Mascara Bar — Restaurant in London

Don't be fooled by all the lovely little comments on here. I am convinced they were written by a few regulars, on request by the pub-landlady.

This is probably the worst pub I've been to in my 14 years in London, and definitely the worst venue I've been to in over 20 years of working in the lifestyle industry. Incidentally, this is the first ever bar I went to, in #stokenewington. It is also the only bar in the neighbourhood I am writing something negative about.

At first I thought Maggie, the pub-landlady is just abrupt and unfriendly as it's her character. But it didn't take me long to realise that she is just downright rude and arrogant. She basically snapped at me for every question I asked while chatting to her, and I thought it was funny to wind her up!

She was also rude to me when I went there with a local business owner, and even worse... was also rude when I went there with a friend just before going to celebrate his birthday. I told her I would never be back, and that I will tell everyone I know, in the neighbourhood. This side of Stoke Newington has a limited number of bars - about 2-3. Unfortunately for Maggie, me being a journalist and reviewer that also runs social gatherings and networking events for locals, means I know a of people.

So I notified everyone by email and whats' app group message. I am not going to lie! It puts a smile on my face when I walk past and see the place empty, or at least nearly empty. Word of mouth is still a very powerful PR tool. And yes, there are people who DO look at reviews before going to a place. And in such a small part of the neighbourhood, word gets around. Staff keep changing, from what I have seen and heard. One staff member bumped into me at a local supermarket and said she'd been sacked because Maggie the pub-landlady got angry with her. I have constantly noticed a "Staff Wanted" sign here. Musicians have complained that the land-lady goes through their bags and things, without asking for permission first.

They don't even tell you they take cash only, until you've ordered the drink and they've poured it for you. This means, you have to go to the cash point across the road. This is a dirty business tactic. Customers who don't have cash, are more likely to go through the inconvenience of going to the cash point, as the drink has already been poured and is front of them. Psychologically, it's a visual thing. The drink is in front of you, so you feel compelled to pay for it.

This place may have been hip & happening at some point in the past, but it certainly isn't, these days! The few people who go here seem to have either given up on life, or are getting to the end of it, or want to end it all! There's a rather negative energy about this place, with a stale and depressing feel to it. Please AVOID, AVOID, AVOID!!! And oh......

Stokey is filled with great, friendly little pubs, mascara bar falls so far short of the rest. Avoid and take your custom elsewhere.

Generally very nasty feeling bar. Very unwelcoming vibe, certain bar staff are particularly rude. After purchasing two drinks, (which were admittedly pretty good value, no issue with the drinks themselves) we returned to the bar, returned our glasses and asked for a glass of tap water. We were met with an extremely hostile look, and very condescendingly asked “have you just come in?” (The answer to which was no, we’ve been here half an hour and purchased two drinks already) that we had to make a purchase to be here and to get tap water. This is strictly speaking incorrect, as any licensed venue must provide free, potable tap water upon request as per the 2003 licensing act.

Whilst you strictly speaking can charge for the glass, it’s incredibly bad taste and just indicative of a nasty venue to do so.

Either way, we had made a purchase, yet the bartender, who bare in mind had just seen us return our glasses, didn’t seem to believe us, and was hesitant to give us our water.

This is far from the last of it, the toilets were in a dire state.

The live sound system (I was there for a gig) was dreadful because of their lack of proper PA. So very far below what you’d expect from a venue that likes to market itself as a friendly pub that loves to have live music on.

Heavily recommend taking your commerce elsewhere.

Landlady doesn’t cover herself in glory in the replies to these reviews either, can’t wait to see what she comes up with...

I recently visited Mascara Bar, and I must say, my experience was far from enjoyable. The establishment enforces a ridiculous rule that customers must purchase a drink to even be allowed inside the premises. If you dare to enter without a drink in hand, be prepared to be chased down by the aggressive bar staff and coerced into buying one.

During a conversation with the owner regarding this preposterous policy, I expressed my dismay at the unfriendly and unwelcoming atmosphere it creates. It is appalling that an establishment claiming to be a place for social gatherings and community building would resort to such heavy-handed tactics to extract money from its patrons.

The owner's response was dismissive and unapologetic, displaying a complete lack of concern for customer satisfaction. It is clear that Mascara Bar prioritizes profits over creating a welcoming and inclusive environment for its guests.

Furthermore, the mandatory drink purchase policy reminded me of corporate giants like Pret, where customers are required to make a purchase to use basic facilities like restrooms. Such profit-driven tactics have no place in a community-oriented establishment and only serve to alienate and frustrate customers.

I would strongly advise anyone considering a visit to Mascara Bar to think twice before supporting an establishment that values profit over customer experience. With so many other welcoming and customer-centric venues to choose from, there is no need to subject yourself to the disrespectful treatment and oppressive policies at...