Bar Américain

Interesting spot, which we were able to pinpoint thanks to Alex S’ review. As he mentioned, it’s located under the Brasserie Zedel. You can sort of see some signage through the doors from outside, but if you don’t know where to look it’s a hard find.
The vibe is old-​timey supper club, but it felt a bit contrived to me. Admittedly, we were there on a Monday night so the lounge was nearly empty save for a few tables. Maybe a livelier crowd would make things a bit more exciting. Drinks are pricey, which is fine when they are well-​made and delicious. My Spritz Américain was served in an enormous goblet and it was okay but not great; I didn’t finish it. If you are a fan of the classic Aperol spritz, I’d suggest ordering one of those, instead.
I’d probably opt for another bar next time, but I do think Bar Américain is worth a look.

I love this place because it is such a hidden surprise. You truly have to know about this one to find it. It’s such a fun cocktail place. And to be fair — I’ve only been for cocktails! But it takes you back into the roaring 20’s in style! They have a fun cocktail menu and free popcorn! Great bartenders and staff make it a great place. Definitely a great place to impress a colleague for a drink!

We went for a quick round of drinks after dinner at Brasserie Zedel. We both ordered the Clover Club and really enjoyed it. For me, it was the perfect balance of alcohol and fruitiness. The egg foam on top was very exquisite as well.
Ambience was very 20s and jazzy, which I liked. However, it got quite noisy such that we couldn’t really hear each other. Wouldn’t suggest it if you’re looking for a place where you can have a decent conversation. Of course, it would also depend on what day of the week you go – we went on a Saturday evening.
Service was overall good and efficient. However, when it got busy, it did take them a while to bring us drinks and the bill, so allow time for such if you’re planning anything before or after.
Overall, a solid place for cocktails in the heart of the hustle and bustle.

This is where you take someone when you are trying to impress them. Or if you are the great gatsby.
The venue itself is hiding several opulent rooms, from a cute French brasserie as you go in to the theatre inspired bars and restaurants downstairs. It’s like a French world of wonder and it’s also hiding this American bar inside it. Bar-​ception…
Right so Bar Americain is the sort of bar you give your name at the door, then they sit you at the bar and then they take you to your table, all in an orderly and efficient manner. Then you can select your cocktail which will be priced at at least £10 and will also come with popcorn on the side. You know the place is posh when you get free snacks…
The staff are very polite as expected and the atmosphere is quite pleasant. The majority of clients seemed to be there on dates so I guess many people have the right idea. The cocktails we tried were really nice, felt high quality and luxurious.
I think it’s a great place to go to for a drink, probably too expensive for a full night out but if you’re celebrating something or want to treat yourself it’s an awesome choice.

Decent drinks. Tourist hell. Long wait. If you’re over 50 you’ll fit right in. This is a «speak easy» that I would expect my parents to find «cool and fun» aka it’s a little played out and also not difficult to find whatsoever. You can go to a better cocktail lounge elsewhere. It can be an oasis in the middle of the madness if you’re in a pickle and willing to stand in line with Grandpa Joe.

If you are a fan of lovingly-​crafted classic cocktails (no sickly sweet frozen daiquiris here), then get thee to Bar Américain when you are in London. They have an impressive menu of both classic and unique house cocktails. My friends and I managed to sample quite a few of them, and none disappointed. I also loved the lovely art deco décor…I wouldn’t have been surprised to see Hercule Poirot or Myrna Loy settled in a corner table. The bar is a tad difficult to find (that just adds to the fun and mystique!), so pay careful attention to the address, and know that it’s inside and downstairs. Service was pretty good, though when I first arrived, I was alone and was seated at a table for about 5 minutes without being waited on. I was actually impressed that the host, Fausto, saw that no one had yet come to my table, and personally came over to take my drink order. If you are in Soho, I highly recommend popping in for a relaxing drink or two at Bar Américain…its quiet elegance is worlds away from the hustle and bustle of tourist-​filled Soho.

Great place. I love the style of the bar and the drinks are really really well made.
I would recommend it.

Very sexy décor and ambiance! But they were out of the brie snack (whhhaaaattt!!!)…And my whiskey sour tasted quite weak. :(And prices for drinks are quite high, IMO. But the doorman was friendly and helpful as I looked for my party… and nice to look at, haha. I’d get starter drinks elsewhere and come back to Bar Americain.

