If you’re a fan of competitive socialising – from darts and ping-pong to shuffleboard and crazy golf – Soho’s newest opening might be right up your street. Clays, the brand that turned clay pigeon shooting into an indoor, tech-driven game, landed in the West End on the 24th of September with its biggest site yet.

Set inside a Grade II-listed Art Deco building, the flagship spans 20,000 square feet across three floors, making it the biggest site in the portfolio. Clays first opened in Moorgate in 2021, bringing a brand new, digitised take on clay pigeon shooting into an urban setting.

Since then, venues in Canary Wharf and Birmingham have followed, combining competitive play with cocktails and a food offering that leans far beyond the expected bar snacks. The Soho opening (officially named House of Entertainment) builds on the previous settings, but at a larger scale and with a stronger late-night focus.

For founder Tom Snellock, the Soho site represents more than just another opening: “Soho has always been the stage for London’s boldest ideas, so it’s the perfect home for our largest and most ambitious Clays yet. This flagship marks a defining moment for the brand, bringing together our proprietary technology, premium food and drink, and a new late-night energy that takes competitive socialising to the next level.”

A new kind of escape in the West End

Step below the bustle of Brewer Street and the design shifts from city to countryside. The immersive backdrop is typical of Clays’ style, but, of course, Soho adds an extra layer of nightlife energy. Alongside the game bays is a lively bar and a cocktail menu led by Jon Calabrese, known for inventive serves built with clarity-led techniques. This is a space that works as well for a few drinks as it does for a full evening of play.

What’s new, new: the Clays Arcade

A first for London, Clays Soho debuts the brand’s new Arcade concept. It offers four open-play pegs where up to five players can join reimagined versions of Clays’ core games. Unlike the semi-private pegs, these are designed for quick, casual play – ideal for smaller groups or spontaneous visits without a booking. The new format gives players more flexibility and lowers the barrier for trying the games.

Spaces for every occasion

The flagship also carries over the traditional set-up, with six semi-private shooting pegs and full food and drink service delivered to each. For those looking for more exclusivity, The Hide provides a private space for up to 35 guests, complete with its own peg and a self-service bar pouring Clays’ signature clarified cocktails on tap.

Larger groups can opt for the 100-capacity private room, which features three pegs, a private bar and DJ facilities – a space designed with events and celebrations in mind.

Food and drinks at Clays Soho

There is as much focus on the menus as on the games. For the Soho venue, Culinary Director Roger Olsson has developed an extensive selection of courses that combine existing favourites with new additions, all meant for sharing.

Dishes include British Calamari served with squid ink mayonnaise, Clays’ Korean-style cauliflower “KFC,” crispy chicken sliders with apple and cabbage slaw, and pizzettes ranging from classic to a mushroom, broccoli and truffle version. It’s a proper full-course menu – much more extensive and varied than you would expect for this kind of setting.

Vegetarians and vegans are well catered for, too. The vegetarian dishes include mushroom bao buns, seitan sliders, truffle pizza, as well as plenty of smaller sharing dishes and, of course, the desserts. You can also go big with platters designed to share among 2-3 people.

And lest we forget the cocktails. Aside from the classics, there are some very creative ones on offer, including (our favourite), the Precision Punch, with Havana spiced rum, coffee liqueur, banana & caramel syrup, lemon, and lime sherbet. You can see the full cocktail menu here.

The essentials

Clays Soho is now open at 77 Brewer Street, W1F 9ZN. Bookings are available now via clays.bar.