human!) is key in the business is my opinion. Good luck Purl, hope the Management learned something from my experience and others will have a better one going forward. Best.

I think that pert of the charm of this marvelous bar is the fact that it is hidden away. I'm not at all surprised that the revier below was handed a card by the doorman.. it's a speakeasy style bar and a simple card is wonderfully in keeping with that style.

I have read a number of online reviews on Purl, across the a few different websites. The good ones always praise the skill of the bartenders and the theatre and attention to detail of the cocktails. The small number of bad reviews are nearly always based around the fact that people cannot get in the door!

I always do research and visit new venues before I decide where to celebrate my birthday. I read this review in Time Out and decide it may be a good option. It's 22:30hrs and they close in an hour, I live in the area so decide to check the ambiance on a week day. I get there at 2300hrs and the bouncer asks me what do I want, I say I want to go to the bar! He tells me they are closing in 15 minutes and I will only have time for one drink. I respond that I want to talk to the manager as I want to organise a birthday party. The bouncer tells me he needs to check with the manager and leaves me upstairs in the cold waiting. I am standing on the street in my work suit and high heels, I had a long day, I'm knackered and it's freezing, until the bouncer comes back. He tells me the manager indicates that I have to send an email the next day and hands me a card from the bar. Huh? I think - I'm here now and you are asking me to send an email tomorrow? And the manager does not even have the dignity to come and talk to me or at least let me have a quick look at the venue? - I say, no thank you and come back home... I won't say anymore, you can decide by yourself whether you want to visit this 'sort' of place.