Rudys Revenge

There’s often too loud Eurodance and a bit of Reggaeton playing, between 10 – 12, but all’s forgiven after hearing Breach and a bit of classic Aphex Twin in the earlier hours. You can pretty much guarantee a seat here after you’ve walked around the entire centre of London looking for a late drink and somewhere to sit and there is always a seat. The bar tenders can sure mix up a blinding cocktail and for central London, they do great long list of reasonably priced cocktails. There’s never a queue, I repeat –always a seat.
For some reason they don’t do Café Patron, they have a strange knock off version that even I have been wary of trying, but I can live with that!
The terrible music can stay if it’s a deterrent, I like being able to sit and prop the bar up until closing time, when my hearings probably not at it’s best anyway.
Maybe that’s what Rudy was so Revengeful about? Enjoy my seats, drink my cocktails but may your ears fall off.

Hidden in plain sight. A phrase which seems to describe Rudys Revenge perfectly. Or perhaps it’s just ignored, whichever it may be this bar always seems to be empty. I’ve been in quite a number of times now but only discovered it by chance — and then wondered why I’ve never seen it before as I spend a fair amount of time in the area anyway.
Rudy’s Revenge is primarily a cocktail bar but some beers are sold here although they’re all bottled — no beer taps — and just uninspiring, standard lagers. The cocktails here can be hit and miss but there are definitely more successes than failures. The bar staff, though helpful and pleasant, do tend to be a little slow with the mixing and sometimes the service too. The latter being especially disappointing considering there’s rarely been anybody else to serve. Prices, however, are reasonable, and they do have some interesting concoctions on the menu. A particular highlight being one with Lemongrass.
There feels like a lack of focus as to just what exactly the management want from this place. It has a lot of potential but unfortunately that potential isn’t being realised just yet. And the music is far too loud. Terrible and far too loud. There’s hardly anyone to hear it, so there’s no need for the high volume.
Would I deliberately set out to visit Rudy’s Revenge? No. Would I head to Rudy’s Revenge if I was in the area, fancied a cocktail and Freud was rammed? Yes, I would.
TTFN,
Ian

I can’t quite tell what Rudys Revenge wants to be. A chic cocktail bar? A neon club? A local hangout for friends? An art space? It seems to want to do them all, all at the same time.
We came in on a Friday night and it was near-​empty. Bad sign. But I think it was because of the blarringly loud techno music that was pumping through the speakers. Yikes.
They have a really nice selection of cocktails here though and they’re cheapish. Normally they’re about £8 but there is a serious Happy Hour that drops them to about £5. This runs Monday to Wednsssay, all day and Thursday to Saturday, 5 to 8pm.
I had a nice vodka and egg white cocktail that tasted like a biscuit (and it even came with a biscuit). It was well prepared and delicious. There’s a bunch of seats in this place, either at a counter along the wall or a few tables throughout. The whole space is dark with neon lighting and strange art like a giant trumpet player in the back or the Silver Surfer riding a cocktail shaker. A few people were laughing at a table in the back and seemed like regulars but everyone else was trying to talk over the music.
The space has a lot of potential and I’m not sure if it’s more crowded on the weekdays than weekends, but when we were there, we did one cocktail and left. I didn’t really feel like a place I could sit for the entire evening.

Sparky’s got it right – the coolest part of the time I spent at Rudy’s Revenge was in watching my drinks being made. The bartender didn’t even seem put off by the intensity of my gaze as I watched each step in a fascinated way.
I really like the concept of the bar, except that the techno music blasting in the background didn’t fit with the old-​school, jazzy vibe of the interior. I wanted a little Miles Davis, and I would have been totally set.
The drinks themselves were great. I had a drink called Truth Serum that I jokingly suggested they should use as an interrogation technique, because two or three of those will get anyone talking. It was tasty, as was my friend’s drink that I tried.
What I liked most about Rudy’s was the deliberate care taken in creating the cocktail menu. Rudy’s Favorites were all unique and interesting and really elaborate drinks. Not the kind of thing you’re going to find anywhere, and an easy place try some amazing options until you find one you love.

We went bar hopping in London and hands down Rudy’s was my favorite bar! They made a FANTASTIC margarita. Their beer selection is grand, and the old fashion was marvelous! The bartender was attentive and the place is quaint. The drink bill can add up, so watch your wallet!

I have to admit… I’m feeling anxiety over not falling head over heels for Rudy’s Revenge like everyone else has. Did I do something wrong?
I strode in on a weeknight just prior to 2100 and had to inquire whether or not the bar was open — it was dead in here. Well, not literally… but for the entire duration of my visit, I was the sole customer.
Now, normally… at a cocktail bar, this would be a fine thing. I can think of any number of great cocktail bars around the world where I’d be the happiest of clams to be the only drinker seated at a bar, being regaled by cocktail lore and tossing back sinful spirits.
Unfortunately… it’s really challenging to enjoy the conversation when your bartender has to ask you to repeat yourself two or three times because his English isn’t so great. When you have to rephrase yourself in simpler and simpler speech to be understood, the mental exhaustion of translating normal language into painfully basic language becomes a chore. I’m all for chatting with foreigners, but I don’t get a thrill out of playing English practice bait when at the bar.
On the other hand, I quite liked my unconventional Old Fashioned — a recommendation by the bartender (and what I was eyeing anyhow). Mysteriously, it’s on the classic cocktails menu… even though this version was questionably classic: maraschino liqueur makes an appearance and the typically muddled cherry and orange never showed up. My finished concoction was garnished instead with a bright red canned and pitted cherry with a twist.
All this likely took a solid ten minutes of preparation. For one drink. I love a carefully crafted cocktail like the next booze hound, but that’s bordering on excessive, even for me. There wasn’t even the excuse of a packed house of patrons to queue up ahead of me!
I did appreciate that the ample serving of ice in my glass was beautiful and cubed. And likely furnished by Eskimo. So there’s that, at least…

Awesome cocktail craftsmanship. I was watching the bartender the whole time he was making my Margarita; every step was precise yet stylish. And the result was a-​may-​zing. They do standard drinks superbly; they also have a very creative list of house drinks.
The atmosphere is minimalist; the décor emphasizes the bar. However, it was comfortable and laid back.
My only criticism would be that it’s a little pricey, so check out the £5 cocktails during happy hour.

I found this gem when some co-​workers took me here for some after work drinks. They said that this bar has great cocktails, cool ambiance, and super staff, and they nailed it. WINING!
Rudys serves the best old fashioned I’ve had EVER. In. My. Life. Fur Serious. The bar tender took about 7 minutes to make the things, but am I glad he did because it was amazing. I think there may have been crack, or MSG in it because I’m kinda jonesong or one now as I rite about it and it’s only 10:30 am.
There’s cool art on the walls, and Ive heard that they have a good DJ that spins tunes downstairs on Fridays and Saturdays. I’d give them 5 stars for the drinks alone, but the rest of their awesomenes would win them 6 or 7 from me if it’s all true. But hey, I like my booze :)