Take a break from shopping and enjoy a pot of tea while people watching from this cozy spot. read more

Balans Soho Society Cafe - British Near Me - London, XGL

The BEST service and food!!! Treated my friend and I like queens. Amazing cheeseburger!! Even better people. Felt like we were all family. Thank you so much for the great time! read more

We came here for a few quick after hours drinks after a night of exploring London. We had a big group of about 10 or so, but we were lucky enough to get seated right away. Some of our local friends suggested this spot, and we had a great time just kicking back cocktails and shooting the breeze. I didn't sample any food as we just had dinner before heading over, but I had a beer and a few cocktails, and they were all yummy. Come check this place out if you want a lowkey place to hang and have a few drinks. read more

Balans Soho Society Cafe - Drink menu. - British Near Me - London, XGL

Service leaves much to be desired. I asked if it was ok to sit outside. I was told yes. I sat for sometime without service. I finally went inside and took a seat. My order came quickly after I ordered but then it was pretty much dead silence. I had to ask if I could pay. Not coming back. read more

We all have rough days that lead to rough and late nights, and you need an energetic space to work in or just chill without the cover charge or the staff giving you dirty looks or attitude for not ordering a ton of food in the late hours. Balans staff from the security outside to the host to the waitstaff are just oh-so kind, accommodating, and open to having you, even just for a hot tea in the middle of the night. The seating is done well in the quaint venue. There are cozy couches, and tables are spread out enough so you don't feel you're neighbors are a part of your convos. They recently remodeled, and it gives the space a less cramped feeling, and have really done well with the new arrangement. The decor is absolutely adorable, they have "pride survival tackle" boxes on the tables, matchbooks with interesting and colorful matches inside, and the condiment boxes are old (tiny) drawers. The tea cup and saucer absolutely adorable, and milk served in a milk can-shaped metal tin. Wooden floors and grey walls, keyhole doors, give the place a rustic yet modern and trendy feel. Open bar and kitchen area maintain an open and airy feel. The music is upbeat without being obnoxious or too loud, which attracts a similar clientele, those who are respectful, chill, and enjoy a modest late night bite without the frills, yet still retaining thoughtful finishing touches. As a 24/7 cafe, this feels like an oasis in the heart of Soho. The menu options are incredibly varied, from traditional brunch items like benedicts to tapas like scallops to the homestyle burgers, roast chicken, and classic club. Their facilities are also very clean and tidy. The staff are incredibly attentive, maintaining order as well as cleanliness. Very energetic and constantly pacing about looking for anything out of order, or anyone who needs a water glass refilled. Heartbroken I didn't discover this little nook sooner for late night work sessions. Very safe of course, especially with the guard at the front door. A must-return at all hours of the day, but I'm particularly sold on the late night sessions, think 12am-onward to whenever it may be. read more

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Very disappointed with this place. Traveled to London with a group of friends and after a long day of travel 13 hours flight and arriving late wanted to eat and have a drink. When seated we were told that they stopped serving alcohol at a certain time which I understood but saw that they were still serving alcohol and taking alcoholic orders from tables surrounding us. Turns out that we were discriminated against because we were from out of the country and were not locals. I mentioned our concerns to our waitress and told her we notice her bringing out alcoholic beverages and taking orders past the "cut off" time only to find her get flustered and not finding out what to respond. I love traveling, learning about different cultures, trying new food especially in other countries but this experience definitely left a bitter taste in my mouth. read more

The best thing about Balans is stumbling upon it for the first time after all the pubs nearby have called time. This cafe serves food at every hour of the day and it's not unusual to walk past at 4 in the morning and see a full house inside. On my first visit to Balans Cafe, around one in the morning, my friend and I ordered Cheesecake and wine (a classy combination I think you'll agree). The cake was great and the cafe seemed to have a really fun atmosphere to it. However, I visited here again recently when I was a bit more sober and realised that the food is not always so tasty.. The Thai Fishcakes had an oddly rubbery texture to them which really put me off and the Calamari was fairly tasteless. The conclusion that I've drawn from all of this is that to prevent disappointment, Balans is best saved for boozy nights. Drink up! read more

Balans Soho Society Cafe - British Near Me - London, XGL

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If you're looking for a nice and quiet place to have a brunch during the week, go there ! I went there with friends on a Tuesday at noon and we had the place for ourselves. Nice English breakfast. I had the most incredible and original French Pain Perdu I ever ate : Cream cheese stuffed pain perdu with crispy bacon and a lot (I mean it) of maple syrup : fat and sugary BUT awesome. Later we saw three girls order fish & chips, it seemed delicious too ! So, a little pricy and not the most incredible place in Soho, but I had a good time and the waiter was nice :) read more

