As the Shoreditch nightlife scene expands ever-northwards, and the bar scene in Dalston pushes out to the south, this recent opening is perfectly positioned to catch the overflow from both.
At the moment, though, the Hobby Horse sits in something of a no-man’s land on the Kingsland Road, handy for the Regent’s Canal but not much else. Shame, as it’s a decent litle hangout. The otherwise useless website claims that the decor is ‘modelled on a Victorian playroom’, which seems a bit of a stretch for the cluster of sofas, mirrors and other ephemera; still, it’s a better-looking place than it first appears, at its best after dark.
Entertainment mixes good DJs with dodgy live music, but the atmosphere usually stays pretty mellow.