This is a brand new bar in House of Fraser that opened just in time for the 2009 Christmas…read morefestivities. Not surprisingly, you'll find it beside the women's lingerie department, a calculating move that assumes that shoppers (in particularly women) purchasing small luxuries may also indulge in a spot of carousing too. Well, they weren't wrong. After discovering the existence of the bar on an afternoon shopping trip, my girlfriend and I congratulated ourselves on a hard day's procuring with a couple of glasses if their more affordable Champagne (Mumm Cordon Rouge NV at £45 per bottle or £8 per glass). We sat at the bar itself, which is situated in the middle of the room in the round, a nice place to sit and chat to the friendly staff. Not a regular hang out but it was definitely a welcome intermission in a hard day's Christmas shopping.

Wonderful selection of drinks and the food, we indulged in The Italian Job sandwich and the…read moreWatermelon Salad, both of which were lovely and very filling. The cocktails were incredible, while all the staff were lovely the bar staff were exceptional, making conversation as they served us. It made a great break while shopping and I'll definitely be coming back soon.

Since my last review was about Gregg's The Baker and this is one about an upmarket Champagne Bar,…read moreyou have probably got a quirky impression of me. I was invited to a book launch and this was the venue. And a very lovely venue it is too. On the 25th Floor of the Cube next to Marco Pierre White's Steakhouse Bar & Grill is this gem of a venue. The views alone make this worth the trip! I could see for miles around the city. Luxury seating and very lovely staff made me feel comfortable yet on show. Wear your nicest clothes and expect to pay lots to quaff champagne and you will be on to a winner. As most of my reviews start with 5 starts and then they loose them as they go I've nothing to remove for this.. so it stays at 5 stars. Please go and visit you know, just to say you've been!

The Laurent-Perrier Champagne Bar located on 25th Floor of the Cube, Birmingham boasts what I would…read moreargue to be the best view in Birmingham. I treated my well-deserving mom to afternoon tea here as a Christmas present (courtesy of Groupon) and will gladly say that the almost-360-degree views alone were worth the money, especially if you time your visit to include the beginning of sunset (which yesterday seemed to start at around 4pm.) Whilst the food offered was nothing spectacular and the presentation wasn't particularly inspiring, the general ambience and surroundings of this place make it deserving of a place on your checklist. See the website for more details: http://www.mpwsteakhousebirmingham.co.uk/champagne-bar

Normally airport food is nothing to write home about and certainly nothing to write a review about…read more But finding this place was akin to sitting on the proverbial needle in a stack of hay. With a definite French feel the restaurant boasts a fine selection of both cold and hot foods. www.manchesterairport.co.uk/manweb.nsf/attachmentsbytitle/epernayfoodmenu.pdf/$file/epernayfoodmenu.pdf Hopefully the link above will take you to the menu. I had a mixed platter of cured meats, bread, cheese olives and bread. My partner had the cheese board. They were both really fresh and tasty and we could see the chef preparing them through the hatch (see photo1). They boast a superb collection of champagnes and wines and have all the regular beers. Please if you want a good pre-flight meal, stress free and relaxing then come here. NOW SHUT AND REBRANDED

If you want a little bit of that New York glitz and glamour in Leeds I think I've found your venue…read more By some great fortune I discovered that Epernay were putting on a free Champagne tasting the other night and so, having not been along before, I popped along with a friend to sample the delights of their fizz. Oh my goodness. It must be some kind of crime that I've not visited this heavenly venue before. As you enter through the glass doors to the indoor-outdoor courtyard great glass windows depicting waxen champagne bottles, candles and rustically beautiful décor promise of the decadence to pop forth. As my friend and I wandered in we were greeted warmly and immediately offered to discard our coats and replace them with a glass of the Henriot Brut. (Forgive me if I've misnamed this, we tried several!) The staff were all incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about their fayre, which only made the bubbles seem sweeter, and we took a seat to chat and indulge in some high class Champagne. In all I think we sampled about three from the Henriot range, including a 100% Chardonnay number and a rosé, all of which were sweet, palatable and incredibly moreish. I'm told they have a range that changes monthly, I believe, which you can purchase by the glass. This is excellent as it's not every day that you can afford to go a whole bottle, whereas a treat of a glass or two is rather more affordable. Mind you, when the bubbles go to your head you'd be sorely tempted to sip some more as the range is simply delightful. We chose to stay for one more night-cap after the event and decided it would rude not to try out some of the champagne cocktails. I'm not much of a cocktail drinker, nor a champagne drinker, but this was no problem as the staff were simply fantastic at suggesting which ones to try. The passion each of them has for their craft is evident and a million miles away from your standard bar. Having several staff suggest the London 1875 and the Elderbubble we went for those. As they were being crafted we had a wonderful chat with the staff, again cementing the quality of the service as friendly, welcoming and efficient. At £6.50 per drink it's certainly not somewhere I can envisage affording all night long (Lionel Richie, now playing in my mind!) but for a few seriously special drinks it seems there is no other venue. Now, for the cocktails. Oh my goodness me. Trying to articulate the delicious flavour is going to be a feat - all I can say is that they infuse the Beefeater gin on site with Earl Grey tea (one of the staff's concoctions I'm told) and it was utterly delicious. The delicacy of the Elderbubble was equally as delightful, both being sweet, soft and subtle on the palate. Both are a drink that you will want to indulge in again and again and again. I'm certain 'll be back, I just need some kind of excuse - perhaps my birthday can come once a month rather than once a year. Quite simply a true delight in Leeds and if you've not yet been I urge you to visit. You'll find all the decadence, delight and divinity of a fantastic Champagne bar, with not a sniff of the pretense. Glorious!

