London pub guide - information about pubs and bars in London# beerintheevening.com

London pub and bar guide

Here's a guide to the pubs and bars of London - good or bad, we bring you the most talked about venues and the places you have to visit at least once. We've included a few user reviews, to give you an idea of what to expect when you get there. Or you can follow the links to see full details and all reviews for each pub.

The Harp, Covent Garden

Address: 47 Chandos Place, Covent Garden, London, WC2N 4HS
Phone: 02078360291
See full pub details

Nearest tube stations: Charing Cross (0.1 miles), Leicester Square (0.2 miles), Embankment (0.2 miles)

Nearest train stations: London Charing Cross (0.1 miles), London Waterloo (0.8 miles), London Waterloo East (0.8 miles)

Reviews by BITE users:

Superb session with a group of friends last Saturday. Our five-pinter included perfectly-kept Dark Star, Harveys and Sambrooks. Towards the end of the evening the landlady visited our table for a 10-minute chat, displaying all the warmth and love she puts into the Harp. A cracker!

7 May 2013 08:33

Top class venue. All the beers on tap were in good nick last time I was in, and you can't but fall in love with the barmaids who are as professional as they are attractive. One of the male staff who acts as a bouncer isn't so nice, but one fly doesn't spoil the picnic. Harvey's is a regular, and Dark Star features fairly often, 10 times in 15 visits over 4 weeks. Not a criticism, as Dark star brews fantastic beers. Look out for Crouch Vale and plenty of lesser known micros. And remember Fri and Sat evenings can get rammed, so visit only if you're in the mood for a crowd! The Harp will not let you down.

4 May 2013 11:52

Great pub. Best in London if not beyond.

Super selection including guests, some familiar names coming around and hot spot for Dark Star (I check on the DS app for latest deliveries).

Reasonable 'London prices' without taking the mick like some new trendy places.

Fun to watch the odd clueless tourist come in and order a wine or other none-ale drink in this 'famous ale pub'.

29 Mar 2013 21:18

The Southampton Arms, Gospel Oak

Address: 139, Highgate Rd, London, NW5 1LE
Phone: 020 7485 1511
See full pub details

Nearest tube stations: Gospel Oak (0.2 miles), Tuffnell Park (0.4 miles), Kentish Town (0.5 miles)

Nearest train stations: Gospel Oak (0.2 miles), Kentish Town (0.5 miles), Kentish Town West (0.7 miles)

Reviews by BITE users:

Now for review of the pub, after going last week. Was quiet-ish at first due to most punters enjoying the warm evening in the beergarden. Pianist started up about 8pm with steadily more people coming in, and atmosphere livened accordingly. Seemed at its busiest by around 9-10, comfortably full but not congested. Live piano session ended around same time replaced by equally enjoyable vinyl selection behind the bar. Had brief chat with guy over from Canada who was going through the 'range' of beers with a large group he'd brought with him. All beers great but Fyne Ales Jarl had to top the list. I just wish I could take the pub back north with me and have it as my local. Still 10/10

11 May 2013 18:47

Nowt wrong with the pub - still doing everything it has been, as per every review. Just one thing. DON'T try calling up the pub on the number displayed here. The Southampton has no phone and you will be charged by Beer In The Evening for making the call. This scam is as widespread as the amount of pubs in the country without a phone number or whose number has changed. The disclaimer at the bottom of BITE's homepage says how much you are charged but does not offer you any way to claim a refund for calls to numbers that do not exist but are still displayed on BITE. If you use the contact email address you will get an autoreply and nowt more than that.

11 May 2013 18:34

Me too. Excellent Cider range, quite rare thing in London. Love the vinyls and live piano music and 99% of clientele - eclectic mix of regulars and visitors. Thank **** the ladies loo is the inside one!

22 Feb 2013 20:38

The Craft Beer Co, City of London

Address: 82 Leather Lane, City of London, London, EC1N 7TR
See full pub details

Nearest tube stations: Farringdon (0.2 miles), Chancery Lane (0.2 miles), Barbican (0.5 miles)

Nearest train stations: Farringdon (0.2 miles), London Barbican (0.6 miles), City Thameslink (0.6 miles)

Reviews by BITE users:

Still a first class joint. Was among last to leave on recent trip. Luckily I had friends who could afford some of the prices. Another reviewer has suggested thirds of a pint measures, I would like to second the idea. Brew Dog camden (not listed on BITE because free listings ended two years ago - use ratebeer instead) serves third pints which is a great idea for the stronger beers and certainly the dearer ones.

4 May 2013 11:36

Have been coming here for quite some time and have never had a mediocre pint until very recently. Has there been a change of staff? Beer seems to have lost its edge...

