The Bay and Bracket, Victoria — Restaurant in London

Terrible experience. Choose a different pub.

A large group of us went to watch the Champions League final last night. Almost an hour into being there, after having eaten and ordering multiple rounds of drinks, we were approached by who I assume to be the manager. He specifically came to ask my sisters and I for our IDs but no-one else in the group. The 3 of us are petite and have young looking faces so are quite used to being carded but it was strange for him to be asking at that point when he saw all of us come in much earlier.

I gave him my South African driver’s license. One of my sister’s gave him her UK driver’s license and the other gave her South African ID card (we are dual citizens of the UK and SA). He returned with our IDs after having shone it under a blue light and told us that he could only accept the UK driver’s license and because he couldn’t verify our ages we would have to leave. Bare in mind I’m almost 30 years old! He wouldn’t accept a picture of my passport when I offered it and no amount of push back got him to budge even when the rest of our group tried to argue the point. Our entire group decided to leave with us. We still tried to challenge him in that we had never had this issue before and if that was the case he shouldn’t have let us in at all earlier. After a few minutes he threatened us by saying we could all leave or he would call the police. He became increasingly condescending and rude trying to get us out the door. We then had to find another pub so we could finish watching the game but had missed so much of it already. What a way to ruin our nice evening.

The food was also bland. Don’t recommend this...

A 11-minute walk from Westminster tube station was a refreshing little breather after whatever the day threw at me. Starting from the bustling hub of Westminster—dodging tourists and that classic London hustle— I wind my way toward Victoria, catching a glimpse of the grand architecture enroute. By the time i arrived, it the venue welcomed me with open arms: bright, spacious, and buzzing with that after-work energy. Those large screens blaring sports likely added a lively hum to the place—whether it was football, rugby, or something else, they’re great for sparking chatter among the team or just giving your eyes something to drift to between sips.

The food and drink setup hit that sweet spot between variety and comfort. Opting for Korean barbecue wings and fries was a smart move—there’s something satisfying about that mix of sticky, tangy sauce with a kick, clinging to crispy wings, paired with the simple, salty crunch of fries. Not gourmet, but “fine and acceptable” in the best way: reliable fuel for a good time. The bar’s lineup of craft beers and draughts probably gave you plenty to choose from—maybe a hoppy IPA or a smooth lager to wash down the spice? It is the perfect post-work spot; it’s got that laid-back appeal where you can loosen the tie (literal or metaphorical) and just enjoy. The efficient, friendly service sealed the deal—nobody wants to be waving their hand for ages when the next...

MANAGER ON A POWER TRIP We went in a group of 12 to watch a football match. Halfway through the game (after already being served) the manager came to ask for IDs, but ONLY from myself and my two sisters. We're 29, 27 and 20 - all with UK citizenship but originally South African. My sisters gave their SA IDs and I gave my UK driving licence.

Manager told my sisters to leave because SA IDs don't have the holograms that show up under blue light checks, even though one of my sisters is literally almost 30 - older than our entire group! We tried to debate it with him, even offered to show a picture of their UK passports but he was completely condescending. He even questioned me about the details on my licence because it says 1997 but I told him I'm 27. Just looking for a reason to catch me out. Felt very targeted since he only asked us three.

Anyway, long story short - he lost all 3 tables of us. Food was average, everything was overpriced, and service was the worst I've ever experienced. Good luck getting served here if you're a tourist/here on a visa because we weren't the only people to...