I was out for a walk and stopped into this casual restaurant / Rock n Roll club. Lots of history going back to Dylan, Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, and too many more to name. Very friendly and polite British service. It was very cool how the servers work as a team. One of them was especially proud of the establishment and shared some of the awesome history. As such after a beer and a snack, I went downstairs to the rock 'n' roll club and a really good band was playing. read more

The Troubadour - Music Venues Near Me - London, XGL

The perfect spot after a long day of exploring! The staff was so friendly and gave great recommendations of places to see and things to do on our trip! We started with a cheese board and then I had a jerk chicken sandwich! I had the best dirty martini there as well! The back patio that we sat on felt like a secret garden in the center of the city! read more

See all

We stumbled upon this pub. We ended up being impressed. The drinks were certainly good and the food was on point. Excellent service from the bar keeps. Restaurant was clean. Area unique. Recommended while in the area. read more

Went in here for breakfast and they treated us pretty good. Not the friendliest staff but they were pretty decent by allowing us to take pictures and showing us to the small club in the basement where all the classic musicians played. There's about 4 rooms to eat in this place and they all are unique. Very cool. We ordered avocado toast and the full breakfast. It's was all cooked well and very tasty. You can't just get bacon and eggs but the full breakfast was good nonetheless. read more

See all

6/17/16 James & I met Sadie here for beverages & appetizers. We had the Charateurice with various sausages, meat, pickles & bread. I had the Chelsa Blonde which was quite good. Jimi Hendrix & Bob Dylan played here. read more

The Troubadour - Hello Chelsea, 6/18/16 - Music Venues Near Me - London, XGL

See all

The Troubadour is a great favourite with many of my friends (gay ones especially), but I must confess that I've never really got it. It's improved markedly thanks to the smoking ban, but it is still incredibly crowded - the tables and chairs really are packed in - and the service is legendarily bad. The food is also variable: my advice is to stick to their breakfasts, omelettes and burgers - which are both cheaper and better than trying more fancy Italian-inspired dishes. Their wine is expensive for what you get, too. In effect, you are much better off treating it as a coffee house for breakfast or lunch than as a restaurant for dinner. So why go at all? Well, there's no denying that it has atmosphere - if you are ever going to meet Left-Bank style intellectuals, it'll be here. On some nights, you could almost imagine Piaf walking through the door. When so many other venues are just tacky or lifeless chains, it really does deserve the term 'institution'. Just be prepared for slow service, and don't go if you are claustrophobic read more

The Troubadour - The Troubadour, Delicatessen and Restaurant-Cafe - Music Venues Near Me - London, XGL

Disappointing. Service is completely inattentive. They won't even look over and try to avoid eye contact as much as possible. One has to wave arms extended and even then they just make a head gesture, as if to acknowledge the fact they are ignoring you - eventually, you have to yell your order over the loud eclectic mix of music. They will hardly be bothered to come over and approach the table. Place has character and music is nice, but much too loud for breakfast/brunch. It's not conducive to conversation. Food is alright, but not exceptional. They seem to be riding on the coat tails of a bygone great era. They won't be bothered by this review, because nothing seems to bother them. read more

The Good: :: ambiance! :: charming pub :: lots of seating :: outdoor seating The Bad: :: there's nothing bad, there's just... The Ugly: :: service. it is horrible. it took almost 20 min for me to get someone to take my order. the server had come by first when i sat down, then he disappeared for a while and i finally had to flag down another server to take my order. food took FOREVER (over 30 minutes) to come out. i didn't realize it took that long to whip up rocket and parmesan. had to chase down a server again to get my bill. i wasn't the only one frustrated with the service: a couple sitting next to me with a dog was getting annoyed at waiting a long time to get their glass of wine and some other things. the woman had to chase down a server to get some attention. Would I go back? Only if I'm not in a rush or am just enjoying a drink. Too many other pubs and restaurants in London that I can get better service from that won't make me chase down a server. This place is IN (but only conditionally). read more

Great place to visit. The food is good. The garden in back is classic London. We stayed for the music and had a great time. read more

