Mook

This hidden and super popular bar should be your first stop for a good cocktail without having to dress up.

The Venue
Mook is hidden in Hirst’s Yard so unless you are a seasoned Loiner you may not know of its existence until you stumble upon it. And when you do you'll probably end up a regular. It looks far from pretentious and while the decor is simple it's nothing like your average drinking den.

The walls are pale grey and lilac and decorated with a few abstract prints on canvas in black and silver. They look almost like photos of what looks like rusting metal sheets. You can sit on velvet stools or, if your group is large enough, occupy the cozy back room furnished entirely with comfy couches. The place is modern without looking cold even though there's a slight industrial edge to it. It's all effortless cool without looking try hard trendy.

The People
Cocktails usually imply wearing your best dress and putting on a lot of make up. Afterall how can you look the part sipping a Cosmopolitan if you're wearing scruffy jeans and beaten up Converse. But what’s nice about Mook is that it's a casual cocktail bar. Yes there's a DJ on duty but you don't have to stand on ceremony here.

The music is a mix of funk, electro and the occasional dub, all meant to chill and excite in equal measure. The aim is to create a comfortable environment where you can sip your drink while talking with your friends.

The appreciative crowd is composed of the 25 to 35 age group in common with the rest of the bars around the Corn Exchange. The only difference here is that unlike the nearby Puro or Fibre you don't have to wear make-up like warpaint and wearing designer threads looks like you've made too much effort. What a relief.

The Drink
Mook is cool in every aspect. Its two bars offer lots of deals including a neat two for one on selected cocktails. Most classics and house concoctions are priced at £5 to £5.50 with peaks at £9.50 for the luxury mojito. The two for one deal that's held every day (Sunday to Monday from 4pm until close and every other day from 4pm to 8pm) includes classics like Long Island Ice Tea, Cosmopolitan, Black Russians and more creative houses mixes like Cheeky Chops (citrus vodka, chambord, sours and lemonade), Fat Cuban (rum, apricot liqueur, vanilla liqueur, gomme, lemon and apple juice) and Red Velvet (strawberry puree, pomegranate juice and Champagne). And they also have more elaborate house cocktails that unfortunately aren't included in the deal like the Fruit and Nut Martini.

The list of shooters (£2.50) is just as appealing. Ditch the B52 and the Slippery Nipple in favour of the sweet Top Banana (Kaluha, cacao white, creme de banana, vodka), Black Forest Gateau (chambord, frangelico, creme de cacao) and others.

Not satisfied yet? Mooks serves wines (from £10.50 a bottle), beers and all sorts of spirits and mocktails (£2 to £2.50). There are a few deals covering these drinks too and if you get there at the right time you can walk off with a bottle of house wine for only £8. Other deals include a bottle of Sagres or a pint of John Smiths or Fosters for £2 and a double house spirit and mixer for £3.25.

If you still can't decide then opt for the house drink which is the twisted Mookito (£5.50- rum, vanilla vodka, mint, lime, muscovado sugar, honey, apple juice).

The Last Word
Mook isn't super popular for no good reason. With so many drinks to choose from and loads of cheap deals it's too easy to love this place.

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