The Cut

I must have walked past this place a few times assuming it was all part of the Young Vic and not fully realising what was inside. It was only when a friend suggested it for a girly catch-​up dinner that I realised it was a restaurant and not just a theatre bar. We arrived at about 7.30pm and had booked a table just in case, but it turned out to be well timed with a mass exodus of pre-​theatre folks around then as they left to see whatever show was on that night. This was lucky as the place feels bigger than it actually is, helped by the clever double height ceiling and mezzanine upper floor.
The menu spans a good mix of mostly British dishes, and in hindsight I wish I’d gone for one of the more interesting sounding choices than the burger which was a little dry and really quite average. They have a compact but decent wine list which cheered me up though. The service was also noteworthy in hitting a good balance of friendly familiarity and efficiency, and there was one guy in particular (who seemed to be a manager) who really made us feel valued.
I wouldn’t go back for food, but perhaps for a drink with my arty-​type mates if I was in the area and it was on the right side of the theatre’s performance times, as there’s a nice enough buzz around the bar.

Delicious portobello burger! I never thought this would be something to rave about but it is juicy, messy and tasty. I got it with a salad so it made for a healthier, guilt free version to their beef burger
We sat upstairs on the terrace which was fab as the sun started coming out. Perfect!

I’ve eaten at The Cut a few times, and the food is delicious. The deep-​fried goats cheese with honey is absolutely exquisite. This time I had the deep-​fried halloumi, which was absolutely fantastic, and the soup of the day — butternut squash and coconut — which was also lovely. The cocktails are decent and the prices are reasonable — I definitely plan to return.
Be warned that it gets very busy here so it’s crucial to book in advance for a Friday or Saturday in particular.

Had a burger here and it was horrible. £10 for loads of lettuce and a beef patty cooked from frozen that was dry and tasted awful. Topped with a laughable serving of chips, my £10 would’ve been better spent a cross the street at Byron.
The two stars was for the layout. Good job there — just don’t charge £10 for something that’s only worth £5

Definitely a memorable lunch…
what was ordered:
2– smoked haddock, buttered spinach, poached eggs, hollandaise on sourdough (my order was salty)
1-​hazelnut and pear bourdaloue, pear compote, custard, granita

Cut Bar is cool spot for drinks and to hang out. Very busy around dinner times. It has a great atmosphere to meet with friends but I wouldn’t really recommend the food.

Sorry, Who-​bucks?! It’s all about The Cut.
Sharing a venue with the Young Vic, there is never a dull moment at The Cut. You’ll find yourself in the buzz of creativity, with maybe the occasional celebrity sighting if you’re there at the right time (Will Young, Thandie Newton, Naomie Harris, to name but a few. Not one to name-​drop, but…). This spot is a favourite for anybody who appreciates art with a community feel. With an open-​plan space, exposed walls and concrete floors, it has a fresh warehouse effect.
If I’m in the area, I would always opt for the Cut Bar whenever I need a quick pick-​me-​up, in the form of their freshly baked almond croissants and a velvety cappuccino with cocoa dust, enough to blow any coffee chain out of the water. Their free range chicken breast burger is tender and juicy enough to dissolve lovingly in your mouth, plus they do my favourite kind of chips: crunchy on the outside, fluffy on the inside and with plenty of mayo if you ask nicely. The balcony is well-​suited for a round of pre/​post — show drinks and the staff is efficient and friendly.
Be warned though. I would thoroughly advise booking well in advance if you want to have dinner in the evening, as The Cut becomes rammed at this time. Also, if you don’t enjoy standing all night, I would avoid going during any production press night, as about 70% of the seating gets reserved for the press, plus the whole upstairs gets cordoned off. Feels a bit poncey at times, but this doesn’t happen every night, so it’s forgivable. Aside from that, they have a full bar, a wide range of cocktails based on London hotspots (mine’s Angel: strawberries, prosecco, passion fruit and vodka) and warm, dim lighting with jazz for those intimate moods.
Would recommend: If you’re a red wine drinker like me, go for their house red, Sangiovese 2011, Vinvita: smooth and easy-​drinking with a hint of red fruits.

Eat a burger and pretend you saw a play.

Good burger. I had what I think was called The Rockefeller. Had a fried oyster on it. Get it? Service was OK, beer as well. Very crowded, loud and hoping. Mostly a younger crowd.

This is a fine place for lunch. It’s airy, arty and they have Jaipur IPA to wash down the Rockerfella burger and fries. Their chips may be twice fried but they’re still a little dissapointing. The menu is mostly burgers and pasta, but there’s room for that in this world and as they have a great beer selection, I’m willing to forgive them lots.

