The Warwick is a lively bar in amongst the hustle and bustle of London's West End. The perfect spot for a night out in Soho, I popped in to see what made it so popular.
The Venue:
Split over two floors, The Warwick is divided between a main bar and the Crystal Lounge downstairs, both of which are decked out with dark panelled wooden flooring, comfortable booths and mahogany bar stools. The lounge is open later for late night dancing, whilst the upstairs main bar caters more for casual drinkers and those looking to grab a bite to eat.
The Crystal Lounge at The Warwick
The Ambience & Clientele:
The crowd consisted mainly of after work drinkers, but the venue's central location and cost effective prices ensures that it remains popular as a tourist haunt. The Warwick boasts a real mix of clientele, giving the bar a lively atmosphere and aided somewhat by the lively mix of background music. By 6pm, the bar was already busy with punters taking advantage of Happy Hour deals, and bartenders serving up a choice of cocktails, wines and beers. Customers were ordering at the bar but as it was already quite congested, a server was coming over to tables taking orders, leaving us to sit back and relax once our orders were in.
The Warwick is a venue of impressive design, showcasing dark woods and brooding hues.
The Food and Drinks:
Happy Hour cocktails were £4.50 rather than the usual £6.95+, so I ordered a Wild Meadow; a refreshing gin concoction topped off with apple juice, lemonade and nettle cordial. To eat, we went for a sharing platter of simple yet effective pub grub, consisting of honey and mustard cocktail sausages, mini burgers and mini fish and chips. Much of the food at The Warwick is made up of similar bar snacks and comfort foods, but their main menu does feature some larger dishes such as steak and red wine pie or chicken kiev, so it is certainly an option to head there for a main meal as well as a drink and a dance.
The Warwick serves up an impressive selection of cocktails.
Summary:
With a great location, lots of space and a late license, The Warwick is a great all rounder that can cater for all kinds, with business types popping in for a quick lunch and a rowdier bunch arriving later on into the night. While it continues to juggle so many different types of customer effectively, The Warwick will continue to attract the crowds and it's easy to see why.
