American Bar

This review is way overdue, but please do not skip the American Bar at the Savoy if you are ever in London. I was told by many a bartender in Boston, where I was living before my most I recent trip across the pond, that I needed to go to American Bar.
I came here on a quiet Monday afternoon and sat at the bar with Dominic, one of the most knowledgable and kind bartenders I have had the pleasure of meeting. He was kind enough to make me three different cocktails and walk me through the ingredients he was using, tell me about where his spirits came from and why he was using them. He even made me a gin martini, which the bar is known for, and people who know me would be shocked to know that I drank that baby and enjoyed it – the first and only martini that I can say that about. Not only was he a fantastic bartender, but he suggested some other bars I had to try in the area – all of which were amazing experiences as well.
Apart from stellar drinks and service, this bar is, in general, absolutely gorgeous. Will definitely come back the next time I’m in town and enjoy one of those martinis.

Ok this may be a tad pompous, but If you want the best and are willing to pay the price, this is the best bar so far as mixology that I have ever experienced. Amazing selection of mixed drinks that dance on the pallet, not pretentious and just want to make you have another. The menu itself is a short story from the celebrities who have haunted the joint to the new updated version of their favorite drinks… A definite treat! Thanks for the great service Joe!

I first caught notice of this bar because it was on several lists of «Top bars in the world». Since I’m easily sucked into hype, we gave this place a shot. American bar did not disappoint.
While the drinks are EXTREMELY expensive, about £18 and up, the drinks are very intricately made. The lounge was classy, had live music, and the service was second to none. The free munchies they provide include stuffed olives and an excellent snack mix, which were all nice touches.
I can see coming here as regular if I was a baller, but sadly, I am not, so this will be a rare occurrence. Their drinks are just really well made and I can definitely vouch that his is a top 5 bar in my book. Bar Chef in toronto is still #1 for me :)
4 stars. (–1 star for the prices. They even have single cocktails that cost over £100 !)

Basically? It is the best cocktail menu I have EVER seen. I sat there reading it like literature for 20 minutes before I ordered «The Phonebox» and promptly swooned.
The atmosphere is unbeatable – you feel like Hercule Poirot is about to enter at any moment.

This is the classiest and most upscale cocktail bar I’ve been to in London.
My family and I have been here twice, both times before dining at the Savoy Grill. Upon arrival we were warmly invited to sit down– they have a variety of plush couches and chairs which are very comfortable and classy. There is also grand piano in the centre of the room that a gentleman was playing softly whilst we were there.
The cocktail list is absolutely huge, complete with some extraordinarily expensive vintage cocktails. I ordered the ‘Restoration Celebration’ which is a gin based cocktail with cherry, cinnamon and lemon, topped with champagne. It was delicious– fruity with a great complexity of flavours. My husband had the ‘Secret Agent’ which was hands down the nicest whisky cocktail that I had ever tasted. They also brought some tasty nibbles to accompany our drinks.
Our charismatic and attentive server made the evening especially memorable. He explained the cocktail menu to us before giving us time to make our selections. Upon delivering the drinks, he remembered who had ordered which drink. He took the time to chat with us, as well as ask each of us how our cocktails were after we had finished.
Overall I love the service and ambience of the American bar. If you are dining at the Savoy Grill, I highly recommend allowing some time to come to the American bar for a cocktail before dinner!

The martini was worth every bit. I wish I knew where the martini was invented.
Oh wait… I think it may have been at…

I am not five starring this place and I feel like I’m going to get a brick thrown at me for it. The cocktails were good. The drink menu is excellent and I get that it is a famous cocktail bar and all that. But there are other cocktail bars I prefer for a number of reasons.
So, I know going here and complaining about the stupid prices may be seen as missing the point, but… YOU GUYS, COCKTAILS SHOULDN’T COST THIS MUCH. I could basically buy out an entire H+M for the price of a cocktail here.
Bonus points: playing I spy the spy with random strangers at the bar.

Gorgeous cocktails, elegant service, and ultra stylish settings make the American Bar a classy place for a drink.
In the iconic art deco Savoy Hotel off the Strand, you really couldn’t ask for a more classic cocktail bar in all of London. «American» referring to the type of drinking made popular back in the 1920s when mixed drinks a style of drinking from America, and cocktails, really became fashionable. And in many ways you feel like you have stepped back in time to a more refined era.
The cocktail menu is stellar though perhaps a bit overwhelming, but the friendly staff is happy to help you choose from the creative selection. If you prefer, you can always order a classic martini chilled and served to perfection or the always popular glass of champagne. A great place to go when you want something very special… Or after seeing an exhibition at Somerset House… or just walking by.