The Troubadour - Goat cheese salad - Music Venues Near Me - London, XGL

See all

This place doesn't need my review. It's been reviewed by Bob Dylan and Adele. If you visit London go to this place. read more

The Troubadour - Music Venues Near Me - London, XGL

In a veritable no-mans-land of exhibit-ation, Troubadour Café is a beacon of live music, secret gardens, art, nostalgia, vintage wines, romance and stiff, stiff pours. Trust: This is the BEST kind of beacon! Over the years, Troubadour Café has been known as everything from London's best '50s café to Jimi Hendrix's and Bob Dylan's local. But to me, this bohemian den and artists' paradise will always simply be known to me as my favourite venue on this side of London. It's perfectly formed with an amazing line up of booze, entertainment and décor. Oh, and all-day breakfast isn't anything to shake a troubadour at! read more

A cool little place. I'm a fan of any venue that can incorporate live music, good food, and stiff drinks effectively. BUT I think this place has been overrun by the wrong kind of audience. I'm not being judgmental here, but on Friday night there was a very hip young beautiful crowd who had no interest in their surroundings or the awesome music coming from the basement. That's my observation. Take it or leave it. Maybe, if I gather a crowd of neat* people big enough, we could get there really early on a Friday evening so that no one else could get in! Who's with me???? *By "neat", I don't mean tidy. In fact, quite the opposite. read more

The Troubadour is that odd mix between dive bar, boho-chic coffee house, gastropub, and grungy music venue. That's probably why I love it so much. By day, this place serves up delicious meals (upstairs) and highly rated coffee while patrons lounge in mix-matched chairs alongside antique tables. Like an English home, there are many rooms, random mini-stairs, and much more space than you would originally imagine. By night, the upstairs bar serves all sorts of drinks (their mojito isn't bad, but when there with friends we would tend towards the champagne) and dinner is served to those who are hungry. But the real fun is downstairs. A cave-like basement (no windows, very little light, concrete floors) houses a low level stage that plays host to various local, up and coming music acts. There are a few booths for sitting, a bar (necessary), a dance floor area, and a little room in the middle that houses a dude with an ipod (a DJ? perhaps...) who fills the room with sound when the bands are finished. One of my favorite nights in London was spent here, when my friends and I took over the DJing role, plugging in my iphone, and played Neon Moon while teaching the assorted English doctors, poets and grad students how to dance- country style. We drank bottles of champers (not sure who paid the bill that night- probably a new friend), gallivanted around the dance floor like the rednecks the English blokes thought us to be, and left flush with memories and giggling. Tumbling into a cab, we began planning our feast at the flat (cheesy omelets, toast with Marmite, lots of water) and our next trip to the Troubadour- our favorite place to go on a random night when we need some fun without the usual drama/lines/expense of the London club scene or the high street bar intensity. I can't wait to go back :) read more

Giddy schoolgirl omg, omg, omg!!!! LOVE the Troubadour! The cocktails, the crowd mix, the music, the decor, the history, the coq au vin!!! Go! Now! read more

Having grown up in Earls Court, I wish I went to this place more often and it is only within the last few years that I have spent any considerable time here. You can pretty much find something in the Troubadour for any occasion at any time in the day... Breakfast, lunch, dinner, drinks, club and live music!! Lots to choose from and a good experience at many of these times will bring you back for more. There is an excellent menu available all hours of the day, some good vegetarian options too and they always welcome mixing and matching. Whilst the upstairs restaurant does get busy on a weekend (and they do recommend booking) the staff, who are very welcoming and friendly, if a little scatty at times, will do their utmost to accommodate you, even if it is in the wine bar next door. The atmosphere is always warm and welcoming and the decor is full of music memorabilia, local area history and artefacts! Do not be afraid of getting cosy if it is busy but the hubbub will def add to your experience. If you are up for a night of live music and or music (?!) the downstairs club is worth a visit and you may well be lucky enough to catch a guitar legend on a rare occasion. The booze runs and the music plays and your evening will be enjoyed by all! Price wise, food is good for the price but not cheap. £10-£13 for a main but your plate will be piled high and well worth it. Drinks again vary in price depending what you want but I genuinely have a really nice time wherever I am in the building and I would recommend it to anyone. Xyz read more

