All other reviews are still pretty much spot on, dive bar with locals and great prices. If that's…read morewhat you are looking for, this is the place. If not, go somewhere else.

I think I'll get the positives out of the way first on this one. It's cheap. That's it, nothing…read moreelse. I honestly would not go back to this place if you paid me. It's on my way to work so one day on the way home I thought I'd pop in and cheack it out, big mistake. It's a local pub in the very strictest sense, from the moment of my entry I was made to feel painfully aware of my status as a stranger. It's the sort of place where everyone knows everyone and that doesn't include you. On top of that the interior is drab and depressing, they do have darts and Sky TV but I couldn't imagine a more sombre atmosphere to enjoy either activity. The drinks are pretty piss poor as well but as I already mentioned they are pretty cheap. It's quite a difficult place to find if you don't know it already and I implore each of you not to go looking for it.

A fantastic little pub in the heart of Soho, with great character, lovely features and a laid back…read moreatmosphere. Whilst looking a tad grimy from the outside, this is a wonderful hidden haven I'm happy to have discovered. I loved the cut glass light fittings, furnishing details, and the comfy traditional 'old world' feel. A great place to have a few drinks and a chat with friends, although I expect it gets a bit busy pre/post show time. Think traditional pub, great if you're not looking for anything 'gourmet or craft', although had a few drinks options a bit of variety (whereas I just went for a good old fashioned G&T).

Long held in local lore, The George holds its ramshackle head high in a list of London's top night…read morespots. To say that its scene and crowd are consistent is somewhat misleading, as it attracts a wide array of people who unite most readily for their contrariness and less for their style or their adherence to any particular scene or movement, a feature that makes this place refreshingly un-London. There is, however, a definite punk edge, evinced by the Barcelona pin-faces who pile onto the side patio for cigarettes any time of year, and the general sway of the musical acts booked in most nights (expect to pay a small cover if you arrive after eight). Drinks are somewhat on the expensive side, but long waits at the bar are virtually unheard of, saved by staff that may seem surly but are rather delightfully low-key. Non-locals need not be put off by night transit: both Commercial Road and Whitechapel High Street are surprisingly well-served by the system. All in all a reliable place to grab a drink and feel both at home and away at once.

Genuine people for a happy time…read more This is a difficult place to find on google maps at it is placed on the street. If you are too eager as I was to arrive early i.e. before 6pm, there is no sign to guide you. I was walking around until a local Chinese takeaway clarified where they were. After some stressed out walking I found it just in time for the doors to open. I entered and walked down some dark stairs to room filled with a large screen, lots of old TV prop relics, Black and white TVs and a well stocked bar. As a nerd this was cool! The bartender greeted me warmly and introduced himself as Nat. I told him about my situation and about the a**hole friend who had left me hanging when I couldn't find this place. He was sympathetic and offered me the happy hour deal of either two bottles of beer, Tsing Tao, or one of the cocktails. It had to be beer, I was on a diet of sorts. As more guests arrived, including my a**hole friend, Nat greeted them as warmly as he had to me. I was feeling comfortable and decided to get a cocktail. It was a version of a Pimms with prosecco and more fruits. Nat knew how to mix his cocktails. The owner, a guy with a toy samurai sword on his hip, talked with us about the Japanese Spiderman and put it on the big screen for us. Brilliant! I loved it here and will be coming back soon. Brilliant atmosphere and people!

An absolute must-see destination dive bar in the Holburn area of London. My 21 and 24 y.o. came out…read morewith my husband and I on a Saturday night. This bar is fantastic! The owner Slash is the real deal and has created a Kung-Fu classic theme with fabulous music and cocktails to die for. He spent alot of time talking to and entertaining us as visitors who may or may not ever get to return. We spent our entire evening socializing/watching classic movies/sampling everything he poured for us. It was a terrific time and worth seeking out. If I lived in London, not only would I be a regular but I'd rent it out for private parties as well...but only if Slash is behind the bar!!

Awwww SNAP! Mama…read moreloves a dive bar, and Slim Jims Liquor Store is the best I've found here in London. Just the right amount of Los Angeles tack complied with minimal light and endless shelves of liquor. Plywood booths: check. Red vinyl bar stools: check. Buzzing glow of neon: check. Lots and lots and lots of whiskey: check. Juke Box: check. But the kicker? Two mounted boar heads "smoking" cigs and wearing sunglasses. Slim Jims is keepin' it classy like no other. And I can certainly appreciate that.

Boobies! Okay,…read morewell... not really. I mean... yes, really. Right, there -were- a lot of boobies here, but that's not what I'm talking about. I'm referring to the massive amounts of over-the-shoulder-boulder-holders that are strung up all across the ceiling at Slim Jim's. Oodles of them. All colours and shapes and sizes, you name it, it's there. Who doesn't appreciate a bit of brazier action? Between the three of four pints of pub-crawling beer I'd had before we landed at Slim Jim's, I was already feeling pretty good. One of their vaunted whiskey sours later and I was about done for the night. You know yellow people and alcohol, they don't tend to mix well. Friday night will find this joint rammed with folk. If they picked the correct tunes, I have a feeling it could be a right dance party in here. Don't expect to have much of a conversation over the blare of the sound system, but do expect to toss back a generous stiff drink or two. Then mosey your way down Upper Street for some late-night nosh. Slim Jim's has it going on; if I wore a bra, I could see shimmying out of it and hanging it up on their ceiling after a good night out, as well.

