Dukes Bar in City of London, Westminster

The worlds best. What can I say. Every time is an occasion and you feel like a King, let alone a Duke.

By far the best Martini in town and likely the World, crafted by the legendary Mr Palazzi. Their dry Martini is spectacular. Elegant bar, generous servings. Come in weekdays to avoid very long lines. A must while in London!

The gold standard of dry martinis.

Made a special effort to visit as I am a fan of classic martinis and make them a lot myself. The bar had just opened and when myself and my husband entered we were told there were no seats and to wait in the lobby to be called. I asked for a drinks menu while we waited and they refused saying ‘menus are only on the tables’ It was clear they didn’t want us there. Snooty and overrated. Happy to leave.

The best martini you will find, but plan your visit accordingly as it gets very busy. Alessandro is fantastic and very attentive, and makes you feel very welcome.

I didn't really get the hype. Inside feels like a hotel lounge with not much atmosphere. Maybe if you're a martini superfan and appreciate paying £30 for one?

Great atmosphere with proper Mayfair types drinking in the lounge bar. The service was great, the Vesper martini rocks you to the boots with every sip. A second dose would have left me in a state. The guy who made them with his trolley service was class. Loved this madcap, suave place.

I recently went to Dukes for the first time with a dear old friend. We were both excited to experience their reputation of being one of the best bars in London to have a Martini. Both of us are well traveled and professional women and were well dressed. I chose the vesper martini and when my friend asked for a dirty martini the waiter seemed annoyed. He then asked her what spirit she would like and because she was unsure became even more annoyed and relunctantly mentioned what they stocked. I felt she was rudely treated and I was embarrassed that I had suggested this place. At one point I had to motion the wait staff because one of our snack bowls had been empty for some time. I had hoped the service would be full of engaging old school charm but sadly it was not the case. I do not have a problem paying a steep price for a drink if I know the service, charm and manners from the staff are impeccable but surely it was not the case and will not be returning.

I recently went to Dukes for the first time with a dear old friend. We were both excited to experience their reputation of being one of the best bars in London to have a Martini. Both of us are well traveled and professional women and were well dressed. I chose the vesper martini and when my friend asked for a dirty martini the waiter seemed annoyed. He then asked her what spirit she would like and because she was unsure became even more annoyed and reluctantly mentioned what they stocked. I felt she was rudely treated and I was embarrassed that I had suggested this place. At one point I had to motion the wait staff because one of our snack bowls had been empty for some time. I had hoped the service would be full of engaging old school charm but sadly it was not the case. I do not have a problem paying a steep price for a drink if I know the service, charm and manners from the staff are impeccable but surely it was not the case and will not be returning.

I wonder if it's a job pre requisite for the staff at Duke's Bar, to be especially unwelcoming, not to mention unfriendly. A friend and I, both smartly dressed professional women, ordered the overpriced Vesper martinis which yes, were delicious but were served with an attitude in a stern and uncourteous manner. When we dared to ask for more bar snacks, it took an eternity despite there being several uninterested waiters standing around. When I had just finished asking for the bill, it was whisked out within a nano second, making it quite obvious that they wanted their table back. An unpleasant, stuffy and deflating experience. Like several others who have left bad reviews....I too will be telling friends and colleagues to stay well away.

Llevamos casi veinte años yendo al bar del hotel Dukes. A menudo nos hemos encontrado con amigos allí o algunos de nosotros incluso hemos traído clientes de negocios en algunas ocasiones. Solía ser un evento fantástico y memorable; ofreciendo una cálida y amable bienvenida y entregando sus exclusivos martinis con un florecimiento teatral. A menudo pasábamos largas tardes o una noche aquí. Tuvimos la suerte de conocer bien al personal y los camareros y el servicio fue históricamente de primera categoría. Desafortunadamente, demasiadas escrituras han llevado a su creciente popularidad. Como resultado, las normas se han deslizado más allá de lo reparable y el lugar es ahora un yo frío, soñoliento y transaccional - parodia de lo que era. La recepción es grosera - repartiendo franjas horarias de una hora de una manera fría y desinteresada como si fuera la cosa más difícil del mundo (y solo si te ves bien). Los camareros son descortés, groseros y groseros y básicamente lo llaman por teléfono. Estábamos bruscamente, expulsados después de 45 minutos como querían la mesa. Así que adiós entonces Duke’s - realmente recibimos el mensaje y nunca volveremos. Nos fuimos al Stafford, y la diferencia no pudo haber sido mayor. Cálido, agradable y profesional en todo - al menos hemos confirmado nuestro nuevo favorito.