I have spent enough time here in the past few weeks. I owe a review.
Located off to the left of the Savoy lobby, this is one of the greatest cocktail lounges in the world. I know the Le Connaught bartenders have won more recent accolades, but the drink list here is literally historic. Just be careful if you ask for recommendations, for the staff will recommend a drink in the range of 50 to 150 GBP without batting an eye. Unlike Le Connaught, which can resemble a club atmosphere at its busiest, the American Bar focuses on an intimate setting where you can actually sit down, drink and enjoy conversation. Additionally, there is a piano man playing «American» songs. They also bring some small snacks of peanuts and olives.
Greatness comes with a price. Normal cocktails go for around 15 GBP, the next tier is around 40 GBP and then 100 GBP and above. I got a lovely vintage gin drink and they came out and served me the same cocktail that was made with non vintage spirits so I could compare. It was neat.
If you are a Russian oligarch or on a deep expense account, become a regular. Otherwise stop by with a young lady for a drink or two every now and then to start the evening off.

Tons of alcoholic choices to your heart’s (or liver’s) content with a great level of service that is very warm and welcoming. It was a great way to conclude my trip in London.

So the carpet is pretty hideous and the décor is stuffy and unexciting — but put this inside The Savoy with some five-​star service and something magic happens!
We wandered over here after nearby Radio Bar was full to capacity, and they found us a cosy corner for 5. Once you’ve finished choking over the prices (£17 and upwards eek) the cocktail list is a beauty, with a historical twist being categorised by era. After much deliberation I chose a beautiful Wingspan cocktail of gin, orange bitters, something called cocchi americano that I have no idea about, and crème de violet that meant it came clear with a purple tinge.
By this time the drinks list and the waiter’s impeccable manners had told us this was no ordinary bar. The service makes you feel like a celebrity having a quiet drink, and you may even spot some actual ones too (though my friends assured me that the lady in the corner was not in fact Dame Judy Dench as I was convinced). We devoured two rounds of the biscuity nutty munchies that they put out with your drinks. Then the pianist started playing next to us which happily appealed to me, being an old romantic at heart :)
I won’t be back in a hurry as there’s far too many other interesting (and cheaper) bars out there, but this is one of those places that has a very traditional, sophisticated appeal and will likely stay a timeless classic.

Having been to the various dining rooms at the Savoy for business lunches in the past, it was a lovely treat to be taken to the American Bar for a civilized cocktail. This was my first visit since the restoration and the entire place is even more glamorous than it has ever been.
The cocktail menu is almost too long, luckily staff are at hand to give guidance. My friend and I were given excellent advice and both ended up with the prefect drink.
The Savoy will never be cool and trendy, but offers the perfect backdrop for a sophisticated nightcap.

Very expensive drinks, but very nice drinks. For S&G, I brought a couple friends here before going off to watch the Superbowl. We did not fit in, with our jeans and trainers, but the staff treated us very well, nonetheless. I had the first properly made Ramos gin fizz I’ve ever had outside California, and it was a treat.

Fun and entertaining!!!
We ventured over the American Bar on a suggestion from another local bartender. We arrived and were told there were no seats available, but to try back in a hour. They sent us over to the Beaufort Bar where we spent a lovely hour. When we arrived back in about a hour, the hostess remembered us right away and whisked us to our bar seats that were waiting for us.
The bartenders were super friendly and knowledgable. The place was just lively enough and the piano player was awesome. Drinks were delicious, too!
We got to talking to another couple at the bar beside us who were also from the US which lead to a conversation about Vegas. The bartender, Luca, joined in and we found out that he got into bartending because of a Vegas bartender. A bartender we happen to know (we frequent Vegas way too much). We took a couple of pictures and finished off our evening at the American Bar. We left happy and with a promise to Luca that we would let Flippy know he has a fan in London!
I would definitely suggest the American Bar to anyone visiting London or in the London area. Just be prepared to possibly wait a bit for a seat as it is a sitting only type of place… no standing at the bar, etc.

This place oozes sophistication and class so imagine the looks i got when I trundled in to here with jeans, sneakers and a t-​shirt carrying a large amount of camera gear after going on one of my late night photography trips. (yes i got some awesome pics, always do)
Being part of the savoy you can picture the elegance and vibe. It is the kind of place you would have seen Frank Sinatra having a drink with the rest of the rat pack but even them lads would have screwed at the price of a drink here.
I got here just after midnight so it was not very busy and I had just missed the piano man. The bartender gave me one of those looks where he was expecting no tips but alas I am partially Torontonian and I tip good!
Two old fashions later and 30 quid gone I took the walk home pretending my tripod was a walking cane and I was that dude from the Monopoly board. I was after all on the strand.
Fancypants Raymond from Toronto would love this place, and if he ever visits London I will be taking him here for sure.