Hello DRUNK, Lizzie has arrived and wants to join the party. I love it when you discover something…read morenew about a bar. In the case of The Old School Yard, I knew it was a fun bar with great cocktails and great party music, what I didn't know is that hidden below the main bar is an underground cellar with two karaoke rooms. Oh yes ladies and gent, I did do my rendition of Big Spender and Word Up (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZjAantupsA) was performed by a certain superstar. As far as a night goes, if you are looking for a dirty dive bar party, this is the place for you. Great drinks and perfect music if you are up for cheesy dancing. The amazing thing about this place to is that it isn't full of tourists and you can actually get a drink at the bar without getting groped.

Hands Down The Best Bar in London…read more Was there celebrating a friends BDay and it was an amazing experience. Great drinks at great prices. The Bartenders are Master Craftsman and they have a cool theme with the retro 90's decorations and music they played. They also have foosball and a TMNT Video Arcade Game. Best night on my trip in London. Highly Recommended

After getting the timeout deal of 4 cocktails for £16, my friend and I went on a saturday evening…read more It was pretty quiet and the music was very loud however we had a look at the menu to decide our cocktails! The menus were pretty odd so we needed the waitress to explain! They distill their own liquor and it an unpretentious place but nothing special. I got first of all the aid acid cocktail that comes with a battery. Pretty weird concept but nice enough. Some nice cocktails but nothing special. I wouldn't come out my way to go again but if I was in the area I would pop in to the bar or the pub upstairs

We had a timeout offer for 4 cocktails for £16 pounds so we decided to check this place out! It was…read moreabout 7pm on a Saturday eve and was so quiet (with 30 degree weather outside noone was ready to head indoors just yet). The menu was quirky but the bartender helped us pick our cocktails and explained each cocktail and its 'story' to us. The controversial 'Electric Kool Aid Acid Test' cocktail was good fun to try - came with a battery and a little bag of white powder, attached to the glass. The idea is to pour the powder into the glass and sink the drink and then lick the battery. You have got to have an open palate to try out a range of cocktails but if you tell them what you like they will recommend you the best drink :)

This is the cutest bar ever!! I can't remember the specifics on pricing, but we booked a group of 4…read morethrough a third party (design my night) and each of us had to pay a kind of pricey ticket. I wanna say it was around $40 usd. But this included bottomless cocktails! The cocktails were served in tea kettles. It also included endless pick n mix and popcorn. There was a bachelorette party going on while we were there but otherwise it was kind of a quiet night. We enjoyed the music, the decor, and the aesthetic of everything. The kitschy decorations and vibe of the whole place is why I gave it 5 stars! I've never been to a bar like this before; it was so unique.

Fun cocktails and crazy decor, with a wide assortment of knickknacks and randomness like high…read moreschool trophies, old records, sombreros, Christmas decorations and other oddities. Drinks are priced from about 7 quid and up. Fun pop music spanning the decades. My only gripe is just one toilet :/

Giving this place 4 stars. The food and cocktails were spectacular, the service left a lot to be…read moredesired. I'm visiting from the States and this place was an excellent stop. We had a party of 13 so I understand there would be somewhat of a wait and that the whole Dining experience might take a while. We dined on a Tuesday night and the place was quite busy! It took at least 30 minutes from sitting down to get our drinks and another 10 on top of that for them to bring out some bottles of water. It seemed like our server was training someone new. They could have been more efficient, but it took a long time for them both to go around the table and enter in our orders. We were at a work after hours function so we all ordered from the 3 courses for 45 quid option. All of the starters sounded good, but I was slightly disappointed in the drunken dumplings as there were only 2, but the presentation was cool with them pouring the broth into the bowl at the table. I wish I had ordered the cheddar and shrimp toasties as they looked quite good! This place has awesome & fun cocktails, hence the Alchemist name. I didn't realize this at first so ordered a Mai Tai which was not nearly as exciting as some of what my colleagues ordered. Second time around I ordered the red zombie which came out smoking with a test tube vial of absinthe to add in! Definitely cool, but also a bit strong. I had the ribeye steak for my main. It was delicious! The cauliflower and potatoes very good too. Had the next level chocolate brownie for dessert. My only thought is it could have used a bigger scoop of ice cream compared to the size of the brownie but it was delicious! So good, in fact, that I had to finish every last crumb. The ambiance was nice. The bathroom was clean, but a little hard to locate. All in all, I would definitely come back if in the area again.

One of the better cocktail menus I've ever experienced anywhere in the world. The presentation was…read morefantastic, but the flavors were also spot on. Very unique, yet approachable. We did not eat, but would absolutely recommend the cocktail experience.