Address: 16a Clapham Common South Side, London, SW4 7AB, United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0) 207 627 6257
Email: reservations@honkytonklondon.com
Website: view Honky Tonk Clapham’s website
Door: Open door/walk-ins
Style: Cocktail bar
Food: Set menu
Established: 2013
This little slice of Americana mixes dive bar with diner on the edge of Clapham Common. Unfinished wood and bare brick meet utilitarian seating; food and drink specials are listed on a blackboard wall; and the tables have been scrawled all over, just like back in school - clearly this is casual drinking and dining, no high-falutin' fancy ways round here, y'all.
An all-American drinks list is predictably heavy on bourbon, with gentle twists given to Uncle Sam classics that range from the Marmalade Margarita to a Herbal Julep and Maple Old Fashioned. With a tip of the hat to vogueish bartending trends there's also a four-strong range of barrel-aged cocktails, with a Sazerac made to the original cognac recipe. The beer list has the star-spangled banner draped all over it, but the wine list is curiously international.
For a relaxed night out, Honky Tonk is fun place to find yourself, but we rather found the casual nature of the operation tipped over into the prowess of the drinks (all £8.50) though the service was neighbourhood friendly.