The Spice Of Life in City of London, Westminster

The draft Asahi does not taste right, wouldn't order it. Have had better tasting pours at other bars that probably clean the pipes / swap barrels more frequently in the UK. Take it from someone who lived in Japan for a year. Friend got a mojito and had soooo much ice, tasted good at least.

Went to an event in the basement room. Very clean and comfortable.

Bought a bottle of red wine, which was rather on the pricey side @ £30 and tasted vinegary. We did not spend ages behind the bar waiting to be served and the atmosphere in the bar was good.

Up until the 2024 refit, used to meet a friend there every week around 5,30. Now the music is just too damned loud. The Cambridge next door is much better.

This pub has recently been renovated and its low level lighting gives it a somewhat intimate feel. They offer standard pub food e.g. fish and chips. They had four cask beers but I opted for a Peroni at £6.80. Their whisky selection was not extensive, comprising 13 whiskies. They have a small exterior seating area plus a nice bar downstairs (used mainly for events such as music and comedy). We were there at 4pm on a Friday and it was quite busy. The one disappointment was that we had to leave earlier than we wanted as virtually all tables were reserved from 6.30pm. The service was excellent. In summary a nice pub in a good location.

Didn't eat, but food looked great that I saw. Good selection of beers cheaper than Wetherspoons - if it stays that way I will keep returning .

£6.70 for a pint of lager. The least you could expect from the bar staff is a hello. Served by a guy who could not have looked less happy to be there. Raised his eyebrows which I assume meant, "what would you like?", ordered a pint and he said "6.70". I paid, nothing else was said. No thank you, nothing. London is supposed to be unfriendly but the pubs are supposed to be welcoming. Disappointing.

Only £6 to see an excellent band downstairs. A good pint of bitter too!

Good for seeing bands downstairs & good atmosphere in the pub on ground level

Definitely need to pop into the spice of life for a swift one，the origins of the seax pistols.

Live jazz jam session on a Monday is the perfect way to extend the weekend feeling. Very relaxed and welcoming. Great vibe.

It's a place frequented by locals, so there's a lot of people outside, and it's nice to have exciting music playing inside.

Great Sunday roast! I had been waiting two years to have one! It was definitely delicious and worth the visit. Friendly staff.

One of the many single bars we stopped by on our trip to London. Good mood, loud even in the early afternoon, this would not happen in Finnish bars.

Great live music, fair prices. Worth comming back!

Serve at bar really bad, staff not interested in being there. Manager completely ineffective, too busy trying to look important Beer was ok wee were going to have some food but what we saw coming out of kitchen we decided to move on to some where else. A real tourist trap, best avoided..

We were having a few pints and chatting quietly. Nice atmosphere

The interior is air-conditioned and has a nice ambiance. We tried their cocktails and were very pleased. I recommend them.

I've been coming to this pub for many years ! It's a great central meeting place.

A typical English pub in central London. We tried three types of beer and only one was worthy of recommendation. Unfortunately, we didn't eat anything, so I can't summarize the food. The service was not particularly friendly, and people would sit at our table and smoke cigarettes without asking if it would bother us. A plus for the decor and a few tables outside where you can drink a beer and look at the bustling streets. Prices high, as they are in London.

We came here for drinks and dinner. The beers were great! The food was just okay. We ordered the pie tasting and the fish and chips. I'd suggest ordering a full pie instead of the tasting as these are smaller portions and we're mostly crust.

We came here for drinks and dinner. The beers were great! The food was just okay. We ordered the pie tasting and the fish and chips. I'd suggest ordering a full pie instead of the tasting as these are smaller portions and we're mostly crust.

Nice place, loud music but fantastic service 👌

Ahhhh revisited today. Haven't been here for a while. We weren't disappointed. Just as lovely as the first time we went there. Air conditioning is a plus as well 😁.

