Crobar, Soho

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user reviews of Crobar, Soho

please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.

Dirty, grotty, has the kind of toilets you should only enter if you remembered to pack your chemical warfare stuff...

but

This is quite probably the coolest bar on my 'all time coolest bars of all time' list...

I love it! only discovered the place 2 weeks ago, but I've made the 1 hour journey up to town every time I've had a night off since.

They also don't give a flying you-know-what if you're drunk, as long as you behave yourself ;)
rob2uk - 27 Aug 2008 00:11
This is a pretty great little place. It is tiny and the bar itself is crowded, but they serve Sierra Nevada (one of the best American beers around).

Toilets are awful--especially at the end of the night--but whatever.

The juke box is one of the main reasons to go, even if it doesn't always play all of my songs. Volume is a bit low, but I suppose some people want to talk or something.

Crobar stays open til 3am, unlike other crappy bars that close at midnight.
EuroYankDevi - 16 Jul 2008 19:33
Feel's a bit like coming into a different World in here. Interesting to see a place where they sell canned beers. Very much a Rock and Heavy Metal music venue. Interesting Comic decorations in the back room.
aleman - 15 May 2008 11:04
Excellent little bar - totally untypically for Soho. Only bottles and cans, but not too expensive, and very good whiskey range. Generally good atmosphere, but WAY too small for all the people who try and cram into it; on weekend evenings you can forget about even getting in the door! Earlier on in the week / day, however, it's busy-ish without being rammed. Superb rock jukebox, no-hassle staff and it's open late. The toilets are absolutely abysmal, though. Still, you can't have it all...
petewithers - 6 Nov 2007 22:25
Small pub catering for fans of rock and roll - (I believe its a style of music popular with the kids)

No beer on draught - but then having tasted that on offer at the other rock pub, the nearby Intrpeid Fox, cans and bottles are no hardship!

Good decor but bet it gets a bit cramped in there on a Saturday night.

The Gents is just wrong but the jukebox is so so right.

Definitely worth a visit


EskimoJoe - 18 Sep 2007 13:47
Expensive and small, but still a cool place. First time I went they were hosting a post gig piss-up for Howard Marks, which meant a little bit of blagging when the bouncer asked for a pass, and it really was standing room only once inside. Lots of very minor celebs to trip over. On subsequent visits I've always managed to get a seat. Not cheap, but worth a visit...
anonymous - 3 Jun 2007 17:50
This is a simple place to like due to some simple facts

1. Has rock music. Too quietly for my particular taste as a attendee of the Intrepid Fox, but it's still there

2. Beer - cans of Stripe and some bottled lager (not sure if one of them was a Yankee doodle lager - perhaps Topdog_Andy can tell me since he was in there with me at the time.....) and a bourbon menu! Three pages! I prefer scotch, but you can see who they're marketing it for - the neo-Slash wannabees

3. The toilets are cr8p - get over it or go to somewhere where some flunky watches you pee and then charges you two pounds to freshen up! Is this a reason to hate it? No....

4. The people. Why people think that rock/metal clubs are frightening dark/dingy holes is anyones guess. We went there, had drinks, was even weearing a suit while discussing the merits of Page vs Hendrix....don't wear a tie (they look stupid in bars like this) but just enjoy the banter and feel for the place.

One last thing: INTREPID FOX (CONSERVATORY) MANAGEMENT - THIS IS WHAT THE FOX SHOULD BE LIKE!
rampantwurzel - 15 May 2007 16:18
yeh !!! on;ley been here a couple of times .. and unfortunately not for very long .. though i will say its a great place .. thers this nice vibe around .. and the people there are great ?? a defo must visit again .. and this time .. il saty longer .. haha i recomend this little pub to anyone! it really is nice.
jack666 - 4 May 2007 11:52
Red Stripe and Jaegermeister. Ouch!

Surprisingly excellent vibe and amazingly nice clientele, even if not a goth/punk/metaler. Despite the lack of cask ales I'd certainly come back here for a session, if only because the place is sooo chilled and soooo friendly, and because the juke box is so amazing (even if they cut it off when I put on 'Freebird').
vic_of_india - 3 Apr 2007 18:17
DRAUGHT Jimmy, not draft, DRAUGHT. Doesn't change the fact this is a horrible place. Thank you though Edrok, for the wonderfully considerate correction of my spellink, nuff said innit.
jimmythefish - 18 Jan 2007 18:51
wonderful bar. good atmosphere! oh and fantastic music.
spaceships - 17 Jan 2007 19:16
If I specifically want DRAUGHT beer, I go elsewhere, but if I want somewhere that plays the sort of music I like and has a policy of 'No Burberry' and 'No ties', then I can put up with drinking ale out of a bottle.

