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Fluid Eating's Review of Freud
A friend of mine was stalking the writers at Heat magazine recently and happened to stumble, quite literally, into Freud Bar whilst trying to avoid eye contact with the editor of Heat as she came out of head office across the road (its ok, she didn’t spot m…I mean, didn’t spot my ‘friend’). This Freudian slip (*groan) was due to the near-vertical stairs leading down to the bar. One piece of advice before you canter down to Freud: make sure you arrive before you start drinking, otherwise you could fall head-over-heals.
All psychoanalytical jokes aside, the Freud art exhibition/furniture emporium/café/cocktail bar is for arty students and media-tors and is very brown and very daubed with fantastic array of art for sale.
This beatnik zone, which claims it was England’s first café-bar, is easel to a maverick kind of art – giant cocktail art. All tastes are catered for, ranging from the classic Mojito to the madcap Homeboy, the fear-inducing Zombie, and the assertive Perfect Pimms. I heard that the Long Island Iced Tea is powerful enough to kill Death Row murderers, with kindness; less messy, entirely legal and a much better send-off altogether. For your convenience the cocktail list even displays the type of glass each creation is delivered in, so if it's busy, avoid the martinis!
They also offer a wide range of wine, bottled beers and even a 'pint' of latte - but if you’re going to swim with the sharks you don’t want to see the Bottlenose, you want to see the Great White, right?
Being so small and having a kitchen that’s basically just a grill, lunchtimes at Freud fall neatly into two categories: you can either go DIY with an embarrassment of salad choices; or, if you don’t mind bleeding gums for the rest of the afternoon, there’s the toasted, thick-cut granary sandwiches instead.
Freud is the absolute antithesis to Starbucks and the kind of place you only discover through word-of-mouth. Yet it remains one of London’s best kept secrets. Someone must’ve blabbed, own up!
Sigmund Freud once said that, “Love and work... work and love, that's all there is”. So which is it gunna be?
Reviewed By Christian Rose-Day
Description: Opened in 1986, the Freud café in London was the first café-bar in England and also hosts art exhibitions continuously. The artwork changes each month. The Freud café is well known for its cocktails but it also serves delicious lunches and great coffee and teas.
An inconspicuous, stainless steel staircase leads down from the corner of Neal Street into a buzz of cool, contemporary chaos. The room is small with tables and chairs in abundance and a padded bench surrounding the room. The lighting is dim, and moody, but there's no attitude in here.
An artistic and graphic design orientated client base make up the capacity of Freud, their creative flair tempered by modern artworks on the walls. (Updated 10/08/2009)
“best evenings start there...”
Rating: 
— anne, london
(23 Jan 2010)
“The much hyped 'urban grit' of Freud could be seen, in a harsh light, as just a dirty basement with not much space. The cocktails are great though, and the prices are pocket friendly. Barmen provide some flair and the artwork on the walls is a welcome diversion from the above mentioned grit. Go early or on a quieter Sunday to get a table so you can be part of the urban cool scene, rather than the awkward one holding your cocktail while tyring not to be jostled every time someone wants to move.”
Rating: 
— Bronwen Stephens, London
(14 Sep 2009)
“Surely one of the best cocktails bars in London. It's SO underground, in more ways than one. Considering the area, the cocktails are very cheap and very varied. You can only get away with wearing your uber-cool look in Freud, which means everyone there seems like they're in a band. I love it!”
Rating:
— Leigh, Tooting
(10 Aug 2009)
“This is my favourite cocktail bar in London, and is a place I MUST return to every time I pop back into Town.
Great atmosphere, quirky with the most exceptional cocktails! You just can't beat a Fallen Angel...”
Rating:
— Kate, Dorset
(18 Jun 2009)
“This used to be a great hang for real arty types, not just the ones that like to complain. Sadly they've turned the lights up to accommodate the security camera's, which puts a huuuge downer on the atmosphere. The place can get pretty packed, which used to be fun, but now seems to annoy most people, no doubt as the arty types left and the regular punters joined in. Freud's as we knew her has gone, but may she return one day soon.”
Rating:
— M, Covent Garden
(10 Mar 2009)
“Hi
I used to love this bar. Sadly when there was an apparent mistake made with my bill on Saturday night when I was wrongly charged for 2 additional cocktails on my bill having left my card behind the bar my love affair ended. The barman was snotty, didn't apologise and asked why he should apologise. I explained because a mistake had been made and irrelevant of whose mistake it was it should be acknowledged. Instead he looked at me as if I'd caused a fuss for no good reason.
That's the end of me and Freud bar. Shame it is a lovely place but the staff that night were moody and have convinced me I won't be going back. Whether they intentionally tried to rip me off I'll never know but I'm not going back to risk it again.”
Rating:
— Tammy, London
(01 Sep 2008)
“Awesome bar. Absolutely amazing cocktails, and not badly priced considering they're served in almost pint sized glasses...
The staff are friendly, and really know what they're doing. Even if a cocktail is not on the board, they will be able to prepare it for you, to perfection.
I had a fantastic night when I came here, and will be returning to Freud on many occasions...”
Rating:
— Rosie, London
(15 Aug 2006)
“Perhaps one of the best bars in London when it opened, but now with the explosion in amazing venues Freud is still managing to hold its own. The mojitos are perhaps the best i've tasted, but be sure to try the Aztec too for a real firey chocolate treat. Love the decor, layout and the fact its still a hidden gem. Oh, and food is good too.”
Rating:
— Steve, London
(18 Feb 2006)
“We had a lunchtime meal on a Sunday and it was really enjoyable. The entrance is down some steep steps, unless you know it is there you may miss it and walk past, but once inside the atmosphere is very relaxed and informal, also very cosy. We spent a very relaxing couple of hours in Freud, we were not rushed to leave and the cocktails were very good. Staff were friendly and service very good.”
Rating:
— Julie, Hull
(15 Jan 2006)
“Freud's is my dream. The most delicious cocktails and a huge selection enabling even my changeable moods to be fulfilled. The atmosphere is very artistic and it’s like a hidden underground secret (however, always busy). I recommend Freud’s to all my international friends who are visiting for just 2/3 days; it’s worth it.”
Rating:
— Jessica, London
(17 Dec 2005)
“What a great place!
”
Rating:
— Sarah marshall, London
(04 Jul 2005)
“A lovely intimate bar that's great value (cocktails £4-6 as of april 2005) and does simply the *best* long island iced teas in the world, *fact*. I challenge you to talk sense after 3. Mojitos, mules and cosmopolitans are great too. Get there early if you want a seat.”
Rating:
— shbib, London
(20 Apr 2005)
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