I went to see The Roots at The Forum this weekend and although most of my enjoyment was down to…read morethem being an incredible band, some of it had to do with the venue, which I rate highly. As a sprightly, young music fan, I used to get standing tickets for every concert because I wanted to be at the front, hugging the speaker and as close as possible to whoever was on stage. Now at the ripe old age of 24, I may be getting a bit old for this kind of behaviour and so for the first time ever, opted for seated balcony tickets. When we arrived and moved through the fast moving queue I started to worry that buying seats meant that you had to sit in them; I just wanted to be on the balcony for a better view. My fears turned out to be unfounded; the seating is comprised of tiered, cushioned benches that curve around the balcony. It was unreserved too so even though we arrived late, we still managed to squeeze in with another friend at the front. There are several bars at The Forum, so the queues for drinks were nothing like what I've seen in other large music venues and they are inside the auditorium so getting a beer doesn't mean missing half the gig. It's very grand inside with a huge chandelier hanging from the high ceiling and gold detailing on every available surface. The only complaint about this venue is the sound wasn't particularly good, especially after the gig, the DJ set was so quiet it sounded as though the speakers were in a different room.

I came to see Manu Chao here last night, which was an amazing concert with an electric atmosphere…read more Everyone was jumping up and about for most of the evening. It was sold out, but still not terribly crowded. A pint of beer was decent at 3.20 pounds, not extortionate but you're not allowed re-entry. Might as well have a drink before. It was not too small and not too big, perfect for an intimate concert. Its divided into two levels with lots of chairs upstairs, where you can sit with a great view of the stage. The cloakroom was terribly crowded at the end of the night, but the manager and security team managed the crowd really well (mini London mob... don't we know them well). Awesome concert, decent venue.

Ahh SeOne, now known as Debut…read more It evokes conflicting emotions for me. As I'm an old skool raver I've been going to the venue since it was known as The Drome in the mid-late nineties (jeez, how old am I!) In those days sweaty warehouses or dodgy venues were par for the course when going out (anyone remember the legendary Labyrinth, Roller Express or Lazerdrome?), but as you get older you expect more from a club or a rave. Not a lot more, but a few creature comforts do not go amiss. I used to go to Raindance, Innovation and various other 'rave' events at SeOne, as well as events aimed at the 'clubbier' end of the spectrum and in terms of entertainment have never been disappointed. The soft-core fetish night, TG (Torture Garden) was always a hoot as well! (I say 'soft-core', not as a disparagement, but because I am reliably informed by friends who are heavily into the fetish scene that TG is considered soft-core and I'll take their word for it - as TG was enough for me!) Anyway, the point is I've pretty much always had a great night there. So what's the problem? Well to be succinct it's always been a bit of a **hole, and as you get older a little more refinement doesn't go amiss. Don't get me wrong, I don't enjoy minimalist, white walled, post-modern 'trendy' venues (ughh!), but SeOne seemed to standstill while the rest of club land moved on. Clubs like the End (now known as the 'Den', anagram lovers) in Holborn, or Cable in London Bridge have that raw edge to them without the grime! Since SeOne has been reincarnated as Debut (aimed at attracting live acts rather than dance music events) I've been told that the bars have been upgraded and reshuffled, and the light and (previously poor) sound improved so I'm willing to give it another go. It will also be great to have a new live music venue 'sarf' of tha river! To conclude.....for memories and quality MESSY nights 5 stars, for the venue itself 3. Lets see what the future holds for the place.

the venue is immense and the promotors who deal with the place are second to none. I've had a…read moremental time here a few times over and I'll no doubt be doing it agin sometime. I look forward to the next time.

We sat down to dinner at 7:30pm Sat night and the first 30 mins was a great experience, nice lounge…read morevibe, great cocktails and music. Then at 8pm the music got turned up very loud (and also changed to more club-style music, not lounge). We asked the manager if he could set the music back at the normal volume - his immediate reaction was to ask sniffily "do you want to move upstairs". Apparently the decision has been made that Friday and Saturday nights are a "DJ experience" and not a restaurant experience. Servers acknowledge it's impossible to hear each other. Food was very good (we had the excellent tasting menu), servers were very good, but the manager made clear that anyone who wanted to have a non-shouting conversation over dinner was not welcome. (This is why when you look around the restaurant at 8:30 or 9pm it's a lot of couples looking around the restaurant and not talking to each other, obviously wondering "is this fun or have we been suckered?") We went with friends who have been to Shochu before and were excited to share it with us; this was for a mutual birthday night. They had never been on a Fri/Sat though. They ended up being pretty embarrassed for having recommended it as a place to go for a good weekend night out.

