The Social

Been a while since I’ve been here and for all its small space it’s the events it holds that really make it. Hip hop is a music genre I love and they do hip hop karaōke on a Thursday night.
Monday’s they have just started to do an event based around guest speakers and showcasing hip hop music videos; choosing their favourites and showing them why.
I love an event where you learn or simply have fun. So though it’s not a place is typically hang out because of the crowded small space, the hip hop vibe it clearly favours is something I feel is always missing with London and I embrace when I find.

Always fun. But closes at 1.
A go to place for later drinking in town.
Hover around the bar and try to grab a booth when they free up (you can book but they go quick).
The music downstairs was terrible when we were there but often it’s pretty good

We went to The Socials very own Dogtown for some hotdogs. The offer a vegetarian/​vegan one as well, which was our main reason for coming.
We tried the chilli cheese and the vegan one with a side of cheesy tater tots.
We had to wait quite a while as the cook wasn’t in when we came around lunchtime.
When the food came it was quite nice, the hotdogs are filled to the brim and the tots were soft.
But now I have to come to the bad part. In the middle of our meal, a bunch of ROACHES crawled up the wall right next to us. (Fun thing, the roaches were actually a lot more attentive then the service.) The crawling made us a little uneasy and we couldn’t finish our meal without worrying about the hygiene in the kitchen.
After we paid, we told the waitress about the roaches. She didn’t seemed concerned/​apologized our anything, she should said «yeah, they are everywhere, can’t get rid of it» A total No-​Go.

Stay clear of this place! The charming hipster 70’s wooden lodge look and fairly decent fast food can’t make-​up for the absolute lack of hygiene (Cockroaches crawling the walls) and the terribly inattentive staff.
Went there at noon but we had to wait 20 mins before the cook would return (he was out for lunch). So we were taking in the atmosphere, noticed the grime on the table (probably hasn’t been wiped in a long time. We ordered a Chilli Dog, Tots with Beer Sauce and a Veggie Dog.
We had to ask the waitress three times until we got napkins, ketchup and cutlery for the tots that were starting to dissolve in the beer sauce.
In the middle of our meal I noticed things moving on the walls. A family of cockroaches coming out from behind the booth. WTF?! It made our skin crawl to sit in that cesspool, so we quickly ate up (while closely expecting every bite). Had to pay 23 quid for it, which is IMO unjustifiably high for fast food. As I was paying I informed the waitress of the infestation problem, and she just brushed it off as a constant issue. No apology whatsoever. Disgusting place.

This is such a great spot 7 pounds for hip hop Karaōke on a Thursday night 5pounds if you rsvp. Get here early if you want to sit down or get closer to the stage.
A really chilled out diverse crowd and atmosphere. The performers were so so good! I was impressed. Gets packed so beware. The drinks are reasonable and I’d def come back again.

Crazy little place, absolutely packed with people, my group came here for a drink while waiting for a table to open up at Burger and Lobster. Firstly, thanks to the door guys who ID’d me (genuine thanks) they looked so surprised when they saw the age and complimented me! The place was nuts, it seems like a warren of rooms and corridors (probably not the case in the light but for me it was).
We ended up in a slightly wide corridor with seats down one side with what seemed like concrete tables for two or so in front of them. What you did was sit down on the bench and then shuffle yourself under the table. It was a little strange but well-​designed once you sat down. No one was able to jog your table, although you needed to be careful of the errant butt knocking whatever was on there off the surface.
Music was good and there was a small dance floor, the bars were busy but the bartenders seemed to keep an eye out and serve fairly. The only issue was the toilets, which seemed to be in the furthest corner of the place (all the way at the back, next to the DJ booth and behind an unmarked door), relatively clean and tidy, but you had to fight your way back there! Not sure if they had a cover charge for a Friday night as we went in before 9. Good place to get some friends together, some areas are quieter than others though!

Went here for Hip-​Hop Karaōke on Thursday night, which apparently is a *thing*. I feel like the title of the event is fairly self-​explanatory, so I’ll spare you the breakdown.
What I will say is that it was a really fun, attractive, eclectic crowd of 20-​somethings. Great vibes, good DJ. Incredibly crowded downstairs, but a more casual respite can be found on the ground floor level. Will be back.

Hip Hop Karaōke! Every Thursday night.
Crowded, hot, very loud, with very long queues, and there’s a cover charge of 5 quid, but it’s fun. I don’t even listen to hip hop basically at all, but the atmosphere is electric, there’s lots of dancing and some talented performers.
Come early to avoid the queues, if you’re cool with the crowds and like hip hop. I don’t regret going with my friend who took me, just not my thing!

I really like this little place — I enjoy going to a bar with the option of hearing music and having a little dance so this place is perfect. Upstairs is a lovely bar not huge where you can sit and chat with your girlfriends and then when you are sufficiently intoxicated you can go downstairs for a dance! !