Good food (can be a challenge to find in London consistently) with some musical history. Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, Charlie Watts, Sammy Davis jnr and Jimi Hendrix have all played here. I had no clue about this history. I just liked some of the posts on here about it. The Decor is really cool. A ton of instruments hang from the rafters and jars of all colors sit across the windows softening the sun light coming in. The beer selection was small but adequately good. The menu was interesting but I went with some traditional food fare. I got the Bangers and Mash which was perfect! My friend got a Burger which was disappointing. However, I will not take a point off for since Britons don't take their burgers as seriously as Americans. The star off is because more beer selection would be nice and it wasn't the perfect spot. I hold 5 stars near and dear. I will definitely come back. read more

This place gets five stars for atmosphere and three stars for food, which averages out to four stars. I hear it's also great for live music, though I haven't been to see any here. The staff is great, and the atmosphere is casual and lively. The food? Decent but not amazing. You come here to hang out in a fun place with fun people. Gluten-free notes: Many of the items are naturally gluten-free. read more

Was here after watching the bronze womens volleyball match for brunch. I enjoyed the food, it wasn't bad, I had the full english, and my partner had the eggs benedict with salmon. The serving sizes aren't bad (almost approaching American style servings), but I think this place is more about quantity than quality. The coffee was good, the food just so so. We sat in the back courtyard, which was actually what gives this place 4 stars. I was about to try the Huevos Rancheros, but looking at others have it, it certainly wasn't presented very well. I mean, I've been DYING to have a great Huevos, since I've not really had them outside the US, but I don't think I was ready to try this mad looking concoction. Anyway, all in all, seemingly a great place to have a drink, food and coffee in the area,but I wouldn't travel across London to Earls Court for it. 4*s because of the ambience, 3 for the food. read more

It was a very nice surprise at dinner time. Even with a 4-year old daughter we found this to be very warm and enjoyable to pass some time. The angus steak was very good, the music was even better. Will come back, for sure. read more

Came for dinner with a friend and thank goodness they introduced me to this place! Friendly service, tasty food and we were lucky enough to just catch the happy hour with two for one cocktails - our old fashioneds were POTENT!! But perfect when the ice melted a little :) I made the mistake of having the SPICIEST meal (huevos rancheros) but wowzers was it tasty! it looked pretty cool too - very green - but I forgot to take a picture because first I was too hungry, and then I couldn't concentrate because I was suffering from 'spicy-mouth' haha. My dining companion had the lamb burger on ciabatta and it was amazing. He was foodgasming all over the place - I tried some and it really was delicious! Great atmosphere, and I will definitely be back to check out a music show downstairs as I hear they don't ever have a dud!! And in the summer there's a lovely little beer garden. read more

I've heard a lot about the Troubadour and glad I finally got around to visiting this place. Highly recommend making reservations in advance as it gets quite busy. We were initially planning to just have drinks and ended up having dinner there. The place is great for drinks - relaxed almost quirky atmosphere and a good range of selection of cocktails as well as beer and wine. Really like it! Dinner is more of a 3 star affair - tables are way too small to have enough space for all of the plates if everyone orders a dish. I ordered the veggie burger with sweet potato fries and it was just okay. A little bit on the underwhelming side. My bf ordered the beef stew which was okay but still probably not the best dinner choice - but pre or post dinner drinks! read more

I stopped by for dinner, it didn't seem too crowded and had gotten above-average reviews from fellow Yelpers. However, sadly, I was a bit disappointed: * Fish and chips were very greasy. Dripping with grease. Small portion of fish too. * Only one waiter for the front area, he was nice but totally overwhelmed. Thus, what should have been a quick dinner turned into a 75 minute project. * Smokers stood at the front foor-- and since the front door was propped open to let in the "fresh" air, I choked in cigarette smoke all through dinner. * Dessert was outstanding. read more

