Top 5: London DJ bars

In case you were wondering, a DJ bar is a cross between a live music venue, and a more intimate bar setting.

DJ bars basically offer a more relaxed and toned down version of the clubbing experience. Though they cater to all kinds of music tastes, what these bars usually have in common is a slightly more relaxed vibe, and less of a crowd.  So remember, at a DJ bar you get a little more conversation than you would in a club, and a little more music than you would in a bar. Capiche?

Here's our pick of five very different DJ bars in London. 

Bar Rumba

Where: 36 Shaftesbury Avenue, W1D 7ER

Appeals to: Party loving, cocktail chugging, perpetually a-dancing people. Urban music fans.

"WE LIKE BRAS, LOUD MUSIC, LOTS OF BOOZE AND TO HAVE FUN". Thus states Bar Rumba on its home page. This gives you a pretty good idea about what to expect. We like the transparency. Described by various patrons as a 'party bar', entrance to Bar Rumba is gained by accessing a dark stairwell down to the basement where the fun all happens. The bar is hidden in a particularly 'touristy' area of Piccadilly Circus, but people unanimously agree that the place is authentic as it comes, though the toilets could be a little better off.

Some people find fault with the small size of the venue, but that's kinda the point of the place. Bar Rumba is renowned for its cocktails (check out some pictures of people getting hammered on the GIANT pitchers on the website). Rumba also does happy hours and plenty of opportunities for cool drink deals! Asides from music, they also put on regular comedy nights, for those so inclined. Plus If you ask nicely you can use the venue for all sorts. They'll let you book it out for fashion shows, film nights, business networking events, photoshoots and so on…

In a musical capacity, Bar Rumba has gained something of a cult reputation in the UK urban scene. For many years now it has played host to weekly drum'n bass night Movement, which has attracted the likes of DJ Hype, Grooverider, DJ Marky and Fabio. And if that doesn't float your boat there's Barrio Latino on Tuesdays, which should please the salsa fans out there.

Also, the sound system is loud, so it could be in your interest to bring hearing protection if you are planning to stick around.

Find out more about Bar Rumba

Boogaloo

Where: 312 Archway Road, N6 5AT

Appeals to: People who like the traditional pub experience with a (musical?) twist. Those who like to support local artisans and artists.

Putting more of an emphasis on bar than DJ Bar, The Boogaloo, Highgate has a whole load of live music and a frenetically busy events schedule. Opening at Christmas 2002 with the motto 'good drink, good music, and good atmosphere' (not hugely different but we see were they're going), Boogaloo is quite hard to pin down. We suppose it's a pub, but with more emphasis on musical events, which is how it earned its place on this list. On the inside it has that endearing, slightly cluttered feeling of someone's living room, which can be a nice change from that 'pub chain' look that seems so common these days. 

Like many other pubs, Boogloo does regular quiz nights, some of which are apparently a good place to spot local musical celebrities (who come to be challenged by the music quiz). Another thing we hear is that the jukebox has over a hundred albums, but with nothing younger than ten years old on it. All songs have to pass the posterity test. So, if you ever get curmudgeonly moments about the current state of the musical scene, you are going to love this.

Along with music, the pub supports the local arts and crafts community. At the time of writing there were three art installations on display within the pub (one of which was a giant mushroom literally left above the entrance and never taken down). On the crafts side, Boogaloo has regular Saturday markets which also coincide with DJ sets - you'll find bric a brac, sweets and cakes, personal styling, home made jewellery, old records, etc. It's all there.

Oh, and just in case you were wondering, Bogaloo is originally a genre of music that came out of the 1960s in New York, and was popular amongst South American kids. It fuses latin American influences with soul and r&b. As they say, the more you know…

Find out more about Boogaloo

Zigfrid Von Underbelly

(pictured)

Where: 11 Hoxton Square, N1 6NU

Appeals to: Those looking for an alternative (or dare we say trendy?) atmosphere and musical experience. Hipsters not trying to be hipsters.

