We only came for cocktails so can't comment on the food menu. While they have a menu of their speciality cocktails, they can make pretty much any drink. We ordered a couple to cocktails off menu and they were spot on. The service was friendly. The views are difficult to beat. read more

The Rooftop - Rooftop view. - Bars Near Me - London, XGL

This place seems to be closed. Not sure if that is seasonal or something else. Their website is gone, which seems to suggest a more permanent closure. read more

This place has a stunning view from the rooftop. Staff are very friendly and super helpful especially around d questions on allergies etc. We stayed at the hotel so this was our go to spot for breakfast which did not disappoint. Great variety of food and good coffee. The interior deco is stunning. Evening views do not disappoint. Gets busy so make reservations. read more

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Gayle and I recently had a very pleasant 5 night stay at the Trafalgar St. James Hotel. Breakfast each morning was at the Rooftop. The wide variety of selections were tasty, service was impeccable, and the views were scenic. We also came up here for dinner, of which the retractable roof is off and the place really opened up to better views and later the stars. Adding to this scene were hip crowds in various areas, cool "thumpa thumpa" music in the background, and even a private room (with windows) business meeting going on. We felt a bit like we were in the middle of a local party scene vs. a pleasant after work crowd. Our only complaint was the "out of service" elevator to the 6th Floor (the location of the Rooftop), sometimes put Rooftop patrons and hotel guests getting to our rooms in unnecessary competition. read more

Came here a couple of times while staying at the Trafalgar St James hotel and enjoyed it. Staff was friendly although service was slow and for some reason even though there were water glasses on the table, we couldn't get any water. I would have loved to have had a second drink but wasn't able to get one before I had to leave. In any event, there's a back room that is kind of quiet but you still get good views of Trafalgar Square but the terrace by the front entrance is really nice as you get a view of the London Eye. It's a nice place to come for a drink or maybe some snacks. read more

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Francoise is excellent. Came here multiple days for breakfast and had A+ 5 star service thanks to Francoise and his team. Excellent breakfast choices, eggs Benedict, coffees, and more. Well run, lots of food choices, and great juice. Nice view too, although cloudy! read more

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Best view of Trafalgar square and center of London. Service was adequate and because of limited seating, reservation is a must. Therés a range of prices of libations and priced accordingly. Obviously, the better wine quality equates to higher prices. Food or bar snacks were ok but nothing special from tacos to salad & french fries all very meh for my taste. This place is all about ambience and if you must, drinks & light snacks. View so spectacular compels 4 stars for me! read more

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Hi, it's with extreme disappointment that I'm writing this review about the rooftop. This Saturday I was in the rooftop with a group of friends in which one of them works at the place in question, we came in and thought that we were going to be well received, when we came in we were allocated and without care, no one approached our table up until maybe half an hour . After that we were met with a service that left us feeling like we were burdens or unwanted at the least. When I'm spending money, especially in a five star hotel the least I expect is a professional service which was no displayed in any shape of form by the waiter Beatrice, she took our orders wrong, the food that come to the table had to be replaced because the orders kept on coming wrong and above all she did not care to know where each item was going to be, she just brought the items and placed them in the middle of the table and told us to serve ourself. At the end of this interaction I kindly requested the service charge to be removed since we didn't get much of a service to begin with and when I did, I heard her saying "These people" a very rude comment and extremely unprofessional after a service that was less then 0 stars. On the other hand, I'd like to thank the manager as he was very attentive polite and professional, throughout the process of the removal of the service charge. read more

The staff was very welcoming and the food was delicious. Our favorite drink was the Pink Poison. Would definitely recommend!

Beautiful food and awesome drinks! When it started getting cold, the waiter even brought us blankets. It has the perfect view of London. Definitely recommend! read more

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Great setting, relaxed & positive mood. Tremendous view. Friendly service. Quality food.

NOT ALLERGY FRIENDLY!!!! They charge a 13% surcharge to accommodate allergies. WHO does that?!?!? Hey, you have a medical condition? Ok, don't mind if we discriminate against you. Like, what?? The view seats are limited so if you get sat in the back, you are there for the food. The food is disgusting and highly overpriced for the crap sandwich they place in front of you. We had to leave and find a store to get snacks. This review and others before mine probably don't bother them because they know people come for the view and that will keep them in business but they should be ashamed of the discrimination and the inedible slop they seem okay laying in front of you. read more

Great food great view great service! First time going and the reviews were correct, I definitely recommend this place!

