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    The Yard Bar

    3.8 (40 reviews)
    ModerateGay Bars
    Closed 2:00 pm - 11:00 PM

    The Yard Bar Photos

    THE YARD BAR ATMOSPHERE

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

    Recommended Reviews - The Yard Bar

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    David J.

    As Soho gay bars go, the Yard is one of the better venues. You'll probably already be getting my drift that I'm not generally a great fan of gay bars in Soho: the combination of loud music, high prices and arrogant and inefficient bar staff doesn't do much for me, and yet they're packed to the point where there's nowhere to stand, let alone sit. Still, sometimes you find yourself meeting friends there, so here goes. On the plus side, the Yard has an excellent situation: it's located at the end a short passage off Rupert Street, so it's well placed for central Soho, but lets you feel that you are leaving all the grot in the street behind. The said passage leads to a surprisingly pleasant courtyard with a few tables, behind which is a smallish indoor seating area and bar. A plus is that the loos are handy on the ground floor and kept reasonably clean, and are brightly lit - no treks down darkly lit narrow passages(!) There's also a very nice loft-style room upstairs, although this often seems taken over for private functions (it accommodates up to 110). It serves the usual range of bottled beers and keg lagers (Grolsch, Stella) and a 33cl Budweiser Budvar will set you back £3.50 - not the most expensive, but I'd rather have a decent pint for less. They have a wide range of cocktails, from £6 to £9, with shots from £3.50. A friend ordered a Sauvignon Blanc and was sure he was served a Chardonnay: I wasn't so sure, but the fact we could debate it wasn't a good sign. Service was pleasant enough, but very slow on the second trip to the bar (how can 4 staff take nearly 10 minutes to serve 5 customers?) and they give your change back in a little dish, with the words 'Service not included' in bold block capitals on the receipt - as if tipping at the bar was a British tradition. Sorry guys, that's not a trend I want to see starting in London. They have a DJ, pumping out everything from disco to heavy club beats in the downstairs bar Thursday to Sunday - right next to the serving area. You can escape this in the courtyard, but it makes ordering a drink aurally challenging. There's also a dedicated smokers' balcony upstairs, but if this area is not open you have to venture into the street. The punters are a typically mixed Soho lot, tending towards the affluent and / or trendy end of things. So, not a place I'd personally rush to, but if you like this sort of thing generally, then it's better than most of the competition, and on a sunny day is quite pleasant..

    Lee B.

    Nestled in an intimate courtyard tucked away off Rupert St The Yard is a welcoming retreat for the hustle and bustle of busy London with a heated, beautiful garden courtyard bar and comfortable balconied loft bar, perfect for spending long summer or cozy winter nights with friends or loved ones. The Yard attracts a mature sexy, discerning, gay crowd, from suits & gym bunnies to pre-clubbers and streetwise tourists. Tables and VIP areas can be reserved, free, for special occasions and we also boast one of the most comprehensive cocktails menus in town! The bar staff are dishy too!

    Keith T.

    I used to go here a lot years ago but it feel out of favour. I met friends here at the weekend and it's looking tired. Normal drinks are expensive but happy hour is quite reasonable. The Loft (the bit upstairs) opens in the evening and there is a wide selection of cocktails. Happy hour enables you to pick two classic cocktails (the same ones) for the price of one. Get there early to nab a sofa in the winter or a prime spot on the balcony. It's a nice spot as most of it is outside (it is basically a back yard). It's just a shame it's just looking so tired.

    Qype User (Evil_B…)

    I love the walkway through the courtyard gates through a white tunnel like walkway with twig like adornment covered in small blue lights, very Santa's grotto like at Xmas, Which opens out to a spacious courtyard with seating. There is a nice downstairs bar & a smaller, more basic, bar upstairs, with a balcony popular with smokers, the view of the courtyard from there is lovely, but look up & straight ahead & the view is quite different, the back of grubby looking flats that need a good painting, which is a shame. The prices are the Soho average, which is never cheap, but there is a happy hour when drinks are much more reasonable. I have always found the punters friendly & have always got chatting to new people whenever I have been there.

    Great ambiance!
    Shaun P.

    A bar with its own unique ambiance. A central outdoor courtyard giving it a fresh air feel, apart from smokers also allowed to smoke freely here (not so sure it meets UK/EU laws!). The staff friendly, even the door security had a sense of humour! Its certainly worth including this place on your tour of the local gay bars. All people are welcome here, gay and straight alike.

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    Lovely place, I had good memories with love ones and friends !!! Totally recommend!!!!

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    The Yard Bar Reviews in Other Languages

    Review Highlights - The Yard Bar

    The name the Yard obviously comes from the courtyard through which you enter, where several tables are available.

