I was invited to the press launch at Kuckoo which is due to open on Wednesday 12th April. The bar is situated in Leopold square and can be accessed straight off West Street. I managed to grab a chat with the two owners of the bar and could tell from the way they each spoke that they were passionate about the brand and providing excellent customer service. The owners explained that the staff all work on the same ‘tier’ – there are no managers or supervisors on shift, meaning that all staff are on are the same ‘grade’ and striving for the same targets. This passion definitely passed through down to their staff. The guys behind the bar were working extremely hard and appeared to be having fab time themselves. I have only one problem with the way the bar appeared to be being run, and that was the fact they appeared to have the young gorgeous girls waiting on the men, ferrying their drinks back and forward. On the contrast their guys were sweating their butts off behind the bar. It just felt a little seedy and contrasted the brand that the owners were trying to portray, and seemed to be the opposite of the ‘every team member is equal’ mantra that the owners had explained to us earlier.
Now, there is only one word that can describe this bar and that is RED. It literally took my eyes about twenty minutes to adjust to the lighting in the bar. Around the edge of the room there are lots of booths big enough for around 6/7 people which looked like they would be perfect for a girly cocktail night. The bar itself was made of the most incredible red marble effect which I thought would make the most ‘Instagramable’ pictures ever (oh how wrong I was). But; it was most very aesthetic and within minutes I’d propped myself at one of the stools at the end of the bar and began making my way through their extensive cocktail menu. I loved the overall vibe of the bar, from the black granite flooring to the 5 beautiful chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. I absolutely loved the music they had playing in the bar: think Kings of Leon and Arctic Monkeys. There was also some amazing rock and roll themed artwork all over the walls. I think this rock and roll theme is definitely what sets Kuckoo apart from the other cocktail bars in the area.
The cocktail menu is my idea of absolute heaven. It was extensive and detailed and appeared to have something to suit everyone’s taste. I began with a Pornstar Martini which was deliciously thick and creamy – it was almost more of a dessert than a drink. Each cocktail was made with care and attention, and went down very easily. You could see the staff were attentive and had a very in depth knowledge of the menu. Each cocktail was made with extreme care and presented perfectly. Secondly I went for a strawberry marshmallow cocktail which was so sweet and sugary it reminded me of a Calippo ice lolly, served with toasted marshmallows on top. I mean, sugary and alcoholic, what more could a girl want?!
Without a doubt, Kuckoo will be packed to the rafters every Friday and Saturday night. I’m excited to visit again once the bar is officially open and maybe test out another cocktail or two. Kuckoo has some steep competition in Leopold square, considering the infamous Botanist in directly opposite; and I’m intrigued to see how the bar grows over time.
I was invited to the press night of Kuckoo but all opinions are strictly my own.