Simplemente excepcional. Alessandro y su equipo, un equipo profesional. El martini Víspera tal como debería ser, el pol roger sirvió justo. El personal es educado, servicial y directo. Realmente disfruté de mi tiempo aquí.

Nuestra experiencia aquí dejó mucho que desear. El tipo que se ocupaba de la sala de espera -no estaba realmente seguro de cuál era su trabajo- parecía más interesado en deslizarse con su teléfono. Nos pidieron que esperáramos de una manera bastante grosera que inmediatamente nos pospuso. Nos hizo sentir como si tuviéramos suerte si estuviéramos sentados. Después de unos 20 minutos de mirar el teléfono - deslizando desde la sala de espera escasamente decorada y solo semi-cómoda, nos llevaron a una mesa para dos. Lo único que salvó esta visita fue encontrarnos con el divertido grupo en la mesa adyacente a nosotros, con quien fuimos para seguir adelante con nuestro martini crawl. Podría ir de nuevo, aunque sólo sea para darles otra oportunidad, pero si planeas ir, prepárate para decepcionarte.

The best martini in London, however you’ll probably have to wait for it. It took 20-30mins to be seated on the night we went. However when you are you’ll have a lovely drink in classic British atmosphere.

It’s stuffy, it’s pretty low on vibe and Dukes Hotel is also being renovated so it feels like stepping into a haunted house… but the cocktails are epic and they don’t mess about on service. Drink two Vespas and leave happy.

Aparentemente grandes martinis. Sin embargo, no se les permitió a las mujeres. Cuatro de nosotros como familia. Naturalmente somos una familia (relativamente) ruidosa y extrovertida. Después de tomar una copa cada uno (no hay martinis todavía) queríamos pedir otra ronda. Solo para que nos dijeran que a las mujeres no se les permitía pedir porque estábamos haciendo demasiado ruido, pero a los hombres sí. Fue justo. So. Maleducado. Nos estábamos riendo tan normal y ruidosamente como cualquier otra familia/grupo hubiera hecho. Que nos dijeran después de un trago que esencialmente “las mujeres no pueden soportarlo” fue ridículo y arruinó completamente nuestra velada. Tan innecesario. Estoy seguro de que las bebidas son deliciosas, pero cuando te cobran £ 25 por bebida, esperaría un cierto nivel de servicio decente, no ser hablado por un camarero mocoso y congestionado que está atrapado en la Edad de Piedra con sus ideas sobre si las mujeres deben o no se les debe permitir reír en público. Si quieres un martini, por supuesto, tener uno sobrecaro allí, pero si quieres ser capaz de reír o hablar fuerte, wayyy mejores bares en la zona que son mucho menos relleno y pretencioso.

Sadly had a really bad experience here. Incredibly rude and stuffy waiters. My mum and I are naturally extroverted and have genuinely just loud laughs… had one cocktail, were told by the waiter that we weren’t allowed another cocktail - only the man at the table was because our laughter was too loud… honestly ridiculous. All we were doing was laughing slightly loudly with friends because it was a social occasion and only the men were allowed another cocktail as if to say only the men could handle it… we were literally just saying how much we were enjoying how much we could hear one another in this place… a shame as the stuffy and rude waiter was so rude to us and put a real dampener on our evening. Snobby, stuffy and quite frankly there are better places to go for a drink (can say however the martinis are excellent… go maybe for one but you won’t be allowed to talk or laugh loudly!)

