32-34 Monmouth Street,
London,
WC2H 9HA
0872 148 0385
The ViewLondon Review
The Box Bar attracts a loyal following of mature gay revellers keen to escape the predictability of Soho without straying too far from the beaten path.The VenueLocated on Monmouth Street - near Seven Dials in Covent Garden - Box Bar is easy to reach from Leicester Square or Covent Garden tube stations. Easily identified by silver signage and a huge glass frontage, which opens up in the summer so revellers can spill onto the pavement, inside it’s laid out like a restaurant. This is probably to capitalise on the space as it gets so packed here. The decor is Nineties functional with bland neutral walls and blonde wood floors, and is starting to look a bit dated.
The AtmosphereBox Bar has a steady crowd of regulars who come here to begin their heavy night of partying, alongside after-work professionals and tourists. Together, this makes up a customer base of good looking gay men with muscles, dressed in tight T-shirts and smart designer wear. It gets busy quickly most evenings and has a friendly, cruisy vibe, perpetuated by the stunning (albeit slightly arrogant) bar staff. This place is so proud of its attractive employees it publishes an annual Box Bar Calendar - on sale behind the bar - and proudly displays framed pictures from it.
The FoodFood is only offered here during the day, with breakfast from 11am and a full menu offered until 5pm. Salads, sandwiches and bagels are priced at £4.50-£9 and a selection of modern British main courses are all priced under £10.
The DrinkServing up a dozen different wines by the glass and bottle alongside various Continental lagers to keep the more mature crowd happy, there's a decent enough choice of drinks although prices aren’t cheap. However, this is Covent Garden so it would be unfair to expect bargain basement on drink prices.
The Last WordBox Bar offers an escape from Old Compton Street but is looking old and isn't particularly exceptional. The gorgeous staff and decent drinks keep this place packed and the regulars show no sign of tiring of it yet.