Dalston Superstore

D

Dalston superstore is one of those cool places that define gay east London. It’s always got some kind of exciting event lined up, and even when you’re not on the dance floor, the barspace upstairs is pleasant enough in the day for a pint and some food. The décor is really hip and you’ll be hardpressed to find another location this forward thinking and exciting in Far East London

So I won’t lie, I was slightly blurry when I went here on Friday but I don’t think that’s just because of the alcohol. The place itself is a blur of noise, colour and people — not that this is a bad thing, it’s just what sticks out in my mind.
There was a barman that was an absolute dream — sadly I can’t remember his name but he had the most amazing afro and he really was a diamond. Quick service, super friendly and he made me laugh, A LOT!
I must say the music in this place was on point (for me anyway) — track after track of sing-​a-​long hits including Ella Henderson, Ghost — a sing along staple for me. I absolutely loved it and danced along until late late in the morning.
My only negative is the toilets and the stairs up/​downstairs — beware the stairs, they’re really rather steep and slippy with alcohol. I have a cracking bruise after a stumble so watch your step. Also, the toilets are unisex, rather messy and constantly busy which was slightly frustrating.
To note — this is a gay bar so if you’re not into eccentricities I wouldn’t recommend this venue. For me however, I loved it!

We visited Dalston Superstore specifically for the Dirty Diana night, at an Australian visitor’s request. We were expecting a pretty big club night with a fun and friendly vibe, but we were sadly disappointed. The evening felt like it could have been any other night. The relatively small bar was packed to the point of discomfort and instead of the welcoming atmosphere we’d been hoping for, we found that it felt pretentious, cliquey and — dare I say it — bitchy. Add to this a basement dance floor that genuinely felt like a sauna, and safe to say I’m not planning a return visit.

YES YES YES AND YES!
Gimme that veggie burger and fries! Extremely good!

Not a fave of mine, it tends to lure in the «too cool for school people». There’s a small bar and a small room downstairs, so not a big place! I recall this one time me and my friends went there and the door girl was really rude to my friend, don’t think I’ve been there since then.

Friendly bar staff and reasonable prices but when we visited for NYE, the bouncers ruined our experience totally not allowing us back in after a smoke and telling us we could get our coats tomorrow on a freezing night.

We weren’t really hungry, so we ordered two sides: mac’n’cheese and the chicken wings. The mac’n’cheese was ok, I guess I’m not a huge fan. But the chicken wings were better, perfect to have them like a «tapa» while you’re drinking. But I love Dalston Superstore as a dancing bar, so if you’re after 9:00 pm, enjoy this place as one of the best «discos» in London

friendly staff, laid back vibe. the upstairs looks small, but there is actually reasonable amounts of seating. drink prices and selection are reasonable too, and best of all, they are very dog friendly! it seems like the sort of place which has quite loyal regulars, but as non-​regulars we were given a warm welcome!

Based on their dinner and cocktails alone,
pretty easily the best chicken burger I have or will ever eat.
Great cocktails.

Popped in for a drink and dinner before a play recently. My Campari and soda with lime was only £4.40, and nice and strong. My burger was cooked medium-​well, and came with some really lovely toppings. I added avocado and cheddar and was very pleased. Juicy meat, fresh veg, and good cheese. The bun was quickly soaked in juice and didn’t hold up too well, though. The burger was £6.50 + £2 for the extra toppings. Still a good price for a decent burger since you don’t come by too many in London ;). My friend and I split an order of chips, which we still couldn’t finish. They were perfectly cooked and dusted with oregano sea salt — lovely! £2.80 for a massive bowl of them.
You do have to order at the bar, but they bring the food to your table for you and it does save on waiting for the bill at the end of the meal. The great selection of sandwiches, salads, and reasonably priced cocktails will see me back in soon!

Basically you have a picture of what this will be and it isn’t (personally for me I thought it would occupy the space/​size/​general housing of the tesco opposite).
But the drinks are cheap, there is plenty seating upstairs and the djs are sometimes my friends. Therefore I have to say they are good (of course they are!)
I’ve had enjoyable and fun nights here, but we haven’t had yet reached the heights of awesomeness yet. And the toilets are pretty disgusting and t-​peed. In my imagination, it is only suitable for super hard drug participation (i.e. of the non socially acceptable catagories).
Everything is set for the awesome night, yet it hasn’t materialized yet. 3 ½ rounded up to 4 (since you can pop over to voodoo rays).