A friend suggested live music for Friday night entertainment and we ended up heading to The Troubadour. Our plan was simple: chat over a glass of wine and then head downstairs for some live music. However a few things didn't go as smoothly as we hoped: 1. Finding a table. I walked in and was told that there's no table available currently. The waitress didn't tell me if I should wait inside or outside or don't even bother to wait, so I ended up standing awkwardly at one end of this crowded cafe waiting for someone else to rescue me. Luckily a table opened up shortly and I claimed it with lightning speed. 2. Slow service. We just wanted to get a glass of wine, but it took 15 minutes to get a menu. The large glass of red wine is indeed very large (I'm pretty sure I was more than tipsy when I finished it). I forgot what kind of wine we got because my French friend was in charge, and he told me it wasn't good. So I took his word for it. 3. The bands. I think we just went on a very unfortunate evening and the bands were not good. First there was a very cheesy English pop band that performed some nice song but the vocalist wasn't that good at singing. Then a French band came to perform dancy/clubby music (in English), and that was horrendous. The vocalist kept trying to get everyone to dance or clap their hands, and mumbled something like "it's all about clubbing~"... SO AWKWARD. We sat through 2 songs out of politeness and then fled... 4. The live music ticket was cash only. I would probably give this place a 2nd chance but I'd check the genre of the bands before coming (and bring cash!). read more

Quirky, fun, and quintessentially cool... to me, that's what the Troubadour is all about. I was introduced to this place by a colleague a couple of years ago and couldn't believe that after living in the UK for almost four years that I'd never been there! When you look around and remember the names of the folks who have played in the tiny club downstairs (Dylan, Hendrix, Paul Simon, etc) the place just resonates with history. The upstairs is a very eclectic traditional coffeehouse (think Vienna in the 40s and 50s, not Starbucks) which also serves great beers and food. There is an outstanding garden in back which reflects the age of the establishment in that it is sort of overgrown, but very cosy and comfortable -- a fabulous place to sit with friends and unwind during or after a busy day. The food is good, but not spectacular, which is the only reason I wouldn't give this place 5 stars. With the advent of so many gastropubs in London, the standard of the food for a five star rating has risen markedly. On a recent visit, I had the mussels, which were good, but not extraordinary. They also have a somewhat limited, but standard selection of pub-type food (fish & chips, roast, etc). However, this isn't a place you go purely to eat. It's a place you go to relax and enjoy. Overall, if you're near Earls Court, you owe it to yourself to stop by this place. It is just one of the most authentic, unpretentious cool places you can go to relax... most places have to try hard to be cool... but the Troubadour is an example of a place that looks at its history and can have the self confidence that it doesn't have to try to impress -- it's comfortable in its own skin. read more

Delicious food and excellent service! Was looking for a spot to have breakfast or brunch and stumbled upon this gem. We were definitely not disappointed! The feel is eclectic and the music streaming through the restaurant adds to the unique ambiance. We enjoyed eggs royale, eggs florentine with bacon and enjoyed the French toast as dessert. The food was amazing, even tempted to return for dinner! A must visit if staying in this area. read more

The Troubadour - A perfect latte - Music Venues Near Me - London, XGL

This review is strictly for the live music venue in the basement. I was warned by friends that the food here is a bit overrated so after grabbing dinner at a spot down the road, my friends and I made our way to the Troubadour. We grabbed a couple vodka sodas, made our way downstairs and paid the £10 cover. The venue was great with some seats and folks standing and dancing to the music. Everyone seemed to be having a great time and so did I! The one con on the night we visited was we arrived at about 10:30 and paid a full cover for the band to stop before 12. In the future I will make sure to arrive earlier to get my money's worth or suggest they charge less of a cover later in the evening. read more

