Expect the unexpected...
A unique cocktail bar in St Albans, delivering delicious cocktails, fantastic service and an incredible atmosphere.
We always want our customers to have a fantastic evening with us-but we also want them to have an even better morning...Please drink responsibly!
FAQs
1. Is it true I need to book?
A. You don't need to book. However, we've found that from day one many people have preferred to reserve a table ahead of time. This is particularly true of the weekend (naturally) and we can be fully booked for a guaranteed table as soon as three to four weeks out from the date. We always recommend guests turn up on the night and see what they can get table-wise if they are in the area. We will do our best to fit you in! Early week and early evening tends to be present a range of tables for our guests for a round or two (or three..?)
2. Do you do food?
A. We don't do food beyond our range of nuts and olives that are available in individual portions and served to your table with your drinks. We prefer to concentrate on what we do best, great drinks!
3. Do you sell beer on draught?
A. We sell a small selection of craft beer but beer is available in bottles or cans only.
4. What is the capacity of The Punch Room?
A. The Punch Room (upstairs) is best suited to a group no bigger than 40 people. Of course, the room can be booked for less but please be aware of the room hire fee (£300) implemented for Punch Room bookings.
5. My party are all over 21 except one, can we still come in?
A. We are strict with our over 21's policy but we aren't unrealistic or unreasonable operators. If your group is all over 21 with the exception of one, please let us know when booking and we'll make a case-by-case decision ahead of the evening in question.
6. Egg white in a drink?!
A. Yes! Egg white is a classic ingredient in cocktails and it adds a luxurious, creamy texture to any drink it appears in. It adds no flavour whatsoever but if you are squeamish about it for any reason, just let us know and we'll leave it out (but we can't recommend it enough so we suggest you give it a go!)
7. I've been turned away at the door and I plan to write a scathing review online about it. Why wasn't I let in?!
A. We aren't the biggest venue in St Albans...far from it in fact. As a result, we have to limit the amount of people present in the bar at any one time to allow for reasonable wait times and to maximise comfort for our guests who have either come by early or taken the time to book a table with us. If you must leave that review, there's nothing we can do about it but we'd recommend you book or come by slightly earlier next time...
8. Why am I being told to quieten down a bit and watch my language?
A. As a premium offering on one of St Albans' prettiest and most well-regarded streets, we want to be responsible operators while providing a relaxing but fun environment for our guests. For us, this doesn't involve the tolerating of shouting, excessive swearing or boisterous behaviour. We aren't boring or stuffy but we do like our guests to feel comfortable. If this isn't how you like to behave on a night out, there are plenty of other bars to enjoy yourself in this manner.
9. Why is your phone number not listed anywhere?
A. As it stands, we are taking all bookings via our DesignMyNight Bookings Widget. This allows us to make sure bookings are taken on a first come, first served basis. We will get a land line in the near future to assist with booking requests.
10. The bar is quite hard to find, why don't you put a bigger sign up??
A. We like it that way. We could be more 'obvious' but we like that you have to know about us. Why not have hours of fun by recommending us to your friends and have fun doing it by attempting to describe exactly where we are??
11. Can I hire the whole venue for my birthday / engagement party / leaving do?
A. Whole venue hires aren't something we rule out completely but they have to be carefully considered so as not to disappoint guests who make the trip to see us on a given night. Email us to enquire and we'll be happy to accommodate you if we can!
12. Can I cater a Punch Room booking myself?
A. We are happy for guests to cater their own parties with food bought somewhere else as long as it is easily disposed of and you are happy to sign a waiver as it pertains the consumption of food on our premesis.
13. Can I play my own music in The Punch Room?
A. Yes! Simply bring a bluetooth enabled device or something with a mini jack if you have your own playlists you'd like to play on your special night.
14. Can I book a table through Twitter?
A. We kindly ask that all booking requests be directed through our Bookings System. This way everything is in one place and we can reply to bookings individually and fairly.
15. I'm going to be a bit late for my booking. How long will you hold my table for?
A. We know that problems can occur with travel plans / restaurant timings before coming to us so we will hold a table for fifteen minutes beyond the allocated arrival time. We may be able to extend this slightly if you contact us via email about issues with arriving on time. As an independent business we cannot afford to keep tables indefinitely unfortunately so please do your best to get to us in good time.
16. How come I can't order cocktails in The Punch Room on weekends?!
A. You can! They are ferried upstairs from the bar downstairs. One day we will have The Punch Room fully equipped to make the full menu there but it is a work in progress at this point in time.
17. Other bars offer cocktail masterclasses. Is this something you offer?
A We're always open to offering that little something different for our guests and while it's not something we advertise, we certainly have the expertise to put a Cocktail Masterclass together for you and your party. However, these aren't something we can offer on weekend nights. The fresh ingredients we use take a long time to produce and as such we wouldn't give you the experience you'd expect or deserve.
18. Why don't you do a Happy Hour?
A. We feel that our drinks are the best for miles around and that any kind of 2-4-1 offer would take away from the level of craft we strive for. Our offering is premium and we guarantee you great drinks all night long without the rush associated with making drinks to support an offer such as Happy Hour.
19. Are there other Suckerpunch bars anywhere? Is this part of a chain?
A. Nope. This is the only one (that we know of at least!). We are genuinely independent and owner-operated. Enjoy!