This bar has a great selection of spirits though.
edrok666 - 12 Jan 2007 07:24
my favourite bar in the world. lovely people and great music.
raziqrauf - 15 Dec 2006 00:43
No draft beer, and for that reason alone I will give it a 3/10. Astounded at the high rating this place has gained so far (7.4/10 at the time of writing). Atmosphere might be decent (at times) but no draft beer. NO DRAFT BEER! No thanks. There are far better places nearby with late licences, (with beer on tap, would you believe!) I'd give this a miss. In fairness I can see the appeal to former Intrepid Fox punters.
jimmythefish - 11 Dec 2006 18:21
We started drinking here more often after the original Intrepid Fox closed down and grew to really feel at home here.

The Intrepid Fox has now re-opened at the old Conservatory bar near by. However, they now appear to operate a dress code much stricter than the one before. The Intrepid Fox's loss is the Crobar's gain as far as I'm concerned.

It doesn't bother me that they have no draught beer at the Crobar, they still have bottled versions of some really nice real ales, such as Hobgoblin.
I go there more for the music and the general atmosphere anyway.
edrok666 - 10 Dec 2006 09:22
Certainly a fine place to go for a late drink, albeit as several have already commented it is not a satisfactory replacement for the sorely missed Intrepid Fox (which is rumoured to be re-opening nearby). Preferred it when it used to be the Acoustic Cafe though - we had some GREAT gigs in there with my old band.
tim_eyles - 20 Nov 2006 00:40
i like this place,its quirky.The goth,metal pierced bar staff are friendly and serve you cold cans of lager or nice cold "dixie lager".I sometimes go in dressed in jeans and shirt (am not a goth or metal fan) and nobody bothers you or gives you that "what are you doin in ere" look.Its friendly,laid back and just a cool place to have a few beers,unlike the intrepid which was always in your face too much.
nickragingthirst - 10 Nov 2006 15:00
This place is filthy and disgusting. It should be closed down going on the state of its toilets and IT'S EXCELLENT.

This place does not pretend to be anything at all. Even a pub, seemingly. No draught anything, it's bottles or cans and that's about it unless you like your whisky, which fortunately I do. Excellent range. The bar staff look like they've just been dropped off by their hells angels boyfriends, and the jukebox looks like it's been filled by them too. Went there with a mutal friend to meet a band he was working with and thoroughly enjoyed a can of red stripe... my standards may have thoroughly slipped but with a bit of Sabbath playing in the background I felt about 16 again. Can't complain about the place.
Oldsod - 19 Oct 2006 02:08
I was devastated to hear about the Intrepid Fox closing but i heard this place is a reasonable substitute. I will definitely pay a visit next time i'm in London. It sounds good but a pub with no draught beer? thats er .......different
eio - 17 Oct 2006 01:12
Took the wife in on a saturday night...LOVED IT!
as has been mentioned it has a great juke box (mostly metal). Left at about 1:30 am , freindly and safe but watch out for the crappy toilets.
oxfordboy - 7 Oct 2006 22:24
Brilliant Jukebox, good drink and excellant service. Took a mate of mine in, he complained that no Alice Cooper on Jukebox although there's a poster of Alice on wall - you can't please everyone!!!
theblade - 19 Jul 2006 11:12
Proof that all a place needs to be successful is beer, a jukebox, and word of mouth.

I love this place - it's like drinking in hell's off-licence. It's bottles or cans only, a 3-page whiskey & bourbon menu, and a jukebox full of anger. The only downside is that the music should be turned up "to 11", but typically only plays at around 4 or 5.
topdog_andy - 9 Jun 2006 14:44
There's something special about the moment when, having ordered a bottle of Budvar, a 500ml kingsize is plonked in front of you, instead of your standard 330ml baby bottle. Though you should really be drinking Bourbon at this place. I have never seen a jukebox with so many AC/DC albums on it. Memorable.
iceinthecider - 24 Feb 2006 12:47
Classic jukebox and just the right side of squalid decor. A typically good rock crowd and good staff. I like it. I will be going back, probably with the mysterious Graeme. He was less keen, but you can't have everything, can you?
redshot - 24 Feb 2006 12:17
Nice place. No draught beer, so you have to stick to bottles here.
edrok666 - 21 Aug 2005 11:46
Love it! Firendly and interesting if you love Rock! Juke box is ace.
vicky - 20 Jul 2004 17:57
Always smells a little of disinfectant, and the decor is a bit divey, also too small for the amount of people it attracts on the week end. but great jukebox and bands that play the Astoria (round the corner) can often be seen here after a gig.
Julia - 12 Jul 2004 16:53
love the crobar, prolly the best place to catch ya fave rock bands chilling out after gigs too at weekends..
emzily - 14 Apr 2004 11:51
Had some good nights in here. Cheap pitchers of cocktails before (I think) 9pm. Great jukebox too. Arrive early though as there aren't many seats. Open til 3am. Also good for occasional star spotting (Dave Grohl etc).
Chris - 18 Mar 2004 12:07
Highly recommended. Preferred by the discerning Soho drinker. See website for the full experience - check photos section. http://www.crobar.co.uk/
Richard - 12 Dec 2003 16:43

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