Talia's reviews
Review of 101 Bar
28 May 08, 19:11
stay away 
This is a pretty gross bar just underneath Centrepoint that often attracts people just because it's pumping out loud music and it's open late.
Cocktails are nice, but the people in there are what lets it down. Fights and scallies.
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Review of The Phoenix Artist Club
30 Apr 08, 01:49
wicked 
Mental but amazing place under the Phoenix Theatre on Charing X Road.
Members only after 8pm but once you're in you're in - doors are at 5. If you want to join it's £120 standard but there are cheaper rates if you are in the arts darling! Various jobs get you in free also, hooray!
Old fashioned with walls covered in theatre posters and crazy people wandering about but it's brilliant and is open till 3am. You'll never get bored, and prepare yourself for the songs of the musicals played on a ropey old pa.
Honestly it's the best.
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Review of Talk Of The Coast
30 Apr 08, 01:19
Tadah!
This is a cabaret bar inside a popular hotel in Blackpool down South Shore way.
It's has various entertainers / singers performing so it's best to ring ahead and find out who is on before planning a trip. The crowd is always really lively and friendly and it's true entertainment Blackpool stylee.
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Review of Yates's Wine Lodge
30 Apr 08, 01:18
Booze 
Ring and check ahead if you're planning to go to this Yates as it's only open half the year when it's in season.
This is larger than the other Yates but also frequented by more holiday makers as it's down the more skanky south shore end of the promenade.
Lots of tables outside which is good for smokers and sun fans.
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Review of Yates's Wine Lodge
30 Apr 08, 01:17
Booze
Large bar in the middle of the town centre opposite North Pier. It's quite a large space with two floors and DJs most of the week. Food is nice for pub stuff and it's really busy at the weekends.
Staff could be better at clearing glasses but they probably don't have enough staff!
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Review of CellarDoor
20 Apr 08, 18:44
Neat 
A disused public toilet has been gutted and transformed into a glitzy underground basement bar.
We went on a Saturday night and it wasn't too busy so it's a good place to start your night if you're in that area and don't want tourists.
Drinks are very expensive though and the music was a tiny bit ropey. They had a playlist system which got taken over by a DJ at about 9.30 but this seemed quite pointless as the DJ was just playing the same music!
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Review of Dream Bags Jaguar Shoes
18 Apr 08, 01:46
Booze
Great bar. It gets it's name from the bag & shoes store that used to be in this spot. They just gutted the inside and turned it into a bar.
Feels like a bar in Berlin more than London. There are two floors and the lower floor is darker and a bit more normal than the quirky looking top floor.
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Review of Bar Kick
18 Apr 08, 01:45
Don't spin!
If you're one of those people who loves spinning some handles and knocking a tiny wooden ball about (and who isn't) Bar Kick is a great place to go.
Situated in Shoreditch, your nearest tubes are either Old Street or Liverpool Street.
There are about 8 table football tables and they do get very busy. I think you can book them in advance though which is great if you know when you're going.
1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.
Review of Sosho
18 Apr 08, 01:43
Booze
This is a pretty swanky looking venue about 10 minutes walk from Old Street. It's got gorgeous lighting and a great layout with two floors and lots of bars.
Cocktails were lovely although expensive but the bars were stocked with all the upmarket spirits and enough staff to not leave you waiting for ages.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of Revolution Bar
18 Apr 08, 01:12
drink
This revolution is probably one of the least nice ones in the chain I've been to. There's lots of seats but they're nearly always fully booked out when it comes to evenings.
The main problem is that it's really dark in there and the people that go there aren't that ace. It's quite rowdy and when drinks aren't that cheap - is it really that appealing.
Also if you book a table for a Saturday night they charge £50. I don't know if this is true for other nights.
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Review of Two Floors
17 Apr 08, 19:19
Drink me.
This is a nice meeting place just behind Regent Street. As the name suggests there are two floors, the bottom one is quite beach bar stylee.
It's always pretty busy and although being moderately expensive the drinks are really big which is always good.
Normally quite a pretty clientele.
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Review of Thirst
17 Apr 08, 15:04
Drink
A busy bar in the heart of Soho, this is a great place to go for cocktails.
There are two floors but I don't think it's an amazing use of space. The top floor is more for standing and the bottom for dancing!
They charge to get in on the weekend but the rest of the week is fine.
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Review of Brigde Bar
16 Apr 08, 01:59
Dodgy Door. 
I've not been inside but have to agree with Paddy on the door policy.
My insanely gorgeous friend had her group of about 25 mainly good looking people rejected from coming in because 2 of the boys had trainers on. I know some clubs have this outdated policy but given she had booked an area in the club for her birthday and everyone was obviously respectable it was quite ridiculous.