Good and strong cocktails but extremely overpriced! They used to offer some decent bar snacks like olives and nuts, now just some cheap cheesy crackers! The Ritz bar is reasonably priced in comparison.

I come for my annual White Truffle Martini treat 😉 There are some differences in how they make it but that's part of the drama!! I can't have just ONE martini but it's always a different one +I tried the Swiss gin (Weisshorn)

I went to this bar specifically to try their famous Dirty Martini, and it did not disappoint! It was my first-ever Martini, and while it was quite strong for my taste, I still quite enjoyed it. I definitely recommend trying the classic version!

Nice ambiance in a top notch hotel in the classic hotel style. Just note the cocktails are crazy expensive here. I had three cocktails, I asked the bartender to make me a cosmopolitan and a daiquiri and final bill was over 110 pounds. I ate no food just the bar scale like peanuts they give you. The bill was for just three drinks. I was shocked.

We enjoyed a wonderful lunch at Dukes Hotel. I can't imagine going wrong with anything on the menu. Then, we decamped to Dukes Bar for the entertainment and treat of their bespoke martinis. We weren't disappointed. The server brought the cart out and prepared our martinis with considerable flair. We're looking forward to another martini soon.

Fabulous Martini, made the correct way.

Very horrible management they let a lady in the restaurant with a hoodie but refused to let me in with a nice sweater and refused to he the manager said he was busy I would avoid this establishment

Old school classic for the best gin martini in London

A very hardline at 10 pm for last call.

I wanted to write as we had an amazing time and the most lovely service. The staff were wonderful and not at all as the negative reviews describe. We went on Boxing Day, waiting for about 45 minutes (we expected this) and had such lovely attentive service with our delicious cocktails!

Pretentious but with no substance

An absolute must when in London. Fantastic drinks and wonderful staff.

Rude staff. I booked as a hotel guest and I was the youngest person here. They treated me so horribly. Thankfully I found the hotel to be so charmingly lovely I will be back but this bar is in stark contrast to what the hotel offers do NOT trust Condé Nast it’s not a place to go if you’re under 50 and look it. If you aren’t with a group they will rudely rush you and give you the minimum service possible. I was slapped with the menu and demanded to order and told my table would be limited to a very short time with no respect to my booking. When I walked in they tried to act like I wasn’t on the list. So much so I thought I must not have met dress code or had made bookings at the hotel restaurant. Until I inquired at the front desk and was informed in fact I had booked at the bar for the correct time. The servers refused to serve me like they served the groups around me. When I finally took out my wallet and signaled I was done with the experience they billed me without my knowledge and I got a notice of the charge via email. While they continued to wait on everyone else. Absolutely not what I had come to expect when booking my stay and reservation here. Be warned if you are not in a group or are young looking. They will treat you as such. I tried to voice complaints they laughed me out of the room. The martinis weren’t even that great. I’m sure for others they actually crafted something decent but for me they seemed to be hatefully mediocre. I was shocked. I will be sure to only stay here moving forward and dine and drink only at the hotel restaurant GBR.

Wonderful drinks and atmosphere. Wesley made our visit extra special with individual attention and care. Thank you!

This place is legendary. Rightly so! This was my first time, even though I am an adopted Londoner since 1992, I never managed to come before yesterday evening. It is busy, always busy, and the masterful host supervising everything, together with the incredible team that he directs smoothly and efficiently, still manage to make everyone feel good. It is a special occasion just the fact you are there, and waiting to go in that bar is a privilege. We were swiftly seated in what is a “plan B” area, where the drinks are the same, but without the preparation in front of you. We had the classic dry martini, arguably the best in London, possibly in the world. After that, they found space in the other room, That Room, and we ordered another perfect martini, this time the Martinez for my friend and the Tokyo for myself . All spectacular ! It is a must if you fancy perfect, faultless cocktails ! The service is spectacular, incredible, the best I can think of. A must !

