I've been to Alice House three times. The interior is inviting (and one would think), the perfect place for a Sunday brunch. The food is standard fair but slightly overpriced. The service, however, is utterly atrocious. On my third (and last!) visit, I entered and, though there was a woman walking around with what appeared to be a list of names on a clipboard, no one greeted me at the door. After waiting a few moments near the entrance, I finally asked the bartender if I could just sit anywhere, to which he replied with a friendly, "Sure!" I sat alone at a table for two near the center of the restaurant and waited for someone to come and take my order, offer me water. 3 minutes passed...5 minutes...7 minutes...and finally 10 minutes. Not a long time in the grand scheme of things but when you're hungry and watching the clock, hoping a waiter will notice you, it is an eternity. Several waiters walked past me during that 10 minutes--not even one stopped to ask if I'd been helped. I finally got up and went to the less fashionable (but light years ahead in terms of service, quality of food and price) La Brioche across the street. From there, I phoned the manager of Alice House, hoping he'd redeem my experience. To his credit, he did apologize. Then he said he would remind staff to be attentive to customers who might need service in the future. Considering that's the basic tenant of a waiter's job, he might want to rethink his management strategy. I watched the crowd at Alice House from the window as I finished my breakfast. A couple, who had been waiting as long as I had been eating, finally got up from the table and went inside just to secure themselves a couple of menus. I guess that's just the kind of place Alice House is.

I've been to Alice House three times. The interior is inviting (and one would think), the perfect place for a Sunday brunch. The food is standard fair but slightly overpriced. The service, however, is utterly atrocious. On my third (and last!) visit, I entered and, though there was a woman walking around with what appeared to be a list of names on a clipboard, no one greeted me at the door. After waiting a few moments near the entrance, I finally asked the bartender if I could just sit anywhere, to which he replied with a friendly, "Sure!" I sat alone at a table for two near the center of the restaurant and waited for someone to come and take my order, offer me water. 3 minutes passed...5 minutes...7 minutes...and finally 10 minutes. Not a long time in the grand scheme of things but when you're hungry and watching the clock, hoping a waiter will notice you, it is an eternity. Several waiters walked past me during that 10 minutes--not even one stopped to ask if I'd been helped. I finally got up and went to the less fashionable (but light years ahead in terms of service, quality of food and price) La Brioche across the street. From there, I phoned the manager of Alice House, hoping he'd redeem my experience. To his credit, he did apologize. Then he said he would remind staff to be attentive to customers who might need service in the future. Considering that's the basic tenant of a waiter's job, he might want to rethink his management strategy. I watched the crowd at Alice House from the window as I finished my breakfast. A couple, who had been waiting as long as I had been eating, finally got up from the table and went inside just to secure themselves a couple of menus. I guess that's just the kind of place Alice House is.

The Alice House has been my favourite local for the past year since I moved to the area, consistently providing first class service. The vibe of this place is smooth, chilled and atmospheric during the week and a place of energy and a real buzz at the weekends. The staff are great, drinks are first class and the area is fantastic. I had my leaving drinks there a couple of weeks ago - sad it won't be my local now that I've moved to NYC but totally recommend this bar and will definitely pop in for a drink when I visit London again!

The Alice House is a busy, buzzy venue in West Hampstead (very good public transport links by bus, tube and overground), there is real atmosphere about the place and a lovely informal air, just lots of groups of all sizes enjoying themselves. We held an 18th birthday party at here using 'The Den', their attractive, informal private room (with full bar) and all had a very good time. The 'maitre d' and staff were uniformly excellent, charming, helpful and friendly (special mention to the superb young lady who acted as our resident bartender for the evening and the hardest-working 'maitre d' I've seen in ages). The food supplied for the party (a wide selection of sharing plates) was very good and 2 of us had an excellent meal upstairs while the party was going on below. The restaurant and bar menus are great and the range of cocktails very impressive both in choice and quality. All-in-all a brilliant place to go.

I went to The Alice House for my mums birthday meal on tues 22 Feb 2011 with 8 people and was so disappointed I thought I`d write a review. For a start the venue is actually very stylish with nice outdoor area in front of the restaurant with some wooden decking. Inside the cieling is pretty weird with loads of dimly lit light bulbs and hardly any visibility at night. Not a bad setting if you are havin a romantic meal with partner. The place is more of a fancy wine bar than a restaurant as the food choice we were given was non existant. There were 2 hindu vegetarians with us who had to just eat chips as the choice was appalling. There was about 7 choices of main course ranging from Alice House burger to some winter vegetable dish. When we did order the food, and we didnt order anything too complicated or fancy, it took ages to get served and when it arrived it was served on wooden cheeseboards which allowed for a handful of chips and not much else. £9.75 for a burger and some undercooked chips was not good. It was so dark in there I could hardly see what I was eating. The staff seemed disinterested and unhelpful and were not enjoying their jobs I feel. Utterly overpriced and pretentious. Got a terrific venue, but could be much better. Not a restaurant at all! Not going back again.

