Sinking a few pints with your friends after a hard day in the office is a great way to relax and blow off some steam, but more and more people are looking for bars that offer more than just booze. Sure, drinks are great – but we need some entertainment too!
We’re big fans of activity bars that offer more than just drinks, and these are some of our favourites in and around Shoreditch.
Bounce
We couldn’t put this list together without including the original ping pong bar. Bounce has been reintroducing table tennis to the masses since they opened their first location in Farringdon in 2012, and then headed East to Old Street in 2015.
They may only offer one game here, but they do it well. Great vibes and good pizza seal the deal. If you like ping pong and only ping pong, this is the venue for you.
Mac and Wild Virtual Shooting Range and Whisky Bar
This is perhaps the most unusual activity bar we’ve visited. It’s located in the basement of Mac & Wild Devonshire Square, and is somewhat unique to say the least – they have three lanes, each of which it kitted out with virtual shooting systems and replica shotguns to transport you to a shoot in the Scottish Highlands.
Admittedly this won’t be everyone’s cup of tea – or glass of whiskey as the case may be – but for those with a little virtual blood lust, this is definitely worth checking out.
London Shuffle Club
We’d been waiting for someone to bring shuffleboard over from the States, and luckily for us it landed right on our doorstep in Shoreditch.
This may not be a familiar concept to many people, but shuffleboard is an incredibly satisfying game to play – not to mention horribly addictive. The London Shuffle Club has two very different versions – Floor and Table – and we’re particularly partial to the table variety downstairs in the basement at Crazy Eight. You can even play with one hand, leaving the other free for a drink. What’s not to love?
Plonk Crazy Golf, Hoxton
Plonk Hoxton is the newest activity bar to open in Shoreditch. As you’d expect from Plonk, the back room houses a seven hole golf course full of their classic obstacles, but that’s just a small part of what is on offer here! There’s also classic arcade machines, pinball, foosball, and even 4D Pong. Nowhere else has this sort of variety!
There’s also a full bar and kitchen serving amazing overloaded sandwiches with wedges on the side, and if you feel like a calmer evening they have a huge selection of board games. Not only is there something for everyone, there’s also something for every mood. Definitely worth a visit!
