So much fun- small bar underground. Live music and great small crowd. Entrance is easy to miss- looks like a subway station right in front of Christopher's. read more

Cool place; retro looking. We got there when they were just opening for the day. Drinks were fine, but we weren't taken by it. Again, mostly a place to check out for the interior design. read more

My hotel recommended we come here and it was pretty cool. Looked like a subway stop and you come down into a very small room with a cross dresser dj. The bathrooms were super cool too. read more

Quirky, crazy place. Never know what to expect. Service excellent. Shows are great fun.

After a business dinner, my local hosts insisted we visit Cellar Door...what a gem! This place is a throw back to another time; drinks like Mint Julip and Sidecar fill the menu while local cabaret singers entertain you with witty banter and respectable talent. For those from LA, Cellar Door is like an updated Dresden with a touch of additional class and fun. If you're looking for a small, cozy, warm and sophisticated bar to relax, have a drink and be entertained, this is a must see when in London. read more

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A tiny little number squeezed into Covent Garden's already crowded social scene, Cellar Door has a friendly and welcoming atmosphere despite its relatively high-end feel. Generally you will find the place full of city types who come here after work to take advantage of the late license and great mix of music. Other features include an SMS jukebox which allows you to text your favourite song and then here it played without ever having to get up. Drinks-wise this place has a great selection of cocktails though, being the West-End, prices are a little steep. A decent though not spectacular evening. read more

CellarDoor - Music Venues Near Me - London, XGL

I'm not sure how this place got so many good reviews. I guess it's my fault, I am just not into cabaret shows, as I saw other people enjoying. The place is small, however the mirrors make it seem larger than actual.The cocktails are really good, but pricey. Everyone got free popcorn on their table, which was good actually. If you are planning to visit the place - make a reservation in advance (and don't invite me on cabaret nights). read more

CellarDoor - Music Venues Near Me - London, XGL

A quirky, tiny, bijou, nicely decorated, kitch bar, that was originally a men's underground toilet, unless someone points it out to you, you wouldn't know it was there, clever use of mirrors, makes the tiny space seem more spacious, you need to be there early or be lucky to get a seat. I wouldn't advise it as a venue if there are more than 2-3 of you in a group, as it's unlikely you could find a spot to all easily stand/sit together. The cocktails are very tasty, but not cheap, so unless your flush cash wise, spending the night there will set you back quite a bit, but great for a cocktail or two, to get the night started before moving on. Somehow they also manage to fit entertainment in their limited space, which I have yet to experience this but I am curious to one day! read more

CellarDoor - Music Venues Near Me - London, XGL

Despite my friends and I walking past the entrance at least six times (it's not the location's fault, a subway entrance with brilliant purple lights and neon signs make it hard to miss and we were too busy looking up instead of straight ahead) we had a wonderful first night in London thanks to this venue. It was a drag show night, and the lovely queen pictured (I forget her name) sang wonderfully. I'm incredibly introverted, and she got me to sing along in public. The drinks were a little pricey but it is London after all. The space is small and not many people can squeeze in, but as someone who enjoyed smaller spaces this was an absolute dream. I will definitely be returning before my trip is over, and if I ever come back to London I will bring friends along with me! read more

CellarDoor - Music Venues Near Me - London, XGL

Yesterday night, we (two couples) went to see what we believed was a burlesque show, and this is how it unfolded. Our tickets required us to enter before eight, which we did, and we got the last table. In anticipation for the show, a couple among the audience was almost making out, which was very entertaining... After one hour and 35 minutes, the piano player started, and he was actually good. Accompanied by him was a lady trying to sing, which was entertaining because she was so bad. Break for another 35 minutes! Same piano player and singer as before, plus five minutes in the end of the second set comes a very good looking and quite good dancer... the burlesque part. Then we left! The audience was loud and rude. The entertainer(s) did not know how to captivate their interest, and the couple making out was still kissing ... It's a toilet, still full of s**t, not worth to spend a night on. read more

A great place to go to show off your knowledge of London! Cellar Door is in fact a public men's toilet that has been converted into a cosy little cabaret bar! An excellent stop for a couple of drinks with 1 or 2 friends... they usually have live music and this is interlaced with an SMS controlled Jukebox. - although i have never tried it. Also boasting the "Coolest Toilets" in London! -- The door is clear glass until you lock the door - then the glass mists up! - Quite cool, unless you forget to lock the door! NOT CHEAP - a good range of cocktails but with a hefty price tag... don't plan to spend a whole evening here unless you plan to remortgage! read more

