Gin Joint by Searcys

They have gin, and a lot of it yet not one single drop of Hendricks was to be found here!
Great place for an old school agency pitch and mix.

Gin Joint has been on my list of bars to try for a long time, mainly on account of the word «Gin» in its name. Having been here for the first time last night as I was catching a performance at the Barbican, I’m glad I didn’t make a special effort to come here.
The gin cocktails, which we ordered as part of Gin Democracy (aka Happy Hour from 5 pm to 8 pm), were nice and strong. We’d opted for Adnams gin and Fever Tree tonic, but there were quite a few other gins you could choose from and some other tonics, including Fentimans.
The food selection — we sat in the bar area and had a limited selection to choose from — was okay. I’d ordered a main off the restaurant menu — Portobello Mac ‘n’ Cheese — and when it arrived, it was just pure macaroni and cheese, no evidence of Portobello. It was nice but way too much M&C to handle for even two people.
The service was okay. Nothing spectacular, and just slightly confused.
All in all, not a bad place to go to and meet friends before a performance but not a destination venue, if you get what I mean.

Well, I must admit I’m bestowing 3 stars on this venue because of the variety of gin and the tasty cocktails, but you’d expect that of a gin joint, wouldn’t you?
I’d originally come here for the Unilocal Gin Joint event and had an excellent time. At that time, the service, the drinks, the food, the ambience were all fab and a week later I dragged a friend there for some pre-​dinner drinks. (dinner was elsewhere)
Yes it’s Searcy’s, yes the view into the Barbican courtyard is beautiful, yes the furniture is nice… but this visit produced a deflated yawn of an hour. The service was lame, the music was so low you could barely hear it, and the drinks weren’t even mixed properly. They looked great, but upon taking a sip from the straw, I was surprised by a gulp of juice. It was like the bartender poured all the ingredients into the glass without further effort. Bleh… and £9.50 for that?
There weren’t many people there, it being Sunday evening, and settling the bill seemed to take an extra effort. Just because it was Sunday didn’t mean I too had time to hang about. To be honest I was pretty happy to skeddadle out.

I admit, this place is less of a destination and more of a «pit stop» if you’re inside or near the Barbican Centre, but it’s a classy little gem with a wonderful view towards Bank.
I went to my friend’s art opening at the Barbican Library; once it ended, a few of us were looking for a relaxed bar spot inside the centre. Surprisingly, there’s many bar options dotted around the Centre, but we lucked up by stumbling upon «Gin Joint» just across the hall from that exhibition.
The cocktail and spirit list were extensive and the bar bites yummy (we had the Mini Sliders). I only drank a hot chocolate (wasn’t great) but hey, this is a haven for cocktails, not tea and crumpets.
The décor is luxe, understated and very comfortable… a well-​welcomed departure from the rest of the Barbican Centre’s god-​awful concrete in-​and-​outs.
I might not travel from far and wide to visit, but if I happen to be in Moorgate or attend a Barbican Centre event, I now have a definite go-​to.

Really enjoyed my visit here. One star taken off because the waiter forgot my gin martini.
My friend and I stopped here before watching a movie at the Barbican Cinema. Service was quick but (as stated above) a little lacking. It was a while ago now but I recall having a Mac n cheese and possibly potted shrimp (or something similar). Both were quite good and just right before sitting in a movie theatre for over an hour.
I would definitely recommend it for anyone going to the Barbican. Even if you’re not, it’s a nice enough venue to drop by.

What a pretentious let down… My Girlfriend and I were visiting the Barbican theater and popped in here for a bit to eat before hand (not expecting a full 3 course meal, just something). It’s the first place you come to if you walk from Moorgate to the Barbian center and had pretty great reviews on line.
To start with, the guy that greeted us made a sly comment about us not being able to sit in the main restaurant because it was full of people going to the theater. Admittedly, it probably was full of people seeing the same performance of us but he made us feel like second class citizens because we’d just popped in.
We had 45 minutes to kill and were told food would be 15 – 20 mins tops… Loan behold it came after about 40 minutes. That meant we were late for our show and had to sit in the late lounge for 20 minutes :-S
On a lighter note, the cocktails were great… Strong, but great. They’ve got loads to choose from (especially if you’re a fan of gin) and they’re immaculately presented.
If you’ve got nothing planned for afterwards, this place is ok but to be honest it was spoiled for me.

