Found out about Vertigo 42 through their amazing reviews and pictures on Groupon. There were nothing but positive reviews and I agree with all of them! For Mother's day I decided to surprise my mum with an afternoon tea during our visit in London. I contacted the staff regarding making a reservation as Groupon said they had no open spots and I received a response right away. They were very nice and told us to come at noon. The amazing service continued as we arrived a bit early so we were asked to wait in a comfy waiting area and then we proceeded upstairs to the 42nd floor. Such an amazing view! You could see the lovely River Thames and all of the buildings surrounding it. It was beautiful to see all of the roof top gardens and just the expanse of London. We were asked to sit where we were quickly brought champagne. The staff asked if there were any dietary restrictions and I told them that I was allergic to soy. He checked with the chef and unfortunately they make everything with soy flour. He apologized and asked me would I like some fruit. I told him sure and I was thinking it was going to be a small amount. This was a huge bowl of fruit with a mix of strawberries, grapes, raspberries, and melons. It was such an amazing surprise and it was fresh and delicious. He then brought out the tray of sandwiches, scones, and tarts. All were arranged beautifully and were delicious as well. I had a few bites of each and everything was delicious and very light. We had a selection of salami, cucumber, and tuna sandwiches. My mother and I took our time eating, talking, and taking pictures. The staff checked on us once, but after that we just sat, had our tea, and relaxed. There was no pressure for us to leave or move at all and I really loved and appreciated that! My mum and I really enjoyed our time at Vertigo 42 and I definitely would recommend coming here for a relaxing, modern, and lovely tea experience. read more

For some time I've been trying to overcome my fear of heights, so when a work colleague invited me to Vertigo, I initially wasn't too keen to join, but sought inspiration through the famous French Spiderman, Alain Robert, who overcame his fear...and decided to suck it up and face one of my (many) demons. On entrance there's a security search, with bag screening and a metal detection arch - similar to what you'd find at the airport - which I'm guessing is for the security of the other office residents on the remaining 41 floors as well as the bar. There's a designated lift (with a comfy chair nearby) that takes you all the way up without interuption - I was impressed by the smooth ride, but not impressed by my colleague who decided to count the levels out loud! On exiting the lift you're greeted by a chaise longue, along with a couple of soft chairs. Now many may think this is for decor. Oh, no no no! It's for the likes of me whose legs turn to jelly when they get out of the lift. Yes, I made use of it and can report it was comfortable. The panoramic view of London is BREATHTAKING and worth the visit if you wish your breath to be taken away. And you can't miss this view as the bar has mirrors going along the entire facing wall...nice! I got my colleague to take pics (didnt want to push my luck too much), but I did catch a glance of Canary Wharf (at a part of the bar where there is a level of the building that doesn't have the full drop - see pics - I was more comfortable here). I was slightly numbed by the price of the drinks - A glass of wine starting at £8.50, which helped take my mind off the view. Did I overcome my fear of heights? Did I 'eck! Note to self: Don't go to Vertigo if you suffer from vertigo :-p read more

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I got engaged here! Nuff said! Just kidding. The view is spectacular and the lychee champagne I had was delish although way overpriced. If you look at it more like paying for the view, then its worth every penny. I felt we should have just went to Vertigo instead of paying to go on the London Eye. read more

Birthday night at this breathless cocktail bar is the only one good reason to do it. London by night is always a good choice. But...this is it. Extremely expensive and you have to be lucky to find a place with the view on the right part of London. Once in life is ok just to say "I did it!" read more

Vertigo 42 - Tower bridge view - Champagne Bars Near Me - London, XGL

This was a nice place to come for a cocktail and a nice view. I definitely would say it is expensive, I however did get a Groupon where I got a charcuterie board, a cheese plate , and two cocktails for 32£. I don't think I would come and pay the full prices. I went at 5, opening time, and it was very hot. Several people were complaining about the heat and the workers just shrugged it off. read more