Cellar Door is *fab* - fact. What a place! Hidden in the depths of a public toilet in Aldwych this hidden gem, really is pretty hidden. As you descend into the bar the mirrored walls belie the true size of this venue, it's truly tiny. But so what? It's nice to feel cosy sometimes. So, due to the fact that it's tiny, it's definitely worth emailing ahead and asking to be put on the guest list. I did for a Saturday night at 8.30pm and when we arrived they'd reserved two small tables for us, yes, some girls had 'hidden' the reserve sign in a drinks menu and the waiter had to boot them off, but so what! They did give us some proper evil eyes though, sorry ladies, it's a dog-eat-dog world out there. Now, onto the cocktails, great selection, yes they're a little pricey. But, to be honest, I thought they were on the cheaper side than some other 'finer' establishments in London. No cocktails were over £9, (including the champagne ones) a pretty good sign in my eyes. The cocktails that I tried were good - and strong. The bramble was strong and just sweet enough, whilst the mojito disappointed slightly by being way too sweet. Whilst we were there a drag queen dj played some tunes. A nice touch, especially on a Saturday night. Can't wait to go back on a Thursday night to see Jenny and Nick. They're a class jazz act and well worth a visit. The Cellar Door is perfect for starting the night with friends, and also maybe for a more 'romantic' rendezvous or catching up with friends. An excellent find and not a tourist in sight. read more

Came here during a cabaret night during the week, hosted by their very own Champagne Charlie... *champagne*! It's a really cool spot to go to in the evening/after work, and to just hang out for the rest of the night. Not a place for groups.. just bring a friend or two along and try to find some space because you'll probably struggle. You get a very mixed crowd of peple kind of crammed into this tiny underground space, but the vibe is really positive and fun, and the open mic leads to some pretty interesting/varied performances. Didn't order cocktails, but wine was about £20+/bottle. Ditto on the cool toilets. Service is good, bartender really friendly. read more

I had a fantastic time here. The interior was intimate and the musician, whose name was most likely Paul, kept us entertained all night. Drinks were delicious. Things got a bit pricey between the 10% service fee and the 10% late night live entertainment fee and who knows how many drinks we bought for the other table, but it added up to a great night in London. read more

It's always fun to tell a friend to meet you inside the public mens toilets on the strand. Descend down the stairs to the loo and you'll find a trendy and quirky cocktail and cabaret lounge. CellarDoor a tiny space fitting only 20-25 urban hipsters, but the drinks are top notch and the entertainment is always quirky and friendly. Best to book a table in advance as this place is small at best. read more

I've always wanted to go to Cellar Door as I've heard such good things from my friends. I went as part of my birthday drink a thon - turning 40 means an extra excuse to PARTY. That said I was feeling a little frayed around the edges when I met my friendnd in Covent Garden. As we approached the super funky entrance my mood lifted. Once downstairs I couldnt stop smiling... Prosecco and a vodka tonic helped me to de fray my edges and we were off to an excellent start when the act came on. Jazz pianist and singer who took crowd interaction to a new and very fun level. I've never had happy birthday sung to me with such style. It was fabulous - which is after a week of some very fabulous celebrations. Honeslty though it was the toilets that sinched the deal for me. THey are very special and go opaque in a fun way. That's all I'm saying - I'll leave it to you to work it out for yourself. Go there... have fun, sing a long and dance and then tell all your fellow yelpers about it. Good times were had and I have another sore head this morning. But - oh how it is worth it! read more

The entrance is easy to miss, you really have to know there is a bar down there. It is originally an underground toilet but nothing of this can be seen, it's all modern inside, nothing really fancy though. It is an interesting small place, with some very nice cocktails and a good selection of liquors, some drinks are a bit on the expensive side I guess. It's a dark place and feels a bit like a place where you end up late at night after other bars are closed. The toilets with the transparant doors are a nice touch (although they become non-transparant when you lock the door). Would like to see the entertainment/show/music, maybe that would give the bar something special and I would be giving it an extra star, for now just 3 because I don't think it is really special. read more

This quirky underground cocktail bar is in what was previously a public toilets (it's cosier than it sounds!) There's a great selection of delicious cocktails (all around £10 each) and free popcorn to snack on while you wait. There's a variety of unusual live entertainment acts to watch while you drink most evenings, from magicians to drag! It's tiny inside so worth booking ahead, but is a great venue for a date or you can hire the whole venue for a party with a difference! read more

This place is fantastic - if you get there early enough to get a table it's slightly better! I went on a Tuesday and experienced Champagne Charlie's open mic night. It was absolutely brilliant, and ridiculously hilarious. Everyone in there is nice and approachable, and although yes, it is small, this works in it's favour for these themed evenings. It has a decadent air to it, and takes you out of your normal life for an evening - who doesn't want that? read more

