Piccadilly Institute

I have been here a few times and each time have thoroughly enjoyed myself. The location is great in Piccadilly Circus right next to Ripley’s Believe It or Not Museum so very easy to find. The staff are really good and efficient at their jobs from what I remember. The drinks are good and not watered down. The cocktails were quite alcoholic which impressed me as I was expecting very bland cocktails which you can hardly taste any alcohol in. They also had these cocktail punch served in a clear skull shaped bowl which I thought was quite original.

We ended up at the Piccadilly Institute because the Café de Paris was closed, our guy friend was wearing sneakers which excluded Distrikt as well and i didn’t want to go back to RaRa. So not our first choice but a friend had told me it was great.
Well i wouldn’t emphasise on the ‘great’. We had a fun night but far from the best night out i had in London.
The club is separated into different rooms and atmospheres with different music. This is great for it allows everybody to find something they like. I read on the Unilocal reviews that it is supposed to be an Asylum themed club and i’ll admit i did not notice before i just read it… Appart from the upper floor maybe, it is not that obvious in the dark or maybe it is i didn’t pay attention enough.
My favorite room is the clinic on the top floor. Blue flashing lights, air pump that hard blows cold in your face at the least expected moment and ruins your hair BUT helps with the absolute warmth of the room, weird puppets hanging on the ceiling, stripper booth (i don’t know how else to call these) for you to dance in and impress the crowd, what’s not to like ?
First floor is all about that RnB and Hip Hop vibe. It’s also where all the creeps tried to stick their crotches to my butt. No thank you.
Ground floor was pretty empty and boring.
Talking of warmth, London clubs should seriously consider AIR CONDITIONING. It is way too hot. Add dancing and a lot of people and you get a picture of what Dante’s Inferno must be like.
There are several bars across the club and you will find one easily if you are ready to pay the mighty sum of £11 for a double, £7 for a Jaeger bomb or £7 for a bottled beer. The piccadilly Institute is VERY expensive for what it is. Too expensive.
The cloakroom is in the basement and it’s messy. You queue in the stairs so random drunk people bounce into you all the time, people cut the queue all the time and the security doesn’t say anything. But the cloakroom staff is really nice. It’s £3 per item.
Smoking area is outside which i always find silly. This is how you get pneumonia in the winter. Get inside smoking areas already for crying out loud.
It’s a nice enough club if you want tot try it. But you might need to get drunk before you walk in.

This place isn’t too bad. Nothing special though. Theres a good amount of tables/​booths available so if you’re going with a large group of friends, you’ll be good. Music wasn’t to my particular taste.

Everyone who worked here was disrespectful and rude to us even though we had spent a decent amount of money there. Never felt so undervalued as a customer. Avoid going here at all costs!

Literally the worst place I’ve ever been. Management was offensive and made rude comments about Americans for no reason. Love everywhere in London but this place. Avoid at all costs.

I’ve been here before and was really impressed with it. I liked that you could go from room to room and each one would be weird and wonderful in its own way.
However, I went there last night with a group of 16 friends. My boyfriend had booked a table and seating area for us which cost him £50 but he was really annoyed when we were shown to our area and had a small-​ish square table with 3 seats! Fair enough you get 2 complimentary pitchers and some cupcakes and sweets but it really was not worth the amount of money you pay for it.
We complained to the staff and she asked if we would like to speak to the manager about it and we said we would like to as we wasn’t happy with it. We never got to speak to the manager… I’m not sure if she even bothered to call the manager or if the manager just couldn’t be bothered to come to speak to us but we just got on with the night.
I would also like to make the point that my boyfriend specifically requested on the phone when making the reservation on the table that they spell my name correctly which is Ami. When we looked at the reservation card they had spelt it Amy, so it looks as though they can’t even get the most simple request right.
So word of warning… When you book a table be prepared to not get what you expected.
Also there are so many stairs so be careful! As previously said, rooms are fun with different types of music in each one, two dance floors which I feel are both quite small.