Ok this place was expensive for 4 drinks it came around 187 dollars plus we got there a little after they open and we still waited 30 mins , they also told us we needed to leave after a hour and half. I understand why people leave bad reviews or comments. However I still have to give it 5 stars, the presentation and atmosphere was something else, iam not a fan of martinins but my God they were still good. I think you should try this at least once and get the experience,

Have been going to Duke's bar for many many years. Their Vesper Martini is one of a kind. Nevertheless, the level if service is going downhill. Most shockingly, I was told today that I cannot have a third Vesper Martini as there is a policy that does not allow me to have a third one because it is very strong. However, the assistant manager, Maurizio, who had an extremenly obnoxious and rude behaviour said that I could have any other drink. So, in summary, the policy suggests that a person is OK to mix up various drinks but not be able to have three of the same? This is extremely concerning. I have tried to contact the hotel's GM and hope to get some clarity. In the meantime, I will not make my way again to the estabishment and advise all of my circle of friends and acquaintances to avoid it completely. I will also have to report this to the appropriate government body.

This place is great if you enjoy paying £30+ to watch someone pull a bottle of gin from the freezer, pour it directly into a cocktail glass and call it a martini

If you can get in, be prepared for obnoxious staff and mediocre drinks. What was once a hot spot, it has now fallen from grace. Don’t waste your time. The American Bar in The Stafford next door is by far superior in every way.

This place is fabulous. The service is exquisite. The vesper martini was perfectly balanced. We had such a wonderful night there. Looking forward to returning sometime soon. I can tell why the place is legendary. Hemingways in Paris and Duke bar are tops. .

Dukes Bar is one of my London traditions. I’ve been here three times now and enjoyed each of my visit. The staff is very friendly and welcoming. They will make your drink in front of you and even offer to bring you magazines if you’re alone. The cocktails are amazing (you HAVE to try the Vesper which is to die for). My little advice is to come early, the bar opens at 3pm but be there in advance to avoid waiting an hour in the lobby. Enjoy!

My husband wore expensive pants and the manager wouldn't allow him in because he considered them sports pants. But people with jeans were allowed to enter. Poor customer service. I'd give them a zero.

Great service and amazing martinis

Used to be good to go for Martinis, but since the bar became very popular with tourists / instagrammers no longer a realistic walk-in option (esp. those of us that always worked in the area)... unless you book significantly in advance or they simply refurb the hotel :)

Best Martini's in London for the best price! Cool cart service and great atmosphere

Great service with delicious libations!

Really top-notch tea experience. The martinis were delicious as well. Be prepared to pay top $, but a very nice experience

Best Martini on planet Earth. ( not gonna lie, I can only speak of this planet) Worthy of a detour.

Looked like a nice place but it’s small and crowded. Couldn’t find an open table or a spot at the bar in the middle of a weekday afternoon. Ended up at a pub and enjoyed a nice bitter.

I love 007 and would definitely like to visit him when I come to England. I arrived at around 8pm on a Saturday without a reservation and was able to enter after waiting for about 30 minutes. Many of us drank the famous martini, but the alcohol wasn't strong enough so we had long cocktails. Although I only had one drink, the customer service provided me with great customer service, such as offering to move me when a seat in front of the bar counter became available, and it became a good memory. I thought the price was reasonable at around 20 pounds including tax for one cup.

Such a great experience from Emily and Rafa.

I had heard amazing things about DUKES bar and made a special trip to experience what it was all about. Unfortunately, I was ignored by a staff member upon arrival, then treated with disrespect as I was asking if we could get a seat for drinks before we went out for dinner.

This is by far one of London's most iconic bars! You must dress to impress and don't F it up. The last time we spent time at Duke's, we had a perfectly portioned martini, prepared right at our table on a white tablecloth cart by a sharply dressed bartender. Shaken, not stirred, this martini is was what we ordered and it arrived in the bar's signature V-shaped coupe glass with a fragrant twist of Amalfi lemon. Nestled within the DUKES Hotel, this hidden gem is led by the renowned bartender Alessandro Palazzi, who ensures a top-tier experience for a discerning crowd.