Balans Soho Society Cafe - Cream cheese stuffed pain perdu with bacon and maple syrup ! - British Near Me - London, XGL

After a night out drinking and dancing till 4/5am finding somewhere to eat is always tricky. But Balans are open 24hours which is quite cool especially for this area. Food is good and will suffice to fill revellers after a night out. Large portions too. Balans gets packed quickly around closing times of nearby clubs so getting a table can be a hassle. Service is good even at this time of night/morning too. Bit pricey, an omelette, fries and drink will be about £14. read more

Ham, eggs, and potatoes at 7am. I'm happy. We went to the cafe side, not the restaurant side, but there was still a fairly large menu, and I could have had a cocktail if I'd wanted to. At that hour, the place was nearly empty, so the food came fast to satisfy my out-all-night-now-needing-breakfast stomach. I'd asked for the potatoes extra crispy and they were, so that's a win. The ham was delicious, two generous pieces and two eggs for £8. Awesome! read more

To be perfectly honest, I stopped in for a coffee at Balans Café only because I failed to find the Monmouth Coffee Company. ('London A to Z' is a wonderful resource only if you're not a directionally-challenged moron.) After fruitlessly wandering web-like Soho on the OTHER side of Charing Cross Road, I surrendered and squeezed into a tight window seat at Balans. It was in the middle of a weekday so the place was relatively quiet. The people were friendly and my latte was good and rich (with rosetta and all). I also had fresh fruit with yoghurt and honey, which was delicious. You'd think it impossible to screw up such a simple thing, but think again. I would've ordered more had there not already been an over-indulgence of duck rice at Young Chen on Shaftesbury! I think my peaceful interlude is probably not what Balans Café is known for, but it was really, really nice all the same. read more

The space is lovely but the vibe is odd. My server was nice but there was a woman who publicly scolded the staff in front of customers and there was an air of discomfort felt by everyone. The food was not as high quality for the price you pay. How can you mess up eggs? Twice? read more

Late night spot when there's nothing else open and you are too drunk to really care about the food quality. Food wasn't inedible, it just wasn't good enough to go out of my way to return. At 11ish pm the crowd was obviously coming (or going) to other clubs or bars - Loud, drunk and obnoxious. I had to send my Martini back - it was undrinkable. I got a house wine instead (hard to F*ck up, right?) nope! It was also a mistake. It was pretty rank (like from last week's bottle). I'm not being mean, I'm just stating the facts. If you are going to have a bar, you should hire a bartender who knows how to make drinks and serve decent wine. Waiter was uninterested in providing service, but more into chatting with the pretty girls (or boys). Probably wouldn't return, unless I was too drunk to protest. read more

Staff are really friendly, the atmosphere is great. Not sure why a orange juice should cost £5 but I can get over that. Great place really but damn it could do with a good clean! read more

Ok I love Balans Cafe. They open 24 hours i believe and you can stroll in anytime to get grub Good food, good ambience, Love the interior..... the staf are nice and friendly and are always there to help. I am a hard one to please and gues what (drumroll) I was pleased. Thumbs up read more

I've never been to any damned santacon but my record was somewhat broken when I arrived in London from Geneva with a Santa outfit waiting for me. Though my spotless record is intact since I missed it and was just a Santa for one picture and just the after parties. Ended up in soho at 3am and ravenous after a night of drinking and running about and being obnoxious in general. This place was still serving food! Not bad either for late night food. Why can't SF be like this?! We had duck spring rolls, pork belly, fish and chips, more booze: a bottle of Rioja and a port and a Madeira. Made friends discussing personality disorders with the Scottish traveller next to us before stumbling off into the night where it took another hour to flag down a cab. So sums up my first re-entry to London after an absence of 3 ( I think ) years! read more

Food is amazing!!! Service was excellent!! My ONLY complaint is that we didn't have time to eat there more as we had to continue on our trip!! Will definitely be back again next time we are in town. read more

The smaller sister of the main Balans Restaurant up the road, Balans Café is more casual and as such more likable place to eat, especially if you only fancy something quite quick but still want quality. Offering a great range of all-day breakfasts and with items, such as the delicious quesadilla's and their fantastic club sandwiches, it is a welcome addition to the Soho scene. The food is made on the premises to a high standard and the service is equally good being polite but not too fussy. Price-wise, too, it is slightly cheaper than their main restaurant and still offers a decent range of alcoholic drinks, considering the size of the venue. Try to get amain table though as the side seats may look comfy but you find yourself squeezed inbetween other tables and lacking a bit of intimacy. read more

