FIFTY London

I came here once for a party. Food was ok. I notice that it’s closed down now.

On the prowl for an up-​market «escort»? *This* is your venue. Oy. Seriously. It was actually uncomfortable sitting in the cocktail lounge next to so many «ladies in red» (literally — I’m not kidding) indifferently sipping their martinis all alone…
If the dubious crowd weren’t bad enough, the basement club’s sound system was WEAK … so muffled you could barely detect bass… I’ve had better speakers in a rental car. The mainly Russian crowd seemed to be enjoying themselves — dancing around their tables with relish… but we just couldn’t get into it
So… put-​off by the harlots and bored of the music, we wandered upstairs to the casino. It was like a scene out of an old Western movie. A stagnant empty room with exactly TWO men drinking Scotch and playing Blackjack. The rest of the dealers were just shuffling their cards…
«Is it always like this?» I asked one of them.
«It’s been a quiet week,» he replied… (Or perhaps year? I wondered… judging from the staleness in the air…)
Undaunted by the eerie scene, my friend bought some chips for a bit of roulette. Twenty minutes later, and my friend at least that many quid poorer, we left.
More than anything, FIFTY London just felt depressing. I don’t know what it was like a year or two ago… maybe it can *be* happening… but the night I was there, it felt like it had bitten the recession dust pretty hard.

I have been lucky enough to have been a member since the gorgeous Fifty opened its doors and still is a fabulous venue with even more fabulous staff from the lovely ladies at reception, the door staff, barmen to the infamous Salvatore himself. I have never had a bad evening and it’s a venue for all types of company from taking my Mother to a date to a night out with the girls.
I highly recommend but the previous reviewer is correct that you have to be a member or a guest of a member!

Back in my single days I was invited to Fifty by a gentleman member (yes it is members only — us civvies have to pay a serious wedge of cash per year or be invited) The gentleman in particular was trying to impress me. He did a good job as I felt like I had stepped onto a Bond film set. This vast venue with it’s extravagant chandeliers, sweeping marble staircases and massive floor-​to-​ceiling windows is laid out on four floors all oozing sophisticated décor. It has a seriously magnificent Casino, two restaurants with the chef being internationally acclaimed, a fantastic cocktail lounge with a world renowned award winning mixacologist taking the helm, and a club lounge in the basement.
I must admit although given the guided tour with mouth a gasp, we spent most of the evening in the cocktail lounge. It has an enormous 25 foot bar with sultry décor and clever lighting to give it a real sexy but sophisticated feel. But the best part of it was meeting the head bar man Salvatore, apparently he is known all over the world — I wouldn’t be surprised as he is a charming character, and made me feel like I was the only lady in the room (little did I know when we left the bar to sit down he was giving the same routine to the next lady who fell for it). Ahh well, you can forgive him, for he made us the best cocktails I have ever had the pleasure to taste. EVER. So if you go may I suggest you try the Spicy Fifty and Breakfast Martini and if you are a ladyask for Salvatore.