Reviews of The Crazy Bear - Fitzrovia

The place is a bit of a hit and miss. Food is really delicious although I wouldn’t pay full price for it (there’re currently many online deals and set menus to choose from if you’re looking for a bargain). During my last visit service was increasingly slow and sloppy. My friends and I ended up having lunch over nearly 4h and we had to constantly ask for drinks that we had ordered as the waiter kept forgetting. Needless to say, we opted not to pay for the service on that occasion.

So once a month, my bestie and I treat ourselves to a night out and Crazy bear was our choice for September. My friend has been there several times but it was my first time and I wanted to know what all the fuss was about! I was running late as per usual and my friend had already been patiently been waiting for 10 minutes. Upon arrival, I was greeted by the super friendly hosts who showed me to our table. To say I was starving was an understatement, and of course, my first thoughts were to flick through the menu and order! It is always nice to start with a glass of prosecco after a long day! It was around 7pm, so therefore I had been up for over 12 hours- Yes this prosecco glass was very much necessary. My friend chose to have the pornstar martini, which she highly recommends, and added that it was one of the best pornstar martinis that she had in London. I must say that the drinks came very quickly, which is a miracle in London as you are often waiting forever for your drinks! For starters, I chose the Jasmine tea smoked sticky Gloucestershire old spot pork ribs and they were gone in about 5 minutes, simply because they were so tasty. Followed by prawn tempura maki rolls and salmon sashimi- you should know by now that I absolutely adore salmon sashimi. For my main, I chose the stir-fried Aberdeen Angus beef sirloin, and I love a bit of beef, but perhaps I should have asked for the beef to be cooked medium-rare as it was very chewy and I like my steak to be more tender. However, the combinations of peppers, oyster mushrooms and oyster sauce are just mouth watering! Overall for the price of the food, it was definitely worth it, and I could not have been more stuffed. We didn’t have much time but there is a cocktail bar downstairs, which seemed to be buzzing and there was a very cool DJ playing music. A few people were dancing and I too wanted to shake a leg but I had work quite early the next day, sad times. I would advise to have dinner around 7pm-8pm and then follow with drinks downstairs from 10pm onwards.<br/> <br/> <br/>Price: £££<br/> <br/>What to wear: Smart casual<br/>(I wore a leather jacket, silk tee, skinny jean and Christian Louboutin heels)<br/> <br/>Ambience and hospitality: Staff were very attentive and witty

Me and a friend went to Crazy Bear recently for the evening. We went and had drinks in the bar beforehand, the bar was downstairs from the restaurant and was a very nice ambient space. We tried a few cocktails from the menu and i fancied a Long island ice tea and asked the bartender if he could make this, he did make me one but also mentioned he did not feel a drink needed some many white spirits in since we did not live in times of prohibition :)<br/><br/>I usually avoid places that do fusion/mixed cuisine but here we had sushi, dumplings and thai food and it was all very nice. Still i think you could get each type of food better in a place that specialises in that cuisine but many places it may also not be as good.  The restaurant itself was very nice and the staff were very attentive. <br/><br/>The wine line was extensive and had some great wines.  <br/><br/>It was overall a great evening and though it was not cheap it was not too expensive compared t many places i would compare it to for food and experience.

We had the 10 course vegetarian sharing meal (biggest smile ever). <br/><br/>I'm being so honest - at course number 4, I actually had to unzip my skirt a little!! Every single thing I tried was amazing. I actually think I ate enough for two people and still couldn't stop! <br/><br/>The portion sizes were HUGE that we ended up wasting a lot of our mains. Unfortunately they don't let you pack up what you didn't eat, because we actually had leftovers enough for another 4 people to dine! <br/><br/>The dessert was soooo good! It was like a slice off sticky salted caramel with pistachios and almonds, topped with a rich scoop of chocolate ice cream! This tickled my tastebuds! I had no space to fit it, but I couldn't resist! <br/><br/>After dining here we had food coma and had to go home and sleep. <br/><br/>THE 10 COURSE SHARING MEAL WAS SO WORTH IT!! You can opt in for this deal (£42.50/pp) by booking on OpenTable. You also get a glass of bubbly!