So...if you gave this place a 3, I could get it. When my friends told me about a place for live music, I was interested. We grabbed a drink upstairs, no food, and it was definitely a bit quirky decoration wise. Beers were a little above average price but the vodka drinks were a good deal (though service hiked it up). The live music comes with a charge of £10 per person. Not a terrible deal for live music BUT we heard one song and then they were done. Our entire group definitely felt a bit cheated... The place was packed for that one song (and presumably for the entire set). And gee it's hot down there.. There is a £10 credit card minimum also. Unlike in the US where they keep a tab open for you (I just moved from there), the bartender told me to pay then for two beers, only take one beer, and come back later for the second beer. Slightly interesting. My friend was approached by a man who looked 70 years old and asked her for blow (seriously). But then we also met some guys more our age who were quite friendly. I'll be back. But next time I'll go earlier than 10:15 to ensure I get my £10 worth of music. Maybe I'll even find out how to reserve a table downstairs! read more

I'm actually a fan of the Troubadour because of its fantastic decortions, great ambience, dreamy back garden, and cool concerts downstairs. But I can't praise the food unfortunately. The sweet potato fries are yummy but they don't really count. I've tried a disappointing veggie lasagna, a mediocre veggie sausage and mash, an ok veggie burger, and a rediculous raw veggie platter. Maybe they're better at meaty dishes but that doesn't make up for it. Anyways, the drinks are good and the place is just so cool that I'll defenitely go again and again - just maybe not for a big meal. read more

Troubadour is a really strange place -- I went by thinking I could pick up some antique hand-tools, but soon realized they sell alcohol rather than shlock. Thankfully, I didn't actually want to buy old crap, and very much wanted to drink until I was overflowing with Czech beer. And overflow I did. The service is fast and friendly, the beer is great, and the atmosphere is very cool; its a far cry from most of the bars in Kensington & Chelsea which tend to be either overly shi-shi, shit, or both! I used to go ages ago and completely forgot about it, but have recently revisited the old Troubadour and found it hasn't changed at all; a good thing when bars in London tend to last only a few years! Dunno ab food or whatever, but always looks good walking by. read more

A bit hidden and a few more tube stops than anticipated but definitely noteworthy. Walking through this little pub is like taking a magical journey through Narnia's closet. The first room you enter has a plethora of old antique instruments hanging from the ceiling, which screams history. Keep walking straight through and you will uncover a tiny little garden in the back. It's ridiculously cute and compact but romantic, if that is what you desire. Come back inside though and there is another seating area, on the other side of the bar..that is a tad bit more secluded than the first. Hold on to your hats because Thursdays are hats day, apparently. One of the regular happy hour go-ers advised my friend and I that when you wear a hat, you get half-off your drinks. Not sure if that's true or not but they did come in with more than enough hats to share! With the history and compactness of this cafe, it's no wonder they have adapted a family like atmosphere. One where the servers as well as the customers are seemingly extremely close and comfortable with each other. The food isn't bad - a little overpriced for yogurt & fruits but not bad nonetheless. As for the drinks, you need to come back for happy hour. That being said, go with the Mojito. Can you say, yummy? Apparently, this place is popping when it comes to nightlife. I personally haven't had the opportunity to experience the artistic goodness but I will soon enough. FYI - they host private parties..fit enough for the Prince. Literally. I've been told that the Prince rented out the entire cafe last year. Pretty cool, huh? read more

I used to come here after my evening classes more than ten years ago. very happy to see that nothing has changed in the meantime - a realiable old-fashion European-style coffee house. with slow service, but then again, you certainly wouldn't choose this place if you want a quick latte on the go - Troubadour is all about taking your time, relaxing and taking in the fascinating interior. the fact that it survived for such a long time says it all - long may it continue! read more

Troubadour Fridays are legendary. The entire basement of the Troubadour cafe fills up from about 10pm till 2am with young, West Londoners wanting to dance to reggae,ska, and listen to new bands. The crowd is a bit annoying but the music is always amazing. The place gets packed early so we used to get there early, get dinner and have a few drinks upstairs in the cafe (which is excellent in its own right) The menu is basic but excellent- simple French bistro food- though if I am honest, we generally go for the wine list and pick at snacks. read more