Dear Bouncer at Balans: You really need to check your ego. We walk up, he stares at us for a full minute. Tisha B: Can we get in? Bouncer: we're not serving alcohol. Tisha: Uh, good....because we're hungry. ::Another minute goes by with him staring at us:: Bouncer: (looks us over) 3 people? Me (mentally): No, dude, can't you see our imaginary friends. After much signing through the glass door with the waiter (the cafe was barely half full, it being midnight and the clubs clearly dont let out for another 2 hours), he finally lets us in, where the waiter basically tells us to pick our own seats (as there was SO much room, it didn't matter). Ugh. Egoism kills me. read more

This is a nice place for people spotting as the who's who of Soho is always there. All of their drinks are good - the cocktails are not that special and a bit on the cheap side of alcohol. The food is OK, edible but not particularly special. I do tend to visit it quite often, most of the time for drinks. Also the toilets resemble a dodgy bar and could use a little pick me up. read more

Came here at 2am on a Saturday for drinks. The place we were in earlier had just shut and a friend suggested Balans. The atmosphere was pretty awesome! The crowd was at a good level, and despite the fact that most people were seated, the place was both high energy but relaxed (if that makes any sense). Perfect spot for a few last drinks before ending the night. The reason it gets only 3 stars is the price. £8.50 for a Hendrick's and tonic is definitely on the steep side. And to top it off, the only tonic they had was Schweppes. (For why the tonic is so important, see e.g. - http://gizmodo.com/the-easiest-way-to-upgrade-your-gin-and-tonic-1228463628) Considering that even All Bar One uses Fever Tree, I was somewhat annoyed. That being said, it's still a great place for that last drink so I'd probably go again. read more

Fun place for a pre-theatre drinks and munchies stop. At 6pm on a Saturday there was a nice buzz about it, along with most of Old Compton St. Having opened my mum's eyes a little by walking past a row of gay bars, we stopped here and took a table by the window for more people-watching. It's not very big (I believe it has a bigger sister further up the road) so the tables are squished a little closer together than you'd like. Not sure if it's like this all the time but the background music was pumping house - so not a place to relax, but not bad if you're at the start of your night. My cocktail was more bucks than fizz but my sister's daiquiri was better. Food-wise we had a bunch of small plates to share and were pleasantly surprised with the portion size. Quesadillas, nachos and duck spring rolls were ok; the warm goats cheese dish was my fave (though goats cheese is my catnip!). Our waiter was great - attentive and helpful, so whilst there are defo better places for food in soho, it fits the bill for a quick bite and around the corner from the Phoenix Theatre. They're brave to stay open so late amongst so many bars though, and I do wonder what state their clientele are in later... I decided not to bring my mum back here after the show to find out :P read more

This cute and well designed cafe has an attractive upmarket feel without the exorbitant upmarket prices. Black and red colours dominate the interior, which makes it almost to plush for an egg and bacon breakfast. But a full English breakfast I had, and it was good, large enough to satisfy, and well below a tenner so not sting my wallet much. The menu extends well beyond breakfast, which means I will no doubt be back to sample more of their delights. Balans is a safe bet for having a good meal in nice surroundings. It will not wow anyone, but they are unlikely to drop the ball. read more

Craving some sort of breakfast food, I found myself here for the first time at about 3 am one morning after a night out. It is open until 5 a.m. from Mondays to Thursday, and until 6 a.m. on a Friday. I went a bit mad and ordered blueberry pancakes with bacon and a side of scrambled eggs, which came in large helpings, and I managed to finish it all! It was exactly what I needed at that time. The rest of their breakfast menu looks pretty good too, with such things as banoffi pancakes and smoked salmon benedict. Yum! read more

Balans Cafe I first discovered this subtly satisfying restaurant on Soho's main drag a few years ago late at night after a university ball. We were hungry after dancing and wanted a proper meal at about 4am. Aside from the golden arches, London doesn't offer much in the way of late night eats. This is surprising given its size and reputation for nightlife. Balans cafe (there is a proper, pricier Balans restaurant on the same street) evens out this oversight. Its open until the wee hours, serving what I imagine to be a New York-inspired menu. Calorie-heavy dishes such as eggs Benedict, maple pancakes, steak Bernaise, burgers and scampi are perfectly suited to soaking up alcoholic substances. The staff are prompt, attentive and friendly, even late at night. The high-backed couch-style seating is perfect for flopping into. Prices are very reasonable, and there are even pitchers of cocktails on offer for those intent on a retox. read more

