Absolut Icebar

paolaenergya

It's an ice bar 11th October 2009

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Oh yes it's a nice bar. Oh yes it's an ice bar. The end.
No, seriously, this is a nice little place to bring your friends visiting London, I've never been even if I live in London so I thought it would be a fun thing to do, and fun it was.
I agree with other reviewers that the waiters were rude: a lady shouting instructions about gloves being attached to our robes; a girl serving free top ups to her friends while ignoring me and my friend waiting to be served.
But who cares, we stayed there for 20 mins as we were done after the initial novelty factor - a couple was snogging nearby (I never knew that ice ignited passion).
Took pictures, had a laugh, and went for a lovely meal at Momo's next door.

Imicola

Yuck - just a tourist attraction 13th April 2009

2 found this helpful

Visited this place with a couple of friends and was sorely disappointed! I didn't really know what to expect, but I certainly expected more!!

Basically, you queue up at your given time, pay your money to get in, you get a big cape thing to wear and then you hand over a voucher in return for a 'cocktail'. The cocktails were quite disgusting - ready mixed juice and vodka type cocktails, served in an ice glass. The service was pretty rude - I imagine the bar woman had thought herself worthy of a far better job, and looked thoroughly miserable.

The actual room is quite small, and you are packed in with all the others who booked the same slot as you. There are only a couple of places to sit. The bar and walls are made of ice, plus there are som ice sculptures around the place. At first we though a time slot of 40 mins was a bit short, but we were out of there in 30 (it took as that long to finish the 'cocktails'). Overall - maybe go if you are a tourist, or you want to see something pretty touristy. If you want to have a nice chat with friends, a seat or a decent cocktail for less than £12 - then give it a wide berth!

QueenB

Ice Delight? 22nd October 2008

2 found this helpful

Novelty is the word of the day.

A Thursday night, booked in advance £15 a head and that includes one cocktail each.

You check in and pay at reception, you then queue to get a blue plastic thermal, fur lined hooded poncho dropped over your head, that has mittens sewn on to it like you are 5 and back at primary school, all it needed was my name inside the neck!

You then walk through a little corridor to enter a room which can be only be described as a blue lit walk in freezer!
You have to queue at a small bar made of ice on the other side of the room and pick your menu from an Absolute cocktail menu that is on a mirrored square.

Mine was nicer than my boyfriends -but both drinks were still ok but very small. The 'glasses' are great - they are cubes made of ice with what looks like a small test tube size hole in the middle in which they pour the cocktails - so you feel like you drink a scientific experiment!

There are ice sculptures which you can sit in - I looked like the snow queen from Narnia apparently... there is a couple if benches and a table, the walls are even ice too.

Was definitely a nice and different 45 minutes and good start to the night.

The 2 non-ice bars upstairs and downstairs are well over priced, its £9.50 each for a G&T and a vodka cocktail - neither of which were even mixed well, sadly.

I'd go back, say if it was a pre birthday night out or had friend over from abroad and were doing something touristy and different.

ablair9999

A Great Start To A Night Out! 31st March 2008

2 found this helpful

The Absolut Icebar is a fantastic place to take people if you want to show them something different and provide a bit of a talking point! I've been a couple of times and am off again tomorrow - I'm taking my dad for his 60th Birthday before we go out for dinner!

Sure it's a gimick, sure it's different, and it sure is cold! It is also fun, unusual and a great place to try some fab vodka cocktails.

It's kept at 5 degrees below as the bar, tables, walls, sculptures and glases are all made from crystal clear ice from the Torne River. They do however provide the aforementioned thermal gloves and hi-tec silver thermal ponchos - just as well too!

The entry fee does include the clothing and your first drink. Refills are around £7 each, but as you are limited to 40 minutes (due to the temperature) you would be hard pressed to run up a massive bar bill unless you really go for it!

It is small, and they do limit numbers of visitors, so book in advance to be sure you get in. As I said at the begining, it's a great place to start the evening. Enjoy!

Added 03-04-08

We went again last night. Still fantastic and still a great start to the evening. It was very busy, so definately prebook. Entry price (including 1st drink) was £12 with refills at £6 each. They had changed the interior (they redesign every 6 months)but still great - spot the John Travolta ice statue! Yes - it's a disco theme!

dloizou

You just have to do it at leats once! 26th October 2007

2 found this helpful

The Absolut Ice Bar is awesome..

The staff are great and very helpful and the concept and venue are just fantastic.

Okay so it helps that I am a massive vodka fan and that Absolut is my tipple of choice... but never have I seen such an exciting range of vodka shots.. it was so hard to choose I had 3 of mine own and sampled six others - all delicious.

I'm sure you know the drill, your entry fee entitles you to a half hour visit inside the ice bar - warm poncho, gloves and a lovely shot of your choice included..

I can't speak highly enough of the expeience..

Grab a group of frineds, book in, dress warmly and enjoy!

DannyB2007

Chill out & drink cocktails 26th October 2007

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Worth the wait, worth the money...this place is literally cool...You only get 30 minutes in here then you are ushered out the other door, but I did not see one sad face in here.

This place is awesome, the shots are reasonable at £6 for a refil, but for your entry price you get one drink and one ice glass free and they do last a while, a really nicely designed Ice Set, with some Londonism thrown in.

Dont go here with shorts or a t-shirt on, although its warm at first and you have a poncho on (draft goes up the bottom) it does get cold.

nighthawkdiner

Big Chill 19th November 2006

4 found this helpful

It's a bar that is set at minus 5. You get kitted up with a fetching silver poncho to stay warm and you're given 40 minutes to drink cocktails from a glass made of ice. It's an over-priced gimmick bar, sure, but hey - there are only a few of these things in the world.

My question is - how do they clean up spills? surely they freeze?

robcarter at 22/11/06

Nice tag "cold".

As long as the drink is alcoholic enough it shouldn't freeze - now that is a great excuse for being drunk.

nighthawkdiner at 22/11/06

of course - so they must put anti-freeze in the mop bucket: or maybe just a healthy glug absolut?

Jimbo at 06/09/07

Cool! I've heard about this place before. I might pay them a visit one day!

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