Nightjar’s Art Deco fitout of wood-panelled walls, vintage lighting and mirrored murals, paired with its speakeasy-style entrance, sets the tone from the moment guests arrive.

Stepping through its unassuming entrance, flanked by a chicken shop and a café, guests descend the stairs to a door with a porthole, muffled jazz seeping through before they’re even inside. The owners have consistently added to the interior over the years, sourcing vintage furniture, pictures and mirrors to build texture into the space. The bar and stage sit at opposite ends of the room so that, wherever guests are seated, the action can always be seen. Over the years, the back bar has taken on its own eccentric character, at various points housing a smoking cabinet, a fish tank for ageing cocktails, and a barrel left to age drinks slowly to one side, alongside vessels sourced from around the world.

At the heart of Nightjar is a theatrical, meticulously crafted approach to cocktails, taking guests on a journey through distinct eras of drinking history, from the earliest classics through to contemporary reinventions. Every serve is treated as a small piece of theatre, built around considered garnishes and vessels chosen to reflect what’s inside. Much of this comes down to the bar’s daily prep shift, where infusions, bitters and tinctures are made in-house, forming the backbone of a large share of the drinks list. The team also holds one of the UK’s largest absinthe collections, alongside a range of vintage spirits reaching back well over a century.

Menus change annually, shaped by regular feedback from the floor and bar team, with senior staff helping newer members finalise their creations. Every member of staff, not just bartenders, is involved in the process from an early stage, giving the whole team a stake in each new menu. Live music runs every night of the week, spanning jazz, swing and blues, and shapes the atmosphere of the room as the evening goes on.

The team behind Nightjar take hiring and culture seriously, recruiting internationally and building a team that currently includes members from India, Nepal, Argentina, Ecuador and Nigeria. Diversity and inclusion training is built into onboarding, and the bar has worked to build a culture rooted in courtesy, kindness and constructive feedback. Many staff work a four-day week, giving the team time to properly switch off between shifts.