La Bodega Negra: What to have at London's hottest secret bar in an underground cellar
Making London's secret bar a little less secret
Our Guestlist series is all about giving you the best recommendations in the city and boy, did we deliver on this one. La Bodega Negra has everything that you’d want from a location: immaculate vibes, great food, and unusual drinks which crucially really packed a punch.
We consider ourselves above average (nay professional) at being able to hunt out a good spot in the city - it’s easy to get overwhelmed with how many different options there are, knowing the difference between what’s a good spot and what is just a victim of TikTok hype (The Devonshire, I’m looking at you), and desperately trying to tell from a combination of Google maps, Tripadvisor, and Instagram (and quite frankly a little bit of pure hope) whether it’s a date spot, a friend spot, a late night spot, or a businessman corporate spot.
Hence where we come in. And, more importantly, where La Bodega Negra comes in.
Where is it?
Located in the heart of Soho, 9 Old Compton St, London, W1D 5JF
What’s special?
As well as its ‘upstairs’, it has a secret underground cellar restaurant, with smoky, low-lit vibes, exposed, original brickwork, a live DJ, and beautiful but cool interiors. It’s beloved by locals as well as famous faces including Jason Momoa and Jude Law.Its underground is set in an old sex shop and you have to find the slightly hidden door to actually get in there. Plus, they do a banging chili mango margarita which is elite.
What’s new?
La Bodega Negra changes its menu on a regular basis, making the most of what’s popular & seasonal, whilst keeping everything authentic to their Mexican roots.
Who should you bring?
It’s a great date spot - maybe a bit too much for a first date unless you’re pretty confident - but a fantastic second date onwards spot that will make you look like you know all the cool spots in the city (you’re welcome). As it’s underground, you’re not going to get breathtaking sunset views, so maybe it’s one for when there’s not a pub garden calling your name. However, it’s an equally good spot for seeing your mates - we went with friends and can confirm you don’t feel like you’re third wheeling the entire restaurant which can sometimes happen…
What should you wear?
Honestly anything kind of goes. The upstairs restaurant is fairly casual, but if you’re downstairs you may want to err on the side of smart and trendy.
How much to pay?
Core-menu cocktails start at £13.50 and small plates start at £9.50.
The must-tries
Okay, so we’ll be honest, all the drinks will leave you happy. You can’t go wrong with their classic margarita which is always a sort of litmus test of any Mexican restaurant. I don’t generally go in for floral twists on any drinks, let alone a sacred marg, but I’d be doing you a disservice if I didn’t recommend their Hibiscus Margarita.
Their Spicy Mango Margarita is their most popular and this is with good reason - it’s a must try. If you’re not a big tequila person, then you should definitely try their Green Goddess cocktail made with a gin base. Despite being margaritas’ biggest PR woman, this actually clinched it as my favourite drink of the evening.
For food, the must have dish for me was the Beetroot Tostada - it’s one of their starters and I was seriously impressed. Not just with their meat-free offerings in general, but the quality of all their food quite frankly. You might look at La Bodega Negra and think it’s a style over substance kind of a place - one of those bars which you go to for the vibes but trust me, the food and cocktails are some of the best in London.
What to skip
I mean, I don’t think there is much that will disappoint but I would skip their Mezcalitas - their Jalapeno Mezcalita won’t hit the spot if you’re after a spicy marg, and their house Mezcalita doesn’t have the strong smoky kick you’d expect.
The verdict
Overall, it’s a must-visit spot, worth checking for the aesthetic alone. Luckily for you, their cocktails are fantastic, too- a good balance of recognisable favourites likes negronis, and palomas but with some more interesting ones too.