All Bar One, Victoria, SW1

Nothing good about this place - no real ale and only keg offerings. Don't bother.

All Bar One takes up a corner unit at the base of a shiny office block that is home to Trading Standards. Unsurprisingly the interior is identical to any other ABO and I did get a sense of deja vu when I approached the bar just as the barmaid disappeared off round the back somewhere. This welcome break from attentive service allowed me to note that there is no real ale and the majority of draught products were premium. I also noted that the many bottles of wine that are set into the back bar are bookended by an espresso station and a champagne station. The bar is lined with umpteen swan neck fonts that rise above nuts, berries and foliage that festoon the counter. I thought that there may be a pub monkey that likes to graze along the bar, but I soon realised that these were essential ingredients for drinks the likes of which we do not know of in the Sussex backwater in which I reside. This ABO is split into three distinct areas which are the bar area, complete with cocktail counter, and a dining area faced by an open kitchen to the left which sits under another seating area that is reached by scaling a flight of stairs. This is a slender bar with a mix of standard and high tables and chairs that line the floor to ceiling exterior windows. There are no televisions or gaming machines, but some indistinguishable old shite was being piped out of the speakers. The displayed opening times are 08:00 until 23:30 Monday to Thursday, 08:00 until 00:00 Friday, 09:00 until 00:00 Saturday and 09:00 until 22:30 on Sunday. Food is available during the day and to give an idea of cost a full English breakfast is £7.75. I’m going through a masochistic phase so next time I’m up in this area I think I’ll check out the Slug and Lettuce around the corner.

Official site of All Bar One - www.allbarone.co.uk

Official site of All Bar One - www.allbarone.co.uk