Rick Astley’s Other Hit: A Craft-Beer Bar in Shoreditch
He promised he’d never give us up, and he hasn’t. He’s just serving us pilsner instead. Rick Astley’s collaboration with Danish brewery Mikkeller has become a welcome addition to East London’s growing craft-beer scene.
Rick Astley has never really gone away. Alongside regular tours and festival sets — including a crowd-pleasing turn at Glastonbury covering The Smiths — he’s kept his connection with fans alive through good humour and great shows. In 2018, he teamed up with cult Danish brewers Mikkeller to open a bar on Hackney Road, a short walk from Shoreditch High Street.
The site was once the George & Dragon, a colourful local pub known for late nights and drag shows. Astley and Mikkeller turned it into something altogether different: clean lines, pale wood, soft lighting, and twenty taps pouring beers from Copenhagen to Camden. The music still plays, but the atmosphere leans toward Scandinavian calm rather than Camden chaos.
Inside, the room feels balanced and open. The bar counter runs along the right, with light bouncing off copper taps and glazed tiles. There’s a touch of Shoreditch minimalism in the neat branding, simple glassware, and absence of neon slogans. The playlist blends indie and soul with the occasional nod to Astley’s own back catalogue. It’s relaxed, good-humoured, and easy to settle into.
Inside Rick Astley’s London Pub
The beers are the main draw. Mikkeller’s Astley’s Northern Hop Lager sits alongside small-batch sours, IPAs, and limited releases from their Copenhagen base. Staff are happy to guide you through the list, often offering a taste before you decide. Prices lean toward the premium end, but the quality makes it worthwhile.
What stands out isn’t the celebrity connection but how little it trades on it. There’s a small bit of merchandise or framed gold discs, but no massive sign above the door. Instead there is great beer and a small plaque on each table with a song lyric, or line. It feels like the kind of bar Rick himself might actually drink in: unpretentious, well-crafted, and just a touch nostalgic.
An Iconic Table at Rick’s Mikkeller Bar
Astley once said he wanted to create “a proper pub, but with a twist.” He has done just that. Mikkeller Bar London may not make you want to dance on the tables, yet it shows how London’s music and bar culture continue to cross paths in fresh and unexpected ways.
Where is Rick Astley’s Bar?
Mikkeller Bar London
📍 2–4 Hackney Road, London E2 7NS
🚆 Nearest station: Shoreditch High Street
Open daily, with around twenty taps rotating between Mikkeller favourites and guest brews. Try Astley’s Northern Hop Lager, crisp and clean, brewed in partnership with the man himself. The crowd leans local and international in equal measure, often a mix of beer fans, creatives, and curious passers-by. Arrive early if you want a table as it fills up quickly after work.
If you are looking for other London pubs with singer association, do check out our review of Amy Winehouse’s Favourite Camden Pub or the Starman Pub on Heddon Street.