I associate Epernay with achievement, as it is frequently the venue I have visited to commemorate a…read morespecial occasion. Whether it has been a personal triumph or educational success, Epernay has provided a fantastic celebratory atmosphere. Whilst I am not a connoisseur of champagne, I do appreciate sampling its different varieties and learning the individual characteristics of each. I commend the bar staff at Epernay for offering their expertise on numerous occasions without patronising me, in what can be an industry steeped in pretentiousness. With champagne from more than 21 houses, the amount of varieties is staggering. Epernay have decorated the venue to be fairly understated, yet stunningly beautiful. The exposed brickwork and contemporary furniture contrast magnificently with the more traditional appearance of dripping candles in champagne bottles. A covered balcony in the attractively developed Electric Press building, provides the atmosphere of drinking al fresco, without having to rely on the temperament of the British weather. This charming little haven offers a selection of antipasti style nibbles, their flavoursome olives are a regular favourite. I do find the venue a little unpalatable on evenings during the weekend, with significantly more punters out to impress, but I think that is the reality in many city centre bars. I will always consider Epernay to be a superior venue to celebrate, congratulate and generally appreciate good champagne.

So this little bar is in the middle of the hustle and bustle of the food court in the Trafford…read moreCentre. Only a couple of staff but who were attentive but not overpowering. Very friendly and chatty and helpful when it came to cocktail choices. Ha who am I kidding this boy needs no help. Straight for the pornstar martini. And it was absolutely divine. It was well made. And I know you would question how could it not be. Well I have had my fair share of dismal martinis. They didn't skimp on the measures in This place. .hell no!! It was flavoursome and well presented. It was also served to perfection like in American Casino. Amazing what a difference a placemat makes to the experience It's quite nice and pleasurable to watch the world go by in this trendy little pop up style bar. It's a little pricey and little change from a £20 for a couple of drinks. But who cares after 2 weeks on antibiotics and no booze it was just what the Dr ordered. If you are close by defo give it a visit

Spectacular views of the city can be gazed from the outdoor balcony of this bar. It was a beautiful…read morefull moon on the night we visited. The lounge has a classy interior and is located up on the thirteenth floor of DoubleTree by Hilton Leeds City Centre. The hotel had given us drink vouchers redeemable for a medium house wine, beer, lager or soft drink. The rosé was nice and smooth. My brother also ordered a dessert cocktail, which had a good, strong coffee flavor. ----- Solstice Pinot Grigio Rosé - Italy (£7.75 for 175ml). ----- Stravinsky's Coffee - Spain: Rémy Martin VSOP, Licor 43, dark chocolate liqueur, coconut purée, espresso, coconut syrup (£13). -----

Full of WAGs (did I really just use that word?) and other idiots, the people that go in here are…read moreusually enough to make me never want to myself if I'm completely honest... The door staff are occasionally rude, the bar staff always serve the pretty girl before the bald man, the on floor staff are generally more than abrupt when it comes to throwing you off the balcony (in to the bar, not _off_ the balcony)... At this point you'd be forgiven for thinking that I hate The Sky Lounge. The truth is that if it wasn't for the drinks I honestly would, but the cocktails here are amazing - with the Mojito and French Martini's being amongst the best I've had in Leeds... and probably much further afield than that too. Arrive early, avoid any staff that you don't absolutely have to talk to in order to be served, and be prepared to wait for your drinks to be made... then sit back, relax and enjoy!

