The Yard
Soho's most unique gay venueAverage Reviews
About
Soho's got a secret, whispered down cobbled alleys and tucked behind iron gates. It's called The Yard, and it's a haven for those seeking refuge from the neon-soaked chaos of the West End. Forget the thumping basslines and pulsating crowds; The Yard is a symphony of clinking glasses, hushed laughter, and the gentle rustle of leaves overhead.
Step through the unassuming entrance and prepare to be charmed. Ivy snakes its way up brick walls, draping the courtyard in a verdant embrace. Sunlight filters through trellises, dappling mismatched vintage furniture in a mosaic of light and shadow. Fairy lights twinkle like captured constellations, casting a warm glow as day surrenders to dusk. It's the kind of place that begs you to linger, to soak up the atmosphere with an Aperol spritz in hand, worries melting away with each clinking ice cube.
But The Yard's magic extends beyond the sun-drenched courtyard. Ascend the creaky staircase and find yourself in the Loft Bar, a speakeasy sanctuary swathed in exposed brick and plush velvet. The air thrums with hushed conversations and the murmur of well-shaken cocktails. Bartenders, like alchemists behind their mahogany counter, concoct bespoke elixirs to tantalize your taste buds, each sip a whispered secret shared between you and the amber liquid.
The Yard isn't just a bar, it's a vibrant tapestry woven from laughter, creativity, and a fierce sense of community. Drag queens shimmy beneath glittering spotlights during Sunday brunch, DJs spin eclectic tunes that set hearts and hips alike into motion, and bookworms gather to dissect the latest literary masterpiece in the intimate alcoves. There's something for everyone, a kaleidoscope of experiences waiting to be unfurled.
So next time you find yourself in Soho, ditch the tourist traps and seek out The Yard. Push open the iron gates and step into a world where you can be yourself, unapologetically and beautifully. This hidden gem, with its sun-drenched secrets and moonlit whispers, is waiting to steal your heart, one perfectly crafted cocktail at a time.
Step through the unassuming entrance and prepare to be charmed. Ivy snakes its way up brick walls, draping the courtyard in a verdant embrace. Sunlight filters through trellises, dappling mismatched vintage furniture in a mosaic of light and shadow. Fairy lights twinkle like captured constellations, casting a warm glow as day surrenders to dusk. It's the kind of place that begs you to linger, to soak up the atmosphere with an Aperol spritz in hand, worries melting away with each clinking ice cube.
But The Yard's magic extends beyond the sun-drenched courtyard. Ascend the creaky staircase and find yourself in the Loft Bar, a speakeasy sanctuary swathed in exposed brick and plush velvet. The air thrums with hushed conversations and the murmur of well-shaken cocktails. Bartenders, like alchemists behind their mahogany counter, concoct bespoke elixirs to tantalize your taste buds, each sip a whispered secret shared between you and the amber liquid.
The Yard isn't just a bar, it's a vibrant tapestry woven from laughter, creativity, and a fierce sense of community. Drag queens shimmy beneath glittering spotlights during Sunday brunch, DJs spin eclectic tunes that set hearts and hips alike into motion, and bookworms gather to dissect the latest literary masterpiece in the intimate alcoves. There's something for everyone, a kaleidoscope of experiences waiting to be unfurled.
So next time you find yourself in Soho, ditch the tourist traps and seek out The Yard. Push open the iron gates and step into a world where you can be yourself, unapologetically and beautifully. This hidden gem, with its sun-drenched secrets and moonlit whispers, is waiting to steal your heart, one perfectly crafted cocktail at a time.
