Waxy O'Connor's Irish Pub

Central London, London –

With its castle façade, iron chandeliers, and Celtic artifacts, Waxy O’Connor’s is clearly shooting for a medieval motif, an effect somewhat undermined by the cacophonous Irish music and the blaring of a giant projection screen, not to mention its location in the heart of tourist-heavy Piccadilly Circus.

An energetic atmosphere, throngs of beer-guzzling university students, and four bars spread over six distinctly-themed floors are the main hallmarks of the sprawling venue, which centers around the Tree Room with its massive trunks and the limbs of a preserved beech tree that rise up the walls.

Barhoppers averse to nature can make for the Church Bar with its flagstone flooring, stained glass windows, and high-backed church seats offering plenty of room to rest a Guinness, or join the chatty groups lounging in front of the fireplace in the Cottage Bar.

The joint tends to be fairly relaxed during the day, but quickly transforms into a rowdy party hub when young professionals, sports fans, tourists, and post-grads flood in for the evening.

Voyeurs can snag the best views of the crowd from a mezzanine overlooking the Tree Room, or retreat to the Dargle and Rupert Street Bars, which tend to be the last to fill up.

Patrons looking for cutting-edge music or a particularly fashionable set probably won’t find them at Waxy O’Connor’s, where the order of the day is easygoing conversation, Irish tunes, football, and plain old good company.