I’ve been here twice now, once utterly drunk and the other stone cold sober and I can say that this place benefits MASSIVELY by serving alcohol because without it, it’s pretty dull.
This review is going to be a bit of a mixed bag because on the one hand, when I came here for a friend’s birthday and was drunk, this was one of the best nights out I’ve had in London.
But when I was sober and went in after a work do, it was so boring I wanted to leave within 10 minutes.
As a nightclub, it’s a pretty cool concept. You enter an insane asylum and there are themed rooms to make you feel like you’re really there; the clinic, shrink and the chamber all have a chemistry medicine feel to them, with bodies on the ceiling and chemistry symbols on the walls. Staring up and around is a good form of entertainment as you wait 20 minutes to be served at the bar.
There are also other rooms, like a punk room, a jungle room and the biggest, sweatiest pit of a room you’ve ever seen right in the middle, filled with hormones and spilled alcohol.
If you’re single, 21, rich and alcohol-​fueled, this is a dream come true. There is enough variety of rooms and music to keep you entertained for hours and plenty of nooks and crannies to sit and chat with mates or take a breather. The novelty adds a fun element and from what I saw, they do a pretty decent range of drinks so chances are they’ll be able to give you whatever weird concoction you want.
If, however, you’re aware of your surroundings, you won’t have a good time. The décor is a bit bashed after so many people walking into the walls, etc, and with clear vision, you can see it. Paint is peeling off, the windows on the top floor aren’t clean and some of the wall decorations are damaged. Not perfect by any means.
You’ll also balk at the prices of the drinks if you’re still able to read, too. £11 for a double vodka and £7 for a cider, are you serious?
And unless you’re young and footloose and fancy free, that amount of people on one dance floor will send shivers down your spine. Lots of unknown hands groping around as you try to move through and you’ll be covered in sweat in two minutes, tops. Gross.
Although the location is good and the concept is fun, I advise you to only come here if you’re either in a huge group and don’t care where you are as long as it has space to dance, or if you just want a cheesy novelty night out in London and don’t know where else to go.
Honestly, seeing it sober opened my eyes to the fact that, really, there are a LOT of better places to go in London. I’m glad I’ve been so I can say I’ve spent the night in an insane asylum, but I wouldn’t go again. The rose tinted spectacles are definitely off with this one.

Ok, so if your in the west end and in need of a cheap cheerful colourful cocktail — this is your place. However don’t expect to have your socks knocked of by any creative mixology. Its all brightly coloured juices, purées and sugar basically but heck at 2 4 1 until 9pm — whose complaining?! There are themed rooms and the place has various sounds coming from each. Its a bit of a mish mash of messy after work drinkers and tourists come 9.01pm.

I’m going with 3 stars here to be reasonable to the younger crowd, who most likely enjoy the things about clubbing that this OLD, SUPER, SUPER, OLD, 26-​year-​old lady (GOD I’M SO OLD HOW DID THIS HAPPEN) is just a bit done with; Gropey dudes, falling-​down drunk girls in hotpants and hair extensions, a lot of couples mashing their bodies and faces into one another on the dancefloor etc.
So the good: We started out in the ‘clinic’. I loved the room. The floating mannequins all over the ceiling, the cocktails served in a drip bag and hung on the wall above your booth, even the cheesy nurse’s costumes on the bar staff fit the theme. This place has lots of rooms and each one plays a different type of music, which is great, because it means everyone can be kept happy under one roof. And a happy hour at a central London club is always a good thing, if you make it on time.
The bad: If you don’t make it to Happy Hour, you will be paying £11 for a double vodka soda. Or £5 for a beer (not a pint). The vibe on the dancefloor was definitely meatmarket-​esque; creepy dudes lining the walls looking for the drunkest girl to pounce on. After getting slapped on the arse three times I found a wall to lean against instead.
All in all this is a pretty standard club. It’s the kind of place you go on your first visit to London, when you are just looking for a place to dance and drink in the very centre of the city.

Where else in central London can you get a happy hour until 9 on Friday and Saturday nights? What about free entry before 10?
I’ve always had a good night out at piccadilly institute even though the drinks are slightly expensive and door staff a bit pushy, but what did you expect?! What I like best is the variety of music, spaces and bars. There’s never a dull moment and it tends to get very busy later in the night! Well worth a visit, especially to play dress ups with the masks and stethoscopes!

