Nice pub/bar for a date near Leicester Sq?

[dolly's gal]

Gordon's wine bar sounds nice, but looking at the pics on their site, it does seem very intimate and romantic for a first date.

warning: it gets really hot and smokey cos there's no proper ventilation and it gets incredibly busy. also, the last time i went, the ladies toilets were disgusting - sanitary products all over the place!

it's an interesting place, but it's quite rough round the edges. imo of course.

have fun where ever you end up going!

 

[Xanadu]

I quite like Jewel bar (on maiden lane). Can be very expensive though.

 

[gabi]

La Perla (next to Jewel) is a lot nicer IMO

 

[Cid]

If she likes whisky take her to the Toucan in Soho, cozy little downstairs bit which has a vast selection of the aformentioned beverage. 'Course she probably doesn't, but meh. Also discovered a nice little pub off Tottenham court road with an amazing selection of pies (it's on Rathbone st iirc, small downstairs but has a restauranty type bit upstairs. Never been upstairs though, I just know they do a good cider and Adnams ).

Btw finding a nice, unpacked place in central London of an evening is just wishful thinking - there are some lovely little pubs down obscure alleyways (although they're more towards Farringdon), but even they get pretty rammed. There's such a high concentration of people working in the area that anywhere good is quickly marked as a place for a nice drink.