Photos
Reviews
Based on 980 reviews
Tomasz Borys
21:00 29 Mar 24
Really? They ruined our date by telling us to move from our table because another customer had been booked for 7 pm. We sat around 7:45 pm, and not one of the reserved people had arrived. We thought the general rule was that if a person doesn’t turn up within 20 minutes, they lose the reservation. The manager was very rude, insisting we vacate the table. But people arrived after 8 pm – really? Does the restaurant allow reservations to be held for over an hour? We hadn’t finished our drinks, and despite speaking with the manager, security, and staff, they didn’t respect us. We have the right to stay, and it’s their problem if guests arrive late. We decided to leave without finishing our drinks. Never again. Businesses need to reconsider their treatment of customers and prioritize more than just profit. I will inform all my friends and advise against going there. Shameful atmosphere and unhelpful staff.Javier Javier
20:47 29 Mar 24
Lovely place but it’s becoming a venue for groups that book a number of tables and don’t use them. Booking is free by the way! Today the courtyard had about 10 tables booked for 6.30 or 7pm. We arrived at 7 and decided to use a table booked for 7 when it was 8pm. The manager came and asked us to vacate because “the group was getting late upstairs” and decided to come down now. Seriously? We just left and won’t come back.Souriz
09:24 25 Mar 24
Nice atmosphere, however my darlings I ask for beer from tap and he makes it for me like a lemonade... Teach you staff how to pour a pint with the froffy head please. I don't pay for a lemonade my darlings I pay for pint. Sort it out please.Tekken Host (Tekken Host)
08:34 03 Mar 24
The yard was a very good experience, our server Henry was very funny and polite, always ready to help and just had good vibes. The bar was very social and everyone seemed to just be having a good time.Will 100% be planning to go again.If you do go, get the “dirty Henry” drink, it taste real nice. Haha!Xander De Luca
19:52 13 Jan 24
Only ever been here in warm months so can't speak to the winter but this is the perfect LGBTQ+ friendly place to meet friends outside in central. Lots of space, nice being outdoors, very low key and chill atmosphere, no super loud music so you can have a chat. Really really like it here.Uli B.
01:23 21 Dec 23
It's a low-key bar for a casual meet up with friends. There's nothing dance about this place, but it's in a great location and in the summer the yard is a...resymonds76
11:04 14 Oct 23
Why does the Yard insist on sneaking a service charge on drinks from the bar? Which bit of this is service? Is it me queuing for my own drinks? Or me carrying my own drinks back to the table?What’s worse is the way the bar tenders try to hide this when they ‘show’ you the bill. They always keep their hand over this charge. Funny that.In the old days at the Yard it used to be optional on the card machine. These days it’s automatically added.I’m sure the venue would say it’s entirely ‘optional’. But if that’s the case, why not allow your customer the option to add it?Aron Szyls
07:57 09 Oct 23
Very nice place that definitely it’s much better week time so busy on Fridays and Saturdays when it’s just too crowded and it’s just too hard to move around. Really nicely done in a city style that represents night life in a modern but not fancy way with a quite colourful neons way 💡 I like it especially for early evening time before 9pm as later it’s just loud place to just talk and it smells like cigarette 🚬 so it’s healthy style people friendly so 4 stars ⭐️ but still I’ll recommend a bit 💪🏻Da silva Jessica
23:57 05 Oct 23
Amazing gay bar in London 🇬🇧The atmosphere and general mood of the bar is great, as soon as you enter the terrace is nicely entertained, there are a lot of table, on the second floor there is a terrace and also some more space, the cocktails were good. It is definitely a great place to enjoy your night out with friendsEmily CH
11:13 24 Sep 23
Great welcoming bar hidden away in Soho. Reviewing because of the great staff. They were brilliant at getting people tables, clearing glasses and politely letting people pass in the crowded space. It was a bit warm and I merely looked at the fans and someone came over and asked if we wanted them on!Seyi J
02:13 17 Sep 23
The security are racist. As a black male, got turned away inititally as it was "reservation only", with another black male with me. This was a lie. My non black friends ahead of me got in no problem, without any reservation. Obviously the security will deny this happened.I told the security that my non-black friends got in, and never mentioned anything about a reservation. Once I told them that, they let me in. It's still not right, and it's clear racial bias against black people, so I'm posting this review for awareness.Claire Filby
