Mish Mash reviews
Fantastic place. Three of us had our 25th birthday there on a Saturday. It all started off sensibly enough with a few very well made cocktails before all going mad later in the evening to the sound of Abba and other 80s nuggets.
Excellent venue for a big night on a Friday/Saturday with friends. Very good cocktails, even till late, and a very useful reservation/guest list system. Be warned though - not for the faint hearted on a late Saturday night!
An incredibly mixed bunch of reviews for what for me is essentially a great South London bar. Mish Mash always manages to polarise people's opinions, and this is something I have never really understood.
Clapham High Street and Junction are full of style bars, most of which are full every weekend with the kind of cocky, arrogant young professional that gives the area a bad name. Yes, Mish Mash is a style bar and isn't the cheapest place in the world... but how refreshing that the majority who pay a visit are nice, down-to-earth people who are just out for a good time. The atmosphere is always great - something that can be attributed to the 80s/90s and funky house music policy and 2 for 1 cocktails.
People really should take Mish Mash for what it is - an unpretentious, fun destination bar that doesn't take itself too seriously!
When I go out I'm looking for a quality experience, from drinks and service to atmosphere and customers. Unfortunately that's NOT what you get at Mish Mash. In short, it's like your first holiday abroad with your mates - great at the time, but you really should know better by now.
by Grown Up, 08 Jul 2006I chose Mish Mash to celebrate my birthday. I wasn't sure what to expect when reading the reviews but it turned out to be a good choice. However, I do have a few gripes...
Firstly the drinks - too expensive, expected in London but they have a happy hour right? Right, but it takes more than a tight 25% off a jug of cocktails to make me happy. Secondly the sound system cut-outs were far too frequent. I've got an old Alba stereo system in the loft that could do a better job.
Now off the hating and onto the loving. I organised a guest list and reserved area on-line and when we turned up it was all in place. The manageress was very accommodating and the bar staff friendly. It is quite an intimate place and felt a bit like a house party, which in turn probably created a friendly atmosphere. The amount of people was just right. As for the music, the DJ played a nice mix of funk, soul, r 'n' b and house - definitely suitable for the 25-35 south London set.
All in all I would say if you're holding a party this is a great choice - just get everyone there on time and maybe choose a Friday rather than a Saturday.
In the wrong(ish) part of Clapham/Battersea someone launches an uber cool bar in an otherwise dead area. Result: all the trendy 20-30 Clapham somethings sick of the very haphazard scene around Clapham High St come flocking! How they all found out I have no idea (I was invited to a mates birthday).
Why does it work? All the usuals: super decor and cocktails are there but lots of bars have that. The late licence till 2am and very party-orientated 80/90s music are both very important too but lots of bars have that too.
What really makes it work is the incredible atmosphere. It sounds like a cliche but everyone is so very happy and there's a friendly atmosphere and that feeling is infectious. Also everyone seems to be like-minded 20-30 something, up for it professionals out for a good time (sounds snobbish I know). This is what sets it apart form other bars in Clapham/Battersea. Will it last? Have to wait and see.
Gripes: Needs more air con, could do with a second floor/chill out area. And if you are going at the weekend it's not the right option for a quiet drink. 3am would be better than 2am.
This is the place in Clapham/Battersea to come if you are having a party. It's not just for the fab cocktails, music, staff and decor, rather that most important but intangible thing of all - atmosphere. The vibe is fantastic. Everyone is on the same wavelength - fun, outgoing people, 20-35, professional but still able to have a good time. That's what we like. Let's hope they keep it up.
by alison delight, 05 Oct 2005Really enjoyed myself at Jennifer's bash. The outside terrace is lovely early evening and there is nothing quite like a bit of Duran Duran to get people on the dance floor. Security were also surprisingly nice and even got all cabs at the end of the night - that must be a first in London.
by CrazySteve, 04 Sep 2005Love it Love it Love it. Came down last Saturday for my girlfriend's birthday party. We had a reserved area for about 30 people by the French windows and took advantage of all of oh... 2 minutes of sunshine on the outside terrace.
Really good cocktails with a nice bit of cheesy 80s/90s which got everyone going later on. I do not know who designed the place but he needs to lay off the LSD - multicoloured lights, sofas and wallpaper - it's a very weird combination but somehow it works (although I had had a few cocktails by then).
The 2am licence let us dance into the small hours of the night and I would recommend Mishmash over the more run of the mill stuff on Clapham High Street especially if you are having a private party or reserved area. Any gripes? Not really I suppose the drinks are pretty expensive and I am not keen on toilet attendants (what do they do?) but that's par for the course for style bars & clubs and Mishmash is a lot cheaper than other West End bars I know. Overall a first rate venue. Good luck to them. I will be back.
Hmm. I live on Lavender hill and Mishmash has been my local since I booked my birthday there in March. We had a wonderful time and the reserved area thing was really easy to use. Music is a bit cheesy but great if you want a party vibe. Cocktails are wonderful as well. It gets very busy on Friday and Saturdays which is great if you are in party mode. Thursday is popular too and we often pop down because it is half price cocktails all night.
The venue's vibe is very much 20-30 something well dressed professionals which may not be to everyone's taste (but is great for me). They also do have a pretty strict door policy and have seen quite a lot of beered up blokes being turned away at the door - something which I def. approve of as I really dislike leery blokes.
Very amused by some of the other reviews especially from the guy who go turned away at the door who seems to have written most of them!
Mishmash is one of, if not the, most popular bars in Clapham and Battersea currently, precisely because it is fussy about who they let in. Keep it up.
It's strange that we all seem to hold the same opinion V.BAD - 1/5. Yet Frankie say 5/5 - who is Frankie?
I think it is an over hyped heap of poop. Apparently it is the same owners as living/redstar , which doesn't surprise me... same lack of vie as their other bars, rude bouncers, poor service / rude staff and most of all the crappiest nights I have had out in ages. You need to mashed to survive Mish Mash.
This is the worst bar in South London full stop. The bar staff can't speak English, the bouncers are a bunch of fu*kwits, the bogs are ahem, crap.
The owner must think the good people of clapham are an easy target to coin it and leg it out of the country. Bunch of wan*ers. Bring back real ale and sawdust floors I say.
It's such a shame that these type of bars still open. Poor drinks, poor service and awful security. Popped in on a Friday night and left after 5 minutes. South London has SO much more to offer than this. The sooner this dive closes the better. A truly horrible experience.
by Anonymous, 30 Apr 2005Terrible door policy. The idiot bouncers turn down whoever they feel like and then let some other people without any questions. All depends on their mood! Now that MM is a bit popular, they are already spoiled... The CLOSED sign is on the way, very soon...
by Anonymous, 19 Mar 2005Mish Mash...yes, what a load of F&*"ing MISH MASH... to say the least! How funky and misleading from the outside in terms of decor, despite the bouncers trying to pounce on anything that walked by in a skirt! Music, what music? Ohhhh, the music that was drounded out by the speech of office juniors trying so hard to gulp down their smirnoff's in sheer desperation to get smashed so they too could block out how bloody boring, un-atmospheric & un-classy this joint actually was.. I mean it was like being held against your will in a smelly lift jilted on the second floor needing to get to the 10th... exactly!!
I was there, and then I was gone, where I then headed up to Notting Hill to slide with those that really know how to do it! I think Mish Mash will only be good if there is a big sign on the door saying "CLOSED". Tay!
Really easy guestlist / reserved area system on the website - liked that a lot.
Nice cocktails as well.
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