A night at Bunga Bunga, Covent Garden

At the beginning of the summer holidays the Hubby and I got to have another stay in London so that we could go to Bunga Bunga. I have to admit that when I first heard that the place was called "Bunga Bunga" it made me think of some dodgy strip joint and I was unsure it was somewhere I'd want to go. The Hubby had been a few weeks previously and found out what it was, turns out it was an entertainment place and was something we'd enjoy. And that's why we arranged to go there together.
two cocktails in David Statue cups, low lighting




Where we stayed



A trip to London when we're going out means we need a stay overnight and after a little research we settled on Hub by Premier Inn at Kings Cross. Again the Hubby had stayed there before and said it was nice so we decided to stay there.

When we arrived in London the walk to the hotel was short and I realised it was close to the venue for the last Mumsnet Blogfest conference I attended. I must keep that in mind in future! The hotel was nice, checking in was quick thanks to the computerised system and although the room was small it was good. There was a handy lighting panel above the pillows on the bed so it would be easy to control the lights from in bed, the bed was comfortable and had storage underneath. 



Lighting panel in the Hub by Premier Inn, a pillow lit by orange light.




Speaking of the bed, it was quite high. At 5'5" my feet didn't touch the floor when I sat on the edge of the bed, I had to laugh. 


Feet, about a foot from the floor at Hub by Premier Inn
I am actually sitting on the bed, my feet are about a foot from the floor!




There was a hidden desk that could be pulled out if necessary, and the TV was capable of connecting to either your iPad or Android device. I was impressed.

hotel room at Hub by Premier Inn, towels and sheets folded on the bed, an art installation of the Thames on the wall.



TV on the wall at Hub by Premier Inn




You can see all around the room we stayed by checking out my video.








Our evening out 



Getting a night out at all when you're a parent is rare so being able to stay in London and have a proper night out was quite exciting. Despite the excitement though I thought we'd go out, have a meal and probably be back in the room by 10:30pm - that wasn't the case at all.

We walked to Bunga Bunga from our hotel, it was quite a walk but it was nice. We weren't in a hurry and it was lovely to walk together, hand in hand, and chat without having teens and tweens complaining about the walk. 

When we arrived at Bunga Bunga I have to say I wasn't that impressed, it just looked like a simple pizza place with scaffolding all around the outside. I certainly wasn't expecting an evening of entertainment and if it hadn't been for the Hubby going there previously I'd be a little disappointed by the look of it.



Scaffolding, bikes, and seating outside... I wasn't expecting much.



Inside Bunga Bunga looks nice, the bar is just inside and you can get cocktails almost immediately after walking in. The walls are decorated with Italian style decor and while I'd been disappointed by the outside my hopes rose a little when I saw the decor.



Inside Bunga Bunga, Covent Garden. A bar with people mingling. Italian art on the walls.



A candlestick with real candles sitting on a  bar.
These are real candles. 



A bar in Bunga Bunga, Covent Garden. Fake onions and garlic hang from the ceiling.



cocktails in small tumbler glasses with a dark cherry in the drink.
 Our first cocktails were Old Fashioned - a bourbon cocktail. 


After being shown through a meat locker (!) by an actor we headed downstairs where we were greeted by this statue...


Statue of David with a tap
Cue hysterical laughter...



I had to laugh and get a photo. We then checked our hoodies (free of charge) into the cloakroom and were shown to our table. It was a small table next to a pillar but there was also a very small stage nearby. A disco ball rotated reflecting lights all around the area, a David statue wearing a baseball cap was standing next to a larger stage covered by curtains. There were various statues all around.



downstairs in Bunga Bunga Covent Garden



inside Bunga Bunga Covent Garden Downstairs




The low lighting, the rotating disco ball, and the fact that I'd had a cocktail gave me a little tingle of excitement. 


Morgan Prince in Bunga Bunga Covent Garden




Then the entertainment started. A man came out and stood on the small stage, he was Italian (not really) and talked about the "boss". He was closely followed by his 'wife' who joined in the conversation about the "boss". Within a few minutes there was singing, the actors sang various songs from some of the best Broadway shows ever. 


entertainer at Bunga Bunga Covent Garden gets on the little stage


The group of entertainers take to the small stage in Bunga Bunga Covent Garden
The entertainers started out dressed as waiters, they soon changed though.



After a few minutes the actors left the stage and Hubby and I ordered another cocktail. We do love our cocktails but rarely get the chance to have any so we enjoyed having them.


cocktail in a glass tumbler garnished with mint and aniseed.


cocktail in a tall glass with a morichino cherry
Another bourbon cocktail for me, and it was so good!



Five minutes later the actors were back and introduced another singer, this lady was very good. She sang Gravity from Wicked and I smiled because I've been listening to the Idina Menzel version recently. I was so glad I was sat close to the stage because that meant I could get some good photos. Admittedly the lighting isn't great but with my iPhone 7 they were better than the Hubby's.


Singer on stage singing Gravity from Wicked
This lady sang Gravity - and it was great.



Husband and wife actors sing on stage


a younger couple sing to each other while standing on a stage




Cocktail number three came around quicker and we went for one in a funny cup. David's head held our drinks and they were really tasty!







Later into the evening Jesus (yes, the one from Jerusalem!) walked towards the larger stage and was joined by his disciples playing musical instruments. He sang more Broadway songs and chatted to the audience making jokes about things to take to Church and what not to say in Church.


An actor dressed as Jesus on stage with a band behind him.



The dark lighting meant I couldn't get a good photo of our food but it was tasty. For starter we had Italian meats with a cheese, I think it was called Burrata, with breadsticks and some sort of other bread. It was really good. For our mains the Hubby had pizza and I had beef ravioli, sometimes ravioli can be a bit "blah" but this time it was tasty. The beef inside the ravioli was rich and I didn't feel like it was just mush, it was actual pieces of beef. I really enjoyed it. For dessert we had a small panna cotta which was lovely.

When we'd finished eating the entertainment continued and the actors came out onto the small stage for their finale. They were all dressed in sparkly dresses, including the first guy, and put on a show. 


Singers standing on a small stage wearing a green sparkly dress.
I was lucky enough to snap this photo when the singer was looking straight at my camera! 




Finale at Bunga Bunga Covent Garden



After the actors had finished Jesus came back out onto the larger stage to continue with the musical entertainment and even started a karaoke, anyone could get up on stage, with a band performing the music, and sing their favourite tunes. 

It wasn't long before our little table was surrounded by people dancing and we quickly realised we'd have to move.


People dancing in a club
Shortly after this our table was completely surrounded to the point someone almost knocked over one of our drinks!



We stood dancing for a while but it was getting late and we decided we were tired. We left Bunga Bunga at 11pm and headed back to the hotel with full tummies. 

It was an amazing night and I'd definitely go back. If you get the chance to go to Bunga Bunga I would, it was fantastic. I enjoyed singing along with my favourite show tunes and hearing people perform them live.  I'm looking forward to being able to go back!

Have you ever visited Bunga Bunga?