Really love this place. Really friendly staff, excellent service and a great atmosphere. food is pretty dam good too. Probably my favourite place in w.Hampstead.

Really love this place. Really friendly staff, excellent service and a great atmosphere. food is pretty dam good too. Probably my favourite place in w.Hampstead.

Gorgeous decor but that's the only good thing about it. Overpriced, average food, terrible service and I couldn't have what I wanted from the menu because the chef was 'temperamental'.

Being a local I have been several times before and a bunch of my mates who usually don't leave the westend have started coming too. It's a bit pricier than some of the local competition but with special events, awesome cocktails, a well thought out menu and beautiful crowd its well worth it. My only problem with the place is that it can be too popular!

Alice House has become a bit of a local for us now. The bar staff are great and the food is a little on the pricey side but well worth it, especially when you see the sizable portions! It's a guaranteed good night if you don't fancy a big clubbing one but still up for a night out.

A massive disappointment!

With its chic design and gastropub feel I had high hopes for the food at Alice House. Unfortunately it wasn't just mediocre but actually quite disgusting.

My friend ordered a steak medium rare - it came rare, and with a thick strip of fat in the middle of it. My fish and chips were also terrible - tasteless watery fish and cold mushy peas.

We complained to the waitress who apologised but failed to offer a refund or an alternative, and then had the cheek to stick a gratuity on top of the bill!

All in all we will be heading to J's or the Banana Tree next time for cheap and cheerful food that actually tastes good!

Actually, 1/2 A star! I would not recommend Alice House as it is overpriced and some of the staff are rude and can't get orders right. I've been to Alice House twice and each time we have been unhappy. 1. My friend orders a steak sandwich and gets a burger. When she complained the waitress just stared blankly and then said enjoy your meal. 2. My friend and I ordered a shandy with the cheapest lager. We were charged for 2 pints of the most expensive beer plus 10% making two shandies a hefty £9.10. For such an expensive establishment you would expect the toilets to be working order - there was only one light working so always a queue. Do not waste your money here!

Disappointing. I am new to the area and was looking forward to checking out the Alice House. I went last Sunday & wasn't impressed. The tonic is on tap & really didn't taste very nice or fizzy. Later on in the evening I queued at the bar for 20 mins & still hadn't been served so gave up.

I went last Sunday and the setting was very nice and there was a female solo acoustic act who was fantastic. Spot Alice House for finding her. Made for a really nice ambiance. My grip is the gratuity that is charged on the bill. This isn't continental Europe. If it was you'd get a 'free' bowl of nuts. When I asked why it was charged, they said 'it's just something we do'. At £4 a pint I don't think you should sneak an extra 45p on top when I'm not looking.

Last sunday I went to the alice house for the first time for a lunch with couple of friends that are always there and I must say that their roast is just amazing. It was quite late in the afternoon but what was meant to be just a lunch out became a night out as we stayed until 11pm when they closed. Very good choice for a sunday night, cosy and warm atmosphere. Great food and such a nice and helpful staff.
For sure I'm coming back!

I have being attended the Alice House for months now and I have to say that since its grand opening I have loved the way its develop and now I feel it likes a home for me. Me and the girls love the bar staff and managers attitude towards us everytime we go in. The staff, music and atmosphere has been brilliant and we feel that the bar has found its place in its location and we really love it however. We were in last Saturday 23rd from about 8pm and I am not sure who this person was but he looked like an owner or something but my friends and I have never been so intimidated by someone just standing there. He looked as if he was scoring points in his black flip book and every move you made was captured in his black book. He kept walking round the bar staring at everyone. It was awful. It just wasn't cool who ever he was. Please don't tell me he owns it?

Anyway. Me and the girls left the bar for the first time ever and very much doubt we'll be returning if he's going to be there to make us feel unwelcome so whoever you are have cost that bar lots of great custom. It upsets me as we have spent so many great nights at our (ex) local. I have never felt a dark presence as this guy. Bad choice Alice House. Very bad choice.

My friend had a birthday in their private room, The Den the other day. I rather begrudgingly trekked to the other side of London, however was seriously pleasantly surprised. There was such a great atmosphere and it was so much more special than generic birthday parties in some anonymous bar.

