Icebar London

Icebar is pretty much what it says on the tin — a bar made of ice. Cold, –5°C Swedish ice, to be precise.
We got kitted out in thermal capes and gloves, and were served cocktails served in glasses made entirely of ice — it was awesome.
The walls, the chairs, the bar — everything was ice, and had been carved beautifully. My favourite part was the skull, which had a brain carved into it and everything!
For the price of a ticket, you get given a cocktail and can stay in the room for 45 minutes before you have to leave. Is it gimmicky? Yes, absolutely — but it is really fun, and you do feel surprisingly toasty in your thermal cape.

As a Londoner, I dismissed the Icebar as a novelty aimed primarily at tourists. As a Canadian, I eschewed it because huddling for warmth in an icebox– and paying for the pleasure– was distinctly unappealing. However, I was recently given the opportunity to experience both the Icebar and restaurant. We’ve had anything but a conspicuous winter this year and my tolerance for sub-​zero temperatures was high– so I took the icy plunge.
Upon arrival to the Icebar, visitors are provided with a thermal hooded cape to drape over their shoulders– it’s weighty and slightly restrictive, but provides an effective layer of warmth. Bulky mittens are attached to the cape by a cord, but it’s impossible to take the requisite photographs with your hands burried in these sheaths.
The Icebar itself is a small room where all surfaces are– wait for it– carved from ice. There are some tables and seats, but you’ll be lured in by the overtly Instagrammable décor, with features such as imposing skull-​shaped ice sculptures, for a plethora of photograph opportunities.
Visitors are granted a 40 minute timeslot to take in the frosty surroundings and select a cocktail from a decent menu. The atmosphere is vibrant and the room is dimly lit with plenty of backlighting to emphasise the ice fixtures. An energetic background soundtrack is also provided. It is all a bit of a laugh and something that you’ll likely not need to do more than once.
After the visit to the Icebar, we were guided downstairs to the restaurant. Staff were organised and we were immediately seated in a quiet corner in the back, giving us a prime vista to admire the surroundings. The setting is surprisingly informal and spacious, with hints of alpine-​inspired touches and some private booths lined up against the walls. We were comfortable dressed in jeans and the staff were hospitable, chatty and attentive. We had a particularly charming server who was well-​versed in the menu and delivered a complimentary bowl of moreish gordal olives to our table before our starters arrived.
The food is relatively uncomplicated and the menu focuses on seasonal ingredients– all at a reasonable price for a central London venue. Upon recommendation of our server, I was swayed by the cured salmon and my boyfriend needed no persuasion to order the slow roast pork ribs. My only grievance was the portion size of the salmon, a sparing cut of fish accompanied with a sprinkling of lime caviar and chopped hazelnuts. It melted in the mouth and I could’ve happily devoured two more servings. The ribs, conversely, arrived in a more generous abundance to much praise from my boyfriend.
Our mains didn’t disappoint: the slow cooked stone bass came with the most delicious crushed potatoes that I’ve ever had, rich and freckled with thyme. The fish was perfectly cooked and delicately served, left to be savoured without an overly dominant sauce. The pickled kohlrabi gave an acidic flavour that resulted in a beautifully harmonious plate. The rump steak, a special on the evening, arrived stacked with a grilled meaty mushroom, glazed shallots finished with a drizzling of a rich jus.
We had no room for desert, but did share a bottle of wine from their drinks menu, which had a good range of fairly reasonably priced wines.
So, even if you do bypass the frivolous fun of the Icebar itself, the restaurant is a pleasant surprise. It offers a casual and relaxed atmosphere for a relatively reasonable price for central London where you won’t feel rushed or encroached upon other diners. You’ll also feel looked after by the waiting staff, who were exceptional during our visit. As a standalone, the restaurant is definitely a solid contender for a good quality meal out in the city.
But why wouldn’t you want to make a night of it and stick your face through an ice sculpture?

