Full Venue Hire at The Otherist

The Otherist is a recently refreshed cocktail bar and restaurant at 111 Old Broad Street in Bank, part of the Drake & Morgan group. Full venue hire takes 300 standing or 100 seated across a light-filled interior, a sunken lounge, and an outdoor terrace that opens onto a public square. The hire model runs on minimum spend rather than room hire fees — no upfront venue cost, just a commitment to spend across food and drinks, which simplifies budgeting and means you’re paying for what guests actually consume. The natural light is the first thing you notice. Large windows flood the space throughout the day, creating an atmosphere that basement bars and windowless function rooms can’t replicate no matter how much they invest in lighting design. For afternoon events and anything that needs to photograph well — brand launches, internal comms content, social media moments — the daylight does half the work.

The Sunken Lounge and Terrace

The Sunken Lounge seats 30 or holds 60 standing in a lowered area within the main space, providing natural separation without walls. It functions as a semi-private zone for smaller gatherings within a larger event, or as a self-contained hire for groups that want the venue’s atmosphere at a more intimate scale. The outdoor terrace opens onto the square outside — a genuine outdoor space rather than a fire escape with a heater. It extends capacity in warmer months and gives guests a change of pace during longer events. The indoor-outdoor flow works particularly well for summer drinks receptions and after-work gatherings where guests want to move between settings.

Cocktails, Food, and the Drake & Morgan Standard

The Otherist operates as a cocktail bar with serious drink credentials. The mixology goes beyond a standard venue bar list, which matters for events where drinks quality is part of the experience rather than an afterthought. The restaurant side delivers food to match — in-house catering covers everything, removing the need to coordinate external suppliers. The recent refurbishment has sharpened the interior, and the Drake & Morgan operational standards mean consistent service across events of different scales. For planners who’ve used other Drake & Morgan venues, the reliability translates.

Events and Formats at The Otherist

The open layout adapts to different configurations without requiring a full venue transformation. Seated dinners for 100, cabaret for the same number when entertainment sightlines matter, or standing receptions that flow between the main floor, sunken lounge, and terrace — the space works with the event rather than dictating its shape. Music provision is flexible for evening events, and the late licence runs to midnight with extensions available. Corporate gatherings, birthday celebrations, engagement parties, and after-work drinks all fit the format. The light-filled space and open plan are particularly strong for events that want a relaxed, welcoming feel rather than the formality of a traditional private dining room.

Bank Location and Access

Old Broad Street puts The Otherist within the City’s commercial core, a short walk from Bank, Liverpool Street, and Moorgate stations. For after-work events drawing from the surrounding offices, the location eliminates the cross-London journey that reduces attendance. The address carries professional weight for client-facing occasions, and the terrace onto the square adds a social dimension that enclosed City venues often lack.