Ideal if you want something a little different after dinner in central london! What I like: - really expertly made cocktails - varied FREE live entertainment - the toilet doors are semi-transparent and lit with cool lighting, and quirky interiors always get my vote! - free popcorn! What I don't like: - too crowded - door staff can be slightly rude read more

We reserved for 630pm on a Thursday, however it wasn't crowded at the time & so we didn't even need to check in for our reservation. However it started to get more crowded the longer we were there & it truly is small so you know a reservation never hurts. It definitely had a blink & you'll miss it entrance. I had intermittent mobile signal after I descended & the friend I was meeting couldn't spot it, so I did need to head back out to flag her down & guide her. I had the London Calling gin drink. it was a fine sour drink, but didn't knock my socks off, so I moved on to beer. I next had the Meantime Chocolate Porter, something you don't often see & came in a nice sm wine bottle presentation. Not a bad spot at all if you're in the area & can get in. read more

Usually when people say a bar is a toilet, it's a euphemism. This place actually used to pe a public convenience (with some interesting history I've been told). As such, descending the steps in the middle of the pavement takes you to a tiny room, that manages to squeeze in a fantastic cocktail bar, some furniture to sit on and a stage for the nightly cabaret acts! Worth visiting for any number of reasons: the cocktails, the decor, the cabaret, or the snuff. Yes. Snuff. Easily the best place to go for a pre/post show cocktail when in theatreland. read more

A very intimate venue (it used to be a gentlemen's toilet frequented by Oscar Wilde!) this place is really atmospheric and hosts great classy events like Burlesque performers. They also have a great website with their full list of cocktails, which are pretty good and 1/3rd off before 8pm! They have really snazzy toilets with doors which turn from transparent to opaque when you lock them, and the quirky mirrored walls are good for experimenting with photos! The staff are friendly and there are a few snacks available too. read more

I had such high hopes for this place, but I'm not sure I would want to go again. I went for the experience, and I guess I got it. Yes, definitely the coolest bathrooms in the city! But slow service and they told me and my friends that we had to get inside before 8pm if we wanted to be guaranteed admission to see the cabaret on Friday night. Only the cabaret didn't start until close to 10. We each got a free glass of bubbly which was nice, but then two of my friends never got the change when they paid for drinks. we had to ask for it after waiting for nearly 10 minutes. The bartender apologized but it was crowded and standing there waiting for their money was not relaxing. I will say though, the drinks are definitely interesting. I got lucky and loved everything I ordered. But some of the drinks were not tasty. Through no fault of the bartenders, rather it was a combination of a couple of my friends being idiots and ordering drinks with the worst combination of ingredients listed. I mean, why is the London Calling drink even on the menu?! As for the cabaret, the singer was lovely, she was adorable and I don't know many people who can pull of green hair and still look sexy. Actually, I know none. The dancer was great but considering we would hear some music for ten minutes, then wait about 30 minutes, then see some dancing, then wait another 30 minutes... etc, it was more waiting than watching. I was really disappointed in this regard. All in all I am pretty sure we only got about 30 minutes of singing/dancing total. If you haven't gone, go. Just to say you've been to an underground toilet turned cocktail/cabaret bar. But I doubt this will become your go-to spot. Especially with the price of drinks. read more

Quite possibly the smallest bar you will ever find, this venue used to be a public toilet and was converted into a very cosmopolitan cabaret venue. It has a prime central location but as nobody really knows about it you can always get in and get served pretty quickly or grab a table and take advantage of the waitress service. The only downside is that the drinks are not so cheap. Seen numerous very good shows here, bits of piano and 50s style singing to more surreal performance art type shows. Very intimate and well programmed. Oh and make sure you nip to the loo and work out how to lock the doors before going about your business. I won't give it away but go check it out read more

I recently went here on a saturday night and am keen to go back, sadly it was dj night as opposed to being cabaret but the setting is unlike any other in central London and the staff are incredibly friendly. There is a full cocktail menu and a good range of Champagne's, if beer is your thing they have bottled Nastro Azzuro. It is a bit hard to find as it is underground and almost invisible from the street. Do what I did and ask someone for directions! Oh and the toilet, well I'm not giving it away either but if you know what the roof does on a Mercedes Maybach then let's just say the toilet door can do the same. read more

