Latest reviews from Fleet Street
| 70 /100 194 FLEET STREET “Now a McMullen's pub. Beautiful & historic interior. An old London bus in the garden. Worth visiting to see the place but this brewery produces some pretty mundane beer.“ |
| 64 /100 145 FLEET STREET “As olde worldw as I remembered but on a Friday lunchtime it was suprisinly empty of both punters and staff. Only one bar was open and there only seemed to be one or two staff. So whilst it wasn't overly busy there were more and more unhappy punters who were wondering around the different bars trying to find someone to sell them beer. With a roaring fire the result on a warm Spring day was a boiling hot pub. Appreciate the architecture. Living on past glories. Standard Samuel Smiths beer.“ |
| 74 /100 BrewDog Chancery Lane (Bar) 1 PLOUGH PLACE “Весьма обычный Брюдог по виду и по выбору пивасов. Радует что он выглядит как новый. Есть выбор классический для всей заведений от бренда, плюс баночки гостевые. Нормально в целом.“ |
| 78 /100 145 FLEET STREET “Fantastic place, with a great history. Lots of rooms, uppstairs and downstairs. Good selection of Sam Smiths beers.“ |
| 74 /100 145 FLEET STREET “Decent Sam Smith's pub with a good range of ales“ |
| 68 /100 194 FLEET STREET “Upmarket Fuller's pub“ |
| 82 /100 BrewDog Chancery Lane (Bar) 1 PLOUGH PLACE “Recently converted from a Draft House pub to a Brewdog bar. It's large inside with lots of seating, a very smart refurb. Looks slightly less industrial shabby chic compared to other Brewdog bars I've been to. Around 30 taps plus two can & bottle fridges. Brewdog's full menu served.“ |
| 70 /100 95 FLEET STREET “Pretty straight forward boozer, nice history though and cheap.“ |
| 72 /100 194 FLEET STREET “Very upmarket but has a more lived in feel than some of the Fullers pubs around Trafalgar square. Nice balcony view to oversee everything. Bar sits in the center of the pub and takes a minute or two to circumnavigate. Comfy.“ |
| 86 /100 145 FLEET STREET “Love this place. Not to clean, not too dirty just right. Stingo on hand pump. Lots of history, plently of space and lots of nooks to explore.“ |
| 60 /100 145 FLEET STREET “Ancient 17thCentury pub on Fleet street down a short passageway. Very touristy, this is a multi roomed classic that dates back to being re built after the Great Fire of London. It's a Sam Smiths pub and only carries their beers in either bar. Worth a visit purely for the history.“ |
| 52 /100 Harrow (Fuller’s) (Bar) THE HARROW, 22 WHITEFRIARS STREET “Nice small bar, crowdy on a friday night, counted 8 Taps and approx 10 Bottles. nice atmosphere. Visited 30.11.2018.
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| 66 /100 Castle (Bar) 26 FURNIVAL STREET, HOLBORN “Visited 21/11/2018. Now reopened following extensive refurbishment and has dropped the ‘Castle’ name simply being now called by its address 26 Furnival Street. Reopened early Nov 2018. Has 3 cask beers and 10 taps with Five Points featuring prominently. One bottle fridge which included the range of Norcott’s ciders from Devon. Very pleasant service. Not cheap. Great to have seen the place reopened as a pub after being closed so long, though it’s much more trendy now than I imagine the Castle once was.“ |
| 76 /100 145 FLEET STREET “Local clasico con varias salas para tomar cerveza.“ |
| 64 /100 80 FARRINGDON STREET “A pub with a lot of history (apparently it once served as the secret London location for clandestine ‘Fleet weddings’), which had been scheduled for demolition in the 1990's but instead it was built around and had buildings joined on to either side (fascinating old b&w picture on their website showing it when it was a stand alone building). Beer wise it's not untypical of a central London SN pub, with 4 casks and a half dozen other taps mainly SN keg/lager/cider complimented by a few macro 'guests'. Bottle range not bad with a few less common SN bottles available. Service was good. Food available. Bonus feature for this place, and not often seen in central London, is it has a heated patio and balcony area, which makes it stand out a little from the average SN pubs in the area.“ |
| 74 /100 145 FLEET STREET “One of those places you visit for the ambiance not beer. Just upon entering there are two room on each side, restaurant on the left and bar room on the right. And I believe there is one more room in the back. Luckily after ordering beer we did some exploring and it turns out there are three more levels below, like a maze. Fascinating. Lots of wood, has very traditional and historical feel to it. Beer selection is limited to Samuel Smiths, Extra Stout was good, bitter not so much. Staff was patient and kind, although we had all of our luggage with us. I guess they are used to tourists. As I said well worth visiting, but not for beer.“ |
| 62 /100 95 FLEET STREET “Visited on early Monday afternoon, first stop on our Fleet Street crawl. Traditional pub with, several casks. Had Redemption Trinity which seemed like the best choice by far (Red Fox, Ilkley, Doom Bar). The pub was almost empty, just few working men having a pub break. Interior does look genuine, but slot machine (or whatever those are called) does not. Also the wiring at the ceiling. You can feel it's historical pub, but on the other hand it could be kept better.“ |
