Latest favourites and wishlist by caffeinehit

Chez Bruce - review by hither

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 22:02:49 +0000

Chez Bruce - review by hither

Rating: 4.6

Location: 2 Bellevue Road, SW17 7EG, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 8672 0114

Website: http://www.chezbruce.co.uk/

This was the first Michelin starred restaurant which my husband and I had been to, and we certainly weren't disappointed.

We had an early evening booking on a bank holiday weekend, so weren't too crowded, but I imagine it could get a bit squashed when it's fully booked.

However, that would be my only negative - the food and the service were great. Every dish was absolutely lovely. I had fish and my husband had rabbit, and both were cooked to perfection. But the thing that we really talked about for weeks afterwards was the astonishing cheeseboard, which was huge and varied. It was tough to choose which ones to try, but the lady serving the cheese was very knowledgeable and really helped us to make the best selections.

We would definitely go again, given half a chance.

ShakeAway - review by mrkamputee

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 20:19:10 +0000

ShakeAway - review by mrkamputee

Rating: 4.2

Location: 8 Bond Street, BN1 1RD, Brighton, United Kingdom

Phone: 01273 711179

Website: http://www.shakeaway.com

Shakeaway is one of those novelties that is well worth a visit when you are in Brighton. The whole principle is pretty basic, choose from a massive selection of sweets, cakes, chocolate bars and all sorts of other things; get it blended with ice cream and enjoy the delightful mess that they have made for you. The damn things can get pricey and having five or more different things in a shake is a fantastic way to make yourself feel violently ill. I'd recommend Reeces Cups and Mars bar! Ha.

It is a bit of a pity though that you soon realise you can do better by blending up your own one at home for cheaper and it ends up being smoother.

Fabric - review by Rhydster

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 15:22:50 +0000

Fabric - review by Rhydster

Rating: 4.3

Location: 67-77A Charterhouse Street, EC1M 6HJ, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7336 8898

Website: http://www.fabriclondon.com

Tags: dance, hole in pocket, live, electronica, young and fun, underground

The good: there are three rooms, plenty of bars in between and several areas to chill. Drinks are not expensive and you be able to get in for around Â£10 most weekends. Each room/dance floor is very bid and located a good walk from each other, they generally have DJs from different spectrums so you can really get a different experience from each. Went here before as student and this was the best value. The staff are decent enough and bar service is quick. IÂ´ve had some really good nights here.

The bad: it can take more than hour waiting in the queue if you just turn up. You can get lost inside quit easily. Some nights can be up to Â£20 entry if youÂ´re not a student or member

Hakkasan - review by Weeboo

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 12:43:29 +0000

Hakkasan - review by Weeboo

Rating: 4.2

Location: 8 Hanway Place, W1T 1HD, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7907 1888

Tags: lively, chinese, crowded, expensive

This is by far one of the best dim sum restaurants I've tried in London. I cannot recommend the food enough. My mouth is watering right now as I type this *grin*.

The surroundings are suitably trendy, with an almost nightclub feel. Its lively and tends to get very loud in there. A good venue choice for a social night out with workmates or a hen party.

Regrettably, the service can feel overstretched or inattentive. Last time I dined here I waited over half an hour for the food to arrive after it had been ordered, and that was only after nudging the waiter. Considering how pricey the menu is, they could do more to improve the service.

Fabric - review by ocundale

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 13:54:29 +0000

Fabric - review by ocundale

Rating: 4.3

Location: 67-77A Charterhouse Street, EC1M 6HJ, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7336 8898

Website: http://www.fabriclondon.com

Tags: cool, young professionals, electronica, reasonably priced, young and fun, students, hip-hop, underground, friendly, dance

In my opinion this is definitely one of the top clubs in the Uk. I have been several times and everytime it has been good. The music is always brilliant, Fridays tend to be breakbeat/d&b/hip-hop and Saturdays tech-house kind of stuff. The crowd can be a bit dodgy sometimes, but this would happen anywhere in London. The entry and drinks are expensive, but obviously if you go to fabric you get your moneys worth by staying till the early hours of the morning â¬ 5or 6am and you can always drink before you get there or just be happy without alchahol like a lot of the people there!! One thing I would say is that its much better when its not rammed with people, as you can chill out and find a place to sit down. It can be a bit hectic otherwiseâ¬¦

Cargo - review by sparklepants

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 13:49:06 +0000

Cargo - review by sparklepants

Rating: 4.1

Location: 83 Rivington Street, EC2A 3AY, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7739 3440

Website: http://www.cargo-london.com

Tags: cool & smart

Probably one of the best place to go if you're into trying out different music! Always a brilliant atmosphere and a guaranteed top night out.