Really great bar, good vibe, nice people and tasty drinks

Erm… Soft Shell Crab on a bun? Who can say no to that???
This ultra filling burger is made up of salad, tomatoes, mayo and some oh so good salsa that went perfectly with the crab. The burger was 9 quid and i added spinach (I was surprised that it came cooked) for an extra pound.
Best burger I have had. The balcony was also really nice to eat at and made everything feel so wonderful.

This place manages to fit really well with the vibe of the theatre it’s in. There’s a relaxed young feel in the evening — enough of a buzz to keep it interesting but still a good place to sit and chat. The food isn’t going to blow your mind but it’s decent enough and not too expensive. It keeps really long hours, so the morning after the night before you can sit a read the paper over a better-​than-​average coffee in a daylight-​filled café with a view over the cut. Plus, during the day you often get little glimpses into life at the Young Vic — kids streaming into theatres, writers and directors meeting to talk about projects. I like the fact that it feels as creative as the theatre it’s in. My only gripe is that its a shame that the Young Vic can’t run the place themselves so that more of my money goes towards the theatre, but I guess you can’t have everything. Thumbs up.

Waterloo, there must be something here to do…
Waterloo, no mans land for me and you?
(to be sung to the tune of ABBA’s Waterloo)
If you are looking for a place to go for a cheeky cocktail, you could do a lot worse than The Cut Bar. It’s part of the Young Vic and serves up hot toddy’s, mulled wine and winter mojitos all for under a fiver. They also have really tasty bar snacks.
It’s a cute bar that is nice for a quick drink before a show or in our case, a visit to the BFI IMAX. It’s cosy and busy but the queues for the bar aren’t long and the prices are pretty good. During the holidays you might have to fight with a small child for a seat, which is a bit much to handle but apart from that, I’d say it’s one of the best options in the area.

This bar is nicely located on the cut, it is two floors with outside seating area on the balcony and just outside on the ground floor. It’s a cute quirky place with sofas, large tables with chairs.
Their menu is a mix of diner and high end salads. I ordered a beetroot, parsnip salad with basil potatoes. I wasn’t very impressed with the salad, there wasn’t that much flavour and it was pretty poor for £8.00 and £2.00 for a pineapple juice is a bit expensive. The service was ok, considering that we were some of the only people eating, I expected a lot more.
They forget the order of potatoes which we had to ask for.
I have had coffee here a few times and the coffee is good, they use teapigs which is a plus and their croissants are tasty :)
It does get quite busy after 5, especially in summer when everyone congregates on the balcony. You can also reserve spaces and they have free wifi which is always handy.
If you want somewhere just to hang out and talk to your friends then this is a nice place, I wouldn’t really recommend coming here for a meal.

The beef burger was ok — a little underseasoned, I think, and cooked more well-​done than I would usually like, but the waitress didn’t ask how I would like it cooked so I’m not sure if there are options. Maybe some cheese or bacon would have helped. Chips are crisp and chunky, and diet Coke comes in old fashioned glass bottles (weirdly, I think I prefer the stuff that comes in a can). I suppose it’s decent for the price, but without the deal it would have been well over 10 quid, which doesn’t seem worth it.

Fantastic bar, good vibes, buzzy, different areas, outside balcony area, mixed crowd but mostly 20/​30s really nice

This bar, part of the Young Vic theatre, is an excellent venue, especially if it’s warm enough to sit outside — there’s a long balcony with heaters and plenty of seating. If not, then it’s still ok but usually a little on the cramped side and pretty noisy too.
It’s all black furniture, stone floors, low lighting and a buzzy ambience that veers more on bar than pub, especially after 5. Although it’s part of the theatre, it attracts a mixed crowd including a lot of after-​workers. As such, it has that after-​work buzz that’s only really appealing to those who have just escaped the office.
As far as options in the local area go, this is a good one, but go early if you want a seat, or don’t go expecting one.

Good bar at the Young Vic, plenty of seats downstairs, with more upstairs, and a sunny terrace/​deck.
Young and friendly staff.
My pastrami sandwich was excellent.
And only 5 minutes from Waterloo.

This bar and restaurant is located within the Stirling Prize nominated building — Young Vic. It is a cool place to have parties! I just had my boyfriend’s birthday party in The Cut. The bar/​restaurant is spread over two storeys. The ground floor has a fantastic double height space while the upper floor has a open air terrace, great for cigars!!!
I have been there several times and I am still loving it! It is definitely a hip place to be!