I went to a bar to celebrate with my friends, and my bag containing important documents was stolen. To keep it safe, I moved my bag to my friend's side before going to the toilet, but it was stolen along with my hard drive, iPod, university ID, and work IDs. When I asked the staff to check the security cameras, they said only the police could view the footage. I brought the police to the bar, and they reviewed the security footage, identifying the person who took my bag. It was clearly a homeless person or a drug addict. I questioned how the security could allow such a person inside the bar, and their response was that this happens all the time and I should have taken my bag with me to the toilet. My bag was stolen from our table, and I feel betrayed that a private establishment allows suspicious individuals inside and then offers no substantial help. The security presence seems pointless if they cannot prevent such incidents. It was an incredibly frustrating experience, with losses valued over £500, and I didn't even receive an apology for what happened. It's not even about the monetary value; it’s the information on my hard drive that matters most.

We always pop in here for a pint or two when we’re in Covent Garden. Friendly staff, relaxed atmosphere and a decent Peroni.

I went to a bar to celebrate with my friends, and my bag containing important documents was stolen. To keep it safe, I moved my bag to my friend's side before going to the toilet, but it was stolen along with my hard drive, iPod, university ID, and work IDs. When I asked the staff to check the security cameras, they said only the police could view the footage. I brought the police to the bar, and they reviewed the security footage, identifying the person who took my bag. It was clearly a homeless person or a drug addict. I questioned how the security could allow such a person inside the bar, and their response was that this happens all the time and I should have taken my bag with me to the toilet. My bag was stolen from our table, and I feel betrayed that a private establishment allows suspicious individuals inside and then offers no substantial help. The security presence seems pointless if they cannot prevent such incidents. It was an incredibly frustrating experience, with losses valued over £500, and I didn't even receive an apology for what happened. It's not even about the monetary value; it’s the information on my hard drive that matters most.

Nice pub and, good fish and chips. Friendly staff 👍🏻

Decent wee pub we only stopped in for a couple of drinks

Love this place - watched the Slovakia and England game - friendly service, great people and vibe !!!

Great atmosphere, great spot in soho!

Spacious for a central location. My main issue is that I was charrged twice for a round of drinks. The staff claimed the first payment hadn't gone through. It had. Ironically the staff said it happens all the time! Why don't I find that comforting?

A real pub with a good offer, friendly staff, I recommend...

Cracking place to watch the footy. Stumbled in as the pub nearby was missing commentary and dirty tables. Was greeted when we came in and had a wonderful night. Banging tunes after the game and at halftime, speedy service and vibes were great. Will be recommending this and will be back for more matches! Special shout out to the managers Danae and Fieldie who welcomed us in and gave brilliant service!

We went to watch the match, the atmosphere was nice, but there was a synchronization problem between the TVs. It was like we had spoilers in the goals. I was upset that they didn't play the audio of the match after some of it:/ If you're not going to do it, don't hang a huge sign at the entrance saying there's a match broadcast. To the next matches

Terrible place to watch football! They don’t put the sound on and the tvs are not synced.

I visited the Spice of Life for a meal in between the Harry Potter plays at the Palace Theatre next door. The pub was very busy but I’d been reserved a table as I’d booked ahead. I was joined by a lad who’d had a bit too much to drink and the bar staff were immediately on it and moved me somewhere more secluded near the bar where they kept a watchful eye for the duration of my visit there (and dealt with the inebriated chap in a polite but firm manner). I was extremely grateful for this and surprised that the situation had been noticed given how crowded the pub was on a Friday evening. The food was delicious (I had a veggie cauli and broccoli bake).

Busy at 5.00pm on a Tuesday evening. Bar staff very attentive.

We went for the Tuesday night comedy in the basement. Had never been to a comedy show like this before and it was not an intimidating environment at all. The host was great and while not every act nailed it we laughed a lot and really enjoyed seeing people try out new jokes and interact with the audience. Would definitely go back.