Not allowed to go in in smart shorts even on the hottest day of the year - embarrassingly pretentious and not worth spending your money. Go to The Peninsula, Brooklands bar. Best view of London and they allow shorts on hot days (smart not sports or casual).

I was in the most important part of this legendary Hotel and that are the bar with Alessandro one of the most legendary Bartender in this planet for me is icon and master of the masters in Martini cocktail the experiences was standing. Thanks to all the staff for this experience expecially to Claudio and Maurizio.

Declined entry when it was dead at 3:30pm since my nice shorts didn’t fall in their dress code. We spent £400 at the better bar next door. Not cool!

Excellent cocktails, afternoon tea of ​​the highest level both in quality and presentation. Refined environment and extremely courteous and trained staff

Great concept. Hopefully Ian Fleming isn't disappointed. The service leaves much wanting.

A must if you’re visiting London! We had several cocktails and all with masterfully created. The ambiance is very old-school elegant and classic. Wonderful service. One thing to note is that their hours do vary from Google - they reflect those of guest staying at the hotel so I’d suggest getting there no later than 9/9:30 pm.

Frequently visited by James Bond creator Ian Fleming where he supposedly got the idea for Bond’s signature cocktail, the Vesper Martini in Casino Royale, Dukes Bar is a must for both Bond fans and martini lovers alike. The varied menu offers a wide selection of cocktails and martinis. Yes, the martinis are expensive, but they’re filled to the brim with high quality liquor (which explains why you can only order 2 per person - they’re strong), and the experience itself is one you’ll never forget. Should you order a martini, you’ll be visited by a charismatic bartender who wheels over the bar cart and mixes the martini right in front of you. As he does, he educates you on the ingredients he’s using and, if you order the Vesper, will tell you the cocktail’s detailed and illustrious history. This place gets busy fast, there isn’t much space and it doesn’t take reservations, so if you’re hoping to get in, I’d suggest arriving a half an hour before it opens. Also, they still expect their clientele to dress smart casual, otherwise you could be turned away. I couldn’t recommend this place enough, and if you’re looking for a place steeped in British history, pull on your dress shoes, order a Vesper and settle into the space around you. If these walls could talk!

As usual, Dukes Bar is one of the highlights of the London trip! Will always come back here for Dry Martinis and world class service! ❤️

As a guest of Dukes hotel, I was surprised to find out that guests have zero right to bar privileges. I think this bar is the classic place where it’s reputation and demand has made the employees forget why. The head person is rude,haughty, and completely unfriendly. The server we had might as well been a robot. Zero personality! The 32$ martini was darn good. But, nothing is worth their attitude.

We arrive, we are told that it is full, come back in 1 hour, ok, we are going to take a look, we come back, a different server tells us an hour of waiting, again they had forgotten to specify that we have to queue and wait in the hall In short it's rubbish and overrated

Coming over from the States, and having been to London countless times, I began researching different places and highly rated bars to check out during my recent visit. One that kept coming up was Dukes. What particularly piqued my interest was all the fanfare around their 'best martinis in London' and being a regular haunt of Ian Fleming (I'm a huge fan of the Bond series). First, my friend and I stopped in on Friday afternoon, on the way back to our hotel after shopping in Mayfair and Soho. We were dressed smartly, in linen trousers, button down shirts, and blazers. There were a number of tables open, and were immediately approached by the host, who quickly tried to turn us away saying there was no availability. We asked about the following evening, Saturday, if we'd be able to get drinks after dinner at the neighboring Chutney Mary. We were told the bar was not open that day, so we left and thought nothing of it. Later on, we checked both the website as well as Google, which said the bar, in fact, was open on Saturdays until 11pm. We had a fantastic meal at Chutney Mary, again smartly dressed, and decided to pop into the bar to try again. It was just before 10pm. There were even more tables open than the day prior. This time we were approached by another host, who turned us away, telling us the bar was closed. I could certainly understand if we had shown up sloppily dressed or were rude. I couldn't tell you the last time a hotel bar and her staff were so standoffish. If you don't want my patronage, then you don't need my money. We'll happily stick with the Library Bar at our hotel, The Lanesborough, which is far more attentive and eager to serve. I would not recommend anyone waste their time trying Dukes. Total failure on their part.

very nice experience. no opp for resy but brief wait in the lobby around 6p on a monday. pleasant but not super friendly. the martini is boozy (2 martini max ha). nearly all cocktails are ~22lbs. snacks included. you only have the table for ~1h 15min.