I tend to like these places that tower above the rest...and Vertigo 42 didn't let me down (no pun intended). I booked an area (You can't get in without a reservation) for my friends for after work drinks and to admire the gorgeous view of London. Note: there's a security search before you are permitted to enter Tower 42. The venue is on the 42nd Floor of Tower 42 and is a very expensive champagne bar. I can't stress that enough - it IS expensive. It's one of these places where you simply must go to see the stunning views, sip some bubbles and ponder what your life would be like as Richard Branson for the day. As expected it's a 360 venue, so you can walk around and gaze at all 4 points of the city below. It is however, smaller than similar places like The Attic. Time is limited in the venue to 2hrs (yes, they will boot you out after your reserved period expires), but it is well worth going at least once. read more

Went to Vertigo 42 for champagne with my SO after our dinner at Rhodes 24 18 floors below since she had never been to London before, where better to take her than the best view in the city? The place is expensive, but it's a champagne bar atop the tallest building in the city; if you're expecting anything less than high prices you're kidding yourself. I spent 89 pounds (~$150) on a bottle of Veuve Clicquot, which was about middle of the road for what bottles were priced at and the cheapest glass of champagne I saw was 13 pounds if memory serves. Service is on point, attentive but not annoying, my glass was never empty and they assisted me in getting a car service back to the hotel at the end of the evening. Ambiance is swanky, elegant and trendy, but not as upscale as I would have thought or hoped. It seemed people were going there as a destination and not as part of a nice evening out (not that I can completely blame them) but this lent to people being more casually dressed than they would have been had they also been going to a nice dinner as we had. Honestly though, who cares about the people around you? You shouldn't be looking at anything but the view which is amazing from all sides but particularly good facing the Thames (the first maybe 8-10 seats from the entrance moving around clockwise have a view of the Thames with the best views from the first few seats). The view of the Tower Bridge is particularly amazing which is best seen from the first 4 seats nearest the front desk. This place was more or less exactly what I wanted - a spectacular view of an amazing city. If you want to impress someone, take them here. read more

This place is amazing! We came right before sunset and the views are beautiful!!! Highly recommend! read more

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Amazing place to have some cocktails or champagne and eat some gourmet food. You can enjoy the amazing views of a lovely city like London, great experience in that place that I recommend to everybody!! It's a bit expensive but It's a must to go at least once. Take notice that is very important to book a table before going there. I'm sure that evrybody will enjoy to stay there just for drinking some cocktails or to celebrate any special event. read more

With so many places offering a view in London, I think you need to be doing more that just giving me a view. We had a couple of drinks each & some olives & nuts...the bill was more than our dinner at Jose Pizzaro. It didn't feel special (we were overlooking the less attractive side). There was nothing horribly wrong, it just wasn't amazing either. read more

Vertigo 42 - The view - Champagne Bars Near Me - London, XGL

Great place for evening drinks, watching the sunset. Booked in advanced and got really good seats. Not squashed at all, bar finger food was tasty and overall the service was on point. Went on the hottest day of the year and loved it, was perfect. read more

Vertigo 42 - Enjoying the sunset with a glass of Laurent Perrier Brut - Champagne Bars Near Me - London, XGL

I organised a friend's engagement party here and bar the uppity receptionist upon arrival, this place was brilliant and just the right tone for this kind of event. The views are obviously the wow factor and the all-glass, (almost) 360-degree bar, gives you a stunning panoramic view of the city. I'm not big on champagne, but the champagne was pretty nice too. Prices are what you would expect in this well to do location, but with a nice glass of bubbly and with some sights that, in my opinion, could rival the London Eye, it's worth it to go once. It does close fairly early, so if you've got cash to burn and want to make a night of it, don't leave it too late. read more

Vertigo is an incredible place for those who loves panoramic views, it's a very romantic place so make sure you are going there with a boyfriend or girlfriend. To book a drink or a dinner there it takes around 2 or 3 weeks so make sure that you do it before Last time, I went there with a friend and I felt very embarrassed read more

I have been on Vertigo42 one month ago when I had some friends visiting London. I took them there because I thought that they would like the views and it was fantastic!. The champagne bar is located on the floor 42 of the Nat West tower and you have to book in advance and give your credit card details (you are charged if you cancel the visit). When you arrive you are given a plastic card and after passing the security control you can go up in the lift to the bar. The views are amazing, I went at night and we could see the London buildings with the lights on. The price is expensive: the cheaper champagne bottle was around £55. read more