Chinawhite - review by sparklepants

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 15:08:48 +0000

Chinawhite - review by sparklepants

Rating: 2.5

Location: 6 Air St, W1B 5AA, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7343 0040

Website: http://www.chinawhite.com

I went here a while ago for a birthday, and I did have a pretty good time. However! I think it was down to the company of my friends and the free bottles (plural!) of champagne the desperate guys were handing us! The music isnâ¬"t too bad, although I think it tries too hard. There are different rooms to suit your taste. The room I ended up in had a selection of beds in it?! I think this probably says a lot more about his place than the entire review! It is the ultimate C list 'celeb', footballers and WAG wannabe's hangout. Meh.

Gordon's Wine Bar - review by sparklepants

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 15:28:44 +0000

Gordon's Wine Bar - review by sparklepants

Rating: 4.3

Location: 47 Villiers Street, WC2N 6NE, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7930 1408

Tags: relaxed, cool & smart

I love, love, LOVE this place. It has absolutely bundles of character! With a fantastic wine list comprising of affordable (starting at around Â£14) bottles right through to pure indulgent ones! They have a great selection of cheeses, cold meats, pickles and breads to accompany a bottle or two! Perfect for a relaxed afternoon, away from the hustle and bustle of central London. The candle lit cellar makes a perfect romantic setting. Get there early so you can grab a table, they donâ¬"t allow bookings unfortunately. Itâ¬"s very easy to miss as itâ¬"s so make sure you keep your eyes peeled!

Bungalow 8 - review by Lacrimosa

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 16:56:30 +0000

Bungalow 8 - review by Lacrimosa

Rating: 4.0

Location: St Martins Lane Hotel, WC2N 4HX, London, United Kingdom

Website: http://www.stmartinslane.com

Tags: cool, cool & smart, glamorous, young and fun, sexy, underground, friendly, relaxed

I visited this exclusive members' only lounge bar last week with a degree of curiosity mingled with scepticism, having read online reviews in which 'hate it' seemed to outnumber 'love it' by nine to one. Bungalow 8 is situated in a subterranean spot inside the stunning St. Martin's Lane Hotel in Covent Garden, notable for its interiors designed by Philippe Starck which combine an airy mixture of modern and baroque. Its more famous predecessor is the renowned Bungalow 8 in New York.

Firstly I should point out that I'm not a member, but had an invite to the after party of a film premier screened up the road, so my review is likely to be skewed by the fact that this wasn't a regular night at Bunglaow 8 (although I believe it was still open to regular members). The place is split into two bars on two floors, both absolutely tiny but decorated in very different and distinctive ways. The upper bar was already heaving by the time we arrived so we quickly took our cocktails downstairs, and snagged seats near the DJ. My immediate impression upon entering this downstairs bar was that I'd just walked into one of those paper carrier bags from Joseph - y'know, the iconic black and white striped ones? Freaky. Anyhoo, the cocktails were delicious, the mood laid back and friendly, the lighting pleasantly low, and the music ever so slightly cheesy. People felt comfortable enough to get up and start dancing between the tables or up and down the aisle, often by themselves. Personally I found the staff to be really friendly and upbeat, although that may just have been because my date knew them all.

One word of warning: those, like me, in strappy 3" heels should watch out for all the stairs - once you've managed to reach the bars without breaking any limbs, there's yet more to the toilets.

All in all, I had a good time, and would go again given the chance. Realistically, though, I'm unlikely to get past the doorman a second time without membership. This, I believe, is about Â£350 a year or, for visitors, Â£150 per night. Ouch!

Gordon's Wine Bar - review by rich42uk

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 15:54:04 +0000

Gordon's Wine Bar - review by rich42uk

Rating: 4.3

Location: 47 Villiers Street, WC2N 6NE, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7930 1408

Tags: posh, mature, cool & smart, young professionals, standard pub food, beer garden, young and fun, pretentious, underground, friendly, relaxed

Now this is a date venue if ever there was one... The wine-only bar ensures that the usual lager jackasses aren't in attendence and the dark, candlelit cellars are conducive to getting close...

Beyond that though, it's one of the few places that serve Port, Sherry and other fortified wines by both the glass and bottle and what's more doesn't break the bank. The wine list in general is so wide as to be a little bit intimidating but the bar staff and knowledgable and helpful when it comes to ordering.

If the hot and sometimes sweaty cellar is too much, it's also got a nice outdoors area overlooking the park by Embankment tube. Food is served too and looks good, but I've not actually sampled it myself.