I highly recommend finding a band whose music you may like and take a trip to the Troubdour. The staff was really nice and the downstairs music venue is cozy and unique. We were on a vacation to London when we recently watched The Robinsons perform - quite the treat to see a local singer/songwriter in such a unique venue. read more

Came here with my mom and brother a couple of weeks ago on a Monday night while on vacation after seeing great reviews on Yelp. We arrived 5 minutes before happy hour ended, which we knew nothing about! We ended up with 2 for 1 drinks so immediately happy campers. The decor was really cool and we sat in a booth also known as Satan's Gate. Our waiter was super friendly. We all had fish and chips, which was excellent and finished dinner with sticky toffee for dessert. I would slap someone to get it again - SO GOOD! Check this place out! read more

See all

The troubadour is a very nice cafe, restaurant with a bar and a room downstairs dedicated to music venues. I have never tested the restaurant, but I really recommend this place for music lovers, especially for rock, jazz and blues. Decorated with a huge variety of instruments and pictures from the 70s, the Troubadour hosted legendary musicians such as Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan and Led Zeppelin who have obviously brought a lot of charm to the place. read more

An original in the area. Undefeated. Have a wee sit in the lovely garden at a summers evening with a cool (German or Spanish) beer and enjoy the atmosphere. Not famous for its food but for everything else! read more

My husband and I were traveling from the States and found this place on Yelp while we were out exploring for the day. We came for dinner, but if we lived in town we would definitely enjoy the live music here in the basement. It seemed cozy and intimate and a really cool place to see a band play. Dinner was really good, though not earth shatteringly so. He had fish and chips, I had salmon, and we washed everything down with a few pints. Everything tasted fresh and yummy. The coolest part of this restaurant is the ambience -cozy, dimly lit, and lots of cool decor to look at. Overall a great atmosphere for dinner! read more

I have been trying to hate this place for years but cant bring myself to do it. It is all about the service. The service is really, really, really bad. It is 1970's British Rail bad. Awful. Basil Fawlty awful without the laughs. Why is this? I am not too sure, but has to be from the top down. Sultry, moody, overworked, inefficient. So why go back? Well it has a charm that is inspite of its failings. It has a shabby chic that stems from its bohemian philosopher past. Or as its website says 'The last 50s coffee house in Earls Court with a proud history as a low temperature centre of courtesy, peace and artistic energy.' The menu is predictable but works just about. The food is unambitious burgers and generous 'heart attack' breakfasts. The seating dense and generally benches and stools. Take a paper or a good book. Stop the clock. Relax and dont expect any pleasantries. Go prepared and you will just about enjoy a uniquely boho moulin rouge candles in empty wine bottles type of evening. read more

I like the Troubadour a lot. My favourite time to go is breakfast (or brunch, though that's a lot busier): I think those meals provide the most value for money, and is when the bustling, cluttered, multi-roomed bohemian vibe works best. I'd agree that the service isn't super-fast and efficient here, but I've not found it as bad as some of the other reviewers. I wouldn't go here if I was in a rush, though. A liesurely breakfast reading the papers or a couple of drinks in the evening is the best use of the place, in my book. They have live music downstairs in the evenings, typically of the folk/coffeehouse variety (some stars of the '60s played here back in the day, I'm told). The toilets downstairs are in an interesting layout. Check out the deli next door (http://www.qype.co.uk/place/120482-Troubadour-Delicatessen-London) which sells many of the dishes and ingredients they use here in the café, plus lots more. read more

The Troubadour is not so much a place to eat as a tradition. Its been around for many years and although its changed, the effects are rather subtle. It has a kind of slightly messy and casual look (in a good way) and can get busy with people squished into the seats and stools. I suppose that is part of the charm of a venue where you can meet a few unfussy friends for a coffee and maybe a bite to eat over a long chat. I disagree with others about service. Its just relaxed, not bad. There's also the live music area downstairs which has a similar long tradition. I'd say this place is more about soul than external appearances. Chill and Enjoy. read more