There is still some royalty left in Europe besides our beloved Queen, and to remind us of the rich…read morehistory of his country and his family (which has very close ties to our own House of Windsor) HRH Prinz Luitpold of Bavaria visited our fair city to teach us everything you could ever want to know about the family business, Kaltenberg lager. A group of esteemed Mancunians gathered in the Bier Haus, which is a delightful addition to one of Spinningfields latest hotspots, The Long Bar (owned by, you guessed it, Living Ventures). After a quick introduction to the charming prince, we were taken through a tale of the dizzying history of his family and their ties to the production of Kaltenberg, which is now brewed under licence and distributed by the award-winning Lancashire brewer, Thwaites. As Prince Luitpold explained, the company much prefers to set up local production of their fine ales to ensure the quality and freshness of the brews. Operations are expanding to Ukraine and Asia next year. We progressed through a wide variety of brews, each one getting a little bit darker and a little bit stronger. Before each tasting, the Prince imparted his considerable knowledge of the brewing process and flavour profile of the lagers and beers, including their impressive ABV%. In true Bavarian style, guests feasted on magnificent frankfurters the size of cricket bats in a bun (exaggeration but you get the point). After the tasting, the charming Prince fielded relevant questions about the brand, as well as the odd reference to Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (don't ask). It was a truly unique experience, and we thoroughly enjoyed our afternoon in the cozy Bier Haus. We have a new found respect for Kaltenberg and The Long Bar.

I like The Long Bar's set up which maximises seating space around the bar with fairly comfortable…read morebacked high stools. We arrived just before last orders but received a friendly welcome and weren't rushed out. I enjoyed my Aperol Spritz (which thanks to our recent Yelp elite event is my new favourite aperitif), they also appeared to have some fancy beers on the menu including one relatively unpronounceable one which my friend I suspect deliberately chose as I was ordering. Music was good too and overall this was a much more chilled option than nearby Alchemist, which was rammed. Granted the selection of cocktails is severely limited, but really if you have a mojito on the menu that's essentially satisfactory, isn't it.

This is a lovely English brasserie and champagne bar located on the top floor of Selfridges. As the…read morename implies, it is a balcony that overlooks the Bullring shopping centre. Lovely and clean environment, comfy chairs and brilliant service. The menu is not too fussy, with a lot of popular favourites on offer. I went with the 'Lake District cheese & bacon burger with fries' (£14) and my friend 'halloumi, red pepper, avocado, sweet chilli burger with polenta chips' (£12.50). Both were very enjoyable, well presented, and well seasoned. I then tried their americano coffee, a lovely bean, a good job with the extraction, and they even included warm milk to not ruin the delicate tastes. Price isn't too bad, three courses you can have for £30-40 per head excluding drinks.

I have had this place bookmarked on Yelp since moving here. I was so thrilled when my boyfriend…read morereserved us a table for a Sunday picnic afternoon tea. It is located on the 4th floor of Selfridges with only a few tables overlooking the Bull Ring. We were sat immediately in a crowded section of tiny tables. I assumed since we booked the afternoon tea we would be sat at a one of the many empty nice large tables along the balcony. Maybe you need to request it? So we wedged into our tiny table and waited... It was about ten minutes until we were waited on. There definitely was not a heavy focus on customer service here. After our order was placed, the table next to us had to call over our server just to take their order. I wouldn't expect that from an upscale brasserie like the Balcony. The cocktails here were so tasty. I cannot remember my drink name (Mexican bird maybe) but it had tequila and elderflower. It was served in an unusual glass that reminded me of a reed diffuser jar. I really liked it. The afternoon tea was so cute. It literally was served on a mini picnic table. It was the main reason I wanted to come...that is how cute the picnic table is. The sandwich selection consisted of tuna, cheese and tomato, and coronation chicken. Each was served on a little bun. Desserts were two macarons and a red velvet cupcake. And lastly, two scones with cream and jam finished off the selection. I absolutely loved it! We were each served a surprisingly large pot of loose leaf tea. I think we each made 4 cups out of it! Just be careful not to burn yourself as the teapots are metal and lids don't latch on. I really did enjoy the afternoon tea at the Balcony. Both the food and drinks were fantastic. I do think the service we experienced was sub par for this type of establishment, which is why I'm giving it a 3. I expected a lot more from Selfridges. But I think I would give it another shot. The fish and chips sure looked great.