An underground toilet converted into a bar doesn't sound that appealing But it's amazing what can be done with a small space. Dark red velvet, mirrors and subdued lighting. It's not cheap but it's fun. It was suggested to me by a friend and I've been back a few times. It gets busy as the night goes on and you end up sharing a table with strangers that soon become friends. Dancing to cheesy tunes on a non existent dance floor is a good way to burn calories and the DJ knows how to get the room going. The cocktails are good and you can also get bottled beers, champagne and snuff. The Caberet is tongue-in-cheek and the popcorn is free. Different to a lot of bars in the area and I always leave feeling happy. The only negative I could mention is that there are only 2 unisex loos and when I last went one was missing a loo seat! read more

Formerly a public lav, allegedly one of Oscar Wilde's favourite pick-up joints, this is a pocket-sized treasure. Yes, it is very small and this can be a problem especially on more popular nights. It also means that if you don't like whatever's on that night there's no way to escape it. The cocktail menu is large but not unmanageably encyclopaedic. It has a sensible three-level price range for lots of cocktails, so you choose between cheaper and pricier base spirits. Characteristically, the ratings are Dita Von Teese/Bettie Page/Marilyn Monroe. 1/3 off before 8 makes it much more affordable. The live acts cover the standard cabaret standards, but also have some interesting quirks - Cellar Door hosts Open Wand, a magician's version of open mike. If there's no live act, or you're in too early, there's possibly the best juke-box in London. Controlled by text messages, with themed playlists chosen from guests' suggestions and regularly rotated, it's a serendipitous delight. This is a great date venue but also fabulous for gossipy catch-ups. If you want to talk, be sure not to coincide with the live acts. As it is so small, conversations can be really disruptive and the staff will ask you to keep it down. read more

We had a grand old time, laughed our socks off, lovely food, yummy cocktails. Read more here.... http://hospitalityinc.blogspot.com/2012/02/going-underground.html read more

Went to Cellar Door on Saturday afternoon for the High Tea-se. Fantastic little venue, very friendly staff and fantastic performance from Pete Saunders, Lady Beau Peep and Jolie Papillon. Black Jack with Pierre was also great fun. If you want a great quirky place with a fantastic live show, then this is the place to be. read more

It's not every day you casually stroll down the stairs of a men's public toilet looking for fun, (unless you're George Michael..) but if you want good cocktails, drag queens and some good old fashioned snuff then it just has to be done. Cellar Door is a hidden gem beneath the Aldwych, it has live acts every night, and boasts the sexiest toilets in London. You've gotta see it to believe it, just make sure you remember to lock the door! The venue is, as an estate agent would say, "cosy and intimate", but that's what makes this place what it is. Make sure you get here early as it fills up fast, you don't want to be one of the people without a seat. Also, being as intimate as a shop changing room you're likely to be targeted by one of their many cabaret/drag acts for some humorous/quite harsh adlib. You have been warned, just give back what you get! They have a wide range of cocktails as well as beer and wine, but with prices being a little high I wouldn't be the first to offer to buy a round! There are also various flavours of snuff available, more sociable than smoking and infinitely cooler than coke; everyone's a winner. read more

Cellar Door is a teeny tiny Cabaret club located in Aldwych (right near the London School of Economics at the end of The Strand) in an underground bar that used to be a men's public toilet! Indeed, the space is so small, you're lucky to elbow your way up to the bar for some fancy delicious cocktails and snuff. I went to Cellar Door to see a Burlesque performer à la Dita von Teese and she was fabulous. The bar also used to offer weekly teas/brunch with a different theme according to the placement of the weekend during the month! I'm not sure if they still do, but it's worth checking out! read more

Quirky little bar right on the edge of Covent Garden. Tiny basement room with lots of atmosphere. We enjoyed a couple of glasses of wine with a carton of popcorn - nice touch! Live entertainment started just after we arrived at 9.30 and made the visit quite special. Not cheap but worth a short stay. read more

YES!! Amazing decor. Amazing drinks! Amazing staff. Amazing entertainment. It's all so intimate. Please don't ruin it for me in future

They attempted to overcharge me. I went here on a Sunday and I was having a great time. They had a keyboardist - Paul Saunders - who played in Dexy's Midnight Runners and he gave an amazing performance. The bar was empty and I felt lucky to be there. However, at closing time, I got the bill and it seemed off. Really off. I expected a 27ish pound bill and I got a 42 pound bill. Naturally, I told the bartender. He told me that the 18 pound lagavulin was a double, which is why the bill was so large. Okay, so I went to the bathroom after paying and then I checked the menu - double shots of Lagavulin are 8 pounds, not 18. I go back and he told me it was because I had a another drink with Scotch in it. I wanted to believe him, so I said okay and left the bar. I left and realized I already paid for the other drink he quoted and I had the receipt. So I went back and showed him and he immediately gave me a refund for 13 pounds and apologized, claiming it was a misunderstanding. I left upon getting the receipt. After leaving, I read the original receipt and realized he double charged me for TWO different drinks, so obviously this was bullshit and he refunded me upon getting caught. After all, if he screwed up on doubled charging me an 8 pound drink, he wouldn't refund me 13. I wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt but this is too much. They tried to take advantage of me because I'm a tourist and that's not okay. This is a great bar, but they lack integrity. read more