Don’t be intimidated by the surroundings, it’s lovely.
We were heading home, and while on the Strand decided to have a one for the road at the Savoy. We looked ok, but certainly not like typical Savoy Hotel residents. My friend’s hand and neck tattoos were on show and we had been shopping. We breezed in and headed for the American Bar (on the left as you enter and follow the signs). We were asked to wait to be seated, but when I said we’d rather sit at the bar, we were told to go ahead.
The last time I was there was before the big refurbishment. The bar used to be bright and woody. Now it’s dark and clubby, lit almost entirely by the table tea lights. Its very romantic and discrete, and even with the tinkly piano player, you felt obliged to talk in hushed tones.
The bartender greeted us with a very affirmative ‘Hello Gentleman’. I ordered two Manhattans. The bartender asked ‘And how would you like them?’. I ordered them without looking at the drinks menu, and expected them to be about £15 each. But I had never been asked to specify any of the ingredients before. ‘What are my options?’ I enquired. ‘Some people like them dry. Others sweet. We tend to serve them as classics’. I sensed he was trying to catch me out when he then asked which bourbon I wanted. ‘Surprise me!’ I challenged. But assuming they have bourbons that are probably £100s a shot, I added ‘But don’t shock me’. ‘I’ll fix you two house Manhattans’ he replied with a definite American twang. He probably should have done that in the first place, but I enjoyed the banter.
The drinks were perfect, of course. They were so good, that we decided on more. Next I ordered two Whiskey Sours and we ended with a couple of Mint Juleps. The bartender’s accent became more and more British, and after chatting longer, he told us he’d not been there very long and that when his shift ended he gets the night bus home.
The American Bar is a real pleasure and an iconic place to have a drink. I loved that we could just walk in on a Saturday evening and get a seat at the bar and have a really nice time.

My BFF (bartender friend forever) from my favorite bar ever, Angel’s Share in New York, recommended I come here for cocktails. So come I did, alone and thirsty. The wait for one person was about 15 minutes, which wasn’t too bad. I pretended to be totally fascinated by the fans in the tiny room of artifacts, and the 15 minutes flew by (as quickly as it can fly by when you’re staring at fans).
They sat me by the piano, which probably creeped out the pianist after I had a few drinks as I was totally staring at him willing him to play I Dreamed a Dream. I KNOW, I am that girl. The drinks were good but so expensive… had a Moonwalk, a tall creamy drink that tasted of island and citrus, and Green Park, a green, vegetable like drink with basil and celery bitters.
The bar is dimly lit and very romantic, it’s definitely the place to go on a third date. The service is immaculate and they even refill your complimentary tray of olives and nuts.

This is my favorite bar in the whole world. I was brought here as a child and my images where of a man playing the piano and singing. Today this is still happening, but now i can enjoy a cocktail in an utterly romantic and old fashioned setting. This bar has been open since 1889. amazing! Drinks have been passed down and new ones are added. If you want a show sit at the bar and watch the bar men make the drinks. they work hard and put a whole ton of love into every cocktail. Favorite drinks include ‘the aviator’, and ‘the blushing monarch’, but i have never had the same drink twice, i just ask the bar man what drink do you think i would like and let them do there magic.
If you want to impress a lady, i say bring them here.

The Savoy Hotels American Bar is utterly delightful.
Cocktails are delicious, bar staff are hospitable, the décor is warm, and the patrons are friendly. Always a brilliant combination when looking for the ideal setting to visit friends/​family.

Every city has iconic bars with loads of history, such as Harry’s Bar in Venice. Perhaps, not as much of a big deal as Harry’s, but American Bar definitely has a spot in that pantheon.
American Bar is located in the historic Savoy Hotel on the Strand. It has been in operation since the late 1890’s and in its current location in the hotel since 1904. According to the write up in the menu, the name «American Bar» arose because it served cocktails, which were considered «American» styled drinks at the time. History aside, it is not stuffy at all with dusty wood panelling and 90 year old waiters. The room is tucked away in a corner of the hotel at the end of a hallway, with relatively low ceilings and curvy, off-​white colored walls and navy blue club chairs. All of this creates a very cozy, relaxing environment that is «away from it all». In the middle of the main room, there is a grand piano with… imagine this… an American pianist who performed songs by request from anyone from Frank Sinatra to Van Morrison while I was there.
I visited on a busy Saturday night and had to wait for about 15 minutes for a table, no big deal. The hostess was gracious and warmly greeted every person that came to the entrance. I got a nice table near the piano and ordered a Plymouth gin and tonic. It was tasty of course. The service was excellent, and not hurried at all. This place is like going to a spa, very relaxing.
When it was time to go, I was hesitant to leave as I was really enjoying my time there. I highly recommend this bar for an upscale night out or for a romantic evening with someone special.