Simmons, Soho, W1

The Crobar is a small Soho rock bar next to the Borderline, specializing in beer and whiskey. You enter into a narrow corridor with the bar on the left hand side and very limited seating options. The place is decorated in typical rock bar fashion, with a large black and white mural opposite the bar and all sorts of odd kitsch and macabre items lining the bar back. At one end of the servery there is a stained glass pane depicting a scantily clad woman which had a ‘Chucky’ doll stood in front of it. The room opens out to the rear, where a slightly lower level area offers additional seating. This part of the room is very dark compared to the well lit bar area, and there is a colour changing sign with the bar’s logo on it along the back wall. I suspect the highlight for many people is the juke box which is well stocked with rock and metal albums which it was belting out at an appropriately loud volume. There are no draught beers available, but the bottled range is surprisingly eclectic. Standard continental beers are supplemented with the likes of Brooklyn Lager and Greene King Abbot Ale. I tried a bottle of Samuel Adams Boston Lager (£3.60) and an Icelandic beer called Einstock Smoked Porter. The staff, including the doorman who were on duty on my Friday night visit, were all very friendly and the bar staff in particular were helpful in detailing some of the bottles not listed on the board or displayed behind the bar. There is a wide whiskey selection as well, at reasonable prices for Central London, and I noticed a shooters menu on one of the walls. This is certainly a niche bar, but I enjoyed my time here either side of a gig at the Borderline and I’d be more than happy to return in similar circumstances again.