Why is it hot?
"Joseph your host welcomes you to a lively evening of entertainment including Yodelling, Accordion and the highly original Tirolean Cow Bell Show"
When the restaurant's website promises this, you know you're in for an interesting ride.
This is not a sleek, chic, uber-cool dining destination (although Kate Moss is a fan) but it's just about the best dinner entertainment you could hope for.
Ignore the particularly inauspicious entrance/dodgy sex shop vibe, go down the stairs and you're instantly transported to buzzing, brilliantly kitsch log-cabin of a restaurant that could have been flown in straight from the Alps.
The food really isn't the main event here - although the lederhosen-clad staff will be more than happy to talk you through the traditional Austrian dishes if you fancy straying away from the fondue, which is excellent. The bread comes in pretty handy for mopping up all the free-flowing schnapps - or there's the steiners, your 2-pint beer which'll keep the boys in your party happy/tone-up your biceps.
Where this place really comes into it's own is the entertainment - expect to see plenty of birthday parties and big celebratory groups, all being brought into the fore as the bell-ringing, yodeling or, as happened the last time we were there courtesy of a man in a sequined smoking jacket, opera singing kicks off.
The atmosphere and all-round merry-making is truly infectious, you'll laugh yourself silly, sing badly, perhaps dance even worse, be well-fed, watered and entertained and your bubble won't burst when presented with the bill either. As a pant-wettingly funny night out somewhere that truly is quirky rather than strives to be, you can't beat it.
Average Price of a meal for two?
About £40 with plenty of beer to wash things down
Dates or mates?
Mates, as many of them as you can round up, this place was made for big parties.
Address: 27 Westbourne Grove London W2 4UA 020 7727 3981
Website: www.tirolerhut.co.uk/home.html