Crazy bear is a great place for a date night. The restaurant is kind of darker than most restaurants one would have been to and has a fairly romantic feel to it. The restaurant of course also has a great cocktail bar that comes with it - and a great selection of cocktails.<br/><br/>One thing though, be prepared to spend good money in the place. The food is good, oriental cuisine and quality at that. But things don't come cheap of course. One good thing though is that the portions are quite generous and I don't recall any dish that disappointed. The desserts are immaculate and DO NOT miss out on ordering some !<br/><br/>Great place overall but probably better for date nights than night outs with friends though !

Welcome to the Crazy Bear in Fitzrovia and prepare to chain yourself to the kitchen if they try to make you leave. The extent of my sushi love can get a little out of hand at times. <br/><br/>The Crazybear group has character bursting restaurants dotted around the country. In fact, it was actually their Stadhampton branch that first inspired me to start my restaurant writings in the first place. For all the men out there looking for somewhere to whisk your lady off her feet, Crazybear Stadhampton is the one, (potential suitors take note). Back in Fitzrovia and through the forest lined door is where my evening's magic began. Booking in advance is essential and know where you're going before you set out because there is a certain air of mystery behind this much sought after and somewhat hidden dinner venue. You really can't get much more magical than this if you try. <br/><br/>To our delight, the prawn crackers arrived with a deliciously sweet chilli sauce and we proceeded to inhale the crispy wonders. Duck spring rolls complete with plum sauce and roasted cashews were placed in front of the hungry mouths. They had the most perfect duck to pastry ratio with enough sauce to be able to dip and soak and not run out! But oh the sushi. Such tiny mounds of perfection. My words cannot do them justice, you will just have to try for yourselves!<br/><br/>The sweet and sour chicken knocked all other sweet and sour chickens off the map and for someone who orders sweet and sour chicken at .. let me think .. every chinese restaurant I am ever in, this is a serious victory. Lets just say sweet and sour chicken again for good measure. Sweet and sour chicken. Right, enough.<br/><br/>Our experience at the toilets was intriguing to say the least. After trying to look cool and sophisticated while gently shoving the mirrored walls in search of a door, we entered a glass cavern. After another blind search for the cubicles we moved towards the sink. We were met by a miniature waterfall in front of a mirror but as we moved our hands towards the water, we got the fright of our lives when large and hairy hands got their first. It was not a mirror, but the mens on the opposite side. Avoiding the urge to grab or high five the appearing hands opposite, we laughed it off and took pictures of ourselves in the shiny shiny room. Yes, very mature.<br/> <br/>On our way back upstairs, we paused to absorb the wonders of the bar. A return trip is in order methinks.

On the one hand you can hardly miss it, with its wall of lights signifying its existence, on the other hand if you're looking for a sign to tell you you're in the right place, you'll be looking for a while. Instead a paw mark denotes your location and it was only as we crossed the threshold that I saw the name on the floor as you go in. The cocktail lounge is downstairs, with the restaurant upstairs and it is a hugely glamorous, seductive room with lots of plush booths that were occupied with snogging couples. Music is up-tempo house so it felt like the weekend even though it was only a Tuesday night. This is definitely the sort of place to take a date if you want to impress - and with a similarly impressive price tag on the drinks. Cocktails are the order of the day here and prices start at £12.95 for your normal martinis and other classics and range all the way up to £18.95 for 'luxury' cocktails. Luckily, as we were there for the Chambord challenge we didn't have to fork out these prices, although with such interesting creations I was sorely tempted. If it hadn't been the night before payday when I was pretty brassic, I probably would have gone for one (a cheap one). Instead we enjoyed our freebies, which were possibly the favourites of the night, and managed to look like total freeloaders by ordering some pistachios that turned out to be complimentary. At least, I hope they were as we didn't pay for those either! If I had some cash to splash I would definitely return here - my marmalade concoction was the standout drink for the evening and I bet some of their other creations are just as good, if not better.<br/><br/>One last thing to mention is probably the toilets. This must be the reason behind the use of 'Crazy' in the title. Firstly you have to find them, which is no mean feat, as the doors merge seamlessly into the walls (one of the bartenders kindly showed me the way) and then you walk into a Hall of Mirrors. It is advisable to feel your way along otherwise you might just walk into the wall as I nearly did! All the mirrors make it seem there is a space where there is none. The sinks are rather flash with an automatic waterfall to wash your hands in. So very, very glam!