16:00 01 Sep 23
Extremely rude customer service!!Sitting in a legitimate smoking area only to be told smoking of a cigar not allowed. Nowhere does it say that. They claim ‘the neighbours might complain’.I’ve never heard such tosh in all my life!! If cigar smoking not allowed you need a sign to say that. Otherwise don’t even bother with a smoking area at all.But for an officious, unfriendly member of staff to single my friend out unnecessarily…That’s not cool. Been visiting for many years but this was my last visit 😡Suyatra Sinha
15:11 08 Aug 23
Went here with my girl unknowingly. Then found out that it was a gay bar. But had an amazing time as the atmosphere was really good and also the beers were priced ok than other pubs of Soho.John Connor
20:09 25 Jul 23
Rip off ^£8 a pint of beer here and bad service.Was here a week ago and really bad experience. The manager ‘Henry’ seems very stressed and rude. He made a terrible atmosphere among the customers and annoyed all the staff. He ran about out of control giving orders in a rude and abusive way. For the price you pay you expect and nice atmosphere but certainly didn’t get that here. As a gay man who has been coming here for years a change of manager is needed before I come back.Antonia Johnstone
19:22 06 Jul 23
Tried to call several times to ensure that I could bring my dog. Nobody answered for 3 days straight. When getting to the venue (which is mostly outdoor and you can smoke inside) was not allowed because of the dog. However, when my friend asked why they hadn't answered the phone, the response was that they were too busy and haven't had the time. Answering the phone is part of the job and if you can't do that, then why even have a phone number there if it's pointless.Sad to have not been able to spend time with my friend who was celebrating his new job.Ernesto Henderson
22:40 13 May 23
I'm a visitor from the states - specifically nyc where gay rights in the west started. Huge advocate for the LGBT both personally and professioanllt for years.This- friends- is NOT a gay bar.This is a straight bar pretending to be a gay bar... which an all accepting encompassing bar - we love that. Nah, approptiation with the disrespect of not even catering t oits own clients.I would say it's a cultural difference but as some who has surveyed ... almost all the gay bars in the area while in vacation- this is the ONLY that gives me pause.Literally gay in name only..If you want a boogie bar atmosphere ... sure - but you can do that literally in 99% of that planet...#OverItLucien E Jimenez
15:10 07 May 23
It's packed and lively on a Sunday afternoon (they open at 14:00), with friendly people, good service, good albeit expensive drinks. It has a garden, a loft bar and more. Enjoy!Mike Rouse-Deane
21:00 01 May 23
An amazing gay bar. Had so many pleasant memories here. Both great in day and night. Upstairs is usually the best place to go if it's packed downstairs. The staff are super friendly and love having a joke about how hot it is and whether it's just them whose hot. Fantastic experience every time I go!Harry Bird
19:39 18 Dec 22
Amazing service from Clem. He made us feel so welcome and gave excellent advice on what drinks would suit our appetite! Will definitely come back here soon.Vincent S.
12:39 28 Oct 22
This is by far my favorite LGBTQ+ spot in London, what a diversity of different spots all in one bar. There is tables in an alleyway, in an open patio like...Alisha Richardson
22:57 15 Oct 22
Great vibes at the bar, very spacious as well! The bar staff are also very welcoming, especially Julio who looked after our table all night. Highly recommend!Carlos Peralta
10:40 25 Sep 22
One of the greatest gay bars in Soho, especially if you want to actually chat with your friends as the garden area is chilled and the music isn’t loud. Good crowd and great mix of guys x girls. Drinks here are probably the most expensive across all gay bars in Soho… A double g&t will cost you nearly £15Jack Brien
01:40 04 Sep 22
Really lovely, ambient gay bar nestled off Soho. Whilst the prices are slightly high, the atmosphere and friendliness are what makes this place special, so it was justified. Special mention to Jude for being a sweetheart!John “JJB” Byrne
21:44 30 Jul 22
Probably one of my favourite gay bars in Soho, has two floors and a great vibe. It’s relaxed, friendly and has that great chilled atmosphere that I love. Definelty worth a visit if you are passing through Soho!J
09:28 12 Jul 22
Went here on the advice of a friend who wanted to check it out - wish I had looked at the reviews before! Drinks are not bad, but definitely overpriced. Rooftop garden seating is ok. Staff is incredibly rude - not sure about the bar staff as other reviewers have mentioned, but the door and cleanup staff - shockingly rude and clearly used to being able to be that way to customers. There are definitely better places (with better vibes and nicer staff!) in the neighborhood to spend our money. Skip this spotdan zee