The view is gorgeous and alone worth to get up there (through the Trafalgar Square St James Hotel lobby). If there is rain (which happens to be a common thing, a mobile screen/roof can be released. Just be aware that it is not moving fast, and if the rain starts pouring, it might be advantageous to step back for a while. Reasonable selection of drinks, and there would even be some bites, BUT the kitchen stops at 11pm and the rest is limited to liquid calories. read more

The Rooftop - Bars Near Me - London, XGL

Expensive. Lackluster. Boring. Flat bread with crispy lamb was good, but otherwise the food ranged from bland to downright terrible. Service was abysmal; I sat for more than 40 min without a drink and no waiter in sight. I asked for water three times, then was brought a very small glass as if there's a water shortage in London. The skewers were disgusting. I sent back the charcoal cubes hanging on for dear life to disintegrated, black skewer sticks that crumbled upon touching them. The Korean short ribs were basically tiny ribs with soy sauce. Not the worst thing on the table, but I think the Koreans would be pissed at what this place did to their cuisine. Three small, questionably edible, tapas-style plates and two nasty drinks totaled £72 (approx $100 US). I feel violated and depressed. Cool views, though. read more

We were staying in the hotel so have this spot a try for some drinks on our last night. The view if you can secure a table outside is great and the service is much better than the bar down in the lobby. Selection of cocktails, wine and spirits with a focus on Peroni beer. read more

Hotel rooftop bar lands on the must "do list" and it's well worth the hype. You'll need a reservation. Inside and outside seating and amazing views to be had! We opted outside and it was well worth it. Food, Service accommodations all stellar. read more

What a view! Vista lives up to its name and provides an incredible panoramic view of Central and West London. I visited this rooftop bar last Friday to take advantage of the random heatwave London was experiencing this past week. Luckily, one of my friends, Tracy L, had got there early and snagged a corner table before the crowds of well-heeled Londoners drifted in at the 5 o'clock bell. This is no place to show up in a tshirt. Even the mid-50s gent with the long white mane nostalgic for his wild youth made sure to put on a jacket and brush his beard before making his way up here. You also pretty much have to have a table to be served although you can take your drink and stand at the edge to look out on the cityscape. However, view aside, Vista starts to disappoint. First, our waiter, while enthusiastic, could neither speak nor understand English which made ordering a challenge. He also disapproved of us ordering food and drinks at the same time for some reason I still can't fathom. After a few false starts and about 20 minutes of waiting, we finally had our beverages of choice (be it 1st, 2nd, or last) and some nibbles to line our stomachs. Cocktails range from £8-12 and sharing platters about £15-20 so price wise it's a bit on the upper end but in line with the location and standard. My manhattan was smooth but lacking any body which is odd for a drink made almost solely of whiskey. I did notice one standing at the bar for 10 minutes with ice in a mixing glass so perhaps it was over-diluted. The pimms cups were well dressed and the speciality cocktails served in monster sized glasses. The baked camembert was incredible and I highly recommend it. I'm not a cheeseoholic, but I demolished that plain once our short supply of bread ran out. Random other things to know: 1) You have to pay £5 to get to the bar (this may be only if you don't have a reservation but not sure), 2) its busy from 5-7ish on Friday but after that thins out quite a bit, and 3) you can order classic cocktails that aren't on the menu so don't feel limited if you want something else. Overall, I liked the place and could see it being a great date spot. It's one for a casual drink not the start of a night out given the prices. Also, I did notice an absurd number of heaters so I imagine it's still nice and cosy even in the colder months. I'll give it 5 stars for view, décor, and atmosphere, 3 stars for service and drinks, and 1 star for the incredibly cramped toilet that let to awkward moments as you try to shuffle around to wash your hands and lean over a urinal to the dryer! read more

Coolest Roof Top bar in a long time. Had quite a few cocktails and all were good. Sure it's expensive, but not really for cocktails and London. Will definitely come back. Did not eat here so cannot comment on food read more

