35 The Piazza,
Covent Garden,
London,
WC2E 8BE
(020) 7240 6001
The ViewLondon Review
In the heart of Covent Garden, this lively nightspot is an American-style diner with attitude.
The Venue
Located on the Covent Garden Piazza, this underground bar/restaurant/club is as central as you can get. The venue is designed in the style of an American roadhouse diner, decked out in neon and complete with the front-end of a truck embedded in the wall. Booths around the edge of the space offer the best views of the stage and can be booked in advance.
The Atmosphere
The bar is busy throughout the week, giving the place a buzz which builds into a party atmosphere as the night goes on. Friendly and attentive staff serve drinks with a smile and really add to the venue’s appeal.
The Music
This place comes alive when the music starts, with live music on stage every night of the week. Wednesday nights feature the excellent Rockaoke: karaoke but with a full band supporting you, making sure that you sound as close to a rock-star as you can get on a weekday evening. Live bands play most nights, followed by DJ sets to take you through to 3am.
The Food
The menu is exactly what you would expect from an American-style roadhouse (lashings of barbecue sauce) with an emphasis on large portions and reasonable prices. Starters include deliciously tender beef satay strips, though the satay sauce doesn’t match the enjoyment of the beef (£5.45), crispy fried calamari (£5.45) and tasty filled potato skins (£4.45). Main courses are enormous; the BBQ big rack of ribs looks like something out of the Flintstones, served with generous helpings of salty fries and coleslaw (£13.95). The steaks are tasty and tender and reasonably priced at £14.95. A large selection of burgers for between £9 and £12 also makes for good value given the venue’s central location.
The Drink
A decent cocktail list includes the Lemon Tree which has a tangy kick to it but many of the concoctions are too sweet. The website promises a ’60 strong cocktail list’ but you may only see around half that many, better to ask your waitress for a few ‘off the menu’ suggestions. There is also a selection of bottled beers and wines. Two happy hours per evening (5.30pm-7.30pm and again 9.30pm-10.30pm) offer 2-4-1 cocktails as well as cheaper beers and wines to ensure that the drinks flow freely and the atmosphere stays lively.
The Last Word
Whatever the Roadhouse lacks in the quality of its food, it makes up for in its generous portions, friendly staff and good value; throw in the rock and roll entertainment and you’ve got a great venue for a lively night out.
Roadhouse has been reviewed by 51 users