22 Apr 2013 12:38

I side with the recent high scores rather than the bad experience of elegiac_stanzas. One may not be able to get the precise beer you're after but allow the selection to guide your visit and you'll have plenty of high quality variety. Tends to open rather later on a weekend (noon) but worth waiting for. There is some food - high quality pork pies and similar bar-top snacks. Prices ARE indeed steep, in some cases exceptionally so, but after a deep breath, one does not mind QUITE so much.

24 Feb 2013 21:49

Euston Tap, Euston

Address: 190 Euston Road, Euston, London, NW1 2EF
See full pub details

Nearest tube stations: Euston (0.1 miles), Euston Square (0.2 miles), Warren Street (0.3 miles)

Nearest train stations: London Euston (0.3 miles), London St Pancras (0.4 miles), London Kings Cross - Thameslink (0.5 miles)

Reviews by BITE users:

yes its small and yes its crowded, but the beer is immense. usually standing room only, but provided you dont expect a typical pub and you'll be happy. combined with the bree louise just down the road, you have a pretty good night out.

19 Apr 2013 10:11

Steamer took us here while we had a 4 hour wait for the Eurostar on the way to Bruges. An interesting selection of beers and those tried were good including a stout from Bristol.

27 Mar 2013 17:53

Stopped in here on a Saturday afternoon. Great use of an interesting building and the beer choice was incredible. However, I was really disappointed with the interior - downstairs was okay and the spiral staircase is a nice feature, but upstairs is dingy, smelly and looks like it needs a good lick of paint.

It's a real shame because the building is fantastic from the outside. Perhaps I've been spoiled by other pubs in London, but this really could do with a bit of TLC.

25 Mar 2013 14:11

The Queens Head, St Pancras

Address: 66 Acton Street, kings cross, London, WC1X 9NB
Phone: 02077135772
See full pub details

Nearest tube stations: King's Cross St. Pancras (0.3 miles), Russell Square (0.5 miles), Angel (0.6 miles)

Nearest train stations: London Kings Cross - Thameslink (0.3 miles), London Kings Cross (0.4 miles), London St Pancras (0.4 miles)

Reviews by BITE users:

Excellent. Chatty and knowledgable gaffer, good ales, both real and craft keg and lots of great bottles. Just leave enough time to get to st pancras platform for your train.

12 Mar 2013 15:34

Good selection of Ales traditional and modern. Excellent service and good food. With a bit of investment in the building this could be a really excellent pub. At the moment? - Very Good.

5 Mar 2013 07:31

Despite ending up sitting at a table right at the back of the pub by the blokes' toilets, can't say I noticed any dubious smells.
Echo previous comments about this place being pleasingly good. Three ales on tap - a dark IPA from the Windsor & Eton brewery, Hophead and a third which I forget.
Plenty of bottles too as well as cider if that's your fancy.
Friendly girl behind the bar was happy to offer tasters.
Camra discount available, so made a pint £3.10 which is perfectly acceptable these days. And the booze (well, the second round of two, anyway) came in handled glasses.
Food on offer, if you fancy eating, and the other nice touch was the jugs of iced and lemoned/limed water on the end of the bar from which you could help yourself.
Considering the Charles II can be a bit hit and miss, this place could be a much more reliable destination if I'm in the King's Cross area again.

25 Jan 2013 09:21

Ye Old Mitre, Holborn

Address: 1 Ely Court, Ely Place, Holborn, London, EC1N 6SJ
Phone: 020 7405 4751
See full pub details

Nearest tube stations: Chancery Lane (0.2 miles), Farringdon (0.2 miles), Barbican (0.5 miles)

Nearest DLR station: Bank (1 mile)

Nearest train stations: Farringdon (0.2 miles), City Thameslink (0.4 miles), London Barbican (0.5 miles)

Reviews by BITE users:

OK pub. Tiny. Perhaps doesn't live up to its fame.

A handful of session bitters on the pumps, but nothing exciting.

Young barman seemed to know a fair bit about beer though.

27 Feb 2013 20:31

Friendly little pub tucked away down an alleyway off of Hatton Garden.

Being a Fullers pub the normal decent range ales were on along with a couple of guests of which I had Harrier from the Cotleigh Brewery.

Standing room only downstairs so we took the winding staircase to the first floor when we could stand and chat in a bit more space.

Great to hear of the award they have been given by the SPBW and even though this was my first visit I can understand why they have been rewarded.

4 Feb 2013 13:54

Dropped by last night - was treated to two Wadworth Beers from WOODEN BARRELS! A very nice surprise - it turns out it was in honour of the Mitre being given London Pub of the Year 2013 by the SPBW. Both went down excellently as expected, can only say the award is well deserved.