I gasped when I got off the elevator for the rooftop. Truly the greatest experience I will never forget! My husband and I enjoyed cocktails and split the calamari and the spatchcock chicken as a post theatre dinner. Great service as well. Appreciated the heat lamps and blankets they offer to diners! read more

The Rooftop - Bars Near Me - London, XGL

Very expensive, not fun, boring and nobody was using / visiting this Hilton property Rooftop Bar (too quiet for a Saturday night). You are better off going to a more affordable place that is more accommodating and entertaining. read more

Very disappointed. Where do i start? Food. They have a very very limited menu and you expect the "chef" to prepare those limited menu items to perfection. Well, they weren't. The burrata cheese was supposed to be 2 serving but was 1 1/2 and very watery. The burger was way overcooked. The caesar salad was drenched is some bottled tasting dressing that omitted the quality that this establishment should have and forget about anchovies! The food got cold quickly since the heat lamps didnt work and it was funny watching a grown man wrapped in a blanket like my grandmother. I can go on and on but the staff was nice but inexperienced. Oh well, that is why most people go out instead of eating at the hotel. Too bad, I had high hopes. read more

View is good if you can get one of the limited seats that actually have a view, but even with a reservation weeks out, we were sat in the back. The seats back there are technically rooftop, but all we could see were the dead grasses in the flower boxes and the kitchen. No one in our group got drinks because they were so overpriced. The food was also expensive and was fine, but nowhere near worthy of the price tags. We waited awhile to be served and them to get our food. Unfortunately, I would not recommend. If you want a good rooftop experience, try an afternoon tea or a "not afternoon tea" at the Oxo (on the 8th floor, St. James Rooftop is on the 6th) where the view is wider and visible from any seat, even if not on the actual terrace. read more

I like the roof top views here. Great views to see tralfagar square surrounding area. This is a good place to visit when it is sunny day....business open as usual on raining day, the umbrella is provided for those who like to be a 'frog'. Jug of Cocktails cost around £40. Great to have a laid back day with friends and enjoy the sunny weather on the roof if you not prefer to go to park. read more

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Beautiful view but very chilling place to be. A good venue to oversee the Trafalgar Sq. good are little expensive and you need to pay £5 to go up. read more

Went here with a friend on a Wednesday evening. Couldn't make a reservation in advance as they only do that for 6 or more people. Had a drink and waited no more than 10mins in the downstairs bar before being shown up to the rooftop. Great views and excellent service. It was a bit cold, and they went out of there way to find a heater for us (as the table we were at was not near one) cocktails were good, and food platter (cheese an ham) was slightly pricey but nice. Would definitely go here again. read more

The Rooftop - View of London eye from vista - Bars Near Me - London, XGL

This place is a must just for the view! With or without a groupon voucher go to the vista bar on a sunny day for a drink. Booking is a must, especially on the weekend mid summer. Drinks are not cheap but not outrageous. I got a groupon which included a platter of meats and cheeses with 2 cocktails. Thoroughly enjoyed it - good quality food and tasty cocktails Friendly staff and a fantastic view over Trafalgar Square read more

Is it the start of summer? Well the weather is undecided, but still when the sun is out you need a good outside rooftop bar to enjoy it in, so why not try the Bloom bar at Vista? Vista bar is on the roof of the Trafalgar Hotel - overlooking Trafalgar Square, overlooked itself by Nelson's Column and it's been taken over by Bloom Gin for the summer. Bloom is a delightfully floral gin, perfect for summer cocktails and great if you don't like heavy juniper gins. We went there on a Friday afternoon for drinks before a pre theatre dinner on my Mum's birthday. There's a £5 cover charge - even at 4pm! (it is free for people staying at the hotel though). They have a special selection of Bloom Gin cocktails in the menu, as well as the classics and 'regular' drinks, we saw a few largish groups with ice buckets of bubbles. I love the central location of Vista and with Bloom being featured this summer there are loads of opportunities for both gin and cocktail lovers! On Monday nights they host a Bloom Gin Masterclass. For £20 per person you get the Masterclass, 2 cocktails (one each - this is aimed at couples!) and a Bloom G&T, presumably you don't need to pay the cover charge either?! They will also regale you with the story of gin, particularly how they make their gin with the worlds first woman master distiller (I love all her gins by the way!). read more