15:29 18 Jun 22
It’s a nice place, it never changes and that is why I like about it. But come on Yard it is time to ditch plastic straws 🤦♂️Marina
22:08 15 May 22
Bar on two floors with garden/patio and indoor seating area on ground floor and balcony and another bar on the top floor. Always found Great vibes here. It’s gets quite busy pretty much any day any time so don’t expect to find a seat easily.Rashad Zeynalov
08:23 13 May 22
Aways good vibe. Very friendly staff.Big thank you to the manager who was on duty 12 may 2022 around around 8 pm with longish hair. 🙏🏼Camila Roa
01:10 22 Apr 22
Went there with 2 friends on a Monday after having dinner at Mildred’s, which was amazing, thought of coming to the Yard to have last drinks before home. “Double gin and tonic “ more like “triple Tonic and 10ml of Gin” I know my drink wasn’t right so went to the bar to kindly request a change and letting them know i couldn’t really taste the gin, the bartender gave me a horrible attitude and said he made it double in which I still replied I couldnt taste much of a gin, he then replied “yea yea ok just for you “and drop like 5ml extra on top of my glass but with awful tone and attitude, definitely someone that rude shouldn’t be working behind a bar or face customers. Recommendation for the bartender: stop doing free pouring and start using jiggers.( after my drink I decided to watch the guy and so my friend who is also a bartender and could easily spot that the bartender was under pouring ).Lastly, people should really avoid this kind of places, bad customer service and over priced drinks !!! To pay 7£ for a beer and £15 for a gin and tonic that it doesn’t even use a normal tonic but the one that taste like sprite and then with those DISGUSTING TOILETS. Really, I don’t know what are these people thinking. For what you are paying at the yard you can def go somewhere else much nicer.Martin E.
11:29 19 Apr 22
Shocking experience when an extremely rude bartender falsely and vindictively accused my partner and I of throwing our drinks over the balcony, creating a slanderous and utterly pointless drama. Regardless, security was called, and we were asked to finish our drinks (which we had been holding all along!), by the entrance. The Yard general manager briefly asked us what had happened, but never returned to us with any reassurance or clarification of why this staff member had behaved with such vindictive malice. The Yard management urgently need to address an obvious gap in their customer service staff training needs and figure out how to employ more honest staff. It saddens me to say that I DO NOT recommend this establishment as a welcoming and friendly one.Martin E.
08:26 18 Apr 22
Shocking experience when a totally paranoid schizoid drama queen bar-tender accused my partner and I of throwing our drinks over the balcony! Was there any glass anywhere? Duh! Mental! The Yard management would do best to do drug assessments and customer service training for/on their bar staff, to ensure they are employing honest staff who do not present false queeny dramas. It saddens me to say that I DO NOT recommend this establishment as a welcoming and friendly one.Martin Evans
22:39 17 Apr 22
Shocking experience when a totally paranoid schizoid drama queen bar-Mary accused my partner and I of throwing our drinks over the balcony! Was there any glass anywhere? Duh! Mental! The Yard management would do best to do drug assessments and customer service training for/on their bar staff, to ensure they are employing honest staff who do not present false queeny dramas. It saddens me to say that I DO NOT recommend this establishment as a welcoming and friendly one.Stevie P
07:44 17 Apr 22
Saturday afternoon, it was empty, £34.02 three doubles, with mixers fine. I wouldn’t of minded if the bar staff actually did their jobs properly, or pretend to enjoy themselves. We watched the short measured vodka rebound against the ice onto the drip tray. No smiles, not great hospitality at all. The worse was I noticed something in my drink, and it wasn’t fruit. I took it back to the bar, the guy, looked at me in distaste, as if I was insulting him. Non verbal communication, just made another drink, placed on bar turned away. Drop the attitude sweetheart, you only work in a bar.Callum Stewart
08:26 08 Apr 22
Nice and chilled bar with good vibe but prices are getting stupid. I paid over £7 for a standard pint and the bar then had the cheek to add a service charge bringing it to over £7.30. I had to ask to remove the service charge and bar staff did not make it clear it had been added.Gareth Thomas
00:39 12 Mar 22
Thank you so much to your vigilant staff, who managed to spot the person who attempted to use my card after I dropped it. I will forever be grateful to you. XxD R.