Black and gold heaven. Loved the Art Deco style and desperately wanted to take it all home with me, the glasses, the menus, the napkins…
I was worried that being slightly hidden away it could feel pretentious or unwelcoming but it wasn’t at all. It walks the line of fancy but relaxed and the style is retro without becoming gimmicky. This place is classic at its finest, a brilliant place for a sophisticated cocktail in a stylish setting. I can strongly recommend the house French apéritif, delicious!

Love this cocktail bar. Been twice, really good atomsphere, not loud or overly busy and great old American style
Different to other bars!

What an amazing place! We ended up here after being turned away from the Wolesly because we didn’t want food, just an apéritif someplace beautiful. The very helpful and jovial doorman at the Wolesley directed us here and now I want to go back and thank him. What a place! Practically underneath the big billboard at Picaddilly circus, on a wee lane, there’s Brasserie Zedel which looks like a very small, charming bistro/​coffee house from 1920s Paris. All high ceilings and red and gold and amber and dark wood and Tolouse Lautrec prints. Fairly small. But step through the door at the side, descend the stairs, and you are welcomed into a huge, elegant, dimly lit, Art Deco cocktail bar with chandeliers, whispered table service and grown up cocktails. Oh, the glamour! It is beautiful. Like the cocktail lounge on the Titanic. I can’t remember which cocktail I had. It was like a negroni but better. Sharp and strong and utterly delicious. It had gin, Campari, vermouth, maraschino, orange bitters and a twist of orange peel. There are none of your sickly, fluorescent cocktails with a novelty stirrer here. Not even a French martini. A proper martini, with an olive, yes, but a sweetie martini, not here Ma’am.
The cup of salted popcorn which came along with the drinks was a nice touch. We would have liked to have a second cocktail but were pressed for time and the service wasn’t SLOW per se, just calm and unhurried, so we didn’t have time for a second one.
It’s not cheap — £34 plus tip for 3 drinks — but worth every penny for the quality and the experience. Do yourself a favour and go here!

I love this place! Just walk in past the upstairs bar and through the corridor downstairs until you see a sign for Bar Américain, follow it and marvel at the Art Deco style decorations while your at it. The bar is absolutely beautiful with dark wooden tables, velvet curtains and soft lighting — everything you could ask for in a 20’s prohibition style cocktail bar. Not only is the place quite magical in it’s mood and appearance, the bartenders are incredibly skilful and you can probably get one of the best Martinis in London from here.
I suggest you try their cocktail menu. My favourite is the Whiskey Sour. The drinks are not cheap, but they are well worth it and it’s truly a pleasure to watch them being made. If you want to try something cool, ask for the famous James Bond’s Martini, they do it just perfect — shaken not stirred of course ;)
They even give cocktail lessons at the bar and those are a brilliant experience!

A true delight in Central London cocktailery…
First, an Aviation to give me wings.
Second, the Spritz Americain.
After a nothing-​but-​lovely meal at nearby Nopi, our group of 4 was in search of a few good cocktails to cap the evening. Unilocal does it what it says on the tin and points us to the best local option — Bar Americain, located in the art deco building of Brasserie Zedel.
The space is a throwback to the days where to get a drink at an establishment one not need go «nuts to butts.» Plush and posh, yet familiar and comfortable. The crowd is decidedly older and well dressed, and it seems all are welcome to enjoy in the finery of their drinks list. It felt very warm and welcoming and we were dealt with cordially by both the host and the bartender at the bar while we waited. We were quickly situated with a very nice table from which to enjoy our nightcap.
So pleasant. It is no wonder people adore this place so. Character, charisma, but also patience and a sense of genuine enjoyment.
My cocktails were a treat. The price tag is fitting of this area, but the drinks and atmosphere are worth it. Pop below street level and find yourself a leather seat at Bar Americain. Get your wings.

This little oasis of calm is a delight to behold with its old world charm.
Found in the basement it’s like stumbling back in time, our cocktail waitress showed us to a table for 2. Complete with flickering lamp light, a complementary tub of popcorn (salt and chilli spiced) appears, the extensive menu has cocktails at two prices, just under a tenner and just under £12.
Our waitress took our coats and returned promptly with our receipt, and relax, soft lights, very subtle background music, fabulous cocktails, wines and beers were on the back page of the menu, but with such a lovely choice of cocktail why go for the same old same old. I had an old fashioned, hubby had something with chamboard, then we both had another 2 cocktails, I would have stayed all evening, but we had to leave to go eat, bar snacks looked lovely, but we needed a substantial meal, I shall definitely return, this charming place had oodles of charm.

