Freud is a laid-back, cave-like den that offers some much-needed respite from the comings and goings of Shaftesbury Avenue.

The Venue
Freud isn’t a members' bar. It isn’t some cool, trendy in-the-know hang out. And, most importantly, you don’t need to be on a guestlist or book weeks in advance just to get a seat. What Freud does do is offer a subterranean escape from the tourist hell above ground on Shaftesbury Avenue. A simple sign is all that highlights its location – that and a windy black metal stairway that really shouldn’t be attempted in heels or whilst under the influence of alcohol. Inside, it’s small and looks like it’s been carved into a cave with sandy walls and rickety wooden furniture with an even more rickety bar. Art, of varying degrees of quality, occupies the walls and the menu is made up of just a blackboard behind the bar with neat rows of chalked up cocktails. There isn’t a lot of space or much in the way of seating so at the weekend it’s worth getting in early to stake claim to your spot.

The Atmosphere
Any bar that survived the recession has done well for itself, but Freud has survived TWO major recessions, having first opened in 1986. Now that is impressive. Back in the day, this was a cool, trendy hang-out and although things have moved on since then and it’s more laid back now, it’s still retained some of that in-the-know appeal that has made it such a hit. The staff are friendly, the crowd is made up almost entirely of Londoners and the funky music that hums in the background gives it a toe-tapping, upbeat ambience.

The Drink
Cocktails, cocktails, cocktails. Freud is a cocktail bar and you won’t be maxing out the credit card to order a drink here, although the prices have risen and are more in line with other cocktail bars now – you can expect to pay £6-£8 for a drink. And the cocktails are good. And big (they're often served in almost pint-size tumblers). They may not exhibit the expert mixology of some of London’s better cocktail bars but they are tasty, well mixed and designed to be enjoyed. An excellent example of this is the Fallen Angel – a creamy cocktail with a butterscotch sweetness that’s almost too sickly... Almost. It comes topped with whipped cream with a cherry on top, more of a dessert or a milkshake than a cocktail, but boy is it moreish. Just be careful as you can easily down four of these in half an hour and forget that it does have alcohol in it. Dangerous. And this is indicative of many of their cocktails. Their White Russian isn’t as alcoholic as some, concentrating mainly on the creamy flavours and sweetness, but it’s hard to care too much when it’s so damned delicious.

The Last Word
Freud has endured for over two decades through some of the UK’s worst economic downturns and has managed to stay modern and relevant to today’s London drinking scene. Admirable.

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