Champagne Charlies

Great friendly service and unique environment where you can manage to hold a conversation. Food seems a little pricey but was very nice. Will definitely visit again and will bookmark as great meeting venue between a Embankment and Charing Cross

Finally a bar where I can actually have a conversation! I went here for a friend’s birthday and it was marvelous to hear the people I was conversing with rather than getting lost in the din. The wine list was also very good and I think my companions were happy with their beers. This isn’t a bar for meeting strangers, but a great place to bring a group. It is, however, in the basement, so not friendly to the mobility impaired.

I ordered the duck. It was cooked perfectly, the sauce paired well with the fatty duck breast, and the vegetables were soft and seasoned well. I didn’t have high expectations, but I must admit… I left very satisfied. Good job Charlie. Btw, cool name.

I’ve been here a few times, with both work colleagues and friends, and have never been disappointed. The ambience is very traditional, but the clientele is eclectic. Service is always polite and efficient and the food (lunchtime) has never disappointed, always accompanied by some good reds at a reasonable price. At lunch time you will probably need to book to secure a table, as it gets quite packed. It is also a good place to go just for a drink after work. Although it was difficult to find the first time, I made sure I had a GPS point for it for the future. Now I get there on automatic pilot. Lunch, with two courses and half a bottle of red (shared bottle) is an average of £32

Been meeting friends here for years, and expect I will do for many more to come. It’s on the expensive side, but a good choice for those of us who enjoy our wine.
Being under the railway arches, this cavernous pub benefits from plenty of space, with good sized areas for bigger groups and intimate nooks and crannies for small ones. A downside of this is, of course, the lack of phone reception, which is invariably problematic for groups of friends in London with everyone working different hours.

Nice enough Davy’s place with reasonable food and ale, and a good selection of wines from around the world.
Personally, I like the place as it usually provides a pleasant alternative to Gordon’s Wine Bar when that gets packed further down Villier’s Street.
Another ‘plus point’ of which some people have taken advantage is the lack of mobile phone signal. This has led to this bar becoming a bit of a rendezvous for illicit affairs due to its central location, lack of interruptions, and good transport links for a fast getaway.
The first time I was there bore witness to a executive ‘lady’ quietly but indiscreetly lap dancing on a ruddily excited businessman in the corner. Their bangers and mash looked good though.

I love this pub/​restaurant. It is convenient for the tube and buses, atmospheric and the food is very good value if you take advantage of the Prix fixe menu. We had two courses for about 15 pounds and the choice and quality of the food was excellent, not your usual pub grub. If there are a few of you, you can reserve a private room, which is really a selection of «offices’ with windows and a door. Very cool.

Unadulterated, sawdust on the floor type of place which you don’t find often these days, let alone this centrally in London.
Only made it in for one drink at the end of a night — a pewter tankard of Old Wallop that one assumes is brewed on the premises. Tasted fine wherever it comes from anyway. The range of other drinks on offer looked reasonable too so I think I’ll attempt a revisit next time in the city.

I’ve walked up Villiers street I don’t know how many times and never seen this place, tucked away under one of the arches under Charing Cross station.
This is basically an underground cavern, frequented by many city types (read toffs). I was there last week with many of them, civil servant types who were all well behaved. I can understand how this may attract the odd arrogant wanker, but then any place in the Strand is going to have that problem isn’t it?
The cool thing about this place is all the little meeting rooms dotted around the underground bar, so you can have your own cosy area with friends — or book out a room for a meeting/​client dinner etc.
Didn’t get a chance to try the food as this was a ‘wet’ works do, but this is a good meeting place with no music so good for those that like a pint and a chat with friends.