    Mentioned in 12 reviews

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    Eagle London

    Eagle London

    3.9(16 reviews)
    1.9 miVauxhall, Kennington, Oval, South Lambeth
    ££

    OK I admit I'm a stereotype, but I'm a gay dude who loves to dance in clubs with bangin' sound…read moresystems. This London gay club has just the right mixture of sexual undercurrent and outrageously good sound system. It is a gay cousin of the alien bar in the opening sequence of Star Wars, with a definitely one-of-a-kind vibe, and some characters that may or may not be human. It used to be much more in-your-face with the sex, but that's been toned down from NC-17 (bordering on X-rated) to R-rated...just the same, even now don't bring prudes here. Bizarrely enough, my straight work colleagues turned to me and said they wanted to go to an outrageously fun gay disco. So, I took them to this Vauxhall institution, and they let the female work colleagues in too, after I flirted with the bouncer. Before the night was over, they'd definitely had the aforementioned outrageous fun. The place really reminds me of another one-of-a-kind club with a sex theme dialed up to the max and a chest-vibrating sound system: Miami's E11even. The main differences are (1) this club is not 24 hours, 365 days a year like the Miami fraternal twin (opens 8PM and runs very late), and (2) there are boys wearing next to nothing gyrating, not girls. It's easy to find with GPS. Any London cabbie will know the place, and it's easy to get to by subway. For logistics, just remember the Tube closes down fairly early by large city standards, and the cabs get a huge spike in demand when the last train departs. Thank [insert deity here] that London let Uber resume operations. The neighborhood can be slightly edgy, especially late at night, but dodge the dark archways, etc., and you should be fine. If you're a cocktail fan, this place has a great bar. The real star of the show is the truly amazing sound system with laser lights, etc. Most nights have themes, and the night we went was Horse Meat Disco night, which despite the name seems to be generally just a fun dance party with cool lighting effects. Other nights are a little more themed by body type and clothing (bears, underwears, etc). Oh one important thing: with a name like Eagle London, you might expect this to be mostly leather guys and maybe a little seedy. Instead it's sort of a radical cross-section of gay Londoners and pretty spiffy decor. I recommend the place highly.

    Fun and relaxed atmosphere. My husband and I were visiting from Los Angeles and we had a great time.read more

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    Eagle London
    Eagle London
    Eagle London

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    West Five Bar

    West Five Bar

    4.0(9 reviews)
    7.3 miEaling
    ££

    This place is hilarious…read more Nestled in the surburban-y nowhere of South Ealing is this strange and wonderful place. I'd heard of West Five. It has an ambiguous reputation, meaning my imagination ran wild with the all kinds of grott and depravity it could be. This place blew my expectations. I imagined some tacky bar with large dancefloor and disco-balls galore. Some attempt to rival the Soho scene. Oh No. It's a pub. A really big pub. Traditional pub sign hanging high outside proudly coloured in rainbow. Inside, aside from the purple-pink neon bar it's your local. Good selection behind the bar and really reasonable prices. The staff are unpretentious and friendly. There's a real feeling of community here, everyone knowing everyone, instead of everyone sleeping with everyone. We went on a Friday, the evening started early with great entertainment. A wonderful gentleman playing you show tune classics on the stunning grand piano in one section of the bar. We moved from the dance classics to join him. He took requests and invited us up to sing. It was a wonderful atmosphere for friends catching up. Moving on from civilised sing song and chat we take up our space on the dancefloor and get ready for the head-liner. A fantastic caliber of drag act entertained us. Far from your dodgy man in a dress was this wonderful entertainer that warmed us up for an energetic night on the dancefloor. This pub is great for groups. Pool table, seating, different spaces for different crowds and a good atmosphere. It's not always very busy, even on this particular Friday it was no where near full, and it was quite clear they were mainly audience for the headline act. Don't get me wrong, it's still all kinds of camp, disco balls included and the ladies leave a lot to be desired but it's got a lot of soul. I wish this place was not in the arse crack of no where, but I suppose if it was, it wouldn't be the same.

    This is my favorite gay venue in the whole of London!…read more The place is just great, it's big, got friendly staff and something for everyone. Bingo nights, karaoke nights, quiz nights, DJ's, drag shows, a massive garden, a piano lounge, big dance floor, comfy sofas, yeah, everything you could wish for when you want a night out! Another reason for this being my favorite place is that the people who go there seems more relaxed than in central London. Less artificial and pretentious. There is also a big mix between girls and boys, women and men, straights and gays, in all ages! If you want a good and fun night out, or just somewhere to chill, this is your place!

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    West Five Bar
    West Five Bar
    West Five Bar

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    Central Station

    Central Station

    3.0(7 reviews)
    1.6 miKing's Cross
    ££

    Central Station is not the classiest of establishments…read more I'm sure it has a very loyal, local clientèle, but I'm afraid I won't be back. In the area with a few hours to kill, The Mrs remembers - somewhere around here is one of the oldest gay bars. Central station. Not one to miss out on a dodgy gay bar, we Yelp it and start the trek. On the approach; our negative suspicions were proved right as we saw the well worn exterior of the pub. Taking a deep breath we ventured in. On first impressions it actually looked quite nice. Deep purple painted walls and trendy wall paper. A light and airy look. The Problems started when we ordered a drink at the bar. Drinks weren't cheap and I got what I believe to be the dirtiest pint ever had the displeasure of drinking. It just tasted foul, like the lines hadn't been cleaned, ever. Everywhere on the bar and tables seemed to already be wet. Even for 8pm on a Friday night the atmosphere was lifeless with just a scattering of lone men sitting around the place. Bar flies were a staple here. As standard, there was no lock on the ladies - which was another delight. Describing itself as a 'restaurant' even going so far as putting itself on TopTable I was sceptical. I'm afraid we didn't brave the food as the menu didn't look very appetising. Now there is a club downstairs, and a pool table lives out the back so I'm sure there are better nights to go there and when there are people I'm sure its a hoot. But. No. Just. No