| 64 /100 95 FLEET STREET “One of the old gems in London. Absolutely wordy a visit. Especially if you enjoy these old traditional pubs. Nothing is in shape. Not really a good beer selection. But I still found a couple I had not tried before. Good lunsh!“ |
| 60 /100 BRIDE’S LANE (OFF FLEET STREET) “Traditional nice old British pub. Absolutely well worth a visit if you enjoy these old gems. Decent Sam Smiths selection. That’s it! I would have chosen Old Bell Tavern or Olde Cheshire Cheese on the other side of the street instead“ |
| 62 /100 95 FLEET STREET “Visited many times over the years. Just about the last of the journalists pubs from the old Fleet street days that retains some feel of what it was like back then. At one time all the stools in the pub were triangular in shape and said to be unique. I assume that’s still the case, and that nobody today can make them (or the owners don’t care) because I’ve seen the number of triangular stools steadily decreasing over the years and being replaced by normal round ones. The pub was built by Sir Christopher Wren for masons working on the building of St Brides Church, which is directly behind the pub. There’s still a door into the alley between the pub & the church. In fact, that was originally the "front" (and only) door - the doorway from Fleet Street through which most customers enyter today was added at a later date. It’s a Nicholson’s pub so the beer range is rather better than any of the other more traditional pubs nearby. I have a soft spot for this old pub and hope it survives for another few hundred years without too much change. 4/7/9/na/7/15=70 UPDATE Looked in on 13 September 2017. Two banks of four handpumps but both banks were serving the same four beers. And one of those was Doom Bar! I've forgotten what the others were but they weren't much more inspiring. This is well down on what you'd normally expect to find in a Nicholsons pub (of which there are several others quite close by). So didn't linger. Maybe it was just a particularly poor selection on the day but I've had to downgrade the score accordingly.“ |
| 70 /100 145 FLEET STREET “Visited on 6th May 2017. Lovely old pub set back from Fleet St. It’s a bit of a maze inside and is popular. We ended up sitting in what felt like a corridor, decor is very trad, lots of dark wood, flag stone floor and is pretty nice. There’s a downstairs bar too which was also busy plus a few rooms to relax in. Pretty good range of Sam Smiths beer, prices decent, service good and quality OK. It’s one to visit for the pub first unless you’re a Sam Smith Fan!“ |
| 54 /100 Harrow (Fuller’s) (Bar) THE HARROW, 22 WHITEFRIARS STREET “A few doors down from the Hack & Hop pub, this Fullers pub offers up a better place for outdoor drinking if it was a toss-up between the two, but its ale selection is pretty much only from its own range. It’s a traditional pub with two sides to drink in either side of its central doorway. The bar is against its side wall to the right as you walk in.“ |
| 66 /100 95 FLEET STREET “Nice looking traditional pub offering up the current drinks selection offered up from the Nicholson’s chain. There’s a small room behind the stained glass windows at its front with the bar in the centre of the rear part of the pub, traditional seating is all around it with small tables and stool chairs prevalent.“ |
| 60 /100 145 FLEET STREET “A sign on Fleet Street leads you through an alleyway with the pub just beyond this. It’s an old world Sam Smiths pub serving its own ales, and is very spartan inside, but no less atmospheric for it. Dimly lit, there’s several rooms you can drink in all with their historic charm.“ |
| 48 /100 Tipperary (Bar) 66 FLEET STREET, “Facing north into Fleet Street, this is a tiny bar edging towards an Irish Bar in style, but not completely. It’s a small place but the bar packs in a huge array of spirits and liqueurs, although the beer and ale selection is ordinary at best.“ |
| 62 /100 BRIDE’S LANE (OFF FLEET STREET) “Just off the south side of Fleet Street at its Eastern end, this is a lovely Victorian styled bar sporting a decent enough selection of Sam Smiths ales, but only these. Its exterior is a little deceptive for how big this pub actually is, as it’s a long thing affair with the bar against its back wall, with it seats along the length of its smart glass window front.“ |
| 64 /100 194 FLEET STREET “A Fullers pub in a glorious main hall of former Bank Of England building, serving mainly its own beers. You come in here though for the ambiance and the interior views under the high ceiling, with a traditional pub built around a showpiece central bar. A balcony has been built inside the room for added space as well as offering elevated views of the room. Euro 2016 football matches were live in here when I went in with a few Polish fans watching their country play.“ |
| 68 /100 194 FLEET STREET “Large pub with several Fuller’s beers, macro lagers, as well as some real ales, too“ |
