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    The Drift

    3.3 (30 reviews)
    ModerateBars
    Open 7:30 am - 1:00 AM (Next day)

    The Drift Photos

    THE DRIFT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Trendy
    Very loud
    Good for groups
    Outdoor seating

    Recommended Reviews - The Drift

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    Very crowded bar area with restaurant upstairs, so floor to restaurant ceiling is very high up
    Mei S.

    Very lively place, the music is too loud and you have to shout to be heard, but once you got used to it, it was ok. We reserved an area for our drinks party, and was given one by the bar on the ground floor, which was jammed packed on the Friday night before Christmas. We ordered the meat platter which was fresh, hot and tasty to share. The dining area is like on a platform upstairs as from here you can look down to the bar area, and if you have vertigo can be quite scary, as it is very high up! This makes the bar like one big open plan bar. Reasonable prices for a City bar, but it did take a long time to be served. You could die of thirst waiting for our bar tab to arrive, so I had to go and hunt for our server.

    Michelle D.

    We stopped here on a hot, hungover day for a cocktail in the shade (and because 2 of our party we're wearing trainers which meant they were refused entry to Sushi Samba!). When we arrived we were told we couldn't sit in the ground floor area, but could sit outside or upstairs. We opted for outside and ordered some cocktails. They took a LONG time to arrive! I can understand that they take a bit of time to make, but we'd ordered just 3 and the place was pretty quiet. They did arrive in beautiful glassware, were tasty, and looked the part, so the 3 start rating is mainly for the service than the drinks (and obviously no comment on the food as we didn't have any).

    Daniel A.

    Had brunch here on a Saturday morning. It was incredible. Great breakfast drinks, super food, and excellent service. My wife and I are gluten-free and they were great about making sure we could eat safely. I may eat breakfast here again every day until I leave London!

    Mixology ready to go

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    2 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    14 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    10 years ago

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    11 years ago

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    14 years ago

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    12 years ago

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    9 years ago

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    7 years ago

    A bit too loud and not much crab in the crab linguine but a lovely location very central, good service

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    11 years ago

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    11 years ago

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    12 years ago

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    13 years ago

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    15 years ago

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    15 years ago

    Delicious light fare from local and organic sources, matched with a quality wine selection and tasteful modern/casual decor.

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    12 years ago

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    14 years ago

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    11 years ago

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    13 years ago

    Nice place to grab a drink after work. Less great for a night out. Wasn't a fan of the hip hop night

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    12 years ago

    Nice bar at the bottom of Heron Tower but you need a BIG credit card if you intend to stay for more than one drink!

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    10 years ago

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    15 years ago

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    13 years ago

    Possibly the worst steak I've ever had. Service wasn't bad, just non existent. Not going back in a hurry.

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    14 years ago

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    The Drift Reviews in Other Languages

    Review Highlights - The Drift

    Went here for a business lunch.

    Mentioned in 2 reviews

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    Duck & Waffle - Duck & Waffle (with a view)

    Duck & Waffle

    4.0(1k reviews)
    0.0 miAldgate
    £££

    We came here since the big boss was in town. This was my first visit and our seating area wasn't…read morethe best (we sat in the bar area) but the views were great and the food wasn't too bad either. 3/5 Corn ribs - never had a corn rib before. Good, a bit sweet. Messy to eat. 3/5 Truffle fries - good but average 4/5 Polenta - very tasty, a must. 3/5 Duck and waffle - I expected this to be bigger but it was good. I normally prefer chicken but the duck wasn't bad. All the food was decent and the staff were all nice. It's unfortunate that the walk to the restaurant passes by the smelly toilets. Also there was only one lift working that day so it took a little time to get up/down.

    I've been looking forward to visiting Duck & Waffle for quite some time. The views are incredible,…read morethe space itself is striking, and on paper it promises that perfect London mix of skyline, late-night energy, and elevated comfort food. Unfortunately, our experience was soured before it even had a chance to begin. My girlfriend and I walked in excited, completely amicable, simply hoping to head upstairs for a bite and drinks. We were greeted by the doorman with an immediate, dismissive "Are you good?" -- not in a welcoming or helpful tone, but in a way that felt skeptical and unnecessarily confrontational. There was no warmth, no "welcome in," no attempt at hospitality. It immediately set an uncomfortable tone. He then proceeded to call upstairs as though he were doing us some sort of favor just by allowing us to go up. The entire interaction felt transactional and judgmental rather than gracious. First impressions matter, especially at a place that positions itself as a premium dining destination. Hospitality begins at the door, not at the table. When we finally made it upstairs, the room was filled with visibly drunk, rowdy groups -- which only made the earlier attitude feel even more misplaced. If that environment is acceptable (and profitable), then two polite guests looking for drinks and food shouldn't be met with suspicion at the entrance. By that point, the damage was done. The initial interaction had already rubbed us the wrong way, and the energy upstairs didn't help. We ultimately decided to leave before even sitting at our table. That's how strongly the first impression impacted us. It's difficult to justify staying somewhere when you don't feel genuinely welcomed from the outset. Duck & Waffle has the potential to be memorable for all the right reasons. But someone representing the brand at the very front needs to understand that hospitality isn't optional -- it's foundational. A simple, respectful welcome would have changed everything. I hope management takes this seriously, because no guest should feel judged or dismissed before they even step inside.

    Photos
    Duck & Waffle - The dining area with views of the kitchen

    The dining area with views of the kitchen

    Duck & Waffle - Rice Pudding. Really great

    Rice Pudding. Really great

    Duck & Waffle - Inside

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    Inside

    The Alchemist - Drunken veggie dumplings

    The Alchemist

    3.9(119 reviews)
    0.1 miAldgate
    ££

    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.

    Photos
    The Alchemist - Inside

    Inside

    The Alchemist - Shrimp toasties

    Shrimp toasties

    The Alchemist - Mezcal Meringue, Espresso Martini, French Kiss

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    Mezcal Meringue, Espresso Martini, French Kiss

    Found - Front door next to Cantina

    Found

    4.8(5 reviews)
    0.6 miLiverpool Street / Broadgate
    ££

    Oh you know, one of those hidden gems that no one seems to know about, no big deal. JUST KIDDING IT…read moreIS A BIG DEAL. We were able to make reservations, which made me happy. And that meant we got to sit in this tiny tucked away little corner archway for just us 4 peeps and it was totally awesome. The cocktails were lovely and I really enjoyed our time here. Such a funky place. The cherry on top was the owner speaking to us after. It's really refreshing to have the actual owner come talk to you and show interest in how you heard of the place and how you Found (ha!) it. He was lovely, and so were the cocktails, and so was Found.

    This place must be new right or is it that hidden that no one FOUND it?…read more The bar staff are really cool and funny also happy for us to keep a tab going. The smell of fresh paint, with it's a lovely warm atmosphere, magnolia walls, dark wood, candles on each table and lots of cocktails to choose from makes it a great after work or pre-party venue. I got the cocktail which was the first on the menu and it was called Frothy Lady (I think). Very sweet and hardly tasted the alcohol. The espresso cocktail tasted great too but couldn't taste the alcohol. So it got me wondering if they were being stingy or were they just really good. The jalapeño pretzels were really nice and the olives had too much lemon on them for my liking but I was hungry so ate them all anyway. It's next to The Book Club and a short walk from Old Street so if you're around give it a try!

    Photos
    Found
    Found
    Found

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    The Drift - bars - Updated May 2026

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