The Vortex Downstairs - Hackney

The restaurant is fun, good, and lively, but the price of £5 per pint is a bit steep.

I went to Downstairs for a night of Jazz and stopped in for some delicious pub food before the show. The staff was friendly, the prices were reasonable, and the atmosphere had a great pub vibe.

We went to see the band Vula viel here, we arrived early so we popped into the ground floor for a drink and a snack. I ordered a cider and some fries, sat down with a view of the square. Skateboarders practicing jumps, music from the small independent stallholders (barbershops, street food kiosks, music stands) surrounding the square. All kinds of people gathered talking, drinking, and enjoying the weather and socializing in general. What a great atmosphere, our food arrived and it was exactly what it should be, well-cooked burgers, homemade fries (instead of frozen) watching the people passing by, made us wish we hadn't eaten before coming back. Lively yet relaxed place. Amazing live music upstairs that night and only £8 tickets, which was a steal. We love this place, a great change from all the boring Malay places.

Thank vortex downstairs I had a great birthday party.