Oh! I’ve discovered a new favourite! Bar Amercain is beautiful. A stunning nod to the Art Deco era.
Where to start? Well, first you’ve got the Howard Huhes/​Aviator infuence with it’s lines, thick horzontal strips of wood panelling, topped by airplane wallpaper. Then the references to the Ernest Hemingway/​the Great White Hunter with the tiger print carpet. Then bring on the glamour with accents of sleek and shining gold and lighting topping the pillars that’s reminiscent of Metropolis. Add the dim and intimate lighting and you feel like you’re in a sepia-​tone picture.
Service is competent and efficient. The cocktails are excellent and the little bowls of popcorn are a nice touch.
I’ve been twice in less than a week and I’ll be visiting again. Any opportunity I can get, I’ll be there.

Bar Americain is my favorite cocktail bar in London. Hands down. From the fun, 20’s vibe, to the amazing drinks, we find ourselves coming here quite a bit. It’s funny because it’s right off Piccadilly Circus, and it can get incredibly busy pre-​theatre, but I find myself coming back.
I think I’ve tried all the cocktails on the menu (and even some that aren’t on the menu!) and they’re all incredibly tasty. There may be a couple I would put at the bottom of my list, but I’ve never had a drink I thought was so terrible I couldn’t finish.
It’s a place I often suggest when meeting up with friends for a cocktail in the afternoon. The food is decent as well (although a bit expensive), but the free containers of popcorn are quite nice to have with the drinks. The drinks aren’t cheap though, expect to pay £10−12 a drink, but they definitely aren’t weak drinks, and well worth the price!

One of my favourite cocktail bars in London.
Daniel and Alex’s reviews explain largely why this is… so to avoid repetition, I can confirm that 6 –12 months later I’m thrilled to say all is still as fabulous as per their observations. The décor is gorgeous. The staff all look gorgeous and immaculately dressed. On my last visit, one of the managers, Michael, noticed I’d been here a few times and welcomed me and thanked me for coming back. Hello great service.
The bartenders are simply out of this world and one with their craft. If you are into mixology I recommend you find a seat at the bar. You can watch the guys mix and they are receptive to questions about the various liquors or what they are doing. The pricing per cocktail is very reasonable for central London and the drinks are all divine and made to perfection. I am partial to a basic gin martini which, I find, a good example is quite difficult to get in London, and is achieved perfectly here. As with the neighboring Brasserie Zedel, the amber lighting is very complimentary on the skin (i.e., good for dates).
Can’t believe I’ve lived in London for years and didn’t know this existed. Highly recommended.

I’ve walked past this place so many times and written it off as just another food place for the tourists…
… But then a friend of mine who is part of my monthly Sunday club recommended it as a great place for deco interiors and cocktails; two things I love dearly.
Tonight, Sunday, I walked in and down, loving the posters on the walls, and into the bar. The servers were busy so I easily located a table and checked out the menu. I always start with an Old Fashioned, it’s how I assess a place. It was sweet and with buttery caramel tones. Eminently drinkable. Once my friends had joined me they were served quickly, and as the rounds progressed we were given some complimentary popcorn.
The Chrysler cocktail– now that was so good I had three in a row. That’s very rare for me. I recommend keeping the fruit in until it’s finished — delicious!
The service was very good– efficient, discrete and not annoying with constant check backs that ‘everything is ok’.
It’s not the cheapest cocktail place in London but it is classy and off the beaten track– and I will definitely be returning.

Let’s start with the elephant in the room — finding this spot. This beautiful classic cocktail bar is located underneath Brassiere Zedel. Walk through the restaurants main doors and go all the way to the back. You’ll see a giant sign for Bar Américain. Follow it down and you’ll get to cocktail heaven.
And I mean it. This is a prohibition style beautiful cocktail bar. Soft lighting, old wood tables, classic cocktail menu, the works. It feels like stepping out of modern London and into London in the 1920s. The fact that it’s in the heart of Soho in touristy country makes it all the more amazing.
It’s better to reserve for a table but usually there are a few open or spots at the bar where you can grab some space.
The cocktail menu is small but powerful with old school drinks like your Martinis, daiquiris and aviations, and some new twists on classic cocktails. Each will set you back about £9 but is worth it. It’s strong, well made and come in the classic Martini glasses. Beautiful.
If you need to get away from the craziness of Soho and want somewhere to sit, drink, think, be with friends, be on a date or just be by yourself, I can’t recommend this spot enough.

Great cocktails and drinks. The art deco stylr of the bar and the way staff dress does give it a nice touch of the america golden days. I would recommend coming here for 1 2 drinks before going for a show :-) the trickiest part is probably finding the bar but thankfully someone posted a review with direction details!