Nestled near the Piccadilly end of Carnaby Street, Gem Bar (formerly known as Pearl) offers the glamour and glitz of a full on West End club with an informality and friendliness that can be hard to find in the area.

The Venue
The venue’s upstairs room is dominated by the large, well stacked bar on one side and a series of large, private booths which can seat up to 10 people on the other. Downstairs, there's a club room with more booths - these seat up to 20 people and, as with upstairs, can be booked in advance - and a generously sized wooden dance floor.

The Atmosphere
This isn't the place for a quiet drink - even on nights when there's no club event happening, the music is turned up loud and, as a result, so is the volume level of conversation. The clientele is a mixture of the post-work and pre-club crowds, and both elements seem to be up for a laugh and a dance. With very personable table service there's no frustrating jams at the bar, even when it's busy, and the staff seem clued-up enough to make decent suggestions and recommendations from the menu.

The Food
At lunchtime there are lighter options, such as a blackened Cajun chicken Caesar and tuna nicoise salads (both £8), or meaty treats like sausage and mash (£6), Thai green chicken curry (£8), gammon with free-range egg and chips, chilli con carne (£6), burgers, sandwiches and all the usual sides. In the evening the food is designed for sharing with groups of people, with giant nachos (£8.95), and rustic or Mediterranean platters (£14.95), although those averse to sharing can go for a selection of smaller 'nibbles' that include potato wedges, vegetable spring rolls, Cumberland chipolatas and toasted pitta bread with hummus (all £2.95-£4.95). Nothing groundbreaking by any means but it is stodgy and filling.

The Drink
There’s a massive selection of around 40 wines. Whites range from sauvignon blanc at £4.20 a glass up to a classic French Chassagne-Montrachet Les Masures at £42.50 a bottle. Several roses include a Domain Montrose Rose from France (£4.90 a glass/£15.50 a bottle) and bottles of red include South African Long Beach Shiraz (£14.50 per bottle), Merlot Ochagavia from Chile (£15.50) and Chateau de Pic Bordeaux (£21.95).

The cocktails are exemplary, from the evergreen mojito (£6.40) brimming with refreshing fresh mint to the excellently named Double Monster vodka (£6.40) and the bar's own signature cocktails such as The Rocktail (£6.50). Shooters also seem popular, the likes of Aniseed Ball, B52, Jager B, Last Chance Saloon and, for those with a sweet tooth, the Toblerone (Teichenne vanilla schnapps and Bols Cacao), all do the trick for party-goers at £5 a pop.

The Last Word
Whether you want to cool your heels after pounding the pavements shopping in the West End, or you're after a place to kick off your night 'up west', look no further.

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