29 Jan 2013 22:05

The Kings Arms, Waterloo

Address: 25 Roupell Street, Waterloo, London, SE1 8TB
Phone: 020 7207 0784
See full pub details

Nearest tube stations: Southwark (0.2 miles), Waterloo (0.2 miles), Lambeth North (0.4 miles)

Nearest train stations: London Waterloo East (0 miles), London Waterloo (0.2 miles), Blackfriars (0.6 miles)

Reviews by BITE users:

First visit for ages. Good old fashioned pub with a variety of good quality ales.

15 Mar 2013 09:38

Absolutely fantastic pub with great beer and quirky decor. HOWEVER, we had a very unpleasant experience with the waitress in the food area at the back. Having sat down, we were told that the area had priority for diners (fair enough) but when we asked to order food we were told there was a minimum spend of £6.95 (not that we'd have been ordering less than that anyway) and that we'd only be allowed to sit there for 90 minutes. I am assuming the food operation is quite separate from the pub operation, but the landlord should take heed or risk this kind of service dragging down the reputation of an otherwise excellent pub.

18 Feb 2013 10:45

Hadn't been for ages, but it was better than ever last night. The beer range was wider than when I last visited, and from considerably more interesting micro and regional brewers, for example, amongst others, the dangerous Skullsplitter from Orkney last night, and two brews from the new Croydon brewery Clarence & Fredericks. Very impressed.

Great atmosphere - a lovely warming welcoming venue, and walking down Roupell Street past the classic Citroens parked is always one of London's hidden gems.

13 Feb 2013 14:45

The Cross Keys, Covent Garden

Address: 31, Endell St, London, WC2H 9EB
Phone: 020 7836 5185
See full pub details

Nearest tube stations: Covent Garden (0.1 miles), Leicester Square (0.3 miles), Holborn (0.3 miles)

Nearest train stations: London Charing Cross (0.5 miles), City Thameslink (1 mile), London Waterloo (1 mile)

Reviews by BITE users:

I do like Brodies beers although some of the tastes are a bit powerful. Anyway the pub is a great place. Be prepared for a bit of elbow work to get to the bar but with ale in hand soak up the atmosphere.

17 Mar 2013 22:27

Great pub in a good location. It's just far enough from the madding crowd to be relatively tourist free. Sadly, I don't like Brodie's beers. I've tried hard and I don't think it's the way the pub keeps them because they're always clear and well presented. I just can't make myself like them.

Shame because otherwise I'm very happy to drink here.

28 Feb 2013 13:32

Comfortable and friendly pub to provide the Harp (Chandos Place) with some competition - very good and well-kept range of Brodies beers and good service. As with several of the better city centre bars, both gains and suffers from being small - makes for a splendid atmosphere but soon gets crowded

18 Feb 2013 00:52

The Grape and Grain, Crystal Palace

Address: Anerley Hill, Crystal Palace, London, SE19 2TF
Phone: 020 8778 8211
See full pub details

Nearest train stations: Crystal Palace (0.3 miles), Gipsy Hill (0.5 miles), Anerley (0.7 miles)

Reviews by BITE users:

A haven for ale drinkers, offering a regularly changing selection of perfectly kept beers. Its Sunday Jazz sessions are great and for my money it is now the best pub in the district. Not many comfy chairs or soft furnishings but a good honest boozer. Its an example of how to turn a dodgy, dump of a pub into a proper local.

25 Feb 2013 00:03

Popped back again for a swifty.

"London Fields Hackney Hopster". Can't help but say that in a Welsh accent.

Young gentleman at the bar was of a high calibre.

Lovely.

21 Feb 2013 02:56

Delighted to see from the reviews that this place seems to have changed, from what it was when I looked in a few years back.

18 Feb 2013 13:25

The Wenlock Arms, Hoxton

Address: 26, Wenlock Rd, London, N1 7TA
Phone: 020 7608 3406
See full pub details

Nearest tube stations: Old Street (0.5 miles), Angel (0.6 miles), Barbican (0.8 miles)

Nearest train stations: Old Street (0.5 miles), Essex Road (0.7 miles), London Barbican (0.8 miles)

Reviews by BITE users:

I was taken here by a friend who knows my preference for straightforward, unspoilt and unpretentious pubs - he thought I'd like it and I DID and have been several times since. It does look vulnerable to redevelopment so I would strongly suggest that all pub fans passing through London N1 go here and give it the support it deserves. Excellent beer and showing a proper range of styles - not just the ubiquitous golden beers at ca 4% ABV. Basic facilities but exactly the kind of local where one relaxes at once.

