Archer Street SW11 — Restaurant in London

It was my best friend’s birthday. She had come down from Scotland to spend the week with me here in London. My friend is training at a theatrical arts school up north, and wants to work in the performing arts after she graduates.

I had heard that the staff at ‘Archer Street’ sing live songs, and so as a special treat for my best friend, I took her to ‘Archer Street’. It was a weekday late evening.

When we entered ‘Archer Street’ there was a security doorman and a female member of staff [with long black hair] at the front door. The security doorman gave us a very hostile & unfriendly glare, and the female waitress hanging around with him at the front door, totally ignored my best friend and me, as we entered the premises. Neither could be bothered to say a simple ‘Hello’.

The time was about 9pm, and Northcote Road, famous for all its bars, was busy, especially as it was a lovely sunny early Summer’s evening. yet ‘Archer Street’ was totally empty Inside!!! It was just me and my best friend in the whole building. I asked one of the female waitresses [the same one that had ignored my best friend and me, as we had entered] if the staff would be singing some live songs, and she once again dismissively retorted, “We sing songs all night!”.

I wanted to surprise my best friend, who has a love of singing and the performing arts. However, throughout our stay at ‘Archer Street’, the staff did not bother to sing a single song! Instead they were chatting and giggling away amongst one another all evening. Not a single one of the female waitresses had the common decency to even say a quick ‘Hello’ to us, as patrons of the bar!

Instead the females continued to chat with amongst one another, and giggle away with one another, while ignoring us completely! Having been dismissively told, “We sing songs all night!”...the females didn’t sing a single song. They continued to ignore us, whisper to each other and giggle loudly!

The barman didn't say a word,not even a simple “Hello” whenever we paid for our very expensive drinks!

My friend, whose birthday it was, said the atmosphere was so uncomfortable, so unfriendly, and so hostile that if felt like we were sitting in a mortuary.

I paid the final bill for the Very overpriced drinks and we headed across the road to a fabbie bar called ‘Northcote Records’ where the staff were the complete opposite…so lovely, so welcoming and so altogether amazing!

Avoid ‘Northcote Records’ on a weekday evening.

I now understand why this is the only bar on the busy Northcote Road that was totally empty, based on our above experience.

In fact a number of lovely customers at “Northcote Records” bar across the road said exactly the same…that they avoid “Archer Bar” because of the rude, cliquey and very...

Took me a while to write this, had a horrendous experience here last week. A friend and I were drinking there in the evening, we were actually had a nice evening for two hours listening the great singers and nice bar staff before two things happened:

we were sitting at the bar and regularly ordering drinks, a front of house male came up to us and told us to evacuate our seats so they can sit someone else there, we asked did they reserve the seats? They said no, they just wanted new patrons who were new and will buy more drinks. (We had not been there an hour). We said well if they aren’t reserved why can’t we continue to sit here? He laughed in our faces and said if we didn’t move he would get the manager to move us (this never happened but was still really uncomfortable) We had bought a bottle of wine, however my friend and I decided we had had enough so asked if we could actually just take it with us. The server kindly decanted the two glasses back into the bottle for us but said unfortunately he had thrown the top away. When getting our coats downstairs we asked the bar there if they had any spare caps so we didn’t spill it on the way home. Again kindly the servers took the bottle and wrapped it in cling film for us as they didn’t have one. We then go to leave the venue - where the bottle is snatched out of my hand by the door staff. The GM I was told by the name Tim proceeds to tell me there is no way I’m taking that with me, I calmly explained what had happened about and that his staff had actually been really kind to wrap it and decant the wine back into the bottle. He did not believe me telling me I was a liar? I said I was happy to wait for him to go and check the CCTV to confirm I was telling the truth. To which he told me to get out of his face. I waiting for him to come back (I assumed he was checking) to which he stormed up to me and told me no one believed my “story” that I must have brought the cling film from home and at which point was shouting at me in front of all the patrons at the front of the venue that I was “a thief and a liar” .

The doorman David (what I was told his name was) apologised for his managers behaviour and said he wasn’t normally like this as I was in tears at this point.

Needless to say I left in tears and will never be going back. Unsure how to make a formal complaint as at the moment all I can work out is...

I've updated my review, as they did reach out on it - asking me to contact them which I did.

I also said I didn't like to leave a negative review and they said they'd respond.. I emailed to check the message had got through to them and then was told someone would be back to me... And it just hasn't happened. A real shame and I don't want to be difficult about it, but you've only got to read the other reviews to know they aren't listening to what people are saying. Sadly, it's a place I'll avoid now as I feel vindicated that the security team in particular, did not want us there.

I booked this, as I'd been before and the cocktails were good and really enjoyed the singers who perform throughout the night, on this visit though, it felt as though they didn't want us there sadly.

The drinks were tasty and after some discussion, we decided to stay and have some in the end, but initially, we thought of moving on after our first drink.

The security on the door, were not good. As we walked in after saying hello, we were greeted with a 'whooooa' and told to go see the host. No welcome from them.

The host then told us about their new dress code of no shorts on Fridays and Saturdays.... It was a Thursday.

I've been to the Ivy in shorts and they are always happy to see me. Here it felt like they didn't want my custom and the security clearly didn't.

It was quiet for 7pm too, and outside the tables were a real mix of people which was great to see. Some nice people who we spoke to and that made for a better atmosphere.

Introductions are everything I think and the welcome and continuing presence security, staring at us while having drinks was not the best.

When we left too, the Front of House really didn't care.

Some great drinks and happy staff too, which you'd expect for £16 a drink... But the welcome was very unfortunate.

We won't be back and it's a shame we won't...