Hakkasan (bar)

My oldest friend brought me here on a Friday afternoon while I was in London for work. She made a point for us to get there on the early side, and we just barely beat the crowd and managed to get a comfortable seat at the bar. The drinks were fantastic -- I am now a Plum Sour addict -- and the salted pepper squid was out of this world. I would KILL for another plate of that right now! Definitely gets busy later on in the evening, a little noisy as well due to the DJ, and is on the pricey side -- for two drinks and an appetizer, I spent about 30 pounds. Well worth it however.

A really disappointing experience. I looked up the menu before going and was excited about the range of dishes on offer. However, after reading other reviews, my excitement started to wane and once I was there, my much lowered expectations were not even met. The service was faultless (apart from when they made you leave exactly two hours after you set foot in the place) and great cocktails but the food was terribly bland and boring (just putting more ginger in a dish doesn't make it better!?), and the seafood very chewy and tasteless. I've paid much less for much better food in Soho (dare I even say McDonalds?? There is certainly more flavour to be had there, regardless of what that flavour is made up of)! The desserts weren't even that enjoyable either - the apple tart was not sweet and the pastry had a stale consistency to it, and the chocolate 'three ways' dish barely tasted of chocolate at all - again very bland flavourings. And I'm not a big person at all but the portions were minute. Don't expect to go here for a satisfying meal - we had to leave and have a second dinner elsewhere later on! (Possibly McDonalds.) Would not recommend this place to anyone - it is 100% purely about the looks only - the venue and plates ooze elegance but behind the smoke and mirrors, there is no substance at all.