Sexist - I arrived on a Saturday in a designer sun dress & rain coat with my designer hand bag alone. In front of me was a male dressed in jeans. The host took down the single male’s name in front of me; & said it will be about an hour wait. Then me, a female executive, he didn’t even make eye contact with; & told me I had to come back at 8pm when it was less busy. Discrimination!

If you enjoy a really good Martini, especially a Vesper, this is a "must" stop while in London.

Best Bar in the World! Alessandro is the King 🤜🏼🤛🏼

Wonder and enchantment. Professional team but at the same time welcoming and confidential. Excellent products....top London Tokyo......

This is a legendary bar that Ian Fleming, the original author of 007, loved and invented the dry martini that appears in the movie. By the way, ``Vesper'', a martini dedicated to Vesper, the woman Bond loved who appeared in the movie ``Casino Royale'' (also in the original), is also on the menu. This bar is attached to the hotel ``DUKES London'' in St. James, and there are long lines of people waiting for this bar every day it opens. Alessandoro Palazzi, who has been a birdender here for many years, is a person that birdenders all over the world admire. He loves Japan so much that he even has a martini on the menu inspired by his travels there. We were lucky that on this day, Mr. Alessandoro himself made our cocktails. We had a wonderful time. 【Today’s Order】 🔸Vesper →I love Daniel Craig's version of "007" and ordered "Vesper", which appeared in it very impressively. This martini mainly uses gin and vodka, and it seems that two types of spirits were used because Vesper was a double agent. The last thing she peeled off and put in was an orange peel. Orange peel has a sweet aroma but a slightly bitter taste. This contrast was also a very stylish martini that reminded me of Vesper from the movie. I was so captivated by Alessandro's skillful performance that I accidentally forgot to take a video, but I did take a photo. DUKES Bar is a great bar that is worth the line. I plan to visit you again on my next business trip to London.

I think most people go in knowing much more about this place than I did - but the atmosphere was wonderful and I got to talk with some very kind people. Service was memorably professional - not callused or cold, but definitely special. Like a bar out of a classic movie. I got the Paper Plane and it was balanced and citrusy!

One of the most famous bars in London, its reputation goes before it. Cocktails mixed next to the table on the wooden drinks trolley, classic understated decor and comfy seats to relax in. Just watch out for that cocktail with five shots of gin in, tends to blow your head off.

We went for the Martini and the connection with Ian Fleming… the martini is probably the most expensive one you are going to order, but it will also be the best one !! Made in front of you eight a bit of flair, really worth a visit !

Vesper's are the best in class here.

Wonderful, attentive staff and great cocktails.

Alessandro Palazzi of Dukes is reason alone to visit London. His charm, wit and epic story telling will bring you back time and time again for the stiffest martini cocktail on the planet. There is a two martini maximum at Dukes for good reason: Alessandro serves the direct martini by pouring ice cold gin or vodka directly into a frozen coupette with no dilution from a mixing glass. “With all the rain outside, I don’t need to add more water to the martini” Alessandro likes to joke. Although there is no water, your nose may detect a trace amount of dry vermouth. I say trace amount because before pouring the spirit into your glass, Alessandro discards the rest of the vermouth on the floor, making for the best smelling carpet in town. Alessandro and his handsome martini trolley service is perhaps the best possible experience you can have as a cocktail lover. I would put it up there with a Ramos Gin fizz by Erik Lorincz or a Tommy’s Margarita by Julio Bermejo. Alessandro, you are a legend!