Located in trendy Hoxton, Zigfrid Von Underbelly's name probably gives the game away…  this is no regular DJ Bar. Or bar for that matter. Is Zigfrid even a name anyway? Google says not.

Zigfrid's interior decor matches the vibe of the place. It's eccentric, yet fun. Mismatched furniture and odd lamps sit alongside walls covered in a collection of oddities collected by the club's owner from all over the world. Many patrons describe the place as having an NYC vibe, which is divided into two floors. The more rowdy stuff, supposedly, goes on upstairs, and the dance area is downstairs. We've heard that the bar staff are pretty awesome too, but getting served anytime reasonable can be a problem during peak times.

Musically, Zigfrid is hard to pain down, regularly mixing up hip hop, ska, soul and more on the same playlists. As well as the DJs who come and go, and the place is well known venue for a number of live bands  .

Drinks prices are much more reasonable as well , and it's usually free to get in, even later on in the evening. They also have a late license,  and so for this reason Zigfrid is often the final destination for those enjoying a night of fun and/or debauchery in Hoxton. Why not see for yourself?

Find out more about Zigfrid Von Underbelly

Plan B

Where: 418 Brixton Road, SW9 7AY

Appeals to: Fans of Urban music. PA system audiophiles who like it loud.

Doing its part to keep Brixton at the forefront of South London nightlife, Plan B has been the site for performances from the likes of Basement Jaxx, Rusko, Skream, LCD Soundsystem, and Ms Dynamite. On many nights, entry is often free is you can get there early, and there's usually something going on. And, just in case you wondered, Plan B lives in a building that formerly housed a Wimpy burger bar.

Plan B's musical output is mainstream but on the whole quite eclectic. This means that the clientele and the regulars are a diverse bunch, and it doesn't really get stale. On Friday nights you'll hear soul, funk, hip hop and reggae sounds, and impromptu dance battles aren't unheard of. Saturdays are more dance orientated; d'n'b, dubstep, the like.   

The design and decor of the club itself is well thought out, it's sort of a hybrid DJ bar/club, with the place divided into two rooms.  There's seating around a sunken area where the dancefloor is, which creates a pretty cool effect. And then of course there's the sound system…the Funktion One, which is basically really loud and really good. All that marvellous noise is complimented by a pretty epic lighting system as well.

Plan B's Door policy is usually pretty strict, so dress to impress. Also look out for the artist afterparties, which are often in huge demand.

Find out more about Plan B

Big Chill Bar

Where: Dray Walk: off Brick Lane, E1 6QL

Appeals to: A diverse crowd, usually down for a more relaxed time than your average clubber. People out to enjoy Brick Lane. Connoisseurs of the burger. 

Set in the heart of the Old Truman Brewery (now many years defunct), over the last few years The Big Chill Bar has become a Brick Lane institution, located around fifteen minutes walk from Liverpool Street station and Shoreditch High Street overground.

The environment, as the name would suggest, is pretty chilled out. And it's a great area to be in, so there's things aplenty to do before or after you visit.  You can go see Brick Lane (Sunday is market day) or Spitalfields Markets, also host to a whole load of authentic curry houses. The staff are usually friendly, but like many of the big venues in Londontown it can get super crowded during peak times. So, predictably, getting served can take longer than you'd like.

Big Chill's visitor demographic is usually young and trendy, but generally the crowd is diverse, so you may run into hip creative types, or 'suits' decompressing after a hard day in the City. It all depends on the time of day you go. Inside the decor is mostly minimal and unassuming; full of comfortable sofas and places to lounge about, though there's not much of a dancefloor. There's also a great terraced (and heated) outdoor area, which caters to the smokers and is certainly fantastic in the warmer months. The food's worth checking out too; Big Chill's burgers come highly recommended, along with their sweet potato chips.

And the music? Well, the bar is run by the same guys that arrange the Big Chill Festival. Which usually means a mix of easy listening urban styles; funk, jazz, hip hop, electronica and the like. Plus, there's guest and resident DJs on regular rotation - on Sundays they spin all the way to midnight. Hanging around Spitalfields soon? Why not go see it for yourself...

Find out more about Big Chill Bar

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