Eating in London: Quirky Restaurants

I’m on the hunt to find a quirky and fun restaurant to head to for an evening meal on my birthday. I already have afternoon tea at the Cat Cafe booked for that week but I’d also like to experience more of the foodie scene London has to offer. Over the last week I have been frantically searching the web for ideas of places to go. Some I’ve found are already booked up for the evening of April the 17th but others still have spaces. Problem is I’m struggling to decide where I want to go and what kind of experience I want to have. I don’t want to go somewhere too fancy I feel out of place (That happened in The Kitchin in Edinburgh). However I’d like to try somewhere unique to London in a bid to explore this city more.

Here are my options, which one would you choose? Or do you have another recommendation?

Sketch – Sketch is exciting for me because of the artist influences behind it. There are five different restaurants and bars here and each one is decorated differently. Looking online I think the gallery most appeals to me with the drawings and design influence from David Shirgley – it looks kind of like a posh and pink American diner. The drawback with this place is the menu looks quite pricey.

Circus – The idea of this place is that as you eat your dinner you are treated to a performance going on around and above you. They boast a Pan Asian menu and even the decor gets a mention. I think this place might be one of the best restaurants I have read about. However, I’m worried it is so big, that I’d spend the night worrying about how much I’m spending… They also only have early or late time slots left.

La Bodega Negra – Is a Mexican restaurant in London made quirky because it is hard to find and the entrance is illuminated by a seedy sex shop sign. Just looking at their quirky and fun website is persuading me to chose this little place and the menu looks fantastic.

Archipelago – This restaurant makes the list purely for its menu. Now I’m not a huge fan of everything on this menu but it has one of my favorite meats on the menu – Kangaroo. I haven’t been able to find it since I left Australia and would love to head here, so I can do so. Is the menu enough to make this a quirky and memorable dinner?

Inamo – This place is quirky and fun for a whole different reason. Each table is interactive and you use this system to order everything you want throughout the evening. For someone who likes technology this sounds like a new way of dining. However the menu is a oriental fusion and I’m never sure what to order or how much to order from these types of restaurant.

Beach Blanket Babylon – The thing about this place that makes it so special is the decor, both branches (Shoreditch and Notting Hill) look beautifully yet are completely different. The menu is seasonal and based on menu choices I would prefer a visit to the Notting Hill branch but both would be a quirky experience. My only worry would be is it too fancy?

Bob Bob Ricard – This place is basically on this list because it has a call for champagne button and it was the place that made me decide I wanted to find a quirky restaurant for my birthday. The interior also looks beautiful, but again is it too fancy for me?