I popped into Icon the other day and there was only me and the barman there. That was on a Friday so it didn’t look good. In the unseemly rush to spend their Pink Pounds in Pulse and Wow the gay community has well and truly deserted Icon. Which is a real pity as I had some very good nights in this bar. It tended to be more women than men which was refreshing. It also had a proper cocktail bar feel about it and was a great place to celebrate anything. The only downside were the perilous steps into and out of the place which are difficult to negotiate after a couple of Moscow Mules too many. The location was also ideal as it was on Charles Street but right at the end of the street so it felt quite relaxed and private. It was also a stone’s throw from Exit which was handy for those ill-advised trips to a club that happen once in a blue moon nowadays. The other important thing was that they had lots of toilets all in working order with locks on. Heaven.
Jen B.
Évaluation du lieu : 3 Cardiff, United Kingdom
Although located in the heart of Cardiff’s gay scene, Icon is one of the more tame bars catering to Cardiff’s vibrant LGB community. Not tame in a bad way(maybe understated is the right word?), but its laid-back atmosphere makes Icon the perfect option for anyone looking to enjoy a few drinks before heading on to more lively bars like Pulse or Wow. Icon was arguably more popular before the likes of the above opened a few years ago, but that works to its advantage, I think — now you can bring a mate here and actually hear what they’re saying, as opposed to the rest of Cardiff’s gay bars which are pretty packed come the weekend. Plus points: the guys behind the bar are always up for a bit of banter — especially when your hair nearly catches on fire after swigging from a martini glass that’s been set alight. Good times.