I can’t work out how I feel about this place. On the one hand, the music’s good and it’s all friendly — assuming you are. This is a gay, but not exclusively gay, bar.
On the down side, the crowd can get really pushy and meat market-​y, it gets really crowded, and the staff are blindingly rude, at least to me. I was served well after several other folk who’d sidled up after me.
Cap it off with wickedly expensive drinks and… well, I’m just not sure. I’ll be back, as the music and whatnot was good, but to pay £4.50 for bottles of beer and be treated rudely… I want to like it, but it’s tough to.

I have been given an amazing dance class here by two essex girls with fake tans demonstrating to an entire bar by standing on the bar to show us how it was done.
The night before Kate & Will’s big day, I saw a male stripper go down to his undies and proceed to pull a special K&W union jack from, er hem, his bottom. Hilarious and slightly disgusting at the same time.
If nothing else, this place is a lot of fun. On other nights, there may not be such entertainment but there is usually a crowd, good music upstairs, entertaining DJs and downstairs they have proper dancing (although I prefer the cheesier stuff upstairs).
Don’t go here for food, seriously, there are better places about.

It’s a gay bar? Couldn’t tell the difference on the night we went really. We got there at about 10:30. It was a pre-​party for a screening of «Madonna: Truth or Dare». Crowded enough but still room for our little group.
I like that they have side tables that can be placed flat against the wall for when it gets dance-​y later.
When we came back from the screening to attend the after-​party it was apparently back to its normal crazy crowded self. Even with our guaranteed spots to cut the normal line we were waiting for a long time and eventually gave up. I mean it’s an ok venue but who would want to wait in the normal line at that time of night?
I’ll be up for trying again when they don’t try and schedule a special event AND allow the same amount of walk-​ins on the same night.

This is a day time review as I’ve seen the doorman and how bitchy he can be and we’ve only decided to go here before it gets too much of a scene. Good drinks, good music. I recommend trying an afternoon /​early evening drink then head elsewhere. Bar staff are friendly, laid back and quick., but this is a daytime review and have always left by 9pm. Definitely reminds me of bars in the East Village (NYC) from the 90s, and that’s a good thing! I’m gay and wouldn’t even attempt to get in here on a Saturday night as I’m not cool enough.

Great spot for a fun, lively night out! There is a bar area upstairs with really abstract wall art (Seems to change frequently).
There is also a downstairs for when you feel like a late night boogie (tiny Tina on the decks is pretty cool!)
The music after hours is the kind where you are dancing away and each time the song changes you say ‘Ooh I used to love this song! Woohoo!’ whilst waving your arms around and smiling madly!
Great fun!

I legit thought this was a club, well i guess it is. 5 pound cover at 2am though? EHH, but it’s a cool place to go, wish it was bigger… the downstairs portion anyways. Wow, the toilets are unisex. hahaha

Oh dear. It isn’t often that I’m grumpy about somewhere that sells coffee and food but get ready for a ranty rant from moi.
First up the shop signage is rubbish !!! Totally inadequate.
A chalk A-​Board and tiny neon signs do not constitute good shop/​bar signage, especially when you are on the other side of the street. But for the helpful kebab shop opposite, I would have missed the Dalston Superstore entirely.
My server was a sweetie who tried his best to show willing, despite being obviously unworked. But then I got my latte and my day bombed!
Without a doubt the worst latte I have had all year. It was served in a glass ! Not clever, not cool, not alternative, just silly, completely impractical and very badly made… grrr…
My hamburger was average, but took its sweet time arriving, despite the fact the place wasn’t exactly jumping with customers. Those customers who were huddled over their laptops seemed happy enough with their connections.
For evening drinks and music, I am sure that the space is perfect and the bar is more than well stocked. Whether I could be bothered to go back, after that pants latte (it really was poor !!!) I just can’t see it.
The only saving grace at Dalston Superstar was the bright pink toilet on the first floor. It was very clean… yep that is how much I liked the place!

I’m so sorry to do this to you guys but you just let me down. This place is a Jekyll and Hyde venue, posing as a café/​restaurant by day and a gay bar by night. Now I haven’t yet been at night, partly due to the scary looking queues that is permanently fixed outside the door and also because I just haven’t had the time.
Now from a café poit of view this place fails, the kitchen staff couldn’t deal with more that 5 covers at once and told a friend of mine that they weren’t taking orders for half an hour. When I ordered my food it came and was lovely but it did take 45 minutes to fry an egg, literally!
So DS, I will be back, I will try you again, I just won’t have such high expectations. It’s a shame, you’re bar is cool and your staff were lovely.