What a venue - the sights across London are superb. We had a bottle of Bollinger ready for our arrival and two glasses waiting. We were never without a topped-up glass, but all done very discretely - just the way waiting service should be. We had booked to be there for 45mins (just enough time for my partner to propose!), but we were not moved on after an hour and a half, as the staff had recognised it was a special occasion - and other parties were relocated to other free areas. The toilets were a bit gross however - only one for the ladies (which is never enough), and it felt like a shabby service station toilet. But hey - Im not complaining - everything else was perfect. read more

The menu at Vertigo 42 is very Champagne led with plenty available by the glass or bottle as well is it being used in most, if not all of the cocktails (wines and spirits are also available). Glasses of Champagne start at £14 with bottles going in to the hundreds. All cocktails are priced at a steep £14. Vertigo 42 is very much a bar, not a restaurant but they do offer a selection of snacks including chicken skewers, pork pies, tiger prawns, bread & olives. We arrived at the base of Tower 42 and after checking in at reception were given Vertigo 42 cards to get through the security turnstiles and were directed to the lift up to the bar. The lighting in the bar gives it an air of class and you have a sneaking suspicion your wallet is about to take a pounding. The layout is slightly odd here but it works. There is a narrow corridor that goes round 3 sides of a square with seating and full height windows on one side and mirrored walls on the other, which gives each table plenty of privacy. Unfortunately, we were given pretty rubbish seats when we arrived right on the end by the reception. The view was still fantastic but hardly the panoramic vista we were hoping for. We ordered a couple of drinks - the inventively named Classic Champagne Cocktail served with Cognac, and sugar cube soaked in Angostura bitters and The Royale Hendricks - Hendricks, Elderflower cordial, Lemon juice, top up with champagne and lemon zest. Our drinks arrived in classic Champagne flutes and after doing a quick bit of recon, asked if we could move deeper in to the bar. The staff obliged and we took our pick from a couple of empty spaces which gave us the views we were after, which really are spectacular. We kicked back and ordered another round of cocktails. I had a Crystal Lychee - Crystal head Vodka, Lychee pure, Fresh Lime Juice top up with Champagne and Antonia had a Bellini served with peach puree and crème de pêche. All the cocktails we had were perfectly made. read more

With the extraordinary efforts I had to go to to book a place here I was expecting something better. Basically having to sign a contract, hand over my bank details and two phone numbers before even setting foot into the venue I thought they would have had the service down to a T. First off we had to wait in a queue to go through a security check wasn't specified on the website. Then the fact I could have been charged for being 15 minutes late, it didn't seem to stop the waiters let the people in our space have it for an extra 15 minutes while we stood behind them. Once having selected our champagne the waiter kindly showed us the bottle before walking off and returning with five filled glasses. This could mean we were given any old champagne and when we asked for a top up we were told the bottle had been finished, could have meant it was any old measurement we were paying over the odds for. Its a tourist trap and its sad because many people go up there to celebrate special occasions and I don't feel there is any room for poorly run venues. read more

Recently went for champagne afternoon tea. We had no troubles booking and were given the time slot we wanted. Upon arrival, all the staff were friendly and when we asked to move to some different seats for a specific view, this was immediately acted upon. The champagne was served within 5 minutes of being seated and the food shortly afterwards. The food was really quite good and the fact neither of us ate seafood posed no problem as the salmon sandwiches were substituted for a wonderful hummus. My only quibble is that the food sizes were not great and the tea was only offered almost after we'd finished. Price wise, we went with Amazon local and this made it most acceptable. Had we not had the discount however, I do believe it would have been a tad pricey for what we were served. Overall, very good! read more