We went to O'Neills over the road which was er interesting.
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Review of Underbar
16 Apr 08, 01:01
Drink
It's had many names but The Underbar is down some stairs in between the entrances of Boots & HMV. It loudly pumps music onto the street so you'll be able to find it.
Music is a big mixture from 70s to the current day dance music. Friday nights are quite dancy though.
The bar seems to open early, maybe about 2pm, in the summer season and on Saturdays they've started having free lapdancers for boys and girls.
Oh Blackpool, how we love you.
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Review of Tower Lounge
16 Apr 08, 00:58
Dance
If you're a tourist you will probably visit the tower lounge, but don't expect any locals to be in there.
It's a massive venue underneath Blackpool tower and has two huge bars running down each side of the room. There's a large dancefloor and a stage to dance on. The DJs play cheesy / dance chart music and it's all very Blackpool Kiss Me Quick.
Avoid!
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Review of Scrooges Wine Bar
16 Apr 08, 00:50
Drink
A blackpool tradition, Scrooges 'Wine Bar' is an upstairs bar slightly away from most of town.
It's styled as if you are in Charles Dicken's victorian times and it's full of a slightly alternative clientele.
Drinks are cheaper than the mainstream bars but be warned it can often have quite young people inside.
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Review of The Bedroom Bar
15 Apr 08, 18:10
Dance!
Bedroom Bar is, as the name suggests, pretty small but it's so much fun. I've often stumbled in on a Saturday night without much idea about what music to expect and had a great time. They are quite keen on throwing in some 90s dance. Plus £3 in? Bargain!
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of Hoxton Square Bar and Kitchen
15 Apr 08, 18:01
Stay away
I think this is London's worst gig venue. The place itself is fine but it's the terrible people that frequent it that's the problem. No matter who plays, it is always full of idiots.
The gig space is in a large square room with a big bar. Outside that there is a room with a very long bar and a food section but I've not eaten there.
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Review of Browns Cafe Bar
15 Apr 08, 17:57
Yum
This is a popular bar in Coventry city centre. Although near lots of skanky places it's actually quite upmarket for the area and seems to be visited by a higher class of people.
It has two floors, and lots of tables which is great. There is a canteen esque way of ordering food and they have lots of options at a good price.
It is very brown.
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Review of Strawberry Moons
14 Apr 08, 21:11
Cheesy wheezy
If you're after cheesy music and aren't fussy about the people you dance with then this is the place to go.
It's located off Regent Street and is quite expensive to get in. However if you google about you should be able to find guestlist offers. That won't help with the expensive bar prices though.
My main problem is the people in there. It tends to be full of pretty young girls and lecherous old business men. Not even hot ones!
If you're after that type of thing try On Anon for a much better night out with more normal people!
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of G-A-Y Bar
13 Apr 08, 17:56
Boozey
A really big bar on Old Compton Street. It's run by a big company and so can get you good drink offers but the music is pretty hit and miss and it doesn't really have much soul.
As I say drink prices are very good but if you want a gay bar with nice people inside it I'd head to Trash Palace.
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Review of Gordons Wine Bar
11 Apr 08, 01:33
Drink
Walk down some quite steep creaky stairs and you're suddenly in an otherworldly wartime feeling wine bar just by Embankment.
It does get very busy though so you can often feel overwhelmed upon arrival and in summer it gets very hot. However there are plenty of outdoor tables with parasols which is nice.
There's a huge range of wine and it's the only drink on offer. They also have random bits of food like bread and really good cheese.
I would think it would be great for dates. If I ever have one again in my life I shall try out this theory.
1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.
Review of Freud
10 Apr 08, 01:57
Cocktails
This is a great underground cocktail bar that you'd have to know about to go to really. It's down a small metal staircase under a shop at the top of Shaftesbury Avenue.
There's a huge range of cocktails priced at about £6.
I'd advise going weekdays rather than weekend though as it's uncomfortably rammed on friday and saturdays.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of Charlie Wrights
10 Apr 08, 01:41
Dance dance
It claims to be an international jazz bar but I know it more as a late night drinking den.
It's quite edgy, you don't know what to expect. The crowd are a mixture of old east end and normals who wander in. They're open till about 4am Thursday - Sat and have a very random DJ who just plays whatever random R&B he fancies from the 90s. They do also have jazz bands on during the week which are fun. It's normally £4 late in.
1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.
Review of All Bar One
09 Apr 08, 17:44
Drinking in the Square
Not a great all bar one. The location is cool, as you're right on Leicester Square and it's probably the best place on the square to drink but it's not particularly well staffed or filled with the best people.
There's a nice large outdoor area to sit in which is good in the summertime.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.