17 Feb 2013 21:40

Visited this fine London boozer again last evening...excellent array of real ales..had a couple of then..forget the names but no matter...all the ales are very well kept...Whole area around the pub is being redeveloped..I fear the worst for this veritable oasis....

17 Feb 2013 09:18

I know this place is under threat and I take that into consideration.

The ale is still of a high quality.

But if you drink ale you need to go to the toilet and to have all the urinals out of order and to be honest a slight urine smell throughout the pub is just not acceptable.

Sorry!

13 Feb 2013 14:28

The Old Fountain, Old Street

Address: 3 Baldwin Street, London, EC1V 9NU
Phone: 020 7253 2970
See full pub details

Nearest tube stations: Old Street (0.1 miles), Moorgate (0.6 miles), Barbican (0.6 miles)

Nearest train stations: Old Street (0.1 miles), Moorgate (0.6 miles), London Barbican (0.6 miles)

Reviews by BITE users:

Excellent back street pub, good replacement for the Wenlock Arms over the City Road that's now a building site. Friendly, cosy vibe. Top class lineup of cask ales, Dark Star and Crouch Vale were favorites of mine. Didn't try any of the keg beers this time but some unusual names were on. Easy to miss from the City Road but well worth coming down for a pint or maybe half a dozen of them. If you need to contact the pub at all, click on the link to their own website. You'll find the proper 0207 number there. Great pub. 9/10

11 May 2013 19:09

I'm still to be won over by the Old Fountain. I had planned to give it another try to sample its Easter beer festival. It was almost deathly quiet on my Easter Monday visit with only 4 or 5 other customers. Most of the festival beers were still available on stillage at the end of the bar. Sadly, there was no real cider. Cask beers on were Kent Session Pale Ale, Raw Zenith & Majic Mild, Brighton Bier Maple Porter & Red Rye, Thornbridge McConnel's Vanilla Stout, Arbor Down Deeper Goo Goo G'Soop, Marble Ginger 6 & Earl Grey, Oakham Tranquility Dream Catcher & Atilla & London Fields Shoreditch IPA. They also have an interesting selection of keg beers, including a rather strange tasting gooseberry beer. Service was swift and friendly. But I still find that the pub lacks atmosphere. A real cider would also be a valuable addition.

3 Apr 2013 20:49

First visit for a while and still has good as ever. Great selection of well kept ales. Good atmosphere.

Definitely not a gastro pub.

Always visit when I'm in the area. A must visit for the ale drinker.

13 Feb 2013 14:31

The Bricklayers Arms, Putney

Address: 32 Waterman Street, London, SW15 1DD
Phone: 020 8789 0222
See full pub details

Nearest tube stations: Putney Bridge (0.4 miles), East Putney (0.6 miles)

Nearest train stations: Putney (0.4 miles), Barnes (1.1 miles), Wandsworth Town (1.4 miles)

Reviews by BITE users:

Have to say I was very dissapointed by this place, having heard very many good things about it.

Maybe they ahd run out with Fulham playing at home but went a few weeks ago and there were only two real ales on, both of which were good it has to be said. Maybe I was expecting too much but not sure this pub is worth all the hype.

23 Jan 2013 17:52

Seem to have resolved the problem with beer running out after Fulham games. Excellent pub, last traditional one left in Putney. Great range of beers. Bar service always first class. Proper mix of home & away fans - no snobbery in this place.

6 Jan 2013 15:05

Happy to report that the beer situation seems to have improved lately, with at least 6 beers on from 2 or more breweries. A lot from Arundel in particular. They seem to be better stocked at weekends, and I believe another beer festival is imminent!

24 Sep 2012 17:08

The Cittie of Yorke, Holborn

Address: 22 High Holborn, London, WC1V 6BN
Phone: 020 7242 7670
See full pub details

Nearest tube stations: Chancery Lane (0.1 miles), Holborn (0.3 miles), Farringdon (0.4 miles)

Nearest train stations: Farringdon (0.4 miles), City Thameslink (0.5 miles), Blackfriars (0.7 miles)

Reviews by BITE users:

Terrific pub, helpful staff ( mid-week evening). I take US work colleagues here and tell them the pub was built in the 1400s - they suck it up with joy!

11 Mar 2013 14:20

One of those pubs one goes into to see the interior and then stays because the booths are perfect for a long evening of chatting and sipping. Beer quality is OK though it does seem to do just Sam Smith's Old Brewery Bitter. Its tourist route image tends to be associated with so-so service.