I came down here to try the "Shochu kanteen" a while ago with Katie B...and loved some of their…read morefood, so I brought my husband it to try it too. I couldn't see any mention of the shochu kanteen...so maybe they've given up on it?? The menu was exactly the same as Roka upstairs this time. Drinks: - The have some cocktails, a small list of shochu and some infused shochu, like ume-shu. We tried two of the shochus...I really liked mine (made from sweet potatoes, rather than barley) - However considering the bar is called "shochu lounge" I found it a bit weird that none of the staff could tell us anything about the (very short) list of shochu they had on their menu. I am not a shochu expert, but I know which areas I like...but none of the staff could even tell us which prefecture their shochu comes from! All they could tell us was that it comes from "south Japan..." So, we had to guess blindly. Food: The food was pretty expensive, with small portions but every bite was lovely. - The sashimi was divine. Especially the Hamachi and the ebi. The portions were very stingy (especially as the platter cost £30) but I couldn't fault them for the amazing fresh fish. - I liked their yakiniku. We tried the negima and asparagus skewers. - We ordered some mushroom rice to fill us up, and this was also really lovely. In the end, I think this would be a good place to bring someone on a first date, and the food was amazing (which is why I gave them 4 stars.) Having said that, they seemed to be trying slightly too hard to look cool... it was just a shame the staff didn't seem to know anything about the drinks they serve.

I came to Wimbledon at the weekend. I decided to see what this bar had to offer. The range of…read moredrinks are simply amazing as well. Here are some pictures taken in the bar. I will be returning in the winter. Recommended. I had a Caribbean Sailor and a Porn star Martini. This is a hidden gem really.

Ah, Suburban holds a special place in my heart. One of Wimbledon's smaller evening venues, Suburban…read moreis the best place to take a friend for a chat, a girl for a romantic drink or a group of mates for the best cocktails Wimbledon has on offer. The music they play differs from night to night, but usually includes the best reggae and a range of rock n' roll. Two tequilas later and you'll settle right in! In a country where binge-drinking is a problem, Suburban displays a funny, apt pro-drinking slogan near their backdoor. You should read it! Cocktail wise I'd recommend the tangy Seabreeze, a cranberry concoction, or the wonderful F.B.I which features coffee liqueur, Bailey's, vodka and ice-cream. Hang around long enough, and you may even be inducted into the Suburban Wall of Fame.

After finishing work I was going to head to the nearby Tower Tavern however it was recommended to…read moreme to head to the Simmons. The friend I was meeting loves cocktails aaand it was two for £10 4pm to 9pm and £12 for a bottle of wine. Walking in at 17.30 it was dead. The staff were attentive and lovely though who expertly made a espresso martini and poured the two into bone china cups. I had a My Tie which was well flavoured and not one of those all ice stringy places. Parking our butts outside we got to catching up.. the place was booming full of smokers by the time we finished our cocktails but we decided to order a £15 boozy cocktail served in a teapot. Again this was of great value but by then we had worked up an appetite and wanted to leave the fag ash blowing into our faces. Overall a really well priced cosy place..you just have to time it right

Simmons bars are like your nan's lounge on speed, originating in Kings Cross back in 2010 with…read moreElliot's place at the bottom of Caledonian Road. This new venue takes over the old Potion space and is infinitely better than the predecessor. There is much more open space, and the "caves" are intact - but the prices are still very low (the happy five hours have made their way here as well, thankfully!). If you've ever been to the other Simmons venues, this will be your cup of tea; if you've not then this is the best of the bunch and you should definitely check it out for a fun night with great drinks choices.

Under the Westway is a hidden gem as the manager likes to put it just a stone throw away from…read morePortabello Road. It's situated in the Westbourne Studios so it's a hive of activity! The decor is really retro with old mis matched leather sofas and retro lampshades, low lighting, pool tables and table football. The bar is really vibrant and the restaurant offers a nice mix of food and cocktails. The music is always really eclectic and there is usually a nice mix of people there at weekends! But there is a guest list sometimes at weekends so I would call before going there as it would be disappointing to be turned away. Nearest tube is Westbourne Park

