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Hatchet, Mansion House

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user reviews of the Hatchet, Mansion House

please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.

This is now (and has been for a while) called the Three Cranes and is under different ownership from the times of the previous posts.

Have been in a couple of times, once in the summer (just to eat) and once just before Christmas - enjoyed both occasions.

In December we started off in the bar. They only have one cask handpull - Landord - and this was being changed, so I had a few pints of Tiny Rebel Easy Livin'. These citrus tinged, hazy brews, aren't really my thing but they were very enjoyable on this occasion - better on a hot summer's day I imagine.

Had food upstairs - stupendous proper pies served in large individual enamel pie dishes with pastry top and bottom. Not a bit of stew in the bottom of a china pot with a a pastry lid. They were very hefty (couldn't finish mine) and came with excellent chips! All other food very good too.

Service in bar and restaurant friendly and efficient. All the knocking shop indicators mentioned in previous post have gone and the rooms are now short let service apartments.

I'd go back and give it a seven - though mostly due to the food - which is bound to annoy some of the other posters on BITE, but who cares?
on_the_brightside - 9 Jan 2020 12:43
I was really disappointed with this pub. Only ale on was Green Kings IPA and the service was lacklustre and disinterested. Will not be going back
duskmaiden - 15 Feb 2014 17:03
Even though it was over a year ago since visiting this pub whilst on a crawl, I still remember how it was. A good pint of Guiness was overshadowed by the prescence of sultry Chinese ladies with little on. The back room was ablaze with red lights and red furnishings, and the upstairs had a secure door leading to a corridor with several rooms branching off (I could see through the glass pane). You can guess what this pub had become! Despite this, I still had a good time sampling the beer, deciding to decline all else that was on offer!
ELP - 9 Jan 2014 14:17
This pub is only one point away from being perfect. It is in the middle of the City near to a Tube station, serves cold lager and cold Guinness in the proper style. Pat the manager is a top bloke. The food at lunchtime is reasonably priced and ok. the only minus point is the upstairs toilet. If you like real ale, it is OK but not perfect, but then I don't like southern Ales anyway.
cliffpatte - 15 Jun 2011 11:00
After being recommended to this pub a while back and seeing the positive reviews we gave it a go. Adequate but a bit disappointing really. Beer was ok if you like Greene King. It wasn't busy even at 5.30 on a friday but the customers that were there were obviously enthusiastic regulars. We felt a bit out of it so moved on.
dagenhamdave - 16 Jan 2011 17:31
A traditional City watering hole of which there are rather too few these days, the Hatchet has changed little in atmosphere over the last 15 years. A small single room with bar along the right hand side there are not many tables so really for after work vertical drinking. The back room - which has no natural light at all - is still present but is a bit of a dungeon.

Although the beer offering is weak - GKIPA and Abbot Ale - the atmosphere more than makes up for it.
murgatroyd - 29 Oct 2010 01:37
I agree with adamwalsh - the rating for this one is too high. I gave it a 6.
dpaajones - 4 Aug 2010 13:06
Dont know why the high rating, dead - small, and rather soul-less............sure barman was friendly and nice - but 7.2? no.
adamwalsh - 1 Jul 2010 20:20
A favourite City drinking hole - well-kept beer, good staff and usually buzzing lunchtimes / early evenings.
DocSavage - 4 Feb 2010 17:50
I have frequented most of the decent pubs around Mansion House but have never bothered with The Hatchet before. As I fall into the category of people described by John Bonser below who do consider GK pubs that only offer IPA and Abbot to be a major drawback in an area where there is so much more choice.
But after seeing some of the positive reviews for this place I decided to drop in and give it a go the other evening whilst on my way down to the Banker at Cannon Street.
Have to say I was impressed. It�s a small two-room pub, with the bar in the front room mainly for standing with a tele for the sport, and a back room with a fireplace and tables.
Nice congenial atmosphere and although quite busy on this early evening the main barman (not sure if it was the Landlord) was making sure people got served in the order they approached the bar. And have to say the pint of IPA was one of the best kept I�ve had.

Gann - 2 Aug 2009 19:37
What a pub should be - good beer; no noise and great staff
Beer_in_Clapham - 23 Jul 2009 12:25
Happened across this pub after I met a mate at Mansion House. Small pub and busy when we arrived (it was 5:30 Friday evening though so what do you expect). The front has standing room only however we managed to find a seat out the back. Friendly punters and good beer!

We enjoyed the pub so much that we actually returned later in the evening as the after-work crowd thinned out. Good banter with the publican, seemed like a really nice guy. A thoroughly enjoyable evening!
monteiths_nz - 22 Nov 2008 18:09
you will be hard pressed to find a friendlier publican in the city... Pork Pie Pat and his pork pies are the stuff of legend. However, if u ask nicely, the fish fingers are out of this world...
porkpiepat1 - 13 Mar 2008 10:26
Typically traditional City pub within spitting distance of Mansion House tube station ( District Line). Its a Greene King house which many would consider a major drawback, but the IPA yesterday was probably as good a pint of IPA as you would get.

The traditional feel to the front bar is slightly marred by one of these amusement arcade machines that allows you to play mini-golf. Playing the game appears to involve thumping your open palm on a computer screen at regular intervals ( this is presumably akin to hitting the ball with your golf club in real life). I do feel that machines like this are out of place in old traditional pubs like this, particularly small pubs where they can tend to dominate proceedings.

Still, all in all an enjoyable visit. I shall return, but I wont be disappointed if said machine is not there.
JohnBonser - 21 Jun 2007 13:52
This is your typical City real ale boozer, but the beer I had was of very good quality. I'd say it's worth a visit if you're in the area.
pubcollector - 11 Mar 2007 17:49
A cultural icon, a true drinkin man's pub...taking the wife there on our honeymoon...a failure in judgement of epic proportions....
fieldmouse - 14 Nov 2006 20:55
Great cosy pub in the City. Friendly barstaff and landlord. Say hello to Pat and Pat. Can get mobbed after office hours. If you don't smoke, you might want to avoid the back room. 15 people smoking in an unventilated small room is torturous, even if you smoke. Although the smoke could help you hide from the boss or other half.
Mozza_man - 13 Apr 2006 02:51
A woman in the Hatchet? Shurely shome mishtake?

Good Beer and as the 'Hog says, it's fine for hiding in, no one'll ever find you in here.
MrLash - 17 Feb 2006 16:21
Pokey little back street boozer hidden away next to Mansion House tube. Ideal hiding place.

Now run by a Derby and June-type Irish couple.

Decent beer. Pulled a little Latvian cracker in here once, so holds fond memories.
anonymous - 17 Feb 2006 15:57
no one from work will ever find you in here. ideal
tanderson7 - 15 Aug 2005 12:31
Yep,..ideal for the Solo Hobo,..you couldnt get closer to the tube either, unless you were selling the standard
kmcs - 31 Mar 2005 14:53
A winner
beer - 16 Dec 2004 17:44
Very dark and dingy, rather smoky and a stunning barmaid� perfect!
Dan - 14 Jun 2004 15:04
A real drinking man's pub. So much so any women one might find inside look like men! Old wooden floorboards and no messing decor make this place one to be avoided for the women and a place of quite solstice for the men! A true man's city drinking hole.
Bushy - 1 Apr 2004 14:38

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