    This is a traditional old school gay bar, club ('Underground' in the basement) and budget hotel…read more Very welcoming, confident and uncompromising in its culture and identity. As a bar, it's not hip nor stylish but offers a welcome home to a variety of local community events embracing all aspects of queer and allied trade identities including regular socials for trans people, cross dressers and their admirers - if you're no comfortable with this then prepare to see your horses frightened! If you are then enjoy one of the warmest spaces in town. The hotel (perhaps more B&B) is clean but dated, with reasonable facilities and a can do attitude. They have a lovely little roof terrace and while hardly boutique, it does a great breakfast fry up and a proper cup of tea - a rare find in that big London these days.

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    Central Station
    Central Station
    Central Station - Classy establishment

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    Classy establishment

    Vault 139

    Vault 139

    1.8(4 reviews)
    0.8 miFitzrovia

    Visiting from the U.S. and blown away by how the POC staff here treat people who look like them…read more You'd think there would be at least a little friendliness but no. They'll bend over backwards for certain folks and completely ignore you. It was so bad another customer had to apologize to me for how they were acting. Wild to see that level of self hate in action. Definitely not tourist friendly.. unless you are white.

    No wonder they have 2 stars. Tonight 08/17/2024 I was there. I went to the bar to get a drink. I…read morewas over looked by the 2 bartenders for at least 20 mins. It wasn't that crowded at the bar. When other guest would walk up they would get immediate attention. I didn't want to loose my spot so I stayed there to see if eventually one of them would come over. At one point which was the last straw 2 guys walked up on the right of me and one of the bartenders looked our way and said "hey there" thinking he was speaking to me. I smiled. Then he walked right past me and spoke with them and went back to the other side of the bar! As I walked away a tall guy was behind me and he saw it and looked in shock as to say he saw what happened, he didn't say anything to the bartenders to assist. It wasn't he job to I know. I asked for the manager, I shared my experience, he apologized and gave excuses saying the guys were new. And that he will speak with them. He offered to get me a drink. I was done by then and I declined. I mentioned that I would give a review. I won't be back. What happened to customer service? If I could left the stars blank I would have.

    New Bloomsbury Set - The main bar.

    New Bloomsbury Set

    4.4(14 reviews)
    1.0 miBloomsbury
    ££

    Oh yelpers... hidden stairwells, gays, cocktails... if you've been keeping up with my hot lists,…read moreyou know that this is the way to my 5-star affection. Be on the lookout for for the NBS sign, because we were absolutely baffled at first as to where this place actually exitsted (76 seems like a fairly straightforward number, but the entrance isn't off marchmount...) Great cosy little bar that suits the locals in the know. NBS has some well-crafted cocktails that packed quite a punch and a chilled out atmosphere. There's a couple of small little private caves with mini flatscreens and pillows if your group wants to be a bit away from the crowd, otherwise plop down on one of the cushy leather sofas and sip the night away. We were there on a Sunday night so it was pretty quiet, though we were told that it does pack up a bit more on prime nights. All in all, the NBS is a great little bar that delivers exactly what you would expect from this neighborhood.

    It's 5pm, I'm starving and tired…read more Simon - What are you doing tonight? Eric - Damned if I know. You? Simon - Come out with my friends and I. Eric - Done. Two hours and an unappetising avocado and chicken pesto sandwich from Pret A Manger (that's a review for another time) later, I met my friend at The New Bloomsbury Set. There was a lovely blast wall of air-conditioning as soon as I walked down the stairs and entered the bar. It is small and minimalistic and comfortable. Those things don't always go hand in hand but Jez has pulled it off somehow and I thank him for it. If you take a look at the wall on your left as you enter you will see three little alcoves that look like they may have been storage space at one time. I didn't have a chance to ask but they've been gussied up as a nice little chill out space. Throw pillows and carpets make these little spaces nice and cosy but don't completely alienate you from the rest of the room. They have a full bar with a wonderful drink menu and plenty of beers to suit a number of tastes. It's a safe bet that you're in good hands unless you only drink odd things like 20 year aged mescal. I have a light hearted warning to pass on about the hall outside the bathrooms. There is a disco ball and coloured lighting so beware. A dance party might just break out. If you happen to be looking for a nice, intimate place to have a drink and relax then I highly recommend The New Bloomsbury Set.

    Photos
    New Bloomsbury Set - A cosy welcoming entrance

    A cosy welcoming entrance

    New Bloomsbury Set
    New Bloomsbury Set

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    The Yard Bar - gaybars - Updated May 2026

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