Evans & Peel Detective Agency

With this new subterranean pub accessible off Earl's Court Road, the speakeasy movement either achieves its apogee or nadir, depending on your taste. The menu implores diners not to ever bring unwelcome attention to the establishment. Depending on how far you want to go with the pantomime, Evans & Peel becomes a typical pub for 2012 with bare brick walls, cracked white butcher's tiles, and orange-filamented lights. Once inside, the gumshoe element is dropped.

And it's dark: 'Pit and the Pendulum' is dark, supernaturally dark, which is OK if you're simply sipping a cocktail but a little unpleasant if you're trying to eat, as we did. There are smoked pulled pork sliders, smoked beef ribs, and smoked Tabasco butter on corn cobs since a lot of the food is served after spending some time in the restaurant's in-house smoker.

But the drinks are really good. Meanwhile, cocktails were noteworthy, and London Pale Ale is delivered through an old radiator, which is neat. For instance, Tanqueray in a G-minus was combined with orange bitters and lavender and earl grey after being infused; Sheer Fashion simply combined fine bourbon with honey, sugar, and vanilla syrup. Although a bit delayed due to a high caseload, the overall service was effective.

Address: 310c Earls Ct Rd, London SW5 9BA, United Kingdom
Phone: +44 20 7370 5378
Rating: 4.6/5.0, 829 Google reviews
Website: http://www.evansandpeel.com/