The Box Bar attracts a loyal following of mature gay revellers keen to escape the predictability of Soho without straying too far from the beaten path.

The Venue
Located on Monmouth Street - near Seven Dials in Covent Garden - Box Bar is easy to reach from Leicester Square or Covent Garden tube stations. Easily identified by silver signage and a huge glass frontage, which opens up in the summer so revellers can spill onto the pavement, inside it's laid out like a restaurant. This is probably to capitalise on the space as it gets so packed here. The decor is Nineties functional with bland neutral walls and blonde wood floors, and is starting to look a bit dated.

The Atmosphere
Box Bar has a steady crowd of regulars who come here to begin their heavy night of partying, alongside after-work professionals and tourists. Together, this makes up a customer base of good looking gay men with muscles, dressed in tight T-shirts and smart designer wear. It gets busy quickly most evenings and has a friendly, cruisy vibe, perpetuated by the stunning (albeit slightly arrogant) bar staff. This place is so proud of its attractive employees it publishes an annual Box Bar Calendar - on sale behind the bar - and proudly displays framed pictures from it.

Telehpone: +44 (0)20 7240 5828