I had high hopes for this place. I really did. But I was disappointed.
We chose this place because we were seeing a theatre performance at the Barbican, arrived early and wanted somewhere to sit and drink cocktails.
First off, we were greeted by a guy who told us that we wouldn’t be able to sit and eat because everyone was going to see the performance, which made us feel a bit like we were second class due to the assumption for whatever reason that we couldn’t possibility be going to the theatre. I don’t know if it was age or appearance or what, but immediately we weren’t too pleased.
After dropping a very obvious comment about only having a limited amount of time because we had a theatre performance to go to, we were seated at a table near the bar and told the wait for ‘bar food’ would be 15 — 20 minutes. We had 45 minutes to the performance so on this information, we ordered.
While waiting for our food, we sampled some of the cocktails and my God, they are good. Very strong, and if you like gin this is your paradise. If not, they also have a good selection of other classics and a non-​alcoholic menu too (try the watermelon one if you’re teatotal).
After five cocktails between us however, our food still hadn’t arrived. We asked and were told the chef was running late and it would be another five minutes at most. 15 minutes later, we finally got our food. It was now 10 minutes until we had to be at the performance and we had to wolf down the food as quickly as we could, which ruined the atmosphere and pace of our evening considerably.
The food was wonderful. We ordered the steak sandwich, chips and horseradish dressing and the chicken Caesar salad. The sandwich was huge with big pieces of tender medium rare steak, and the salad came with two hot perfectly cooked and moist chicken breasts, which was a lot more than we were both expecting. The chips were unbelievable. Crispy, powdery and they even put tomato sauce and mayonnaise on the table without us asking so there was no awkward «Can I have some ketchup» issues.
To their credit, they did knock 15% off the price of our food and it was worth the wait for sure, but we ended up being late for the theatre and were escorted to a latecomers holding room, missing 18 minutes of the play that was the whole reason for coming here in the first place.
If I didn’t have anywhere to go afterwards, I would come here again. For sure. As a restaurant that seems to pride itself on playing host to theatergoers however, I was extremely disappointed. If I hadn’t had four cocktails all made by the best barman in London, this place would have got a lower rating. But since I did? Eh. A-​OK.

Gin Joint is the new name for this branch of Searcys in the Barbican. Boasting a comprehensive range of gins and Gin Democracy, where gin mixers are the cost of a standard house gin. However whilst the Gin cocktails are okay, they are nothing close to the quality of the food.
The atmosphere of the place is extremely relaxed and quiet. The place is stylish without an air of snobbishness. Views spectacular. Overlooking the Barbican pond with St Paul’s visible in the distance. That Sunday evening, the Sky turned pink as the sun set and with the food and the view, you couldn’t help but smile. On dress, we weren’t dressed that formally, but didn’t get any looks. Jeans/​canvas shoes/​loafers and smart jumper or shirt should be fine.
The staff, were extremely good. Funny, a little banter here and there, helpful when I requested the exact variety of ingredients in dishes and eager to pass on compliments to the chefs. For good reason. The food here is great. I visited on the week of their soft launch at 50% off, but would have no hesitations eating here again for full price.
As we arrived, we were told we could get any gin based cocktail for free. I can’t remember what they were, but the priciest champagne based one was forgettable. The blackberry one divine. Get that one.
On the starters, the gressingham duck sausage was okay. A little like a warm coarse pâté. The pickled shallots were like tiny radishes. Perfectly complimenting the dish. The green sauce, I had no idea of, but it tasted good I nearly licked the plate (but didn’t!) The mac and cheese. Well it was mac and cheese and it was good homely stuff.
The mains were good. The rack of herdwick lamb. Wowzas. Cooked to absolute perfection. Slightly on the pinker side, but oh so delicious with the bone marrow butter. The pictures do plenty justice. The grilled pork shoulder was good, well cooked, but the accompanying leek, apple bake was good enough to constitute a starter, or if a little larger, a main by itself. Eating the pork without some of that apple leek bake was almost unbearable. The dishes are so well put together the individual elements just don’t work together on their own. Remember that.
Onto dessert. The chocolate/​cream/​cherry was quite clever and well constructed. If you like the taste of artificial cherry desserts (yoghurt, cake, sauce) then this will be right up your street. I was less than impressed given the prior stellar dishes. However the highlight of the meal was yet to come. The amazing victoria plum and orange custard dessert. This was so good I had to confirm the plums used in order to try this myself at home. The orange custard was seasoned to perfection. Something I’d never tried before, but now need again. Honestly, if i’m around the Barbican looking for just dessert, I will pop in just to get this dessert. Unfortunately the plum season will shortly be over so if you want this, get it now. My friend who didn’t even like plums shortly changed her mind, us both agreeing this was probably the best dish of the evening.
So in all, this place is the real deal. If you want some drinks, hit the bar, sure. But don’t miss out on the food should the opportunity arise. It’s good value, with excellent service and use some of the best quality ingredients I’ve come across in any restaurant and without the silly fancy small portions. All the meats are cooked in a Bertha Grill which gives meats a caramelised crust and sweetens the sugars in the meats. Which means super tender soft meat, with a really delicate browning on the outside.
This is one you’ll go back to.

I have got to write this review in defense of Searcy’s at the Barbican. As a frequent visitor I have had good service, good food and a great view across the courtyard to the historic church, really bringing together the history and the culture of London.
Set in the Barbican Searcy’s does a brisk trade in pre theatre dinners so that makes it a great place to go for a quiet meal after the performances have started.
The food offered is fresh and interesting with a changing menu that allows visitors to return and not be bored. If you have a big appetite you may wish to choose extra vegetables as portions are modest — but I like it all the more for it.
An evening out at the theatre is a cause for celebration and dinner at Searcy’s sits well within this category.
I will be going back again!

