Happiness Forgets
Quick info
About Happiness Forgets
Happiness Forgets is a speakeasy-style cocktail bar in London, set in a small basement with low lighting at 8-9 Hoxton Square. The cocktail menu is the focus of the bar. Guests can name the liquor and the level of sweetness they want, and the bartenders make the drink to match. Conversation across the bar is part of the format, and the bartenders talk with guests who arrive alone as well as with groups.
Good to know
- ReservationsAccepts reservations
Reviews
What reviewers say
Reviewers most often mention craft cocktails, knowledgeable bartenders, Louis Balfour cocktail and house beer.
What reviewers say
Reviewers most often mention craft cocktails, knowledgeable bartenders, Louis Balfour cocktail and house beer.
Customer Review Summary
Cocktails draw the most praise at this Hoxton Square basement bar, with reviewers describing drinks that are complex, different from one another, and full of depth in their flavours. One visitor singles out the Louis Balfour and the Lafayette as perfectly balanced, and another calls the Negroni the best they have had. A beer drinker found the bar's own-brand beer good, while his wife loved both cocktails she ordered. Close behind is the bar staff, described as friendly, knowledgeable, and attentive even on a very busy night. Several say the bartenders make conversation easy. One solo traveller felt at home over three nights, and another compares the mood to a Cheers vibe where everyone knows each other. Reviewers also call the room cosy, and one finds it chic yet unpretentious. One diner on a first date credits the server for the whole evening, and another says the bartenders kept bringing different drinks all night after hearing their preferences for liquor and sweetness.
Customer Review Summary
Cocktails draw the most praise at this Hoxton Square basement bar, with reviewers describing drinks that are complex, different from one another, and full of depth in their flavours. One visitor singles out the Louis Balfour and the Lafayette as perfectly balanced, and another calls the Negroni the best they have had. A beer drinker found the bar's own-brand beer good, while his wife loved both cocktails she ordered. Close behind is the bar staff, described as friendly, knowledgeable, and attentive even on a very busy night. Several say the bartenders make conversation easy. One solo traveller felt at home over three nights, and another compares the mood to a Cheers vibe where everyone knows each other. Reviewers also call the room cosy, and one finds it chic yet unpretentious. One diner on a first date credits the server for the whole evening, and another says the bartenders kept bringing different drinks all night after hearing their preferences for liquor and sweetness.
Featured reviews
- Google user
“Excellent cocktails and service. Shout out to CeCe who was so sweet and made us feel so welcome! We tried a few drinks on the menu and they were all nice and complex (and delicious of course!) We have tried a few places in London and gotten way less exciting drinks for twice the price. This place is a true gem and looking forward to coming back the next time we are in town.”
- Google user
“Thank you Hannah, CeCe, and Elliot for being amazing hosts for the 3 nights that I visited. The cocktails are amazing, and the wonderful conversations y’all provided for a solo traveler made me feel at home in London. I will definitely visit again, and thank you for keeping me coming back!”
- Google user
“A visit to Happiness Forgets with the team this week. Great drinks, warm hospitality, and a genuine reminder that what guests remember most is how you make them feel. We left inspired, full of ideas, and grateful for the welcome from the team. Thank you for having us.”
- Google user
“My wife and I went here, early evening, for pre dinner drinks. It’s a cool, cosy place. Great menu of cocktails. I’m a beer guy and their own brand of beer was good. But my wife loved both the cocktails she had. The service was good and friendly. Definitely go back.”
- Google user
“Had such a lovely evening on a first date! The young woman who served us was incredible! Such great service and lovely chat. Big credit to her (amazing manga lashes and striped shirt! Didn’t get her name!) Will be back all because of her! Thank you ❤️”
Highlights
“Hip speakeasy bar in a tiny low-lit basement, serving cocktails shaken by professional mixologists.”
- Great cocktails
Amenities
- Accepts reservations
- Dine-in
- Food at bar
- Cozy
- Beer
- Food
Show more amenities
- Free water refills
- Table service
- Restroom
- Romantic
- Trendy
- Offerings· 4
- Alcohol
- Cocktails
- Hard liquor
- Wine
- Dining options· 1
- Seating
- Atmosphere· 1
- Casual
- Highlights· 1
- Great cocktails
- Crowd· 1
- LGBTQ+ friendly
Location
Cocktail bars near Happiness Forgets
- Nightjar4.62,7440.3 mi£20–60
hidden speakeasy entrance, live jazz music, creative cocktail garnishes
- The Drift4.52,4310.8 mi£40–50
bottomless brunch, corporate events, calamari and arancini
- Discount Suit Company4.81,6160.8 mi£20–30
cheese plate, hidden speakeasy basement bar, corn star cocktail
| Place | Rating | Distance | Price | Mentioned in reviews |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Happiness Forgets | 4.71,045 | — | £10–20 | craft cocktails, knowledgeable bartenders, Louis Balfour cocktail |
| Nightjar | 4.62,744 | 0.3 mi | £20–60 | hidden speakeasy entrance, live jazz music, creative cocktail garnishes |
| The Drift | 4.52,431 | 0.8 mi | £40–50 | bottomless brunch, corporate events, calamari and arancini |
| Discount Suit Company | 4.81,616 | 0.8 mi | £20–30 | cheese plate, hidden speakeasy basement bar, corn star cocktail |
The 3 nearest cocktail bars by distance. Ratings, hours and review terms come from public business profiles.
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