Once upon a time i used to work in an office in Tower 42 ... and hence always wanted to go up to Vertigo (which has its own private elevator). An acquaintance of mine will be leaving London shortly ... so finally we got together for a drink at Vertigo. The view from the top is beautiful, though the glass partition meant that i didn't get a sense of Vertigo. It was obvious that this is what they sell as all the seats were at the edge, along the circumference of the floor... with the storage area at the centre. The place is undoubtedly expensive ... with the cheapest glass of champagne at more than £12. If you are in a group of more than one, it makes sense to order bottles, as the two of us did, and left quite tipsy :p I was a bit disappointed with the accompaniments ... there were very few starters, especially vegetarian ones, and we had to do with a plate of almonds (which were delicious by the way). The service was quite nice ... they promptly refilled our glasses even before we had finished them. All in all it was a very nice experience ... though i couldn't fathom why people take clients up there ... i wouldn't be able to talk any business when such a soothing music is being played. Its always good to make a reservation as there is very limited seating. They take your credit card details and you will be charged £10 per head for a no-show (which is also the minimum spend). read more

The appearance of elite and a VIP experience--The view was beautiful and I think if you were to take someone who isn't the easiest with convo might be a challenge be prepared for intimate conversation. Wouldn't recommend for a first date. There is not much mingling amongst the guests. The waiters were helpful but altogether uninterested in the guests since we only purchased a glass of Pommery Rose ( £16.75/each which was delish). I do think the waiter commented that a bottle would be cheaper. Nevertheless, could be a nice start to an evening. If your parents, friends or relatives come to town, they would get a kick out of the fab view. Try to book the first 5 tables from the entrance as they have the best view! Ching Ching. read more

View gets FIVE stars, Drinks get FOUR stars on quality, TWO stars for the price. Food gets TWO stars for quality but FOUR stars for the price. Ordered the Blini and thought they were like cold, tasteless McGriddles from McDonalds, not what real Blini are. Understandably it's an interpretation but not a very good one. The pork pies we ordered after were pretty good. In the end less was spent than you would buying standard walk-up tickets for 2 on the London Eye and then buying a souvenir, AND we had champagne cocktails, some food, and were higher up than the London Eye. So we enjoyed it and would recommend it if you don't go there hungry and don't mind over 14 pounds for a mixed drink or champagne. read more

Five stars for the view, but the service sucked. Staff came to get our drink order and never came back to ask if we wanted anything else, even after we asked for someone to come back. If it wasn't for the view, I would have left right after I finished my drink. read more

I'm giving it 2 stars because it is one of the very very few places in London that is kind of high-up in a modern building. Although in my opinion their operation would be much smoother if they reduce the size of the place to half. The reason is that only a quarter of the venue offers an interesting skyline view (the East and South east quadrant is completely flat and boring). And since the space is quite narrow, the wait staff don't have enough space to move around hence the slow service. Which brings me to my 2nd point, the price. When you're paying 80 pounds for a bottle of very average champagne you would be inclined to expect more attentive services. One simply should not charge more than the Mandarin Oriental for ordinary champagne without offering the service. They may also want dim the light slightly when night falls, as the lighting is quite blinding if you are sitting near the windows. Ventilation also needs improvement as there isn't enough fresh air going around the circular room. My overall advice is, Vertigo 42 is good for ONE sunset drink if you're in the neighborhood. Although if you've been to Hong Kong, Shanghai, Tokyo, Bangkok, Dubai, New York, Chicago, or whatever metropolitan cities out there with ample supply of big tall buildings, then you will find Vertigo 42 nothing special, if not rather disappointing. read more

Overpriced, cramped with rude waiting staff. We went there expecting something special. Instead there is a curved corridor with just enough room for a few bar stools. The drinks are outrageously expensive, plus tip. We were placed near the toilet with no seats and views of the roof. The waiter was rude and obnoxious. This is a tourist trap, plain and simple.The only good bit is the view which is spoilt by the cramped conditions. read more

Nice view, but not amazing - there are much better in London. Its really small and not worth the champagne they serve!

The only reason to go there is the view. 2 stars purely for the view; the staff was ok as well, but the food and the drinks are just horrible. You would expect to pay a premium but the quality was really bad. read more

Great views, nice champagne. You get what you pay for. A bunch of people there on the company expense account, which was probably the only detractor for the place read more

Don't waste your money going to Vertigo 42. Yes there is a good view but the bar is overpriced and not really as glamorous as you would expect. Because of the height of the building most of the floorspace seems to be taken up by the liftwell so essentially you are crammed around the windows on the outside, constantly elbowed by waiters and others walking past. I am in agreement with Kirsty T - try the London Eye instead. read more

I went there with my partner birthday, was a good night and great view. Would go again for special occasions!