My friends and I visited the Alice House recently and were very disappointed. Although visually it is very pleasing, the people were not. Not being from the local area, I found that we were looked down upon by most of the other people there who seemed to be locals which made me and my friends feel very uncomfortable.

It took a long time to get anyone's attention at the bar and when we did finally order (a cocktail), it took over 15 minutes to make!

What sealed the deal for me was when I was unfortunate enough to be introduced to the owner. Although he was polite when we were first introduced, he was not interested in having a conversation with me and was more concerned with entertaining and speaking to just his friends and the various girls who were hanging off him.

The

If the management of Alice House ever read this - MASSIVE THUMBS UP for the fact that you now serve monmouth coffee...expect me every sunday morning without fail!!!Amy C x

What a difference a few weeks make. We first went to The Alice House when it opened - it was dirty, disorganised and after waiting for an hour for our food, we walked out.

After much resistance, we returned last week at the urging of friends, and I take back all the bad words I've been saying!

The food was prompt and excellent (though portions could be bigger) and we were lucky enough to meet the charming manager, who not only makes the BEST Mojito I've ever tasted in my life, but looked after us all night - and from what we could see, we weren't the only ones - the staff kept hugging him!

Leaving The Alice House that first time, we swore we'd never return, but after waking up the next morning with a thumping headache and a smile on my face, I will be back for many a Mojito

Went for a Saturday lunch.

I don't know what it is about this place, but when it was Cane Bar and Eclipse previously, and now in its latest incarnation it is terribly badly run and the location and interior design does not make up for its failings in service and food quality.

To be fair the food was perfectly fine, if you want to pay £9.50 for a full English and wait 40 minutes for "fine".

The coffee, however, is insulting, the worst I've had in years.

In its defence the staff seem to be doing their best but are terribly managed and trained, but it struck me that overall the whole point of the place was an exercise in stroking the owner's ego, showing his friends what a clever interior designer he had hired.

His friends (who seemed to be in good supply, bless him) appeared suitably impressed, but the paying customers weren't so thrilled.

I went to the Alice House for lunch on Sunday, and I had a great time.

I had the sea-bass and it was cooked to perfection...

Plus the decking out front is brilliant for the spring and summer coming up:-)

I was really impressed with what they've done with the place, as it really needed a make-over... Loved it

what a fantastic transformation!

All I'd say is go and have a look for yourself although a part of me would like to keep Alice House as a special secret.

We went this weekend and had the best time. It was incredibly busy and all the staff were still so friendly (a rarity in london bars!).

The management we saw were obviously doing something right and where nothing but positive - like I said a fantastic bar right next to my house!

I loved Alice House, the crowd were really funky, the staff good fun tossing the drinks and making really wicked cocktails.

Great night out, would definitely go back

Alice House is a unique venue. It is small and has that living room sort of feel to it, which is excellent.

The drinks are good, as is the food. The dress code is relaxed, but don't let that fool you into thinking this bar isn't classy.

The vibe is very much a relaxed one and the place attracts a trendy crowd. It is well worth making it ur regular!

Alice House is accross the road from where I live, I went in for the first time a few nights ago and it proved to be a brilliant discovery.

Its really cosy and inviting, and the cocktails&food are great! Im definately booking my Birthday Party there!!!!!!!Mark

I cant believe I only discovered Alice House a few days ago...its round the corner from where I live. The best Cocktails I have had in ages and a really cosy atmosphere. Ill definately be back!

Munson, spot on! How can you complain when you can see that the staff works so hard, everyone is really trying!

I took my partner for a quite drink today, and let me tell you we loved it (not very quite, as the place was heaving)!

Yeah, maybe the drinks took a bit longer, so what?! We kissed in between!

It seems that there are some seriously stuffy people coming to The Alice House and all they want to do is complain.

I was there last night and it was absolutely mobbed - the cocktails were great, the staff were really friendly and the atmosphere was buzzing - definately a winner !!!

The negative comments are coming from the fact that The Alice House is UTTER RUBBISH! There are many bad things about this place (as listed below by other disgruntled patrons) but the worst aspect is definitely the arrogant staff and self-important management.

You work in a BAR for God's sake - it's not rocket science... so get off you high horse and start acting like you care about this business and your patrons!

I do not know where all the negative comments are coming from but I do know that I and my friends had a good Monday night, with fantastic cocktails and some deliciouse Alice Burgers, which where served by a very cute waitress.

The drinks were served on time, and were again faultless.

