A lively pub that is part of the O’Neills chain in the centre of London attracts shoppers, office workers and tourists, and is a great venue if you need a quick, reasonably priced drink or dinner on the move.

The Venue
O’Neills is on the corner of Great Marlborough Street and Carnaby Street: an extremely busy junction in London full of bustling shoppers, tourists and media types. Just a stone’s throw from the consumer draw of Oxford Circus, Regent Street and Liberty, this is an ideal spot for a rest after you’ve shopped until you’ve dropped. Outside, people stand with pints and glasses of wine to mutually congratulate one another on surviving another working day. It’s easy to walk past and get sucked in by the feel-good vibe outside O’Neills.

Inside, the bar is easy to locate and fairly busy. Behind the bar is plenty of seating in a surprisingly airy and light dining room. The pub is decked out with rustic-style wooden floorboards, yellow walls and a mixture of booth and chair seating.

The Atmosphere
The pub and outside areas are lively and vibrant, full of happy and polite bar staff, who are doing the best (which is very good) to serve everyone promptly. The punters are a mix of local workers; mostly from the media industry, who are loud and confident without being obnoxious, as well as tourists grabbing a bite to eat. This makes for two different atmospheres: at the front of the bar, the feel is very noisy and spirited whilst the dining room is more quiet and peaceful, without seeming like it’s lacking life.

The Food
The menu offers a wide selection of reasonably priced dishes, from standard pub fare like burgers or steak and chips to fish and salads. The dish of red snapper is beautifully presented and very edible with a soft lemony flavour; however, the steak can be a little gristly, although certainly flavoursome and comes with a delicious tangy mustard sauce. The menu is large enough to suit most diners and pockets. Mains start at around £7, going up to around £9. Side orders and starters are also available.

The Drink
Like other O’Neills pubs, a variety of good value and more expensive drinks are available. For example, easily drinkable wines start at around £8 for a Rosemount wine, which tastes citrusy and refreshing. Soft drinks like juice and tea and coffee are also available.

The Last Word
O’Neills Soho offers an ambitious menu including something to tempt most diners and a wide variety of drinks. However, its best attribute is the convenient location and upbeat atmosphere.

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