Marylebone’s No.92 Bar

In my opinion, the epitome of cool is knowing the location of a hidden bar. My estimation of a friend of mine went up tenfold after he pulled me into a secluded entrance on a Soho street. A quick nod to a bouncer and slipping a fiver each to a person behind a desk and we were in. I can’t remember much else from the night but I do recollect feeling a frisson of excitement whilst we were drinking away in this hidden speakeasy.

I nearly had this sensation when coming into No. 92, the bar below Marylebone eatery Black and Blue. Whilst not exactly out of the way, it would only be seen by those able to pick out the neon sign just below street level. However, my growing sense of satisfaction was punctured by the staff who told me that the sign to the bar was in the process of being delivered.

The bar has not been open long and my companion commented that it needs a bit of time to find its identity. The seating is well spaced out and the low-level lighting brings the element of discretion. Hints at its future style come with black and white photographs of Hollywood blondes but there is not much else to suggest what will come to stand out.

However, the value of a bar does not lie in its decorations but in its drinks. My companion and I started off with a couple of cocktails. I picked out the Red Pony (£8), which was a mix of bourbon, Chambord, lime juice, cranberry juice and red currants. My companion choose the Yellow Magpie (£8.50) which contained rum, amaretto, lime juice, ginger and fresh lychee. Each of these was lip-smackingly gorgeous with my companion remarking that her Yellow Magpie was like ‘all the puddings and all the ice creams all at once’.

My praise for the Red Pony is nowhere near that fulsome but it was well thought out concoction with the solid base of bourbon and lime juice allowing the other flavours to be appreciated.

We thought it best to give our stomachs a modicum of a lining and we picked out a bowl of sausages (£5) and a meze plate (£9). Both of these were plentiful and offered excellent value for money. We then moved onto our second cocktail of the night. I went for a Berry Layer Caiprinha (£8.75) which contained cachaca, blackberries, blackberry liqueur and lemongrass. My companion went for a Black and Blue (£8.50), which was a mixture of Zubrowka vodka, blackberries, fresh mint, lime juice and apple juice.

The Berry Layer Caiprinha was a very good variant on the classic drink with the sourness of the berries complementing the sugary taste. The Black and Blue was a disappointment with it being quite bland.

The No.92 is a nifty little place with a lot to offer. It provides an intimate setting without too much pretentiousness. It needs time to develop and define its own presence. But this is probably the time to claim it as your own.

No. 92
90-92 Wigmore Street
Paddington
W1U 3RD

Tel: 0207 486 9457