Below Stone Nest

★ 4.3 (206)$$ · Mid-range

Below Stone Nest sits beneath Shaftesbury Avenue in the heart of Chinatown, drawing an evening and late-night crowd with live jazz spilling onto the street. Reviews are notably polarized, with some praising the unplanned pleasure of discovering live music nearby and others criticising the door staff's approach to entry. It's best approached as a spontaneous, music-first stop rather than a guaranteed smooth night out.

✨ Reasons to go

1A basement live jazz venue located beneath Shaftesbury Avenue in Chinatown.
2Live jazz often spills out onto the street, drawing in passersby unplanned.

💡 Good to know

1No reservation is needed, but be prepared for a door policy at busy times
2go later in the evening or into the night when the live jazz is on
3keep expectations flexible given mixed service reports.

⏱️ Typical visit

1h30

🕰️ Best time

early evening, evening or late night

🚶 Walking intensity

Easy pace

📍

Address

Chinatown, 136 Shaftesbury Ave, London W1D 5EZ, UKGoogle Apple

🎫

Booking

Walk-in

What people say

"The worst bar experience I’ve ever had. The bouncers were incredibly rude and entitled. You’d think they were screening guests for a members-only club; in reality, this place was nothing more than a sweaty basement with terrible music. It was unbearably hot and the downstairs area had virtually no ventilation. After a short time, it felt suffocating due to the complete lack of fresh air. I’ve even been to better frat parties than whatever this was."

— Sophia Sopromadze

Visit website ↗