This might be my new favourite Friday hangout. Also because I just started working not far from The Social.
I love the dive bar on the ground floor. The wooden interior gives me the feeling of a fifties dinner, only a lot more intimate. The music is indeed loud and it might be sometimes a bit too hard to have a proper conversation, but where in London is this not the case?. Since they play a good mix of house and even oldies rock, I can’t complain at all.
They have a few good beers from draft but last time I went, I drank their ‘Smash’ (brandy based) cocktail the entire evening, which was a satisfying choice. I would also suggest not to meet up here with too many friends as you might need to wait a bit before there’s a boot available.
I haven’t really been downstairs yet where the real party goes on, nor will I.
Still need to come here during the day and use their free wifi, as it looks like the perfect place to get some work done as well.

My friend loves this place and I can see why. It’s a very cool joint. The narrow ground floor is entirely constructed with all wooden walls; funky art hangs above steel tables and pillowed chairs. The small basement is more of a dance floor that’s dark and gets very sweaty. They have a cool food/​drinks menu with DJs playing on both floors.
It’s a great place to meet up with friends and have some all-​rounded fun since it functions as a restaurant/​bar/​club, but when we went there there to catch up with friends and stayed on the ground floor where it’s more of a bar, we found the music unbearably loud. It was really difficult to have conversations :(
So I would love to come back during the day because this place is apparently a coffee shop where people can work and brainstorm… hopefully the music will be quieter then!

«It was all a dream, I used to read Word Up magazine. Salt ‘n’ Pepa and Heavy D up in the limousine…»
Oh sorry. I was just reminiscing back on my Thursday night at The Social. If you’re a fan of hip hop music, you need to check out their hip hop karaōke night on Thursdays. And if you can rap, well… it’s time for you to step into the limelight and show off your Notorious B.I.G or 2Pac skills. (oooh, controversial). It helps that the venue is quite dark so you’re barely recognisable when performing in case you have an «off-​night» of rapping.
The venue is intimate, which is perfect for rap music as the lyrics is what it’s all about. While the place doesn’t get packed until about 10:30−11pm, which can be annoying as it’s a school night, it gets filled out with hip hop lovers alike, quick!
I’ve been looking for a place like this in London for a while now and am happy i’ve found it. A non-​pretencious night filled with talented underground hip hop artists with cheap booze in a smaller venue. And possibly where the next Lauryn Hill or Nas will be discovered. :P

SIDE NOTE (s): Me and a friend was here June 27, 2013 for her birthday.
GOOD GOOOOOOD TIMES!!! A must when in London
What’s a review without some pluses and minuses, so here we go…
PLUSES:
… good music: It’s hip hop karaōke. Who Knew!!! Always down for that. and There were no BOOO BOOO it was all LOVE
… Whats a bar without some good drinks? … They had an aray of choices always a plus in my book.
…The Coat Check girl was fabulous absolutely the best. I know this is strange to say. I had a ripping bag stuffed with a pair of heels and shoes and I came to put more stuff in it later. She smiled the whole time. LOVE YA GIRL FOR THAT ONE.
…The female bartender downstairs, that wasssss my homie for the night. When she would see me even when she was busy she would make sure I got a drink.
…This can be good and bad but there were a lot of americans there but the clientele was good vibe
ON POINT: Female staff (THEY DESERVED TO BE OVER TIPPED)
MINUSES:
…It didn’t get packed til probably about 1030/​11ish: but the place is so small that it really didn’t take a lot for it to get full. PLEASE DONT LET THIS DETERE YOU CAUSE IT IS A GOOD TIME.
…A couple of the male bartenders were not the greatest. In the sense of attentiveness.
… European bathrooms are small very small. I’M A BIG GIRL SO ENOUGH SAID FOR THAT moving on.
Okay, so if you have seen another one of my reviews. You know that me and bouncers lately are not the best of friends. BUUUUUUUT I can get with these bouncers. One did chastise me for carrying my passport but I understood why and the other was just tons or fun.
Some advice when going:
I will definitely be returning when i’m back in London
~PRE-​GAME (don’t over do it just get nice): cause it’s so packed after awhile if you leave your spot it’s gooooone forever.
~Don’t go if you hate tight spots
~Do Karaōke: i’m upset that I didn’t, your somewhere that you really don’t have to see people again
~If you short: SORRY get up front cause you wont see anything.
Hope this will get you there!!! it’s really GOOD FUN

Went late last Thursday. Gruff door staff, empty upstairs bar which was small and narrow.
Downstairs they were having a «Hip-​Hop Karaōke» — didn’t seem much like a karaōke to me and it wasn’t my kinda hip-​hop. Very dark, narrow and crammed!
Not interested in going again.

I’m not a R’n’B fan and maybe that’s why I didn’t like it too much.
What I liked (loved, ok, I loved it!) is their French Manhattan. Now those of you who are the connoseurs of this great cocktail know that unless you order it sweet (but why would you do that?) there is a very strong taste of alcohol that punches you at the end of a sip. This French Manhattan at the Social (it has a hint of rose) wouldn’t do such a thing to you. It is gentle while still luring you into the alcohol haze — it is as strong, but just not as punchy.
I liked the urban feel to this place. It’s not dirty or filthy — it’s clean and well — urban. No frills design hits the spot — if you are into R’n’B of course. I kinda wish I was so I could enjoy this place more.

