The Loop is a lively bar, restaurant and club in one, brightening up the streets of Mayfair despite its dark and glossy décor. With three floors to play with and a cheerful crowd inside, it’s one of the more welcoming West End nightspots.

The Venue
Perfectly located for workers and tourists alike, the Loop can be found on a corner overlooking Hanover Square, a stone’s throw from the bustling Bond Street. The Loop has three levels, starting with the ground floor lounge bar which has a relaxed pub-like feel - ideal for a bit of lunch in between meetings or a swift pint after work or play nearby.

Head down the stairs and the lower floor opens out into the dimly-lit and darkly decorated Opal bar, with its signature slick black leather booths that surround a large bar in the centre. It’s here that most nights begin, with some happy hour drinks and a cheeky dance between the tables as there’s plenty of space to move around. To the back there is a separate restaurant, with far brighter lighting and a more sophisticated look and feel compared to the rest of the venue, while downstairs in the basement is the notorious Groovy Wonderland area complete with a flashing LED dance floor.

The Atmosphere
The Loop is definitely a place to party more than anything else – a typical West End hangout only without the pretentious attitude that so often lets down its neighbours. Every day of the week a crop of London’s workers fill the bar to take advantage of happy hour offers, with weekends attracting tourists who are just looking for a good time. Staff are friendly if a little slow to serve their thirsty punters, right down to the toilet attendants who will make you giggle when nature calls (whether you like it or not).

The Music
Not one to let its mainstream crowd down, the Loop keeps it simple most nights with an enjoyable mix of classic RnB, pop and dance music to get people on the floor (and it always works). If you’d rather get into the groove than bump and grind the Groovy Wonderland is the place to be, with hits from the 70s and 80s bringing disco fever to Mayfair for a much-loved revival. Just leave the flares at home if you want to fit in…

The Food
With lunch, dinner, pre-theatre and bar menus, the Loop really does cater for everyone and at reasonable prices too. The lunch menu has a gastro pub feel with gourmet burgers, a great mix of sandwiches and classic dishes such as battered fish and chips for less than £10. The restaurant menu is a little more exciting with starters costing around £5, a great range of meaty mains covering both Thai and British dishes, as well as sizzling fajitas that start at £12. For lighter bites to soak up the cocktails, the bar menu offers a range of nibbles that suit groups and couples alike. Sharing platters make a great choice if you’re peckish with a mix of fresh bread, dips, impressive nachos and tangy olives presented neatly on a black board that matches the dark furniture, or for a heartier meal stone-baked pizzas start at a very reasonable £7.50 and will stop you venturing to the kebab shop on the way home.

The Drink
Unsurprisingly, the cocktail list is where the Loop excels with a varied mix of classics, fruity creations and sparkling specials, making the bottled beers and generous wine lists a little redundant. Most of the drinkers make use of the happy hour prices between 5pm and 8pm on weekdays to enjoy 50% off all drinks, and with cocktails starting at around £7 at full price it’s well worth the early start. For something different, try the Jamble for an Absolut Currant-based drink with a raspberry jam twist – sweet and refreshing, it’s deceptively strong but easier to drink than the likes of the sharper Passion Margarita. If fruity concoctions are your thing it’s worth trying the Japanese Fizz – a combination of Midori, Raspberry Schnapps, orange juice and raspberry puree, it’s exactly what you’d want on a hot summer’s day.

Thankfully, the Loop do their classics well too; their cosmo may be light in colour but certainly isn’t in alcohol while the mojito is no disappointment thanks to a perfect balance of mint, lime and ice. Sharer cocktails starting at £40 are a great party pick, while a bottle of cava will set you back £28 – not too shabby considering the central location.

The Last Word
Fun, fancy-free and full of people who just want to let loose, the Loop is ideal for groups wanting to get into the party spirit after work. What it lacks in charm or originality, it makes up for with cheap cocktails and floor-filling tunes.

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