The concept behind this place is super cool. And it’s a fun experience to have at least once but I really think that’s all you really need, because the novelty of the igloo theme wears off rather quickly. We had to wear the capes, which were somewhat weighty and difficult to move around in. They serve you the drinks in frozen glasses, which seem neat for aesthetic purposes but don’t tend to help your case of frost bite. We were in there for about 15 – 20 min before we were freezing and decided to leave.

My friend was visiting London and she wanted to go to the Icebar so I went along. The first thing I would recommend is wearing decent footwear and a large coat!!! Flats will not do the job, and your shoes will stick to the ground making it difficult to walk around!
The bar itself is actually quite small, although that’s quite alright considering that it’s completely made out of ice. You get one free drink in a cup made of ice, and you’re asked to keep your cup if you decide to buy another drink.
I believe the allocated time is 45 minutes, but you really only need about 30 minutes (maybe less) to enjoy this place.
I’m not sure if I would put this on the ‘Top 10′ things to do in London if you’re visiting as a tourist, but if you happen to go, it’s kind of fun.

Cool concept, though not really a place you’d return to multiple times. More of a one time experience.
Temperature was meant to be –5 degrees Celsius, but felt colder than that. Definitely true to the igloo theme and ambience, but I wish they had more of an entertainment or distraction apart from just blocks of ice.
I really enjoyed my drink. It was served in an ice cube as well which was fun to drink out of.
Overall, enjoyed the experience — solid place and time.

Experience wise? Yes! Who doesn’t want to feel like an Eskimo with a pet wolf?
It’s great for about 5minutes, after that your fingers start to burn and quite frankly you begin to loathe the idea of being a stupid Eskimo! What a terrible idea!
What is this freezing pain!
The cocktail I had was actually very nice, sweet… Drinking it out of an ice glass made the whole experience even better. They change the theme every 6months I believe, which I think is cool.
Worth a visit. You get to look like little red riding hood. :)

Salut, si vous aimez le froid, allez boir un verre dans ce pub très particuliers. Vous êtes sur la glacé à –20° et vous vous retrouvez sur la banquise. Incroyable, mais Anglais. Un incontournable, le Icebar London à 10 mn de Hyde Park. Hello, if you like the cold, go Boir a drink in this pub very special. You are on the ice at –20 ° and you end up on the ice. Unbelievable, but English. A must, the Icebar London 10 minutes from Hyde Park.

Super concept mais shots un peu chers (sélection naturelle).
La musique électro diffusée est très bien sélectionnée mais la qualité du son laisse à désirer.
Contrairement à l’ICEBAR de Paris où vous enfilez des combinaisons de ski, celui-​ci propose seulement (mais c’est suffisant pour être protégé) une cape à mettre au dessus de vos vêtements.
Réservez absolument pour entrer. Les horaires sont un peu bizarres mais avant de sortir en club, ça échauffe bien les esprits ;-)

Boire un coup dans un endroit où il fait très froid en tenant un glaçon en guise de verre, nous transporte dans le grand nord. Heureusement que l’on est équipé grand froid à l’entrée. Ça reste vraiment insolite comme lieu.

un endroit insolite, comme une plongée dans le Grand Nord, mais tout près de Piccadilly Circus. le seul bémol: le prix: 13 livres pour 45′ de sensations glacées et une conso offerte.

Also meiner Meinung nach ist diese Bar zwar echt mal interessant zu sehen, wegen der Eisausstattung (Eisraum mit Eisbar und Eisglaesern) aber im Grossen und Ganzen ist es trotzdem eine ziemliche Abzocke. Man bekommt zwar am Eingang den angeblichen Designermantel uebergezogen, der irgendwie lustig blau schimmert, aber sonst kann man da fuer maximal 40 min reingehen und dann viel zu viel Geld fuer einen Cocktail ausgeben und sich einen abfrieren. Wer nichts besseres zu tun hat sollte sich diese Bar ma lansehen, ansonsten einfach erstmal die wirklichen gemuetlichen Bars und Pubs in London besuchen.