A new cocktail bar offering great drinks alongside modern Irish hospitality opened last week on the site of the former London Cocktail Club.

Islington Gazette: Homeboy replaces the former London Cocktail Club Islington venue. Picture: Aaron WallHomeboy replaces the former London Cocktail Club Islington venue. Picture: Aaron Wall (Image: Archant)

Homeboy officially announced its opening on Instagram last week with a quote from W.B. Yeats: “There are no strangers here, only friends you haven’t yet met.”

This mantra is at the core of Homeboy’s philosophy, as co-founders Aaron Wall and Ciaran Smith aim to bring all of the joys of modern Irish hospitality to their first venue.

Cocktails are a big focus here, which is unsurprising giving that Wall and Smith have senior roles at Callooh Callay, London Cocktail Club, The Dorchester and NYC’s Waldorf Astoria among their collective CV.

The mixed-drink menu features 21 concoctions, each neatly split into seven whiskey-based, contemporary and classic drinks. There’s also Guinness and two other Irish beers on draught.

Islington Gazette: The 21-strong cocktail menu features contemporary, classic and Irish whiskey-based drinks. Picture: Aaron WallThe 21-strong cocktail menu features contemporary, classic and Irish whiskey-based drinks. Picture: Aaron Wall (Image: Archant)

If you’re after a bite to eat, Homeboy’s choice of poutine, curry chips and cheese / meat boards should go down a treat. Da’s Irish Stew and Ma’s Brown Bread offer you the chance to sample the home-cooking of Smith’s and Wall’s family-favourites respectively.

With a playlist of hip-hop and RnB tracks on the speakers, this looks like a lovely new hangout to take some time out of your busy schedule and enjoy some cocktails from these hospitable Irish lads.

Homeboy can be found at 108 Essex Road, N1 8LX. Read more about the venue here.