04:55 26 Feb 22
Came here with a friend for a drink and dance, was very busy, nice atmosphere. We ended up sitting down at a table of four inside when a group left but then...Mark
14:00 27 Jan 22
Used to love coming here, they have put their beer prices up to an astronomical level. i do not expect to pay over £7 for a basic beer. yes you've been affected by covid but so have we. Other bars in the area haven't put their prices up.Toto Ro
16:52 06 Dec 21
Had an incredibly fun evening here with friends! Can get a bit busy at the bar but not an issue! Music selection was fun and ambience was great! Drinks are reasonable for London standards not the cheapest but expected.Will be back!Oh_Hii'mHelen
14:38 02 Dec 21
A great location for Chilling & Drinks!A lovely Gay bar, all types of people are welcome here too!Friendly wonderful people and workers, a bundle of joy literally. You guys want great vibes come down here!They have 2 floors , 2 bars , 1 terrace and many seating areas from indoors to outdoors.No entry feeReasonable prices not too experience nor too cheap , it's just right.Recommended to all party/chill goers and especially smokers, lots of outdoor place and ash trays to smoke.Wasseem AlKury
22:04 18 Nov 21
Beautiful place, with nice outdoor garden. Great service by the staff, and on top, Delicious mulled wine with gin or spiced rum.I recommend going there.John Higginson
08:39 11 Nov 21
Used to be much better.Table service only when we visited (seems to change at weekends) slow service, used to have a decent atmosphere, pretty sterile now. Much better places close by such as Waxy O’Connors.Oscar Perez Ruiz Diaz
21:36 10 Nov 21
Same old but new, super relax hangout. Excellent service fromDavid. Keep up! super friendly atmosphereJane Elledge
19:42 19 Oct 21
Fantastic place. I wanted a quiet bar I could sit and have a beer and a smoke for an hour alone and this was perfect. Super friendly staff and customers. Will be back next time I’m in the area.Gwyn Evans
20:57 09 Oct 21
London's best LGBT+ bar with two floors and a balcony. Interesting Greek or Roman statues adorn the gangway to the venue. Lots of tables in a courtyard, too (with heaters)Tobias Christopher
19:22 13 Sep 21
The waiter who served us was extremely friendly and helpful... sadly, the Cabernet Sauvignon was not good; and at nearly £8 for a 250ml glass, extremely disappointing! I visit The Yard Bar whenever in London and this has been the only time it has let me down!Danika Ahn
22:34 02 Sep 21
Went here to meet some friends before we head out to another place.Seems interesting to be located in an enclosed building. Would love to come back and try their food and drinks. Maybe next time yeah xxMagdalena N.
