Reviews Opium Cocktail & Dim Sum Parlour

This review was difficult for me to write. This place is so fantastic that I don't want anyone to know about it! I want it all for myself. It's a fantastic cocktail bar in the heart of Central London, but it's hidden and you can reserve a table. The ideal mix! Our cocktails were delicious and very appealing! Ambra, our barman, was fantastic! Clearly knowledgeable, I liked my "Luna Rossa", which was very good!! They also serve dumplings, that's right, dumplings! What a brilliant idea, carbohydrates + alcohol = drink more! Please do not go! I want to keep this spot to myself! It's too good not to share!

We came here after another cocktail bar, even though we were just looking for some late night Chinese food. We decided to just try it since we were in the area. Hadn't heard much about it, except it was one of the trendy, irritating speakeasy type bars, with snobby clientele and bartenders. Now, it isn't the most obvious bar to find. There is a doorman, even early in the week. There is a dress code (that I just barely made it past). But it didn't feel snobby or off-putting inside. And the doorman was actually really cool. No attitude or airs at all. Cool dude. We decided to have one cocktail and head home (or to some takeaway). Surprisingly, even though I chose the most gimmicky cocktail on the menu, it was really good. It had a complexity to the flavour, and the liquor was noticeable, even with the size of the drink. After an evening of rather plain cocktails at another place, this was a breath of fresh air. The ambience is cool, dimly lit, and everything follows the same theme of "cinematic opium bar" type vibes. Menu is nicely designed. Prices are pretty standard for craft cocktail bars, and this place is different because they use some Asian spirits, plants, and flavour profiles in the drinks. I hear there are other floors, and maybe next time, I will try them because I am curious about the rest of the cocktails on the menu.

Very different place from other bars!!!! Loved it!!!! Cocktails were amazing! Staff was very friendly and knowledgeable. We sat at the bar and had very great time. It gets very busy in the evening so you will need to book it in advance.

The most perfect evening of creative cocktails with the group for a night out in London. One of London's most renowned bars and it didn't disappoint! We ordered a selection of their Signature cocktails, alongside their famous Opium no.9, with a selection of Dim Sum for the table which altogether made for an authentic night out in Chinatown, Soho. Friendly bartenders, we loved it!

A bit hard to find at first, but when you do, it’s worth it! Great, imaginative, well balanced cocktails… and the dumplings are pretty authentically Chinese too!

Nice selection of cocktails and the dim sum was good too. We didn’t eat loads but my pork bun was delicious. Some of the signature cocktails were interesting but they also did a great job on the classics.

Review 1: Apothecary Bar: absolutely amazing. Massive thank you to the staff who helped me sneak a cake & some candles up in 2 different goes, while hiding from my friend, and setting it up for me so we could surprise her for her birthday. The food was top notch. The drinks did the most. If I could give them 10 stars I would. Review 2: Academy Bar: soured the entire experience so I've removed 1 star from the total. The staff seemed to have better things to do. Except for 1 blonde guy who kept walking to our table every 5 minutes to "remind" us the booking was almost up. We had 30 minutes left & he brought over the bill without us asking. Plainly he doesn't want our money? So we took the hint & went elsewhere.