I was on vacation in London and visited this club with a few friends. Had a pretty good time, the drinks were a bit pricey and the service was a little slow. The music was too loud though. The DJ wasn’t to my liking. The ambience was friendly, people seemed to be having a good time around us. The club had a pseudo-​classy ambience. The location is very central. The club closed at 2am which was pretty early, so that was disappointing. Overall, not the best club in London.

Because Backstreet boys and N sync Tunes after work is just what you need sometimes, also a £25 bar tab! Teresa and I decided to go for drinks here, it wasn’t as busy as club time yet but it’s okay, we had to spend the bar tab and the walls are v. cool, like cds, tapes, and vinyls! The drinks were nice, but a bit watered down and it wasn’t the best cocktail I’ve drank, but it’s solid and it’s a laugh.

I came here for a friend’s birthday. It has a masquerade theme and their furniture in the main room reflect the theme, and bar staff are fancy dressed to match the theme as well.
Also was in the 90s room and that was really fun!
When their booze comes in a top hat, it make everything more fun.
I really like this place and it’s definitely top of the list when I plan my own birthday party.
I had to leave early because I had to be up really early the next day, but honestly, I didn’t really want to go.

It’s central London at it’s worst and best. I’ve had some fun nights out here but I’ve also had my purse stolen twice and it’s full of the city’s tourists behaving badly!
The different themed rooms make it more interesting. My favourites’s the Frutibox upstairs. I’ve ended up here when other places have shut more often than I’ve deliberately headed here but generally it’s been a good laugh. It goes down more well with friends visiting from outside the capital than anyone that lives here…

Since a rating of 4 is a «yay! I am fan», I think 3 is more appropriate. If fan is like when you are a fan of band and you would listen to a record on repeat, then Piccadilly Institute is like when I hear a Taylor Swift on the radio. I know the lyrics — at least the chorus — and I’ll sing a long, but I am not buying the album.
Highlights:
— The place is themed as an insane-​asylum! The staff wear scrubs or other nurse outfits.
— The drinks are served in pill/​medicine containers or glass chemical tubes
— There are at least 5 different rooms — each with a different vibe and different music.
— Good for dancing.
Lowlights:
— I waited for 20 minutes to get my coat from the coat check at 12:30am.
— The further up you got the worst the ventilation gets.
— Drinks are on the expensive side.
— I felt like I was one the older side of the age group at 27.
— Some dance floors were WAY to crowded that is made the whole place lose its appeal.
Overall: I think this place has something that will satisfy almost everyone in the group thanks to the numerous rooms and music options. £10 seems about average in London so it is worth the price.

Clubbing in London is quite an experience and Piccadilly Institute is much like any other club when it comes to stuffing as many people into the establishment as possible. As much as I didn’t like feeling other people’s sweat on me, in addition to my own, the music here is great and the crowd isn’t all that bad-​looking. But c’mon guys, crank up the AC in here. We could’ve swam in the sea of sweat on the dance floor. Disgusting, I know.
Piccadilly Institute is a multi-​level club and each room has a different vibe to it. My favorite rooms were the house and top 40, I don’t know what it was but the music selection that night was amazing! Drinks are pretty pricey but they come in a medicine bottle with a straw stuck in it… strange, but I guess this goes with their whole ‘insane-​asylum’ theme.
And as much as I hate paying for cover, I’m finding it hard to dodge it here in London. I say I made my £10 worth it though, it was a good time… minus the sweatiness.

No matter what I try to do, wherever I go out in London… I always end up at this place. It used to be On Anon and the layout is the same except now they’ve tried to theme it like an insane asylum. It’s not working though!
Their happy hour is fab, and hands down, they’ve made me the tastiest strawberry margarita since I returned from the the MOTHER of margarita city… New York!
It’s easy to get to, strong yummy drinks, music is pretty good as it has a variety in different rooms. I’m glad it got the revamp as On Anon was more meat markety and I didn’t like like Piccadilly Institue was!