I should probably state that this place deserves a 3.5 bit no half star options... The views are lovely and you really feel that you are in London. The staff were quite friendly and the food did smell good (don't know if it tasted good though). The drinks are pricey, so keep that in mind as you budget your evening. We didn't get seated in the good view area and others who came after us were offered to move there and eventually when practically no one was left, we were also offered the same. views were great but found that way of doing business annoying. Overall I might pop in again but wouldn't be rushed to do so. read more

Terrible food. Black bean burger should be more appropriately named fried potato burger. Ambiance is lovely and views are fantastic but not sure how desperate one is to get a view in this city. They are not easy to come by that is for sure read more

I was very much looking forward to experiencing Vista, as I had heard about it from a friend. However, upon arrival I felt uncomfortable among the staff and the seating area was very crowded. The waitress was awkward and slightly rude and the drinks were extremely expensive. The view was absolutely beautiful, but they did not even allow us access to the other side to see the main view of the Shard, London Eye, etc. I left feeling very disappointed and out of place at Vista, and I don't think I will be going there again soon. read more

Great view but unfriendly and arrogant staff and mediocre quality of food... Drinks extremely expensive... Without a booking 2 or more hours of waiting time ... read more

When my friends wanted to go to a rooftop bar in the area, I'd only heard of the Radio Rooftop Bar at the ME London hotel, but then someone suggested this one. It's in the Trafalgar Hotel, also another place i'd never heard of, but it is literally right on Trafalgar Square. We arrived around 11 pm and there was no queue and no problem getting a table for 5 people, but we had to pay 5 pounds cover to get in. Once we were up, we were seated immediately, but it took at least 15 minutes for someone to come over and put in our order. They also made a fuss about the bill, like we either had to start a tab, or pay upfront. I thought this was quite weird for a place that seems like it would be catered toward having table service. That said, the view is quite stunning. You can see immediately the Nelson's Column on Trafalgar Square, and at a distance, the Shard and the London Eye. The drinks were not too expensive, with wine at 35 pounds a bottle and cocktails roughly 8-10 pounds each. There was decent background music on, but given the hour we were there, I don't think it gets up any busier than a chill, glitzy vibe. I'd come here for a drink or two, especially if visitors are in town or if there is some sun, but it's not a place you'd want to stay all night. read more

Great view, crappy introduction by the rude reception desk attendant, £5 cover charge to go to a bar in aback alley, c'mon! Won't go or recommend. read more

The view from Vista is excellent. This makes it worth the visit and I have recommended it to friends yesterday who also enjoyed the views. However, Vista needs better management. The experience could be much better with some simple tweaks and training for their staff. The reason I say this is because the pricing point for enjoying Vista is at the high-end where a glass of Rioja will cost you £11.00. At this level of pricing everything else needs to be perfect and it was more lackadaisical. The waitress taking our order was interrupted by her bar colleague shouting information at her, then she forgot part of the order, then there was a further delay, etc,. Amateur. There was also a repair issue in the men's toilet with a light fixture dangling from the ceiling which I headed as I opened the door (I was not drunk). Also, they could arrange better separation with smokers. read more

£103 for lunch for two on a Tuesday. Which would be totally fine if it was delicious and a great view. But sadly, the food was woefully mediocre. Goat cheese salad was pathetically small. Watermelon and feta was criminally small and rather slimey and gross (and I LOVE watermelon feta salad). My friend had the corn - one cob, divided in two, served with two limes and no hint of chilli for £6.50 - I mean, come on. Seeing some other food that came out, if you must be forced here, please give the sad food a miss. Drinks were tasty but very weak and mostly ice. £16 for a drink of mostly ice is really taking the piss, even in central London. Staff are rather snooty, ironic as they don't have a great grasp of the English language. Rather disappointed, it must be said. The crowd was a bit touristy for the prices, however, reading other reviews hilariously looks like they drag people in with groupon vouchers, what a sad state of affairs. To top it off I'm feeling rather poorly this evening with an upset tummy. Yuck. If you are jonesing for a nice rooftop bar may I recommend Aqua or Madison. read more