Incredibly expensive booze and nibbles but the views make this worth a visit even if you only go the once. We did find the staff really snooty towards us, ok we're not city types but my money's just as good as the next persons read more

What a View!!!!!! Its just amazing to sit at the window and youre having the complete city in front of you. When you get a table for the sunset, you feel so happy to found this place. The prices are high but the view compensates it. The atmosphere is quiet and the dresscode is upscale. The finger-food that will be served is having a very good quality and the choice of good wines or champagnes fits perfect to the place. If you want to impress a girl you have to go to this bar! read more

My poor brother booked a slot at this bar for a date who cancelled on him, so he took me instead! As a one off experience this was great, but not the type of place I would go back to. The views were fantastic andprobably worth the overpriced drinks. As there wasn't much difference between wine and the champagne cocktails, it was cocktails all the way. But at a tenner a go we made them last! It was full of trendy city boys but the layout of the bar means you can pretty much ignore them. Due to the time slot you have, I did feel a bit under pressure to have fun it but it was still an enjoyable experience. read more

Ok so it's a little frayed around the edges, its interior could have been designed by Burt Reynolds for his 70s shag pad and yes it's a little pricier than other city establishments but then again its on the 42 floor!! Personally I found it's important to get a good seat so be prepared to be a little pushy when you first come in, don't let them fob you off with the views over west Essex, aiming for st pauls is the way forward. You also get the lower chairs rather than the bar stool affairs that are to be found looking north and east. Other than that it's got great views and on a clear night or lunch it still impresses me every time I visit. The 2 sittings approach could frustrate but get in on the first siting and if your quaffing it back the worst that they do is move you to another spot and a change of view isn't to be sniffed at. So, pricy, but what would you expect stunning views and great place to go especially if your taking someone special. read more

We got there 15 mins after our booking started so got seats in the corner by the door. Make sure you get there on time as a seat in the middle has views that really are great!! Champagne and cocktails are great and so was the food. Bit pricey for me to make regular visits but a very impressive date night if you really like someone!! :) read more

Great view of London that's all. Reservations only and your credit card details are taken while booking. Limited seating area. Staff is unattended no wow factor! read more

breathtaking views of London, overpriced drinks with a minimum purchase necessary for entry

Great place, special, but it is a bit on the expensive side. Great for Fridays drinks or drinks with clients. Great views, but watch out, may get dizzy looking from the windows after few beers. read more

The main thing Vertigo 42 has going for it is very obviosuly the views. The bar is on the 42nd floor of the NatWest tower and offers amazing views of all over London. There is floor to ceiling windows so your view is uninterupted and is absolutely stunning at sunset. The bar itself I do not rate very highly. It tends to be the haunt of rich city peeps and as a reult the drink prices are massively over -inflated. I believe the cheapest glass of wine (GLASS!) was around £8.60. The food is very expensive- we went for a friend's birthday and ordered some platters of food- they were £32 each and there was no where near as much food as you would expect for that price. The decor isn't up to much either- there is a real 80s feel to it, I am sure back in the yuppies heyday this was a huge hit- but it hasn't seemed to move on since. Overall worth a look just for the views- but it would be cheaper to go on the London Eye!!! read more

The concept sounds great, but . . . having used Amazon Local to book we were sat on little squashy footstools instead of chairs, which were empty for most of our stay. Would not have been so bad except I have arthritis. Was told to sit there, no argument. Booking was a challenge with a rather aggressive employee who was keen to vinidate their unhelpful on-line booking system. My suggestion: Save the money, go to any other, free, high place in London for the view and then enjoy a dinner (which would cost about the same as their champagne and hors-d'oeuvres). If you must go, do it once for the view, pay over the top for middling champagne, but at least you can say you did it. read more

Excellent venue was here for Valentines with my partner last night, and the service was excellent. We were seated straight away, and we had a bottle of Pink champagne waiting for us at our area. Glasses were topped up discreetly and you never found yourself empty. The canapes that were brought out were excellent, and the waiting staff were friendly and chatty. Plus, the view is bloody fantastic. read more