Nice pub, ideally located next door to the palace theatre, we booked a table here for dinner in between the two Harry Potter shows and it worked out perfectly. The staff are very friendly and helpful, sadly a few things we wanted to order were not on the menu but the food that we did order was nice and reasonable value for money. It was also good to be able to reserve a table online so we didn’t have to risk not being able to have a seat as it does get quite busy. There is indoor and outdoor seating and they do hold various events there too. The cheesecake was not my favourite but the brownie was delicious and the breaded mushrooms were great.

Good PUB with affordable prices. Downstairs usually has live music, ticket required.

Went for Tuesday night comedy. A good fun night out. Great host and a good standard of stand up - lots of acts - all in the cosy space below the pub.

Amazing venue. Music was great. Service fast and with a smile. Will definitely go again

Smashing pub right on the edge of Soho. Lovely team and a fine array of beers.

The food was super good. The plates are well supplied. Info: the order is made at the bar

Nice beer, but don't expect to talk to anyone, the music is super loud and this was at 5pm!

Didn’t have any food, so I’m not aware of the quality.

Good pub. Music was excellent 👌

Popped in for a quick bite to eat before theatre and were served quickly by pleasant staff. Shared a chicken BLT sarnie with chips which was just as well as couldn't have eaten whole one. Tasty and just what we wanted. Good range of beers and varied menu. Area downstairs with music was advertised.

Listened to live music a few times in the spice of life and never been disappointed, it's certainly worth a visit.

One of the most shockingly xenophobic service experiences I've had in a London pub after 14 years of living here and visiting literally hundreds of pubs. The disinterested bartender Lucy is ostensibly being trained to query people with American accents if they are "Familiar with cask ale, because IPA is different here". I know the styles are different between the US and UK, but this is such an unnecessarily "othering" posture to have towards paying customers. I'm sorry if some American tourists send back pints that don't fulfil their expectations and perhaps you're unjustifiably replacing them at your expense (that's your problem), but it doesn't mean that people with my accent don't know what they're ordering by default. I was singled out because of my accent and I've never had this experience of ordering ale in any London pub before. I've been coming here for years, often bringing big groups, but we won't be any more. Please examine yourselves and your service standards so that everyone feels welcome.

Had phone stolen, so not a good night.

Great location and atmosphere. Good tasty menu choice and drinks. Friendly staff. I go for the fantastic open mic downstairs on the third Thursday of each month at 1pm. One of the best poetry events in London.

Great vibe. Nit the place for a quiet chat.

This pub is even older than me (by a few hundred years) and is joy. Great atmosphere, fantastic gig space downstairs and always good to find live music venues going strong. Really mixed crowd, friendly and fun. A hit!

A little disappointed... No ordering or table service

We had reservations for dinner. That worked, but you first had to ask at the bar where the table was. The food was good, but not cheap. Unfortunately it was very loud and it was hardly possible to have a conversation at the table. Many young guests <30.

Full of life. Good beer. Love the livemusic here.

Great place, I really liked the atmosphere. The food was tasty and there was quite a selection of beers. I really recommend this place.

Delicious plant based burgers. Friendly staff and lovely atmosphere in basement with live music.

Great music venue - could do with offering sound checks to artists rather than line checks in front of audience right before their performances…but a cool space downstairs. Upstairs is ok, vibe on a Friday night is drunken loser but drinks are very well priced. Gets busy do if you want a seat get there early.

Lovely bar just off soho went here for a look around great space live music down stairs.

Nice live music and cold ipa Recommend !

Excellent service, when the mother was upset and ordered the wrong food for the teenager, they spontaneously came to help the situation and got the right food at a small discount.

Nice pub/bar, in soho 🇬🇧 They have a great variety of drinks, the bar itself is nice and has a good vibe sometimes with live music + there are tables to sit outside.

Good pub in the centre with great guinness, toilets were spotless which really makes a difference, and staff were friendly and great chat

Great pub in the heart of theatre land. Popped in for a swift one stayed for a few.

Went for a couple of drinks on a day out in London and I must say it was amazing indeed. The service was fast and kind, the atmosphere was fantastic. Sure I am going to visit again!