Ugh. Used to love this place but went this evening and it was awful. Cocktail prices have increased by £2-3 while the glasses have gotten smaller. My entire glass of wine was spilled while waiting for my change at the bar. I asked kindly but the bartender wouldn't even top up my glass a little bit; said he'd have to charge me full price again even though I didn't have a sip of the first one before it got knocked over. Not at all impressed. In summary: Over-priced, always a long queue at the bar for drinks, never anywhere to sit, full of tourists and rubbish customer service. read more

Maybe Monday nights are not a good time to visit The Cellar Door, but for first impressions it didn't live up to my expectations. Upon arrival we were struck by two things - there was a very unpleasant odour filling the entire bar, so much so that the barman was burning incense to counteract the smell! And the second, it is just waaaay too small and compact (which intensified the odour), not in a seductive intimate way either. After a lot of persuasion from my friend, we stayed for a drink. I had a Manhattan - I've enjoyed better and my friend had a TNT, which was better than my drink. We asked about the popcorn but they were already out of it before 8pm?!? Just surprising that they weren't properly stocked! Overall, a very disappointing first impression. We left and went over to B@One which was *much* better! read more

Located at Zero Aldwych, Cellar Door is likely somewhere you've seen but not thought to venture into as it looks more like a bike rack or an entrance to a subway than a bar! Right next to that odd little cycle lane opposite the Lyceum theatre it's a really strange location but somehow it just works. Inside it's a tiny little place but it feels a lot bigger than it is thanks to very clever mirrors and decoration. The decor is sumptuous and somehow despite its size it still manages to have live acts almost every evening including frequent cabaret and burlesque nights. The well stocked bar means you can order almost any drink you can think of and they have a wide range of potent cocktails on their menu too including the above cheeky Edith Piaf (vodka, passionfruit, peach and fresh lemon juice topped up with Perrier Jouet Champagne) which was my favourite of the evening. The rest that I sampled were just too strong for my liking but great for those that like theirs to pack a bit of punch. There were about 18 of us at one point and we were already running out of seats so I reckon it can't hold more than about 50 people total so very intimate. The toilets are worth a look too being totally clear when you enter but then clouding up when you lock the door - very entertaining! read more

We got a pre booked table for 2 as I really wanted to see a good burlesque show and I really had high expectations from the performance. This event was booked as part of my birthday present so I was really excited. The place itself was really small but very cosy and had a nice atmosphere. Upon sitting down we were very happy with the cocktail menu, enough choices for all the different fancies and not the boring standard ones. The service was good, we can't fault that as the waitress was very prompt and friendly. The down sides were plenty though... The place has a really bad table management; we were sitting at one table which was meant for 2/3 people and at the table next to ours (which was the same size) a party of 7 sat down. During the night they slowly-slowly overtook our table leaving my partner being pushed further away on the seat and having him to stretch for his drink every time he wanted a sip...very uncomfortable having the people from another group pushing you all evening. I even had to ask them to squeeze together a bit more as they were really in our private zone. At the same time 2 tables were hold up by 2 gents on the other side. I think the staff would need to take more control over that. The whole performance got delayed due to lateness (from what we could gathered) but we tried not to be annoyed about it as things can happen on the roads so we tried to enjoy the DJ. He/She was charming and tried his/her very best but was not that great for a Saturday night entertainment for London. When the time came for the burlesque dance we got our hopes up, we thought finally we will end the night with a great experience...well, it never happened. The girl (only one) who danced did not give a great performance, I do not mean to be offensive but her performance was quite cheap and amateur. She only danced for about 1.5 minutes and the performance did not have high standards what so ever. After this one dance the DJ took over again... Being quite disappointed in how the evening turned out we decided to leave. All in all I would not recommend this place if you want to go out and have a great evening on a Saturday night in London. read more

Just brilliant what a cracking little venue!!! we chilled out there to Pete on a Sunday night plus some great magic!! this place is a real underground GEM and is small but a lovely mix of people and check the toilets out that all I will say very cool...would def go again and ray presto was very funny great guy...drink prices were spot on £75 for bottle of bolly including table service in central London good enough! want something a bit different than the normal old tat then go with a few friends and enjoy.....we did! read more