My friend and I had a groupon voucher for this restaurant so we decided to go one Thursday evening. It was very busy inside considering it was a weekday. It is down a tiny side street & isn't signposted. It looks glamourous outside & in. <br/><br/> The bar is downstairs and is a dark, opulent area with cream leather chairs lining the bar and small coves with tables inside them. The loo's are hard to find & once in there, one becomes dizzy with the mirrors. <br/><br/> We were taken upstairs to eat & had a 12 course menu & cocktail for £29 each, which is a fabulous deal! The food was all delicious and easy to eat. The cocktails are quite expensive so we just had the one!<br/><br/> I would recommend this place if you intend on impressing someone & have money to spare! Worth a one time visit.

First impressions of this late night bar and restaurant are good as the hanging lights that adorn the walls outside are very striking and impressive. Step inside and this continues as you are ushered into a mirrored and sparkly room with red leather booth 'caves' and plenty of bling. We didn't eat but had plenty to drink!<br/><br/>Cocktails are the order of the day and this place does a good job although they're a little overpriced. Ma Amour is lethally fruity, complete with edible flower, B&S is a smoky whiskey concoction and Chilli Berry similar to a Bloody Mary but garnished with a fiery red chilli and delivering a tasty kick. All these are house specials and priced at just over £14. Kamikazes (the Crazy Bear version is made from vodka, lime juice and Cointreau instead of triple sec) are sub £10 and certainly divine.<br/><br/>Service was a little hit and miss and whilst not particularly busy for a Saturday night the atmosphere was good and the music - dance, hip hop etc. - pumping. Get a booth if you can and admire the view but make sure you've got plenty in your wallet first.

Amazing. I recently took my mother to the Crazy Bear on Saturday last week for her birthday surprise. I have to say we both really enjoyed it. I was a lovely girlie evening. On arrival we were met by the hostess, who was all smiles and made us feel so welcome. She promptly took our coats and we were escorted downstairs to the bar for pre-dinner drinks. We sat at the bar where we were instantly handed a drinks menu by a hunky bar tender, named Santi I believe? Ladies, you have to meet this guy, he is gorgeous and makes a mean Martini! After our drinks we were taken upstairs to our table in the restaurant. The food was delicious, we had huge amounts of sushi, which was divine! Much better than Itsu! I would definitely visit this place again. My mother loved it and it made her birthday so special! I would also like to thank the girl who made our reservation on the phone, she was so sweet and promised us we would be taken care of! Thanks crazy bear!

I came here with a group of friends last Saturday night after booking some 2 for 1 groupon vouchers for the tasting menu. I was impressed by the hanging lights at the entrance and the interior design of the restaurant as you entered. It was very dark and atmospheric, to an extent you felt like everyone was involved in some kind of conspiracy. When I asked the waiter whether we could turn the lights up somehow on our table, he replied "that's just the way it's styled". The toilets were also amusing as all the walls were mirrors - I've attached a photo!<br/><br/>In terms of prices, without some kind of coupon on your meal, it would come to over £50, which I consider very pricey even for this part of London. This was especially the case when the food was not even cooked to that high a standard. We ordered a bottle of Prosecco and a bottle of white wine for our table, which cost an extortionate amount. <br/><br/>Oh don't get me wrong, I was perfectly full and satisfied by the end of the night - it just didn't spark any culinary delights for my taste buds. The dishes included offered plenty of colour and variety, but didn't seem particularly authentically Thai.<br/><br/>I was left with an empty wallet by the end of the night and not a great impression. Probably won't be trying their other branch.