25 Feb 2013 00:24

This used to be called Hennekeys and, to be fair to Sam Smiths, they have kept it as it was. The booths are a delight. The beer is pricey for Sam Smiths but all-in-all it's a good pub.

1 Jan 2013 15:15

The Angel, Soho

Address: 61, St. Giles High Street, Soho, London, WC2H 8LE
Phone: 020 7240 2876
See full pub details

Nearest tube stations: Tottenham Court Road (0.2 miles), Covent Garden (0.2 miles), Leicester Square (0.3 miles)

Nearest train stations: London Charing Cross (0.5 miles), Farringdon (1.1 miles), City Thameslink (1.1 miles)

Reviews by BITE users:

Next on the Angelic crawl this is a Sam Smiths pub so you what to expect drinkwise. Friendly service despite how busy the place was. Layout of the place beyond my comprehension, too busy to explore properly. Worth a visit.

19 Apr 2013 18:17

Two things I've always liked about Sam Smith pubs: 1) always very traditional, unspoilt. 2) Very reasonable prices. The Angel definitely scores on the first one, but... 11quid for a bottle of Taddy Porter and a bottle of Pale Ale??? Look, I know that as a central London/St Giles/Soho/Covent Garden type of drinker I'm going to get exploited a bit, and bottles are always going to be more expensive, and I'm not going to get the same price as the Nag's Head in Chapel Allerton or the Crystal Palace in York, but 11quid does seem a little, well, steep. Extortionate is another way to put it. The brewery's pub nearby, the John Snow, also has these ridiculous bottle prices. I had thought Sam Smith's was a much better than normal company. Not at those prices (and, yes, the Old Brewery on hand-pump is cheaper, but seemed very ordinary in this pub).
What is the Sam Smith's pricing strategy now: exploit central London drinkers? We're not all tourists or on 50k a year...

9 Dec 2012 21:44

nice traditional oasis in the waste land that is st giles.
one of the many sam smiths pubs in the west end, so nice beer, but �4.30 for a lager is offensivley expensive but what can you do?

Although its been rebuilt in the gerogian or victorian era, the history of the Angel pub is brilliant. Apparently it was a stopping point for a final 'one for the road' for those on their way to the tyburn tree down the other end of oxford street. the history isnt in any way celebrated in the pub though, but its a name that pops up a lot in various history books.

20 Sep 2012 09:11

The Birkbeck Tavern, Leyton

Address: 45, Langthorne Rd, London, E11 4HL
Phone: 020 8539 2584
See full pub details

Nearest tube station: Leyton (0.3 miles)

Nearest train stations: Leytonstone High Road (0.7 miles), Maryland (0.8 miles), Leyton Midland Road (1.1 miles)

Reviews by BITE users:

@Alex11393 - I don't think that the pub itself was struggling, it's that the company who owned it (and others) were.

anyway, it seems to have been purchased to be kept as a pub - anyone know who the new owners are? hopefully won't get a distressed Red Lion style interior (which was probably an improvement on Zulus in that case, but would be a shame with the Birkbeck)

23 Nov 2012 12:52

Great pub, out of the way location, which is probably partly why it's struggling. Really nice ales and a good selection, outstanding beer garden.

8 Oct 2012 16:19

A brilliant pub ,real ales , friendly ,great for live music, wonderful garden , hope it stays that way

4 Oct 2012 17:30

More information

Want to find out more about pubs in London? Why not have a look at our advanced pub search or full text pub search? You might also want to browse pubs by county or region. Or have some fun with the random pub crawl generator.

London pub and bar guide

The Harp, Covent Garden

Reviews by BITE users:

The Southampton Arms, Gospel Oak

Reviews by BITE users:

The Craft Beer Co, City of London

Reviews by BITE users:

Euston Tap, Euston

Reviews by BITE users:

The Queens Head, St Pancras

Reviews by BITE users:

Ye Old Mitre, Holborn

Reviews by BITE users:

The Kings Arms, Waterloo

Reviews by BITE users:

The Cross Keys, Covent Garden

Reviews by BITE users:

The Grape and Grain, Crystal Palace

Reviews by BITE users:

The Wenlock Arms, Hoxton

Reviews by BITE users:

The Old Fountain, Old Street

Reviews by BITE users:

The Bricklayers Arms, Putney

Reviews by BITE users:

The Cittie of Yorke, Holborn

Reviews by BITE users:

The Angel, Soho

Reviews by BITE users:

The Birkbeck Tavern, Leyton

Reviews by BITE users:

More information

Latest Blog posts

Featured Pub chain

BITE currently has 602 Wetherspoon pubs, find out more..

Recommended Links

Pubs

General

Licensees

Follow us on...