A Marvelous and unique cocktail bar. The class and the kindness of the place, and over all of All the Team, and especially of the Maestro of Dry Martini, Alessandro Palazzi. Just perfect. 🍸

It is appalling how rude and unwelcoming the staff is. SO BAD.

So - definitely worth all the hype! Been dying to come here for ages but have always tried to get a table on a Saturday which is a nightmare! Was finally successful on a Wednesday afternoon around 3pm where we tried the Vesper Martini. Expensive at £25 a cocktail but we didn't hesitate to have another one!!! Utterly delicious, such a treat and cant' wait to return.

Rubbish. Waiter was rude. Seemed more interested in evaluating the attire of patrons than actually serving them. Its claim to fame is apparently the Bond martini, but I give this place a 000.

Amazing place, impeccable service.

Amazing hand crafted cocktails in a quaint quiet living room-esque bar. Unassuming spot. Dress to impress, not a tourist spot. Go with intention and must love craft cocktails, especially martinis!

Duke's bar is a very refined and intimate venue in a 5-star hotel. It is the western temple of the Martini, served according to the rules of Alessandro Palazzi, the mâitre, who inspires every drop. The level of guests and waiters is very high. Excellent service and unforgettable drinks!

I've been before and it's a fun bar. Tonight the staff told me they couldn't seat us because no tables were free, although a few clearly were. It was 20 minutes until the end of service (they stay open for around 45 minutes after that), but they recommended that we wait in the lobby for a table. As a few people left we asked again and were told that there was still no space, but that we should keep waiting. As time ran out it became clear that they just didn't want to serve anyone else. I have no problem with that, but making us sit in the lobby waiting when they had no intention of helping us was rude and lazy.

Loved it. We arrived slightly bedraggled having traipsed half-way across London. Martinis are fantastic - loved the Vesper, and the fact that the waiter both made the cocktails in front of us - and also knew which scene it appears in Casino Royale. Swiftly and kindly cleared up after someone accidentally knocked our drinks over - and promptly topped our drinks back up. Would definitely return. 👍

Great place, shame about the uncomfortable seats. Cushions not present, and hence one gets back ache!

This place is regarded as one of the best in London for martinis, and I personally love a martini. And in fact the martini I had there was actually very good. Why the 1 star review then, you might be asking? Well, I got there early, as I was meeting my friend for my birthday. It wasn't clear where to go so I went to the doorway to the bar and waited. A guy asked me if he could help me and I asked if it was possible to get a spot in the bar. He pointed to the hotel lobby and said I needed to wait. Ok, so far, no problem. There were a few others sitting around and I assumed everyone was waiting for a place in the bar. Anyway over time a few people get to go in, and my friend also turns up. A few more people go in and it's been maybe 20 minutes of waiting at this point. I'm not too bothered though as there does seem to be a system. Anyway soon after that the guy comes to me and says the bar is really full and would we prefer to go to the 'other room' now, where we could get a table immediately. Maybe stupidly, I agreed, and he points us to a room in a different direction to the bar. We start wandering over, and a few seconds later I turn back to see him leading another 2 people (who arrived after me) into the main bar! I'm a bit confused but I think ok, whatever, let's see what the other room is. Turns out the 'other room' is an overflow room with zero atmosphere and zero staff. There's no bar in there, and one other table was occupied. It was very brightly lit, and I guess it was used as a breakfast room in the hotel or something. Ended up waiting ages to get a drink too. As I previously said, the martini was decent, but I'm pretty upset by this point. No trolley service either, they just brought the drinks through. I mean if he was going to send us to that room anyway, why make us wait all that time as well? Felt like a power trip. I still don't know why the guy treated us that way. We were both dressed fairly smartly. For me, it's not somewhere I'd never visit again. Didn't feel welcome, on my birthday of all days. I'll get my martinis elsewhere, thanks.

Excellent Martini. Recommended. Good atmosphere and service.

* the vespa is strong, over 40% * need to wait for table. * old decorared place.