Great pub with live and DJ music

Had a spot of lunch today Amy served us downstairs and was an absolute pleasure. Top tier service. She needs a pay rise

New payment systems make you select tip amount on a touchscreen before paying with card, even for drinks. This is both incredibly unhygenic as everyone has to touch the same buttons and incredibly frustraiting - please fix this. People can tip if they want but should not be forced to preselect tip amounts

Annie and Leon are the best people. The drinks are spot on. They are friendly and soo friendly.

great place to share a bottle of wine with friends.

The Spice of Life is one of my go to pubs in Soho. I meet friends there for an excellent pub lunch and a pint and drop in in the evening when en route elsewhere, perhaps a gig or the theatre. It can be noisy in the evening but a good atmosphere. It's reasonably priced, too. There's a basement venue for live music which I go to once or twice a month. All in all The Spice is a nice, convenient and safe Soho pub.

Ottima serata, ambiente bello e personale molto gentile, abbiamo cenato di sotto in un ambiente raccolto e piccolo con musica live fantastica !

Good food and drinks and nice atmosphere

Great atmosphere to hangout for drinks

Fantastic entertainment by Ukrainian Brass Band, Freedom Pulse.

Work Christmas party in the basement. Food was good but they kept increasing the music volume until it became too loud to hold a conversation and I left with a headache.

Had a the hobgoblin ale and the fish a chips. The hobgoblin has left its mark. Service without a smile.

Great venue with live music and amazing atmosphere. Been here a few times and it's such a great vibe downstairs where the live music is that keeps me coming back. The band is very talented and makes you feel you are at a concert. Me and my friends had a great time on Monday evening and we will definitely come back to start the week like this.

I reserved a table online via the website the day before, as we had a two hour break between performances at the Palace Theatre and wanted to have a Sunday dinner. The email communication was excellent and informed me that the table would be ours for 1 hour and 45 mins. We weren’t disappointed with our experience. Upon arrival we found a table with a card on it saying it had been reserved at the time I requested, so we knew it was ours. The Sunday Roasts we ordered were huge, delicious and arrived piping hot ( I wish I’d taken pics). There was a good array of condiments. The staff were amazingly efficient and we were not rushed at all despite the venue being very busy. As we were just across the road from the Palace Theatre it was the perfect place to be for the break. Would definitely do it all over again . Many thanks .

Been going for years, very nice place with live music.

A London institution, we keep returning during every trip to London to have a pint and dine at this wonderful pub. The Aspall on draught is superb! If you're lucky enough to visit on a Sunday, try their Roasts! We especially enjoy the Nut Roast. Some evenings get crazy busy, but this pub is worth the journey.

Great pub venue! Check out the Country Soul Sessions event.Always great bands

Great drinks and food with cosy atmosphere! A good pub even for tourists!

Could have been great but the over-flowing and unusable ladies toilets were a big minus

Always great ambience for a pint in central

Music too loud to talk over but a good selection.

The music was too loud to talk but the spot is great!

Nice little pub with friendly engaged staff. Food was good too. Pies cooked well and plenty of fresh vegetables.

An exemplary place for alcohol enthusiasts

Horrible food, terrible staff and management seem useless Staff seemed to busy chatting with management in the back Really gone down hill used to be a nice place to visit when in soho

Jazz evening in basement room was great Pub has Nice vibe

Not suitable for work drinks - Asked for a receipt and they said that wasn't possible...only after I'd paid and the bat told me that the till was closed 5 seconds after ordering

Have only been once, to play there with a band, had a beer but didn't eat there hence can't comment on food or service. Very lively, younger crowd, very friendly and drink prices seem reasonable for Soho. Great for a lively atmosphere especially with live music (but probably not the best place if you just want a quiet drink on a Saturday night lol) .

A bit noisey but great atmosphere

Music way too loud. Conversation impossible.

Excellent Fish and Chips, but the music was a bit too loud

i grew up here from aged 7 till 12, my dad owned it till 82 it was a great pub back then hopefully i will pop in with my daughters and show them where i grew up lol