20:16 27 Aug 21
The beer and atmosphere is great,but staff is cheating when you buying beer from the bar! They adding gratuity without your knowledge. Not nice.Blair R
17:37 23 Aug 21
What can I say? Outdoors. Sunshine. Booze. Music. Lovely staff. Any opportunity, I'd happily sit at this bar for a drink with friends.David D
22:01 26 Jun 21
Love this place. They’ve done a great job of adapting to Covid and the service is superfriendly. Great to see it has kept its atmosphere despite this adversityJoshua Steyn
18:38 16 Jun 21
Great drinks, great atmosphere and the service from Gabriel was fantasticMaria Aparecida da Silva
22:07 29 May 21
Th service was horrible we asked for another drink the asked to moved table and didn’t servers us the blond guy was very unprofessional! Plus if you have a no client seat you should not asked them to move just before the bar close ! I will never get back and not recommend to anyone.Charlotte Henderson
16:28 03 May 21
I used to really like the Yard, however, my last couple of visits have been disappointing. Let me start off by saying the table service is great, the waiters are very friendly and helpful, but the booking system has let me down. On one occasion we were kicked out at 10.30pm (booking at 9pm) even though, on the phone, we were told we could have our table until close (12am). On the other occasion, one of my party had arrived at 6.05pm for a booking at 6pm, only to be told that there was no booking under my name as it had been cancelled since no one had shown up for 10 mins. When I phoned to talk to them, the person on the line was incredibly rude. Once we were finally given a table, the bouncers went on to argue with each member of my party as they arrived, saying they weren't allowed on our table as there were too many people there (six people for a table of six?!). The two stars are for the waiters but I'm not sure I would waste my time on going here again.Elena Corina Rodriguez
20:26 07 Dec 20
It was a mess but the place is nice. We waited outside for 20+ minutes due to the current situation which is okay. They offered a table that was literally a decoration feature with four chairs and they asked us to keep social distance with the couple seating next to us, but it was impossible and very uncomfortable so we asked for a different table. This time the place was extremely small but at least more privacy. We ordered two drinks and it took more than 30 minutes to arrive, with waiters asking if different orders were ours over 3 times. The drinks arrived (wrong, but after one hour and places closing at 22h you can’t be picky). The waiters were really, really disorganized. The music was good and so was the ambiance. But they really need to sort out service and timing.Lukas Kay
16:24 06 Dec 20
I have lived in Italy for years but nothing I have ever eaten is comparable to the pasta dish I had at The Yard during Tier 2 in December 2020. The beautiful organic pasta accompanied by the variety of organic vegetables and greens were something I will remember forever. The staff were adorable and very helpful too.Joe Hendry
11:58 31 Oct 20
Haven't been for a while, used to enjoy going here. We had one round of drinks (nearly 18 pounds) felt a bit cheated as they add on some sort of service charge. Yes we know bars and restaurants are struggling but so is everyone else - no need to be explotative with cost when you are already very expensive. Had one drink , went somewhere else and bought 8 rounds there. Voted with my feet and took my money elsewhere.Steven Heath
22:28 08 Mar 20
Quite a nice bar but outrageous prices for two pints. £13.50.Went to Halfway to Heaven later and three pints cost less than that!BTW: if you are going to provide WiFi don't cheap out on it and use a freebie service. Your booze prices mean you can afford a commercial service. Seriously, 1Mbps (going down hill)?. Do you want the guests to advertise they are here or not????Anne K.
22:54 24 Apr 19
It really depends on what night you go to this bar. When it gets crowded, it is too loud & the smoking area (balcony) feels dangerously full. Drinks are not...Taylor B.
02:09 29 Dec 18
I loved this spot in Soho. Super cute indoor/outdoor hidden garden like bar with lots of seating area and a bar in the back. Music and drink prices were ok...Heather S.
07:09 09 Jun 15
While in London for work and strolling through Soho with a friend, we stumbled upon the Yard Bar. The bright purple, neon sign threw us off a little bit,...Lee B.
11:49 06 Apr 15
Nestled in an intimate courtyard tucked away off Rupert St The Yard is a welcoming retreat for the hustle and bustle of busy London with a heated, beautiful...David J.
15:42 14 Aug 08
As Soho gay bars go, the Yard is one of the better venues. You'll probably already be getting my drift that I'm not generally a great fan of gay bars in...
The Yard reviews from Google Maps, Yelp and WhereIs.Gay
Map
Today Open now UTC0
04:00 PM - 11:30 PM
-
Monday
04:00 PM - 11:30 PM
-
Tuesday
04:00 PM - 11:30 PM
-
Wednesday
04:00 PM - 11:30 PM
-
Thursday
04:00 PM - 11:30 PM
-
Friday
02:00 PM - 12:00 AM
-
Saturday
01:00 PM - 12:00 AM
-
Sunday
02:00 PM - 10:30 PM
Ask a question