Ok -- I almost never write a review anywhere -- good, bad, indifferent, whatever. But I do use them occasionally. So, instead of being a complete free-rider, I thought this is a place that warranted some effort.
London is awash with places that cater to street traffic, homogenous, get-in/get-out restaurants. There really is nothing at all wrong with that and maybe at your time of need a place like that serves your purposes. Lowlander Grand Cafe is different. I would put it at the top of "have a bite and a beer bars" in London on the strength of regular visits to the city for 35 years.
On the basis of a single visit, I can say that Lowlander is a special place. The music is part of the presence, but it doesn't intrude. The lighting is just right. The menu is diverse enough but not crazy. There are plenty of beers on tap and in bottles. It is a Belgian place so it helps if you like that style of beer, but there are others. The food is Belgian themed. If you like food that helps too.
I had one of several varieties of mussels (with Bier and bacon as I recall), served with skinny fries and ciabatta bread. Extremely nice. Also had a range of beer, including Bruge Zot Blonde and Westmalle Dubbel. All beer was perfect in freshness, taste, and presentation. Same with the mussels and fries.
This restaurant has tables that are cozy in spacing but not at all a problem whatsoever. There is a loft of sorts that I didn't really inspect. No idea about the washrooms but assume they have the usual features. There is no standing/sitting at the bar proper (insofar as I could tell) and I am not sure if that is a consequence of Covid or simply a matter of preference on the part of the operators.
The location is on Drury Lane just up from Longacre in what I would call "Covent-adjacent", which is a good thing. Not too far off the beaten track but not in the thick of hen parties either (nothing wrong with them). Easily accessible from The City, Bloomsbury, Covent Garden, SoHo. Probably more. I assume the nearest Tube stop is Covent Garden.
I think you'll be happy if you try it out. Give it a try and it might become your favorite place in London. I think a three-beer lunch here on an afternoon would be just about perfect. read more