Bittersweet

We came to Bittersweet for after work drinks, and it wasn’t as bad as I feared. In fact I was pretty happy here and would come here again. Probably because we had a booth (do reserve one), it was happy hour until 8pm and the bar staff were very friendly. It also surprisingly wasn’t as packed as one would expect for a bar off Regent Street to be on a Friday night.
They have a decent varied two-​page selection of happy hour drinks at half price — and they didn’t taste too syrupy at all. However although I’d visit again, I probably wouldn’t come and pay full price for the cocktails. For that money, I’d prefer to go somewhere a bit calmer and less ‘Carnaby’ for that. As another Unilocaler put it, the décor was indeed a bit ‘pseudo posh’ and the music wasn’t very impressive. However it wasn’t full on Carnaby Zebranos tack meat-​market and for that I have very thankful (…although we didn’t stay past the end of Happy Hour at 8pm so perhaps it turned out that way after we had gone).

Maybe it’s because our group is small, place is small. …and it feels like a right space. Each time I was hesitant about this place and each time it turned into an awesome party. Especially because of the Pornstar Martini’s we had last time, I feel obliged to give 4* ;-)

Had some hope for this little bar, especially as its advertised as a ‘members bar’ — they can be good at times, but not in this case. The place is your standard central london pseudo posh club which is trying too hard. The décor was cliché, the music was very mediocre and the crowd was tacky and pretentious. Above this the cocktails were expensive (a dirty martini was £14) which were badly made by pretty inexperienced bartenders; ours had barely any alcohol in them too.
Overall a pretty dull and costly experience, save your money and time and head over to a proper cocktail club — there are plenty in town.

Nasty, tacky place with beading on the walls, all gold and sparkly lights.
I requested a Dark and Stormy, listed on the menu as being made with Goslings Rum. What I actually got was Bacardi and Ginger Beer — YUCK! My friend’s cocktail (he ordered a Pinstripe) hardly had any alcohol in it at all!
Not worth the prices or a revisit.

Now I did say in my last review that I would return for a good deal, so naturally when their happy hour of 2 full pages of cocktails at half price whizzed into my inbox, I made a mental note to try it out if in the area.
As luck would have it, my friends and I continued our professional cocktails after work in suits date from Bar Americain over to BitterSweet. Once again, a few people here inside but we secured the same alcove and were treated to some table service, always a nice touch. The bar staff this time didn’t drop glasses everywhere so gaining some plus points all the time.
We treated ourselves to a French Fancy (Kir Royale with strawberry for sweetness), Bön Bön Cerise (less impressed, not enough added to make it more than prosecco), Basilicious (classic basial and strawberry combo), Pinstripe (tart with lime and cranberry juice yet sweet with honey) and Affair (refreshing passion fruit). Have to say, writing that out makes me really like the names of these concoctions, served promptly and with a smile.
Upgrade to 4 stars because of the happy hour, paying £5 for each of these was more than acceptable, but paying £10 would not have been. All in all, go along to the happy hour, since it’s on so often (Sunday — Thursday 5 – 10 pm, Friday & Saturday 5−8pm)

Let me preface this review by saying… I am a snob!
This joint is new. It is in Soho and cute (albeit small inside). This is not what I’d deem a members club (despite the fact that I have a membership there).
I realise that some ‘members clubs’ admit non-​members during certain hours but this was just — NO! When I rocked up tonight, dressed appropriately (no jeans or trainers), the door staff were allowing run of the mill tourists in (jeans, trainers, smelling of tourist activitiy in London). That would have been a no for me to enter but I was meeting friends there. So I carried on… shame.
The interior is downstairs, again, it is cute but when I had a look around saw only 2 pods that can be pre-​booked and some tables (en-​rows) for pre-​booking in the main area.
I took a seat & waited for my friends to arrive. We had complimentary drinks — yeah, okay; then noticed more of the non-​member foot traffic making their way inside. It was clear to me that we wouldn’t be staying much longer.
It’s a shame that London still hasn’t grasped the concept of a ‘Members Club’…what the clientele should be… what the décor should be (this was ok) and what the music/​ambience should be (we had to start shouting to be heard over the alleged 15 year old DJ spinning unknown music nearby).
The toilets were acceptable and the service wasn’t too bad for Soho but I would only recommend this place as a meeting up point and then moving on to other digs… unless of course you like the look of scruffy 20 – 30 somethings, then it’s all good.
Hope it improves but I won’t be back.