Lola’s Bar, Hippodrome Casino review: an all-American feast for NFL fans in London

Let’s talk about football. Not the round-ball variety - soccer - but the American one considered to be the most popular sport in the US.

This game of touchdowns, quarterbacks and wide receivers is enjoying huge growth in the UK since the National Football League (NFL) started hosting regular-season matches in London in 2007.

When 81,176 people watched the New York Giants defeat the Miami Dolphins 13-10 in October 2007 at Wembley Stadium the NFL’s head honchos knew they were onto a winner with the international fixtures.

Twelve years later the “London Games” series now have four sold-out fixtures on the 2019 schedule with the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium hosting two matches in October and Wembley hosting matches in October and November.

One constant in the NFL’s London Games in recent years has been the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The Florida franchise has played at Wembley every year since 2013 and are committed for one match a season until at least 2020. This year the Jags return to Wembley for a “home” game against the Houston Texans on Sunday 3 November (2.30pm start).

Touch down at Lola’s

As the only NFL team committed to the UK, the Jaguars’s brand has grown thanks to its regular Wembley appearances.

The team’s official UK fans’ club - the Union Jax - was formed in 2013 and has grown to more than 50,000 members.

Jacksonville have the fastest-growing fan base in the UK of all the NFL teams and on Sunday nights you will now find many of those supporters in Lola’s Bar at the Hippodrome Casino in Leicester Square, London.

Lola’s is the new home of the Jags’ “Sunday Night Lights” NFL viewing parties and on 8 September the venue made its debut for the 2019-20 season-opener against the Kansas City Chiefs.

If you ever wanted to see proof that American football’s popularity is growing in London then Sunday nights in Lola’s is the place to go.

Order a ‘Foles Fizz’

On the season-opener Lola’s Bar was packed with hundreds of fans supporting the Jags and the other teams playing that evening. Across the brand new 10m x 2.5m big screen and five other 50+ inch screens all 6pm and 9pm matches were broadcast via the NFL Game Pass.

It’s not just the big screens and venue that were epic, but also the food and drink menus.

Food options include classic bar snacks such as buffalo wings, nachos and jalapeno poppers. But if it’s a proper feast you are after, then why not take on the “Jaguars Double Tower Touchdown Burger Challenge”?

Save some room though, because the Jaguars-themed cocktail menu will really super-bowl you over.

Particular favourites include the “Foles Fizz”, which is named after Jags’ quarterback Nick Foles, and made from Jack Daniel’s, ginger beer and Michelob.

Other tipples to enjoy include the “Jags Juice” (Jack Daniel’s, Disaronno, coca-cola) and “Laces Out” (Jack Daniel’s, lime juice, sugar syrup).

With its huge screens, great atmosphere, classic snacks and Jaguars-themed drinks there’s no doubt that Lola’s provides an all-American feast for NFL fans in the capital.

So next time you fancy heading out in London to watch some football on a Sunday, forget the round-ball version and join the Union Jax to cheer on the Jags.