Perfect old England atmosphere. Courteous and punctual service. Great for sharing a 'high tea' and relaxing to celebrate the birthday girl. Such and such food.

This is such a lovely old fashioned yet modern bar with the most impeccable customer service from the highly trained and welcoming staff.

You don’t know how happy I am that you turned me down when I requested that third martini! They are delicious, two max is perfect! Thank you!!! ❤️

If I lived in London, I’d make this place my home away from home. Swept up with the ambiance and the history that permeates everything from understated but elegant spaces to the iconic martini maker himself. Ian Fleming was said to coin his famous ‘shaken not stirred’ dialogue for Mister Bond right here (maybe even where I was sitting ;)

Impossible to miss their Vesper Martini expertly prepared directly at the table! The 007 myth was born here

This is one of my husbands favorite bars in the WORLD. It’s cool how the bartenders bring the materials on a cart and make the martini right in front of you while explaining the ingredients. Warning: the martinis are strong!!!

Absolutely fantastic experience wanted to go hear for a long time. Alessandro is the best host and makes the worlds best martini’s

The bar is a classic. Home of the shaken not stirred martini made famous by none other than 007 James Bond. The drinks are strong and the is a two drink maximum. The place is charming and reservations are strongly recommended lest you will have a bit of a wait. Fair prices and good service.

Left Duke’s Bar feeling underwhelmed. This bar had been on our list of places to visit for quite a while but whilst their drinks were very strong, the service really let the experience down. We weren’t offered any water with our drinks and after finishing our first round of cocktails, waited around 35 minutes with empty glasses before we had to go to the bar to ask for another as nobody checked in to see if we’d like anything else. I noticed in our whole section of 6 tables that nobody else had been asked if they wanted to order anything else either so I just felt the service was poor and it was really hard to catch anybody’s attention. That said, I had a classic dacquiri which was lovely and my partner had a very strong martini. Tables are packed together closely so would be nice to have some quiet background music to feel you have some privacy and not hear everybody’s conversations so well.

Wow!! Saw this on “Somebody feed Phil” and have wanted to go ever since especially been a mad Bond fan. This spot just oozes class and sophistication. Beautiful spot and very cozy. We managed to get a table and were served by the man himself. Really really super cool and we just loved it! A highlight of the trip and we will be back!

Encore Merci à Alessandro et son équipe de Bartender. Toujours de très bon cocktails et un accueil personnalisé et sympathique. Merci pour votre sérieux et votre sympathie. A très bientôt Hedy

This is where the Martini cocktail became a legend. It's the bar where Ian Flemish used to drink Dry Martini. It's a very English bar with a lot of passionate Italian bartenders. The key cocktail is the Dry Martini, made with gin or vodka straight from the freezer. They add three to four dashes of dry vermouth and serve it with lemon from the Amalfi coast. Two Martini rule apply 😉🍸enjoy!!

Great martini but service absolute shambles. The sitting staff just uninspiring, can’t be ask, act like he owns the place and not interested to help the place to maximise the business. Good to go if you like to wait in the lobby for an hour while there are tonnes of empty tables reserved for “hotel customers” that never show up yet don’t release table. Guess it’s easier to have less customers so less work for them

Apparently you can’t drink there if you are not a hotel resident! A colleague had booked a table in the restaurant understanding from the Dukes Bar write ups on social media that with a restaurant reservation you could enjoy a drink in the bar before or after. We had booked because I love a martini and this is the bar to go to in London. We arrived before our dinner reservation and told that as we weren’t residents we couldn’t drink there it was residents only and that the bar was under separate management on the restaurant making it sound like a different organisation. I showed my restaurant reservation and was told to go downstairs as they couldn’t seat me in the bar. I was dismissed by 3 haughty barmen in white jackets and sent downstairs. Embarrassing as a single woman arriving on her own and waiting for her colleague. Went downstairs and the charming host behind the bar made a great martini whilst I told her of my experience. I have worked in London for over 35 years and never been to Dukes… should have asked myself why! Won’t be going again.