This place is so weird. Knowing nothing about it, I came here for a birthday party, and when I…read morewalked inside I was kind of like "what the...?" Basically it's like partying in a rather stark office lobby... wait, no, it *is* partying in a stark office lobby... like the management went home and some rebellious workers turned off the lights, threw on some music, then hijacked the coffee bar and stocked it with liquor. Even with the movie projector going, there weren't enough bodies and certainly not enough decoration going on to give this place any real atmosphere. The lines for the negligible toilets downstairs were ridiculous... so after getting a hot tip, I headed to the second floor... At my elementary school in the States, sometimes the teachers would host sleepovers at the school as a special reward for various achievements... and I have to say, walking down that darkened abandoned hallway, I felt like I was back at some juvenile night party at school. The drinks were standard. The crowd was minimal. Nobody was dancing. This place: I don't get it.

Amazing place. Came with my friend and my sister for her birthday lunch and we were treated…read morewonderfully. The food was exceptional and the ambience was really cozy and relaxing

Having visited here loads of times for drinks, it was long overdue on my "to do" list to actually…read moredine here. With my bestie having packed up and left London for leafy Epping, it was clear that Essex in general, would become a regular haunt; and it has. The George and Dragon has a nice local feel. All ages roll up for drinks, food and banter. I have been here several times, even had my new years' eve drinks there which was nice. Finally on a Saturday afternoon we wanted to recover from the night before with a hearty lunch! You should definitely note that from Monday to Friday until 6pm, they have a great fixed price lunch with £12.50 for two courses or £15.50 for three courses. Well worth it. Unfortunately it being the weekend, we missed out on this saving (sad face). The restaurant is not expensive though, it is reasonably priced. In terms of space, it is very cosy and warm. To the rear, they have outside seating for the warmer months. We opted for two courses to help us recover from our La Sala shenanigans. Delicately fried salt and pepper squid with aioli was my starting off point, gorgeous. I followed up with sticky chicken marinated in lemon, honey and chilli sauce, roquito peppers (which I love) and French fries. The chicken was a little bit dry, but generally it was ok. My Essex champion had deep friend Somerset brie with an apricot and cumin chutney. Unfortunately, her cheese had not been cooked enough and could have been a bit more gooey. For mains, it was the beer-battered cod fish finger sandwich with tartare sauce. This brought a smile to her face, as it was good. The service was prompt. The place had a good buzz with a half full restaurant of dining folks. They say it is the people that make the place. Every time we have been here, the bar team have been suitably cordial. We never need over the top in your face service, but the odd smile and attentiveness is welcomed. On this occasion, our waiter was miserable. He acted like he wished he was somewhere else, as did we, as this put a dark cloud over my first dining experience here. Having heard friends rave about how amazing the food was, I only saw glimpses of it on this occasion. Maybe this was an isolated day or perhaps we were psychologically affected by our bored waiter. Regardless, this is not the last you will see of me. I will be back to get me some of that outstanding food and service my local friends have been promising me.

This was the location for my company's Christmas party this year and my first impressions were…read morepretty good. It's not got the most swish of interiors in London, but it's pretty smart with plenty of space and ample seating. As the night went on, I grew to dislike this club more though. Not only did they run out of limes, they ran out of lime cordial too. Other drinks also went out of stock before 11pm which for a club is pretty unforgivable. It took ages to get served at the bar and staff weren't really in any sort of hurry to clear the crowds. The worst part of the evening though was queueing for the cloakroom. I was stood in line for about 25 minutes which again is unforgivable. It was lucky that I'd left early otherwise I'd have missed my last tube. It's a shame, because I did have quite a good night, it was just spoilt by slow staff and badly organised ways of working. Perhaps I need to give it a try on a different night to know for sure, but I'm not in a hurry to go back.

This club is awesome. Gorgeous interior with red rose wall paper and rose petals scattered…read moreeverywhere. You must be on the gueslist to get in, whch is easy to do on their website. The music will keep u dancing all night long and the cocktails are delicious. A champagne cocktail will cost u around £9 and all coctails are elegantly served in a champagne flute. Shots are around £8 but they are huge and will do the trick in one! Ideal for a big celebration as there are many VIP areas. They serve food and you can by spirits and champagne by the bottle. The atmosphere is friendly as well. People go there to have a good time and not to stand around posing or having an attitude problem. You will most likely drum up conversation with the bar men, other people at the bar, and gossip with girls in the toilets. The girls in this club are stunning. Although I do believe that many have had a helping hand from a surgeons knife. A great night out. Make sure u wear your glad rags as it is GLAM!