The Black Eel, darts in Dalston, Hackney

Photo: The Black Eel

The Black Eel: Darts in Dalston, London

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41 Kingsland High Street, Dalston · E8 2JS

The Black Eel sits in a Grade II-listed former Cooke's pie and mash shop on Kingsland High Street, given a new life by Exale Brewing as a games-led Dalston pub. The oche is open to all and you book it by the hour, so it suits a group who want a session rather than a quick walk-up throw. Lanes take 2 to 8 players and the boards run interactive digital scoring, which means nobody has to do the maths after a few pints. Darts is the headline, but it is not the only game in the building. You also get shuffleboard, foosball and a petanque court out in one of East London's bigger hidden beer gardens, with Mediterranean-leaning plates from Riley's kitchen and a proper range of beer on the bar.

The darts setup

You play on traditional boards fitted with interactive digital scorekeeping, so the screen tracks the numbers and you just throw. Each lane holds 2 to 8 players, which makes it an easy fit for a pair sharpening up or a bigger group taking turns. It is a paid, timed setup rather than a free pub board in the corner: you book a lane by the hour with a one-hour minimum. Pricing runs £5 per person per hour Sunday to Thursday and £7.50 per person per hour on Friday and Saturday, so a quieter midweek session is the cheaper way in. If the arrows are not landing, shuffleboard and foosball are right there too.

Good to know

Book ahead through the website or email bookings@theblackeel.uk, especially for the busier Friday and Saturday slots. Beyond darts you get shuffleboard (charged separately by the hour), foosball and a petanque court in the garden, plus a private karaoke room loaded with a huge song list for bigger nights. The kitchen is run by Riley's and leans Mediterranean, so you can build a session around food rather than just drinks. Out back is one of East London's larger tucked-away beer gardens, which is the spot to aim for in warmer weather. The building keeps its original tiled frontage and an 1862 mosaic doorway from its pie-and-mash days.

Getting there

The Black Eel is at 41 Kingsland High Street in Dalston, E8 2JS, on the main drag heading north out of the area. The closest station is Dalston Kingsland on the Overground, which is a short walk away, and Dalston Junction is also within easy reach for the line into Shoreditch and the City. Plenty of buses run along Kingsland High Street and Kingsland Road if you are coming up from Hackney or down from Stoke Newington. It is a central enough spot that you can fold a darts booking into a wider night out around Dalston without much planning.

Get directions

Common questions

What is The Black Eel in Dalston?
It is a games-led pub on Kingsland High Street in Dalston, set in a Grade II-listed former Cooke's pie and mash shop and run by Exale Brewing. The draw is bookable darts, alongside shuffleboard, foosball, petanque, a karaoke room, food from Riley's kitchen and a large hidden beer garden.
Is darts free at The Black Eel or do you pay?
You pay. The oche is a timed, bookable setup, not a free pub board. It costs £5 per person per hour Sunday to Thursday and £7.50 per person per hour on Friday and Saturday, with a one-hour minimum.
Do you need to book darts at The Black Eel?
Yes, the darts lanes are booked by the hour. You can reserve online through the venue's website or by emailing bookings@theblackeel.uk, and it is worth booking ahead for Friday and Saturday.
How many players can use a darts lane at The Black Eel?
Each lane takes 2 to 8 players, so it works for a couple or a larger group. The boards use interactive digital scoring, so the screen keeps track of the numbers for you.
What other games are there at The Black Eel besides darts?
As well as darts you can play shuffleboard (charged separately), foosball and petanque on a court in the beer garden, and there is a private karaoke room with a large song list.
Where is The Black Eel and what is the nearest station?
It is at 41 Kingsland High Street, Dalston, London E8 2JS. The nearest station is Dalston Kingsland on the Overground, a short walk away, with Dalston Junction also close by.

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