Last night I arrived for a concert at Barbican 45 minutes early and I thought that the bar was a perfect place for a pre-​concert drink and snack.
The maitre d’ let me sit down in reserved area as I said I was going to be out in 30. After 20 minutes of looking around for service I had to stand up and approach them to get a glass of wine. I decided not to order any food as I run out of time.
Though the environment is designed to be pleasant, the staff completely sabotages it providing, for me, one of the worst service experiences in London of 2010.
Avoid if you can!

Searcy is at various «iconic» venues in London, as their website stated, to «amplify iconic experiences.» Therefore, the Searcy at the Barbican was meant to augment the experience one would have at one of Europe’s largest art centers through its cooking and presentation. The Barbican, however, is a medley of audiences and situations with its varied programming in the arts, theater, music, and education.
Now I shall speak of my experience of the restaurant. I felt out of place dressed in an almost ten-​year-​old sweater, which is DKNY but still. Also I wore baggy jeans and sneakers still stained with dirty snow. My age and wardrobe of the day clashed with the other few diners and the décor, which was simple but classy enough. I suppose the restaurant’s aura fit well with the classical concerts at the main hall, but not necessarily for other performances.
For the main course I ordered the venison and ale pie. The pie with minced meat was hearty and the texture mushy and chewy. It tasted good, but something like a good parental cook could do. It was not quite up to a fancy restaurant level. Sure they served them in minimal white dishes in seemingly small portions, which was a good thing since the pie was so heavy, but the food itself lacked a certain finesse I have experienced in other places. The side salad tasted fresh and was a good compliment to the pie.
The dessert… I ordered the treacle tart. It was hard and difficult to continue to consume after a few bites, as it was also too sweet. The cream that came with the tart wasn’t particularly good at balancing the sweetness. It seemed like it came from the dessert displays in the Waterside Café (also in the Barbican) except it was a few pounds more expensive at Searcy’s.
Overall my experience of the food was slightly disappointing given the ambience of the place. Perhaps I ordered the wrong items. As I said, the food wasn’t bad; it just was not what I expected. Does it reflect the jumble of experiences that the Barbican offers, or is it simply unfocused and overstated? The view though, was fabulous.

One of the best night time views in London. I could sit and people watch here at Barbican all day, or just enjoy the lit monolith that is St Giles Church once the sun goes down.
Searcy’s is the ‘posh’ option here at the Barbican, with muted tones, soft booths and contemporary furniture illuminated with low lighting.
I’ve been here twice for different functions — the first a sit-​down dinner and later for group drinks and finger food at the high bench in front of the bar. Food menu is seasonal but heavy on UK produce like Yorkshire rhubarb, Colchester rock oysters and Southdown lamb rump.
Not super cheap, but a really good option for a nice dinner or try the cheaper bar menu. Gets quite busy pre and post performnce times, so book ahead if you need a table during these busy times. I found the service fine, if unmemorable.

Searcy’s is also a great place to go for a drink in the bar with no obligation to dine. It has comfortable seating along a ‘bar’ that looks out over the water feature and concourse which is really pretty as a picture in the dark. Also stools at the bar proper and a few low tables with big chairs for lounging before or after a show. Service is good and it is seldom crowded. Very elegant relaxed ambience. Decent bar food menu too.

Came here for a civilised bite to eat before a gig. The view from Searcy’s is lovely, even on a miserable rainy winter’s night.
It was surprisingly quiet here, given that it was a Saturday, so service was pretty speedy and attentive. The food on offer is nothing mind-​blowingly inventive but it’s tasty enough and well-​executed.
At a price of just £24.50 for two courses (another fiver for a third course), you’re not going to get Michelin star stuff, but it’s pretty good for the price. My scallops starter could probably have done with the pan being a few degrees hotter when the scallops went in to give it a proper crust but that’s me being ultra fussy. My main course of South Downs lamb was tasty enough, with a nice jus.
I don’t think I’d ever come out of my way to eat here but if I were to attend another event at the Barbican I’d definitely consider having dinner here before it.

This is a very civilised restaurant on the top floor of the Barbican centre (there are a couple of cheaper places below). There’s a view over the lake and St Giles Church.
I’ve eaten here rarely over the last few years and it’s always been pretty good, but last week’s meal (late September 2009) was really excellent, perhaps thanks to a relatively new chef.
Great starter — scallops and pork — followed by cod with curried lentils. Both perfectly cooked, elegantly presented and extremely tasty.
Prices are reasonable too. I’ll definitely be back.
Update: Well, we did go back, about a month later. The service was poor — my wife ordered a pre-​dinner cocktail which didn’t arrive until after the starters and was undrinkable anyway. We weren’t made to pay for it, but perhaps the staff could establish whether their customers are hurrying to catch a performance or get home before rushing to deliver the food as soon as possible.