The Book Club - Hackney

0 out of 5. This was the worst bar I’ve been to in London. Not only is there a 10pound fee per person, the drinks are disgusting and they have no brand name tequila or rum. Being from new york i was shocked, at this bar trying to pass as a club when its a gross basement party. The crowd was icky and i would not have paid to drink in a basement if i knew before i went in.

The staff at the entrance of the restaurant were extremely aggressive and rude. One of the staff members called my sister a derogatory term for no reason and seemed to pick fights with everyone. He was disrespectful towards other customers, displayed sexist behavior, and verbally and physically abused anyone who came in. It was clear that this staff member was unstable and his actions ruined the night for many people. The door staff seemed to enjoy exerting power over customers and were verbally, racially, and physically abusive. I would recommend avoiding this restaurant at all costs.

Came here for birthday drinks for a friend and it's clearly very popular. The staff are pretty miserable- especially the woman that stamps you as you enter. £10 entry after 9pm. Drinks are decently priced for central London. The music played was actually decent but it is on the smaller side.

Arrived at 5:15 for our booking and the door was locked with no one on the door looking to let us in. After 5 mins of knocking on the window the doorman trundled over and let us in. Happy to see that pizzas were £5 before o’clock. After an eternity in a queue waiting to order because the staff were so unbearably uninterested I got to the bar to order an Espresso martini and a pizza. Espresso martini was £9 and could’ve fit in an espresso coffee cup. Very sweet. Was nice overall but was minuscule. The pizzas eventually arrived and 1 of 2 was wrong. Staff looked bewildered that this could’ve been their fault. Only after 20 minutes when I went back up to the bar (and waited another 20 minutes for the staff to get through the 3 customers infront of me) did I get the staff to acknowledge that my pizza had not yet come. “Yeah it should’ve come by now” was the response I got. Eventually I managed to explain to the staff that it had in fact not arrived yet. They spoke to the kitchen and the pizza came within another 10 minutes. Having finished my thimble of espresso martini whilst waiting for my pizza I decided to order another pint to pass the time. I asked for one of their 10+ beers on tap and was informed that it had run out. “It’d be easier to tell you what we do have” claimed the barman. Got my beer, it was nice but not worth the wait. Overall, was a very disappointing experience. I know so many establishments where the staff do care and put all their effort in that have gone under in the current climate and it’s such a shame to see staff not appreciate what is required to stay alive in the current day and age. Defintiely wouldn’t return

Visited the Book Club for bottomless Brunch. Could not have picked a better venue. Absolutely fun. Great vibes. Would 100% recommend.