Welcome to the Crazy Bear in Fitzrovia and prepare to chain yourself to the kitchen if they try to make you leave. The extent of my sushi love can get a little out of hand at times.  The Crazybear group has character bursting restaurants dotted around the country. Infact, it was actually their Stadhampton branch that first inspired me to start my restaurant writings in the first place. For all the men out there looking for somewhere to whisk your lady off her feet, Crazybear Stadhampton is the one, (potential suitors take note). Back in Fitzrovia and t hrough the forest lined door is where my evening's magic began. Booking in advance is essential and know where you're going before you set out because there is a certain air of mystery behind this much sought after and somewhat hidden dinner venue. You really can't get

You will be forgiven if you have a hard time finding this overrated, overpriced, pretentious London restaurant. The decor maybe be nice and the staff somewhat friendly but the positives end there. <br/><br/>The seating arrangement is odd and uncomfortable - some against the wall on a padded bench (which had a massive rip down the middle) which are lower and sunken deep in than the other chairs which are higher swivel seats. People sitting at the same table are different heights which is unpleasant especially when you have to look over the decorative lamp screwed to the centre of the table!<br/><br/>I was with a party of 4 and had ordered the twelve plate tasting menu'. There are 2 options, vegetarian and non-vegetarian. My party were all pescetarian, we politely asked if we could substitute one of the fish meals for the vegetarian dishes, apparently at £50 per head this is not possible. <br/><br/>The 'twelve plate tasting menu' is what we ordered: this is disingenuous and wrong, it is merely a set menu of six starters (including edamame beans as one 'course') all served together and five mains. The noodles were oily and greasy and lacked any balance between flavours, the noodles were just boiled with steamed veg thrown in, every course was completely unforgettable with the exception of a mushroom dish which was the only thing of taste i had. The main course thai green curry was green curry sauce with some random vegetables thrown in, it lacked any taste. I think i have had tesco value meals as a student that tasted better. <br/><br/>My friend ordered a Non Alcoholic cocktail at around ten pounds, she didn't look happy with her tasteless and unimaginative drink. <br/><br/>The tasting menu comes in at 49.99 per head, the only saving grace is that i went as a part of a groupon deal and paid £25 per head. When the bill came and included service charge, we didn't waste anytime sending it back for it to be removed, we paid for the overpriced drinks and left. I won't be coming back. <br/><br/>If you like food this is not the place for you, however if you like a ostentatious playground made for a young, rich and pretentious crowd with no character then make the trip. A major disappointment.<br/><br/>Service - 2<br/>Food - 1<br/>Atmosphere - 3.5<br/>Value - 0

The Crazy Bear is nestled on Whitfield Street, away from the main bustle of Fitzrovia. Keep your eyes peeled when looking for it, its easy to miss and not well sign-posted. Its opulent interior is heavily influenced by the Orient, and the mood lighting creates lots of cosy hideaways. The table service is a refreshing change and takes the bother out of jostling at the bar for a drink. The menu is predominantly thai and is very tasty, although over priced. They often have live music, which adds to the appeal - I was last here on a Wednesday night and was very pleasantly surprised by an excellent jazz quintet that set up midway through.

Nice venue for a long slow lunch. Brilliant place for romance, or to woo clients. The soft shell crab is a must try. The ribs fall off the bone and melt in your mouth. The price is jaw dropping, but it's worth taking a hit in the wallet for the taste sensation. Only thing I'd change would be the lamps ok the table which get in the way of dining a bit.