Miss Q's

Kensington / Chelsea, London –

Like Alice in Through the Looking Glass, visitors to Miss Q’s need only follow an unassuming underground path to discover a world of pool tables and rock and roll as far removed from the straitlaced affluence of Earls Court as America is from England.

Folded napkins, rigid posture, and aristocratic elocution take a backseat to unpretentious revelry as playfully overdressed girls get silly on the Saturday Night Fever-style dance floor, while guys clad in Chuck’s and western snap-button shirts shoot pool with Top 40 blasting over the house system.

The crowd tends toward the young and hip with a few coins in their pockets, looking not to flaunt but rather just relax with a cocktail on one of the plush, semi-private Chesterfield banquettes in the dining room, or head to the bar to chat over a few pints.

From either spot, the thunderclap of break shots is always close by, as pool is king at Miss Q’s, with three full-size tables uniting the dance floor/bar and dining area and luring every aspiring Fast Eddie and Minnesota Fats from Fulham to Mayfair.

Drawing inspiration from the States without becoming a kitschy theme joint, the tavern serves up generous portions of American staples like steak sandwiches and The Allman Brothers, which provide the requisite nourishment for a rough and tumble night of boot scootin’ and off-key sing-alongs.

For upscale guests looking for some down home fun, Miss Q’s delivers pool, rock, and a dash of Americana in London’s West End.