By Alaric 
Ahoy there mateys, did you know that there’s a high-end pirate cocktail bar in London?
It’s called Rhum Tavern and will take you on a voyage to the Golden Age of Piracy.
The entire place has been nautically inspired and promises a swashbuckling good time.
You’ll sit in a ship’s hull filled with bottles of rum, browse a treasure map of cocktails and sip on drinks out of hollowed-out skulls.
As someone obsessed with Pirates of the Caribbean, Monkey Island, Black Sails and Treasure Island, I knew I had to visit.
Here is a complete review of Rhum Tavern, a pirate cocktail bar in London!
Sit inside a pirate ship
As soon as you walk inside this bar, you’ll feel as if you’ve been transported back in time to the 1650s.
The design of this tavern was inspired by a real clipper and decorated almost aentirely with wooden planks.
It feels like you’re onboard a pirate ship and sitting in the hold.
Billowing curtains, wooden tables, lanterns and flickering wax candles set the mood.
If you look up, you’ll see grates on the ceiling, cleverly lit to make it feel like the ship is sailing under a starry moonlit sky.
Gabriel De Vere is the captain of this venture, an industry veteran with extensive experience and a passion for rum.
So, you can rest assured that the drinks and food here will be tasty, savvy?
Rum bottles, skulls and treasure
A passion for the diversity and flavour of rum is in the soul of this bar.
You can find wooden barrels stocked with over 350 bottles of rum. That’s the most rum you can find in any bar in London!
The bar is lined with Pieces of Eight and you’ll find lots of booty treasure hidden on the shelves.
Chests, kegs, antique books, tricorn hats and skulls of famous pirates will greet you here including the famous Captain Jack Sparrow.
It’s worth having a browse to see what you can discover.
X Marks the Spot
The thing I loved about this pirate bar was its menu which was designed like a treasure map.
As soon as you open it, you can plot your course around their amazing menu of artisan cocktails and choose your poison.
As you would expect, most of these potions are rum-based but you can also find beer, champagne, gin and tequila mixers on the cards.
Dead Men Tell No Tales
There are two types of people in cocktail bars;
- Those who order their drinks solely for flavour and…
- Those who like their tasty drink in a bespoke glass.
I admit that I’m definitely in the latter group and Rhum Tavern did not disappoint.
Their most famous drink is ‘Dead Men Tell No Tales’ which comes served in a hollowed-out skull. It’s artificial in case you’re worried ;).
The cocktail is an adaptation of a Porn Star Martini with Mountgay Black Barrel Rum, passion fruit, prosecco and red wine.
It’s finished off with Reservitrol Dust over crushed ice so it almost looks like a human brain!
This signature is slightly pricier than the rest but it’s worth it for the flavour and photo opportunities.
Drink up me hearties, yo ho!
As well as the signature cocktail, there is a huge array of pirate-inspired grog to choose from worthy of a Seadog.
I ordered the ‘Black Pearl’ which was a gin-based cocktail with a sweet rhubarb edge. It was inspired by Mrs. Beeton’s cookbook from the 1860s.
It was served in a Kraken-style glass with long tentacles that wrapped around it!
They also have ‘Parlay’ which is a beer spiked with rum and ‘Pieces of Eight’ inspired by a manifesto found in the Mordaunt from 1682.
You can also order ‘Inferno’ similar to a Pina Colada that comes served inside a coconut or the ‘Drunken Sailor’ based on a negroni.
The bold flair and deliciousness of these drinks were excellent value for money.
Order snacks from the grill
If you’re feeling peckish on your voyage, the bar also serves a menu of hearty snacks grilled over the fire.
You can order corn ribs, grilled chicken, salt beef, baby back ribs and even king scallops.
They make the perfect small dishes to wash down with your grog. Or, you can buy a bottle of rum to take home with you.
Captains Quarter’s
Just beyond the main bar, the tavern has a Captain Quarters which is reserved for private parties or events.
We were lucky enough to get a sneak peek and it was so beautiful inside.
There were plush rugs, chandeliers, a huge light-up window and more shelves filled with treasure.
It’s the ideal place for a buccaneer bash and they host up to 150 sailors.
Skull toilets
If I had any doubts about the attention to detail with the theming of this bar, they were blown out of the water when I went into the bathrooms.
In the ladies, I was elated to see that every toilet was black and shaped like a skull!
I’ve never seen this before and I thought it was so unique. I’m now planning how I can get a skull toilet at home.
Is Rhum Tavern worth visiting?
Aye, if you’re looking for a truly unique cocktail bar in London, the Rhum Tavern is your next port of call.
The decor, drinks, and vibes here are spectacular especially if you love anything to do with pirates or history.
My friend and I had a great time trying the unique drinks on offer and browsing all the nautical-themed decor.
We particularly loved the warm and friendly service from the staff and would definitely go back.
Don’t skip the Rhum Tavern, it’s a modern love story of rum in an old-world setting and it’s an adventure not to be missed!
How to get to Rhum Tavern in London
Rhum Tavern is conveniently located near Oxford Circus on Margaret Street.
The closest tube station would be Oxford Circus on the Victoria (blue) or Central (red) lines and then it’s just a 3-minute walk from there.
It makes a great place to refuel after some retail therapy.
Should you reserve a table?
My friend and I were able to walk in without a booking on a weekday in January which was quite lucky.
However, it is highly recommended to book a table at Rhum Tavern as it is a unique cabana that often goes viral on social media.
Reserving a table is especially important on the weekends. You can easily make a reservation online via their website.
They are open from Tuesday – Saturday from 5 pm until 12 am / 1 am.
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Save Rhum Tavern in London for later!