I pretty sure this place is the old Anon bar before, but anyway inside it has many different rooms and also one the rooms has a glowing dancefloor there’s lots of bev of beauties trying to sell you shots walking around during the night.
My advice go early if you are coming to this place as at the weekends they have happy hour which stems from 5PM to 9PM sorry if you are looking for draught Beer the pumps were drunk dry when I went, so it was only bottles available. and at £2.50 a pop you have to buy at least two to get yourself a decent measure.
Also I found the last half hour is murder to get served as everyones trying to rack up their drink supplies before the prices get hiked up.
After nine drinks are very expensive they did have a very impressive robot act with lights whenI was there to throw into the entertainment all in all it was a okay night.

Reserved a table online Friday lunch time for the same Friday evening after work for three. They had phoned me back within a few hours and everything was made easy. The person who contacted me told me about a few offers they had going and my options. I was quite impressed and she wasn’t a forceful marketing type person trying to upsize me for just a night with a few or few more drinks (as it ended up).
Downside — started drinking early but even then the music was too loud in terms of just having a normal convo.
Bit cheesy with the pretentious females behind the bar and not a male in sight serving. wouldve been equally nice for some male eye candy.
Watered down cocktails — well not all — thnk i was just disappointed in the inconsistency of strength
Upside — themed areas — bit of a fan…
Cool menus — endless cocktails and food. i could be there all night choosing a cocktail if it came down to it.
All in all … might take a friend who was in town there but wouldnt be my usual drinking hole/​club… not sure what it gets like after 10pm.

How is this not on Unilocal?Oh wait, because none of the normal Unilocaling Shoreditch types would probably ever set foot in here! Of course! And with good reason. This is really a 3.5, and I can see how this place could be a 1 or a 5 depending on how your night went, completely separate from what the place offers, but that’s how it goes. I went to a place I would normally NEVER go (not huge clubber) because of a LivingSocial voucher, and I am really glad I did and had a great night.
Let’s get the «bad» out of way first:
1) Could be potentially douchy… Def one of those clubs that take themselves very seriously. Puh-​leeze.
2) All tourists (good or bad thing, depending who you are and what you want!)
3) Central aka. TOO central location.
4) Watered down drinks. I am a SUPER lightweight. One beverage at Nightjar or Happiness Forgets makes me certifiably tipsy. I had THREE here and «didn’t feel nuthin’»
Ok, next on the tour, I’ll discuss the rooms. I love exploring «areas» and that is probably one of the reasons I like this place.
Noir: Where my reserved table was. Top 40 pop extravaganza with dimly lit punk-​burlesque style. I liked it. This was my favorite room for music. And they had circus people walking around on stilts and doing tricks and such. Cool. I like circus folk.
Decadia: Decorated in cassette tapes, as I recall, with a light up dance floor playing, at the time, disco/70’s music. Cool vibes, lots of German girls in here with baggy jeans and sneakers.
Fruitbox: The upstairs jungle room… There was a private party here that night, so I didn’t really see it. Went up here briefly, and it was disgustingly hot and humid, no thanks.
Chamber: One of the smaller bars with less dancing. Looks chemistry-​hip, if that is even a style. Bill Nye the Science Guy opens a bar.
Clinic: One of the largest rooms… all white, purple and green glow, and lots of house and trance.
Shrink: My other favorite room. Creepy baby dolls in the bar, lots of places to sit, and relatively quiet. This is the place to get away from the rest of the craziness and relax in some shrink chairs. Plus, the windows offer a unique view of Piccadilly Circus, which is pretty cool.
Other things: Get on the list by booking online or get there before 10 for no cover. Why pay cover?
Monday — £5 after 10pm
Tuesday — £5 after 9pm
Wednesday — £5 after 10pm
Thursday — £5 after 10pm
Friday — Guestlist FREE until 10pm £10 after 10pm
Saturday — Guestlist FREE until 10pm £5 after 9pm, £10 after 10pm
Sunday — Free entry
This place starts EARLY because of their 50% of food and drinks from 5pm-​9pm… We got there at like 9:15 and it was already totally full and people were shwasty.
Yea, lots of foreigners, but hey, they are here for a good time so why not join’em? Wide variety of dress, wide variety of music and vibes… a little something for everyone if you can get into the cheeziness for a lil’ bit.