The Blues Kitchen
111 – 113 Camden High Street
London NW1 7JN
Tel: 020 7387 5277

Situated on Camden High Street a stone’s throw from Mornington Crescent tube is ‘The Blues Kitchen’. A spacious and airy venue, it has a vibe that is laid-back and welcoming, attracting a crowd mostly in their twenties and thirties. The overall interior is one of shabby chic; with comfy mustard coloured booths, funky light fittings and distressed art on the walls. In the early evening the ambience is more of a restaurant than a night spot and music is played at an audible level. After dark, from around 9.30pm onwards, the live blues band begins and the volume rises appropriately.

The menu is fitting for the setting, with plenty of cocktails, milkshakes, burgers and Mexican/Soul Food on offer. There is also something to suit all wallets and appetites, including sharing platters, if you just fancy a snack instead of a full blown meal. To begin we tried a couple of the starters; some fabulously well-flavoured chilli, served with corn chips, guacamole and soured cream, and some moreish chilli nachos, with grilled barbeque chicken and melted cheese. To follow, there was plenty of choice from southern U.S. state favourites. These included New Orleans gumbo, seafood jambalaya, and various burgers and steaks and salads. We ordered the jerk chicken burger which was well spiced and came attractively presented on a wooden block, with creamy cold slaw and piping hot fries. With this, from the small but concise wine list we tried a glass of organic merlot which slipped down a treat. I also indulged in a really thick and rich, chocolate milkshake, made with dairy ice-cream it was fabulous: rich, creamy and really chocolaty. For pudding, we shared a slice of top-notch homemade vanilla cheesecake with berries that melted in the mouth. Throughout the evening service was efficient, friendly and polite throughout.
At around 9.30pm the lights are dimmed and the atmosphere evolves into one of a late-night club, the sort you see in old American films. This is when the volume is cranked up a few notches in the lead up to the live entertainment.

Blues music is played nightly until the small hours and apparently the joint is packed to the gills at the weekends. The Blues Kitchen is somewhere to come for a different night out, one where it’s possible to enjoy a few drinks, tasty food and live music without having to change location or break the bank.

Reviewed by Louise Elgin: May 2011

A meal for two with drinks is around £35.00 a head.
The Blues Kitchen is open until 2am on Thursdays and 3am on Friday and Saturday nights.