The food here is good, but I didn't rate the restuarant so highly. I had a lovely burger here recently and I've had nice food in the past at Balans. However I don't really like the lay out or the ambience. The music is generally too loud and the decor is just horrible. If you can get past this though you are fine. If you are in Soho then this place is worth a try. It is reasonably priced, open at obscure hours and the food is good. read more

We had the two eggs "any way" (fried) with toast and sausage, topped off with some coffee and OJ. Everything was fine, though perhaps a bit pricy for a basic breakfast. Still, that's probably the effect of the neighborhood. Good spot for a quick breakfast. read more

We were here twice on our last London visit. Once for breakfast, and once for dinner and drinks. The staff were very patient with our dinner and drinks-we had late people, and surprise people. They were gracious and lovey! read more

So Mix feeling I am coming here a lot. The location is perfect The service. It's ok There is one lady in the morning she is my favor. But afternoon there is one guy. A bit attitude for me :) But overall service ok Food is 3-4 stars. Not bad. Not the best. Overall. Fine place read more

I came in for breakfast around 9am on a Sunday. The food is a nice blend of hearty foodie nonsense. My only complaint : I was really craving a scone or crumpet, but neither is on the menu. read more

Sat at the same tight window seat as Paul W. (I'm guessing) I enjoyed a single egg's benedict, balan's potatoes and a cranberry juice (no vodka.) With a view of London's first snow fall of the season, my meal at Balans was quite nice. The Egg's Benedict was offered with bacon, ham, spinach or smoked salmon. I went the traditional route and stuck to ham. My potatoes were £2.75 and had shaved chili and other greens for garnish. My companion had the full English breakfast which looked massive but to no surprise, still scoffed some of the potatoes. While it appears almost all other patrons were nursing a boozed belly for their visit, I can vouch for their praise and say that the pleasant atmosphere and attractive decor at Balans will bring me back again, even from Islington at 4am. read more

If you're eating here it's probably not because of the service. Seriously - service here is atrocious. The 2nd star is only because it stays open all night. read more

We were so indecisive on where we were going to eat. So glad we came in. The servers were very friendly and the food was very good. One of my daughters had the fish n chips, the other had the cheese quesadilla with avocado and I ordered the croquettes!!! Those were absolutely amazing. We ordered another round of them. If you are around, don't hesitate to walk in. You won't regret it! Oh yeah, I was dancing the whole time in my seat. Great music and not too loud. read more

i am always hungry. no really, its a problem. so when im hungry after work at 2am? Balans it is. Open 24 hours with pretty good food and generally nice service. although the music (often club music) sometimes does my head in, the food is generally worth it. its great to sit by the windowns and watch Old Compton Street stumble by at all hours of teh day and/or night. the sepcials are really good most of the time, and its nice to change things up once in a while. ive been going there enough, they jokingly offered my boyfriend and i a plaque with our names at a table. read more

Prime location on Old Compton Street/Soho. Food is nice, space is cramped, a bit lifeless and plain, really nothing more to add. No real complaints but no rush to return. read more

In a time of need for food Balanas pulled it out the bag with a huge burger and great portion of chips. Cheerful, easy, quick.

This was near our hotel, decently priced (for the neighbourhood) and pretty fast. Nothing special, but absolutely decent.

Perfect place to sober up after a night of doing things you shouldn't have been...hahaha. Small, cozy, unassuming, hidden away, yet right in the heart of everything. This place is really a little gem; when one has a hang over and even when one does not. The fare is quite tasty, no matter what time you go in, be it 3pm or 3am and the service is quick and efficient. A nice place to go for a quiet after party or before party meal. read more

After such a fantastic Soho experience the day before, I walked back there from Bayswater for the second day in a row. The cafe was half full and a selected, judging by the other reviews, the rather popular tight window seat. I'm a sucker for a specials board and there was a Pinot Grigio with my name on it. It was exactly how I like it - a little sweet, but not saccharine-like, and it had a surprisingly peach-esque aftertaste finished it off beautifully. To eat, again to the specials board for a chicken and chorizo wrap. What is it with me and chorizo?!? It came with a massive serve of chips (with skin!) and salad leaves on the side. Wrap was perfect. Why isn't this a standard on the menu? The only downside was the salad leaves were a little bland on their own - no dressing was served. I had planned to go a British museum - or was it THE British Museum? - I can't remember. I ended up sitting in the window of the ca for about two hours, drinking Pinot Grigio (I must remember that two glasses in the UK is 3/4 of a bottle), reading and secretly videoing the passersby with my Fuji digital camera that looks like an old-fashioned film camera. Heh heh heh.... Suckers... read more