Fabric - review by trixybo

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 11:53:27 +0000

Fabric - review by trixybo

Rating: 4.3

Location: 67-77A Charterhouse Street, EC1M 6HJ, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7336 8898

Website: http://www.fabriclondon.com

Fabric is one of the clubs that most people have heard of and one of the london clubs that you must visit. It has 3 rooms and hold some of the biggest dance acts around.
The club is known for big named DJs and for that reason it has the Â£15 door charge on the weekend (If you want to go often its well worth joining fabric first which gives you money off the door and que jumping) Every weekend expect there to be huge amount of people waiting outside no matter what.
The drinks inside are very expensive but with so many bars in the place there often isn't a big que to wait for drinks. A lot of people in the club will be on drugs. The bouncers do search you on entry and you will be escorted out not very nicely. If you are under the influence and have a medical problem the staff are very rubbish, my friend was turning blue when unconscious and was still ignored by the bouncers.
Everyone there tends to be under the atmosphere to have a good time and there is a great party atmosphere but be safe and you will have no problems whatsoever.

Freud - review by vexille

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 17:36:51 +0000

Freud - review by vexille

Rating: 3.7

Location: 198 Shaftesbury Avenue, WC2H 8JL, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7240 9933

Tags: cosy, crowded, lively, cultured

It's one of those places where you feel like you're part of a special club when you walk in. With minimal signage outside it's always a joy to walk down the steps, through the double glass doors into a packed out, minimalistic bar. It's small, it's cosy and it does a great selection of cocktails (and a handyful of beers).

Price-wise it's about average, the drinks are great though and the bar staff certainly know their stuff. You'll find many friendly faces but not enough seats, which in all honesty, isn't a big problem at all.

Always a pupular choice everytime I'm out, and babies seem more than welcome too!

Fabric - review by glenburg1

Sun, 24 Aug 2008 11:20:48 +0000

Fabric - review by glenburg1

Rating: 4.3

Location: 67-77A Charterhouse Street, EC1M 6HJ, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7336 8898

Website: http://www.fabriclondon.com

Tags: cool, hole in pocket, mature, house, friendly

This place is for the die hard clubbing fanatics.
the people here love there music so if your after a little boogie go elsewhere.
This is the old style rave kid of a club ie its an old wearhouse and is huge with proper music but very little trouble cos its not that kind of a crowd.
the people in hear wanna listen to the music and dance to there hearts content.
this place is also kind of expensive so if you want a cheap night out this ant it .
but if you are sick of crap little cheap clubs and wanna remeber what its all about ,well give it a go

Borough Market - review by candyshop

Fri, 22 Aug 2008 23:26:21 +0000

Borough Market - review by candyshop

Rating: 4.7

Location: Southwark Street, SE1 1TL, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7407 1002

Website: http://www.boroughmarket.org.uk

Easy to find get off at London Bridge and go down steps by Southwalk Cathedral and its amazing find. Only small but packed to brim with different fresh produce, from variety of countries including home grown.

We got there Saturday afternoon and packed. Lots of stalls offering hot foods and we decided to have our lunch there eating out side the cathedral. Great food and atmosphere.

The market is a rainbow of smells, sights and colors. We saw rabbit, deer, sushi, sea food...everything! So colorful!

But the BEST part -the Market Porter Pub which is close to the market (or part of it?). Fri at noon, hundreds of people in business attire were standing in front of the pub (not inside) with pints of beer in hand. This was lunch hour at Borough Market. Who wouldn't fall in love with the place...

Fabric - review by candyshop

Fri, 22 Aug 2008 23:13:36 +0000

Fabric - review by candyshop

Rating: 4.3

Location: 67-77A Charterhouse Street, EC1M 6HJ, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7336 8898

Website: http://www.fabriclondon.com

Fabric is a new generation of nightclub, kinda of the superclub Ministry of Sound used to be back in the 1990s. Fabric is in a huge converted warehouse in the trendy Farringdon area. Big name DJs mix at this club every weekend, which always has long queues. I recommend buying tickets in advance if you can. If you're a tourist and don't know much about dance music, I wouldn't recommend going here. The revellers at Fabric are serious clubbers and are serious about their genre of music, being it deep house, tech house, drum and bass or breakbeat - if you haven't heard of any of those genres, I would stick to the West End. However if you're into clubbing, then this is definately one of the best places to go in London. I've always had a good time here. There's lots of different rooms with different music going on. There lots of cosy seats in little corners if you and a date need some privacy. The unisex toilets are a bizarre experience too.