Evans & Peel Detective Agency — Restaurant in London

I loved it, straight up loved it here.

I read a whole load of reviews beforehand and really wasn't sure which way things were going to go with Evans and Peel, some people seem so disappointed with their experience. I think to come away happy you really need to know what you are letting yourself in for, a task which is not facilitated by their vague yet intriguing website.

Without wanting to give too much away the premise is this: From the street it's a detective agency, when you book they ask you to state your case. This is your opportunity to let your imagination run wild and think of some nonsensical reason that you would need to enlist the help of a detective agency. This theme won't run too deep so don't spend countless sleepless nights agonising over it, if you have no creative streak then just regurgitate some aspects of a plot line from an episode of Dog the Bounty Hunter or something.

Once you arrive you will be buzzed in and be greeted by a receptionist who will be sitting in what must surely be the epitome of a prohibition era office setting. Retro and vintage aficionados could end their visit here and be happy. You will now continue your charade of requiring a detective for as long as you deem amusing before being admitted to the actual venue.

Once inside then it's time to relinquish your acting role. I read several reviews where the authors were critical of this, for me it made sense. I came here as part of my night on the town, not for a murder mystery weekend.

The decor is fantastic. Examples of taxidermy pervade various nooks and crannies of the seating areas, a classic style till sits on the end of the bar, exquisite vintage Edison light bulbs dangle from the period utilitarian light fittings while the wait staff strut around in outfits totally befitting of the era. Everything was on point.

Their alcohol licence stipulates that you must be served food, so if you aren't eating expect to be given some popcorn. It's pretty damn good popcorn as it happens, with an above average chili kick.

The food here seemed to cause some consternation with previous reviewers too, There is no menu on their website to give you an idea of what to expect and I suspect this is the root of much of the dissatisfaction expressed in relation to this.

Essentially if you come here starving with the intention of having an evening meal then you are going to be disappointed. The cocktail menu is longer than the food menu by a factor of about 4 or 5. They serve a selection of sliders, hot wings and other small offerings which barely constitute more than snacks. The hot wings are refreshingly hot, my sliders were tasty too, if a bit small. What they have is fairly decent, just be aware that you aren't going to be leaving stuffed.

Cocktails were good, in the sense I could easily have consumed far too many of them just to see what they were like, with no consideration for the impending liver transplant they would probably necessitate. They were just north of £10 each if I remember rightly, which seemed fair at the time.

In summary, now I'm privy to the secrets of Evans and Peel I don't know if I would rush back, but I would definitely go again at some point and I'd definitely recommend it just for the experience. It's the sort of place that will provide you with a lasting memory of your evening out, as opposed to an instantly forgettable and faceless...

"The room hung in a sickened silence, like the velveteen miasma of cigarette smoke above; too stubborn to fall from the ceiling, too loath to do anything else. 'I've been here longer than you', it seemed to say, punctuating the stillness with a promise to outlast even the most stoic tenant. Then she walked in, legs all the way up and an attitude as sharp as the set of her shoulders. This was a dame who meant trouble. Not the sort you'd take home to mom, unless you hoped to send her to an early grave. Her steely gaze took in my office with cold ambivalence that said she'd cross the threshold out of necessity, but her coat would not be gracing my rack. She crossed the short space to my desk with all the grace of a regimental soldier in stockings, no hesitation, not a peep. It's when she took a seat that things got interesting."

To be honest, if you're coming here expecting a full-on role-playing experience, you'll likely be disappointed. Evans and Peel is, once you strip away it's schtick, a stylish cocktail bar with a cozy atmosphere. This is something a few reviews have trouble coming to terms with. For one, a full role-play bar would likely incur a cover charge, as well as a waiting list as long as your arm. The logistics of running something like that on an ongoing basis, I can only imagine, would be nightmarish.

Instead, what you will find is something unique, stylish, and entirely sustainable. Not to mention an experience that's easily accessible and worth multiple visits.

Ultimately, you'll get out of the experience what you put in to it. You could simply roll up, ad-lib a quick case to get through the door, and have a fine night of libations. I'd recommend putting a little thought into your "case". My girlfriend an I walked in with a simple case, then spent several minutes improving with the 'detective'. I'm sure someone who's quicker with improv could really have fun here. As it was, the detective decided to take our 'case', before leading us into the speakeasy.

Once through the door we were greeted with intimate seating in prohibition-styled decor. The lighting was low, the music bopping, and the staff friendly and fantastic. Cocktails are reasonably priced and quite tasty. The kitchen menu also didn't disappoint. Some will find the portions to be a little small, but I thought they were a perfect accompaniment for drinks and a date.

Evan's and Peel will definitely scratch that itch, if said itch is craving for something stylish, intimate,...

The immersive Detective Agency theme is really not immersive at all. The entrance part with the actor as detective deserves a 4.6 stars and he was the best part of it, the mood and decor of the space is also above 4 stars for sure. However, everything after the entrance goes downhill. Me and my friends dressed up in 20s-30s Peaky Blinders style for the occasion, and we are dancers and musicians by profession hoping to dance a long to the live music of the night. We stood up to dance and we were quickly told to sit back down because they said we were blocking the entrance. But everyone had reservations and arrived and sat down around the time we did, so we weren’t really blocking anyone. We were given the table furthest away from the musicians and we didn’t complain, we thought since we wont be blocking anyone when we stand up dancing it could actually be a good table for us. However they were pretty unnecessarily strict about it and stared at us for it. So we obliged and sat down like good high school students being told off by the headmaster. The menu was thoughtful, every drink was named after a criminal; so I played along and said I’m curious about the criminal and I would like to arrest him. The waitress just bluntly said so you want the Rye Whiskey cocktail. I thought it was an immersive experience but NO not at all. The waiters amd waitresses were not exactly rude but hardly inviting or friendly. The music was Boogie-Woogie and the singer was a little Tom Waits style and we loved it. It could almost have been a good night out if the waiter didn’t remind us more than once we soon have to go half an hour before our booking is over. It was not a bad place at all but our experience wasn’t good at all. Maybe every waiter was having a bad day? Or is it a London thing to be this way? We were the first in our time slot to leave and we were outside chatting for another ten minutes and only One table left, so I wonder what’s the rush? Anyway, as long as you know it’s NOT an immersive experience it’s still not a bad...