Jay Cubed
73 White Lion Street, LONDON, N1 9PF
Tel. 0871 332 5647
Four out of Five stars
Tucked away from the hustle and bustle of Islington’s Upper Street, Jay Cubed is well worth the short detour off the beaten track.
Located just off Chapel Market and in close proximity to Angel tube station, this trendy and vibrant bar offers a chilled out ambience and the perfect place to catch up with friends during the week, and a more funky socialising hotspot until the small hours on weekends.
Jay Cubed successfully avoids being pretentious in any respect, attracting a young and hip crowd who come to enjoy the live DJ propped up at one end of the bar from Thursday to Saturday, mixing everything from funky house to R&B. Mickey Cee from House FM often hosts a night on the last Thursday of each month, and the first Thursday of each month sees queues of budding DJs, armed with an iPod full of tunes, waiting to play their own sets on ‘MyPod Fondue’ nights.
Sturdy wooden tables and a few battered leather sofas to sink into make for a good mix of areas to relax or socialise. Stilettos and designer accessories are not out of place Fridays and Saturdays for the girls, with boys showing off their latest party gear, but you’ll feel just as at home in a pair of converse trainers and baggy jeans. Reinforcing the chilled-out vibe are a young and friendly team of staff, even the door staff are welcoming!
The bar gets packed out at around 10 o’clock when Angel drinkers and students come to settle in and enjoy the late closing time of 2am on a Friday and Saturday, and to avoid paying for entry elsewhere. Weekday evenings tend to attract a more modest crowd, but the vibe is still maintained.
The beer offering is good, with everything from Carling, Boddingtons and Guinness through to Grolsch and Hoegaarden on tap, although there’s no real ale on offer. The wine selection isn’t so strong, with only a few whites and reds, and it’s probably worth dipping into your pocket to avoid the cheapest. Staff can mix up a range of cocktails, but Jay Cubed is really best for the basics, and these are served well, even if they’re not the cheapest in town.
Reviewed by - James Fryer.
This article was published on ViewLondon.co.uk in the summer of 2005 and can be found here.