If there is anything you can fault Imperial Bizzo for, it’s not a lack of originality. Imperial Bizzo is very interesting. First of all, there’s the name. ‘Imperial’, as we all know, means ‘of an empire’, and ‘bizzo’ can either mean ‘nonsense’ or ‘a businessman’s club’. Now, I want to believe they had the second sense of the word in mind when they named it, but that aside, it’s still a weird name.
Now, its name is just the first of many things that stand out with the Businessman’s Club of an Empire. Located at 3 Ugbor Road, by Country Home Road Junction, Benin City, Imperial Bizzo is one of a kind.
Imperial Bizzo
Parking your keke at Imperial will not be a nightmare as they’d put some thought into creating a decent parking experience for their customers. In fact, they’ve got something of a mini outdoor car park and some parking space indoors as well.
The interior is another place where the lounge differs from the lot. Imperial Bizzo uses dim lighting, though I’m not entirely sure why (perhaps they could really throw more light on it). And this glow-in-the-dark lighting approach is a 24/7 thing. So, if you intend to take photos there, be aware that it will be difficult to see your own hands, let alone the subject of your photograph. For what it’s worth (and from the little I could see), the interior isn’t bad, just dark.
Imperial Bizzo is partitioned in a very odd way. They have different sections – like areas reserved for people who are buying bottles, for example. The thing is this partitioning is not very apparent. What that means is you could walk in, sit down somewhere, and be told to move because you don’t fall into the category of people who should sit there. Obviously, that can be very embarrassing (or would have been if people could actually see you, LoL).
Quick note: the restroom is decent. It is clean, and functional, and did not have any foul odor when we visited. So nothing to worry about there.
Imperial Food
Imperial Bizzo has a vast menu, with intercontinental, African, and Nigerian dishes, and some of the best cocktails in the city. Now, the chef at Imperial is world-class. We can attest that their food is consistently delicious. The problem, however, is the time between when you ordered and when it is dropped on your table. It takes a while, around the same amount of time as waiting for your National ID card from the NIMC. Jokes apart, it takes too long for the food to be served.
As for the presentation, there is this funny rubber covering they use over the food that’s just not it. That aside, the food looks good and inviting. The food is not exactly expensive or cheap. They could cost you anything from 4k to 15k. For their cocktails, the cheapest thing on the menu is NGN4500.
Imperial Staff
The staff can be a bit dismissive and hard to reach. Let’s put it this way, you will have better luck calling the attention of your bank’s reps on Twitter. I mean, imagine flailing your hand for their attention and they pass you like they didn’t see you. Given the lighting, that is completely possible but I don’t think it’s too much to ask that they be more attentive to their customers.
We also noticed that the staff tend to be more responsive to male customers, choosing to completely ignore their female customers. On several occasions when a female colleague went there with her friends (all female), the group had a difficult time calling the staff’s attention. I mean, I know ‘bizzo’ stands for businessman’s club, but please, have some sense.
Our Imperial Verdict
The food and cocktail at Imperial are delicious and to die for. The experience is one of a kind. If you like a cozy place where you can be unavailable (make them nor dey see you), Imperial Bizzo is just the place for you.
Read our review of Creep Downtown here.
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