| 52 /100 Harrow (Fuller’s) (Bar) THE HARROW, 22 WHITEFRIARS STREET “Visited now and again over the years. This used to be the watering hole for Daily Mail journalists back in the glory days of Fleet Street. Nowadays it’s a pleasant enough but rather nondescript Fuller’s pub with three of their regular beers plus a "guest", which may well be the current seasonal. Not really any reason to vist this place unless you are trying to do all the pubs in the area - there are better options for beer range and for atmosphere nearby.“ |
| 68 /100 194 FLEET STREET “Visited many times over the years. An grand building with opulent decor that was indeed originally the Law Courts branch of the Bank Of England (providing services specifically to the Courts next door - certain legal cases required payment of money "into Court" and this is where those funds went) and has been converted to a Fullers pub in spectacular style. it was actually a building society office for a number of years between its closure as a Bank of England branch and conversion to a pub. The beers are the usual Fuller’s range, usually including the current seasonal, so nothing particularly spectacular there. But you really go to look at the palce rather than for the beer.“ |
| 46 /100 Punch Tavern (Bar) 99 FLEET STREET “Visited many times over the years. Used to be a classic journalist pub - if you’ve ever seen the film Defence Of The Realm in which Denholm Elliott plays a journalist who gets bumped off, this is the pub he’s seen drinking in. Now the journalists have gone, along with a part of the pub that was hived off to make the Crown & Sugar Laof, and so has much of the character. Last time I went in they had cake stands (complete with cakes) on the bar, the rear part of the pub had been turned over to dining and the whole place smelt of food cooking - although this was a few years ago it would seem nothing has changed there judging from the last review. The beer range comprises three boring cask beers, including the dreaded Doom Bar, that don’t seem to change. Not worth visiting these days.“ |
| 60 /100 BRIDE’S LANE (OFF FLEET STREET) “Visited a few times over the years. Just round the corner from the Punch Tavern. In fact, I can remember when it was actually part of the Punch Tavern. Not a separate room or anything like that, just the right hand side of the island bar. The Crown and Sugarloaf was a previous name of the Punch Tavern. The story goes that the Punch was actually covered by two leases and, when the co-owners fell out (or something like that), part of the pub was walled off. A bit like that old episode of Steptoe & Son where they built a partition in there house diiding the television in half (if anyone remembers that). The closed part of the pub was eventually sold to Sam Smiths who made it into the Crown & Sugarloaf. It looks like a genuine ornate Victorian pub bur it actually wasn’t like that at all when it was part of the Punch Tavern so it’s a rather clever reconstruction. As far as beer goes, it’s the usual Sam Smiths range - without the cask Old Brewery Bitter on this occasion. An interesting curiosity and a pleasant place to drink but not a beer destination.“ |
| 34 /100 Punch Tavern (Bar) 99 FLEET STREET “A wonderful, old interior, faithfully restores to its original victorian style should make this ain interesting pub to visit - alas, my impression was completely ruined by loud and monotonous "pop" music, lots of noise from the tv, and an overwhelming smell of cookiing. The beer I had was less than mediocre (Marston’s EPA). Willl not visit again.“ |
| 60 /100 95 FLEET STREET “Traditionally a printers’ watering hole, this pub was designed by no less a figure than Sir Christopher Wren so i that respect it’s worth a visit when pubcrawling in central London. On my visit I found the selection of ales fairly mainstream, so I only had a half pint of Cotleigh Tawny Owl. Service so-and-so, probably due to the barmaid’s poor English.“ |
| 76 /100 145 FLEET STREET “"Rebuilt 1667" says it all - this is an icon in London pub history, and a must for anyone remotely interested in this (which I guess most rb-users are). Famous for its associations with Dr. Samuel Johnson (the lexocographer, wit and celebrated 18th-century man of letters), and with its splendidly dark rooms all faintly smelling of tar, creosote and burnt wood. Fuller’s beers only but they can be a real treat.“ |
| 64 /100 194 FLEET STREET “Worth going in just to see the design of the place inside - Tremendous!!
Full range of Fullers beers - we;; kept & their standard (overpriced) food.
Check it out!“ |
| 54 /100 Tipperary (Bar) 66 FLEET STREET, “An old fashioned boozer... much more of an Irish pub than the themed pubs! Offers an interesting guest or two among some very ordinary big brands.“ |
| 82 /100 145 FLEET STREET “ma è un posto fantastico si respira la storia qui dentro veramente unico come ambiente peccato che le birre sono monotematiche ovvero solo samuel smith che non è male ma in un posto del genere si dovrebbe trovare molto di più.“ |
| 70 /100 194 FLEET STREET “This Fuller´s pub is in former Bank of England, on Fleet Street next door to the Royal Courts of Justice. There’s a strong WOW factor as you enter and see the opulent interior. Brilliant place.“ |
| 48 /100 Tipperary (Bar) 66 FLEET STREET, “Not very difficult to find when you have a walk at Fleet Street.