This place is so much fun. I am a fun girl. i am a fun girl. i am a fun girl…
When I was studying in London, Id treck all the way over from Notting Hill into the wretched tourist infested Oxford Circus (to nyc: ox circus is LNDN’s version of Times Sq) just to get here. It’s in an alley (as are all great places in London… let’s face it) so you might miss it. Went here a bunch during my time in London. I met a classy beat boxing boy outside of the Social and we became the best of friends. He’s youtube famous. Kind of. Anyways, the music here is great, drinks are expensive, the people are good looking and dance really well. You can go downstairs to grind and upstairs to be classy on a date. GO HERE.

1 am?! I refuse this.
Went with some friends after googling fun places for hip hop and old school.
And fun it was. Right near oxford circus and so unassuming a spot. Really, had there not been a large security guard standing in the middle of the street, one (points to self) could walk right past and think to go down another street.
Packed to the brim and the crowd was thoroughly enjoying themselves, so I took it upon myself to start the running man in a corner then cabbage patched with the security guy standing under the AC. Didn’t have enough space to pop-​n-​lock as I tend to do when Beastie Boys comes on, but sacrifices I guess.
Had a small bon bon shooter, as I really just wanted water, but didn’t want to seem stingy. To my luck the nice, and nice-​looking (hey!) bartender served a generous helping for me as well as himself. It’s like he knew I was a newbie, and looking to return.
But back to my first point… 1 AM? No me gusta. Next time at 3, okay maybe 4.

So you would think the Social would be, well, social. And it is… eventually. We rocked up around 10.30pm on a Saturday night on St. Paddy’s Day. By this point, I expected rowdy lads bawling out their favorite limerick. But no, it was quiet, altogether too quiet.
Let’s back up a bit. The Social is a bar/​club tucked away just north of Oxford Circus. The cab driver who dropped us off made a point to tell us that he’s been driving around the area for 14 years and had never actually figured out where the entrance was. Luckily, we we’re slightly better informed then he way and found it within a few minutes (the massive banner with «The Social» on it undoubtedly helped).
The bouncer at the door is friendly yet solemn. He will card you if you even look remotely under 25 and my entire group of guys and girls (most in the 25 – 30 range) were required to pull out their IDs and open their bags for a cursory glance. Key lesson: take you ID if trying to get in here as they will turn you away. Or just make sure it’s quite clear you’re the leader of the pack and he’ll assume you are fine to go (either that or I just look really old :-/​…)
Pay your money and get stamped by the cute girl inside (although she does look like she’s waiting for friends who never came) and then you have your choice of either staying upstairs or going down. It’s kind of like a choose your own adventure bar in this way.
Upstairs is chill with several large booths and a bar. Limited standing room is available so this really is a place to hang out and catch up with a group over some drinks. And maybe gather a bit of liquid courage as well. The downside is that the bathrooms are located the back of this room so expect a bit of traffic which can make things difficult.
Downstairs you have two rooms, one with a DJ or live band (depending on the night) and the other is basically a bar with standing room. I give credit to the staff in the bar for making large numbers of drinks in very short amount of time. We must have ordered B-​52 shooters by the dozens and they came out as fast as we could drink them (I really don’t want to look at my credit card bill at the end of the month). The music was a bit odd to start — great to listen to but terrible for dancing. However, towards midnight it got pretty good (and we got pretty drunk) so there was much dancing going on all around
Overall, a good night with moderately priced drinks and decent music. Enough space for us but it’s not a wild clubbing night by any means.

My younger sister took me along on Friday and I really enjoyed it. Cute booth table and wood panelling made me feel I was in a Spanish bar/​speakeasy. A combination I found pleasing.
Great cocktail list, served in jam jars, in a similar vein to the Meatwagon/​Meat Liquor. The music was actually good, somewhat of a rarity these days.
Plus the staff were shockingly lovely. We did not have to pay the £5 door entry as we said we would not go downstairs and watch the bands, and they allowed it. Then when I asked to use a seat near a couple, he not only moved out the way so we could sit down, but got another one for my friend. I have never had anyone be so nice, especially in such a crowded venue. Thumbs up!

I’ve always had a good time at the social. The bar people are friendly enough, and there are lots of seats, a small dance floor and the drinks are not too expensive for this area. It is also where the finger banger got his lifetime achievement award a few years back.
The only thing is that some of the seating is rather awkward and I must say the stairs could probably do with moving over a few feet.
Otherwise, the social– a place where the music is loud enough to bob to but not too loud to talk. A place where you don’t get bothered by annoying strangers. A place where you can see a one man band playing kiddie instruments.
What more can a Unilocaler ask for?