This place has so much potential - cool interior design and artwork, relaxed seating (and lots of it), menu with some twists to the classics, outside decking area for the summer and the best bit, two minutes from my house.

Sadly, this new neighbourhood bar is all style and no substance. The problems could be easily fixed, and management, if you are reading this, I urge you to do the following:

Hire some bartenders who know what they're doing - and schedule a few more of them on for Friday/Saturday nights.

Waiting for 30 minutes to be served by someone who has quite obviously put more time into highlighting his hair than learning how to mix a drink is not cool.

What's less cool is waiting another twenty minutes for 'highlights' to mix the drinks (5 minutes to find the drink card to work out what's in it, 5 minutes to re-read the drink card to work out again what's in it, 5 minutes wandering around the bar wondering what bottle contains the necessary spirits, 5 minutes mixing the drinks, and finally 5 minutes to explain that we can't have those drinks because one of the liquors isn't in stock).

We attributed this to one poor guy's first night on the bar. But, after three more visits to The Alice House in two consecutive weekends it seems like every bartender (except one) has no idea how to mix a cocktail.

Unless you like your drinks like juice, don't bother with them. I would say go for a pint if you don't mind the wait - however the taps ran dry one night we were there...

The Alice House is an exercise in patience and tolerance, of which mine seems to have run out.

Terrible, terrible service.

Cocktails were badly made and we waited 40 minutes for our drinks. (I wish I was joking)

Staff are arrogant and have no idea of good customer service or how to run a bar.

Decor is nice but do your nerves a favour and avoid it at all costs.

I visited The Alice House over the bank holiday weekend for the first time.

As a local I have been intrigued to check it out for myself as since it opened the place has been packed out.

Its a relief to finally have somewhere in West Hampstead with a 'professional touch'.

The drinks are great and I had a lovely smoked salmon rosti, and also pinched some of my boyfriends - garlic mushrooms on toast!

I recommend getting their early on Sat / Sundays to get a table.Am looking forward to soaking up the sun on the outside decking in the summer....

Went on a Saturday night, we had a table booked for 8pm, the place was buzzing!!! Wait until you try the bar food; chorizo in wine, albondigas and homemade burger accompanied by some yummy cocktails .

We will definitely return and recommend, I would say the best place in West Hampstead. The bad part is today`s hungover...

The brunch was fantastic, and the waitresses even better, atmosphere cosy. Would definitely recommend.

Ok, I have waited till my third visit to share my thoughts on The Alice House.

They have duck eggs for breakfast, this is a major plus for me and also they serve them with marmite soldiers, hurray.

The first time I went I thought hey, great front of house but serious problem in the kitchen, it doesn't take 1.5 hours to boil an egg.

The second time I went, 1.15 hours wait, i started to think they are capitalising on my good brunchy, laidback, wait for a long time mood.

Third time and cocktails, they lost my boyfriend's credit card! I've never written a review before and i'm a diplomatic soul, i think my thoughts could be summed up as:

if you're not in a hurry, you like duck eggs, you are close to a phone to cancel cards, and you have patience for your fellow man you will be ok here.

I will now have to give this place a wide berth for a few months because I am cross, but because they have a nice menu and because they only recently opened i won't give them the kiss of death...........yet.

The positive is that the makeover deserves a star. But that's it.

Ultimately the Alice House is an unimaginative rehash of every bar that has been on that site run by a couple of guys who seem to think they're in a superclub.

The bar staff were so caught up in making and sampling straw-fulls of pointlessly fussy cocktails (Why are they tasting the drinks?

Does it mean they aren't sure if they made the drink properly? And will they spend another 15 minutes remaking them?) they couldn't take the time to remember who was next to order a drink.

More of a hygiene issue was the barman repeatedly licking fruit concentrates off of his palm (another taste test) and wiping sweat off his drenched face with his bare hand, not washing and then fiddling with the fruit garnishes in those same cocktails.

Glad I had beer (although the 30 minutes spent waiting for a round was just ridiculous).This is supposed to be from the same company which operates the Gallery.

How can they get that one so right and this one so woefully wrong?

Was at the Alice House on a busy Saturday night and this place really needs to work on it's priorities, spending 25 minutes waiting for a drink while the bar staff fannied around sampling the fruit concentrate for cocktails just isn't on.

We wanted to buy more drinks but couldn't be bothered with the wait. If it wasn't for a friends party we would have walked out. Eclipse failed and unless this place improves it will go the same way.

This place could be good but it needs dramatic improvement. Get staff to loose the attitude, improve customer service and if they really want to stick with the cocktails then offer table service.