Cool old pub with a fine interior.
Beerwise not much to applaud for beer lovers.
A pint of Guinness is enough.
Quite small, but I did not go upstairs.
Well worth a visit, but difficult to give a good score.“ |
| 68 /100 145 FLEET STREET “Amazing historic pub right on Fleet Street before St. Paul’s. Cozy, dark interior with labyrinthine passages leading to bars on several levels. Tons of charm, good Samuel Smith -- a must visit as a tourist.“ |
| 58 /100 194 FLEET STREET “A bit posh looking grand old place with a really high ceiling.
Only Fullers beer at my visit. They was actually empty for some.
You can even sit outside. It is a well hidden patio. If you go to the far corner downstairs you will find it.
Nice to have been here. But it will not be a place I frequently walk into.“ |
| 72 /100 145 FLEET STREET “WoW what a lovely charming place. I have passed this place many times without knowing it is there.
Not to easy to find.
The best room was kind of third level down stairs.
Good variety of Sam Smith’s. I did not see anything else. Could get small glasses if you wanted to try them all also.
Lovely ambiance. A kind of must visit.“ |
| 66 /100 Castle (Bar) 26 FURNIVAL STREET, HOLBORN “UPDATE: September 2015. This pub is currently closed for "redevelopment". According to the pub website the closure is "temporary" but it is not due to reopen until November 2016. Small street corner pub tucked away between Holborn and Fleet Street. Recently given a bit of a makeover by the Red Car Pub Company, which also owns the Wheatsheaf in Borough and the Bell in Cannon Street. Decor is in the bare board vein and drinking, apart from a few high tables and stools, is principally of the vertical variety. Clientele is mainly after work office and legal types. The main draw is the eight beers on handpump. The house beer, Redcar, made by Nethergate is a rebadge of Nethergate Three Nine. The remaining pumps carry a constantly changing range of microbrews, which makes this pretty much the premier ale venue in the city. A nice touch is that the chalkboard shows not only the current beers but the next ones coming on. Not sure about opening times, so I haven’t included them, but, knowing area I wouldn’t be surprised if it is closed at weekends. Didn’t notice whether they do food.“ |
| 70 /100 194 FLEET STREET “One of the more attractive Fuller’s pubs in London. Quite grand, with high ceilings, lots of throw-back trappings. The beer range is typical Fuller’s - so not bad, if a bit worn for any Londoner. Decent service. Can be busy once the City crew rolls in. Worth checking out for the ambiance, but not a must-visit destination.“ |
| 46 /100 145 FLEET STREET “The Olde Cheshire Cheese could be a very nice pub but my experience there was adversely affected by the atrocious service, the long queues (literally - queues!) to be served and the arrogant gits blocking the bar. Oh, and the toilets were pretty poor too. The front bar and the little rooms off are certainly atmospheric but some of the downstairs rooms, together with those upstairs, are now given over to dining. There was no elbow room in the front so we went through to the larger back bar. There were two staff doing everything - serving drinks and food as well as clearing away - and not only were they very slow, they were clueless. There are four casks (all Sam Smith’s), a few keg taps and perhaps 20 bottles. We decided to have a bottle of Sam Smith’s Imperial Stout, which was delicious, although my mood wasn’t improved when, having finally got to place our order, the barman had no idea where to find a bottle opener.
(Visited 24 April 2015).“ |
| 70 /100 95 FLEET STREET “The Old Bell is tucked between St Bride’s church and Fleet Street so it was appropriate that we got chatting to two journalists who were on a nostalgia trip there following the funeral of a fellow hack (apparently they prefer the term “hack” to “journo”, which they see as a derogatory term). It was interesting to hear their reminiscences about the area when it was the hub of the newspaper industry before Rupert Murdoch bullied most of them into moving to Wapping. Each newspaper had its “own” pub; the Daily Express even had one - the Popinjay - inside its premises. Anyway, the Old Bell is a great place - full of olde worlde charm, although unfortunately only one of the triangular stools for which it was renowned now remains. I have a photo for posterity. There are eight hand pumps with a decent selection of beers.
(Visited 24 April 2015).“ |
| 68 /100 194 FLEET STREET “Awesome location on Fleet Street, close to other pubs. The interior is opulent, the ceilings are incredible. Fullers’ brews, Guinness and a bunch of Euro pale lagers; eleven overall. Good service, probably because it was 50% full. Well worth a stop for a pint.“ |
| 70 /100 145 FLEET STREET “Stop here for location and ambiance alone. All Sam Smith brews. Well worth a pint and a look around.“ |
