It may not be as slick as Kitts members’ club just down the road on Sloane Square but Tuatara is a welcome addition to this stretch of the King’s Road thanks to its everyone-welcome, friendly and laid back approach that puts the emphasis on quality live music and service.

The Venue
Tuatara is divided into two distinctly separate areas. The ground floor club room wouldn’t be out of place in the West End. The slick styling, table seating and private cordoned off seating area screams out for cocktails and Champagne on ice and even the heavy metal fingerplates on the doors of the club entrance contain the same heavy handprint as the spa at The Mayfair Hotel. However, unlike many upmarket clubs, there’s plenty of space to dance (to the unashamedly commercial music) if you don’t choose to sit down at a table.

Glide up the sweeping, candle-lit staircase and the venue is decidedly different with the first floor dedicated to live music and more grown-up socialising. The acoustics in the room are excellent and it boasts its own stage and grand piano. The floors are black lacquered, there are tables with matt silver snakeskin effect chairs clustered around them and two semi private areas have an air of four poster bed about them and include their own chandeliers and plump tapestry cushions.

On a summer's evening, the sultry sounds and jazz beats from live bands (including the frankly superb Walley Ojo house band on Monday evenings) float out onto the terrace which leads directly off the main room - a clever touch that avoids the problem of groups of friends becoming split up if there are smokers. Overlooking the King’s Road, the outside area is set to receive some serious TLC over the next few weeks. As Sarah Beeny would say, it all comes down to clever planting, but the terrace does the job adequately for now and when it's dark the strings of multi-coloured lanterns make it a relaxing place to sit back and soak up the soul.

The Atmosphere
The high energy of the ground floor club room makes it really well suited to a celebration but it’s also just a great place to let your hair down and have fun with friends. In fact, you’d probably even get away with requesting Madonna’s greatest hits from the DJ if you smiled sweetly enough. Upstairs, it’s less frenetic but no less fun as locals bond over jazz and a well-made mint julep.

The Music
From early evening, the first floor bar area fills up with music-lovers looking to unwind over a nice glass of wine after-work during the week. At weekends, the unique ethos of the two floors works well too. The first floor at Tuatara is a haven for locals who prefer to keep their shape throwing to behind closed doors, opting in public to enjoy good conversation and a well-made cocktail. Meanwhile, on the ground floor, the hours blur past in a frenzy of hip bending as the party gets underway.

The Drink
If you’re really trying hard to work your way through your trust fund in a single sitting, opt for the Dom Perignon Vintage Blanc 1995 6L Methuselah at £7,000 a pop or the modest by comparison Rock and Roll that’s filled with thirty shots of Raspberry Bomb then topped up with your choice of Champagne (£200). You don’t have to act like a parched lottery winner to enjoy a drink at Tuatara though. Bottles of Stella Artois and Kronenbourg are £4 each and the Tuatara Caipiroska (raspberry vodka muddled with fresh raspberries) is priced at a less credit card melting £10.

The Last Word
Tuatara isn’t as luxurious as some of the other clubs and bars in the area but it excels where it matters – with friendly service and excellent live music.

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