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The Princess Louise, Holborn - pub details

Princess Louise
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Address: 208-209 High Holborn, London, WC1V 7BW [map] [gmap]

Tel: 0871 951 1000 (ref 194) - calls cost 10p per minute plus network extras

Nearest tube stations Holborn (0.1 miles), Covent Garden (0.3 miles), Tottenham Court Road (0.4 miles)

Nearest train stations London Charing Cross (0.7 miles), Farringdon (0.8 miles), City Thameslink (0.9 miles)

Brewery: Samuel Smith's

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> Current user rating: 7.1/10 (rated by 247 users)
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other pubs nearby:

Newton Arms, Holborn (0.1 miles), Holborn Whippet, Camden (0.1 miles), Bar Mosko, Holborn (0.1 miles), Ivy House, Holborn, London (0.1 miles), George, Holborn (0.1 miles) - see more nearby pubs

user reviews of the Princess Louise, Holborn

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

5 most recent reviews of 261 shown - see all reviews

Came in here a couple of weeks ago with a few friends. I think its the first time I've visited for over twenty years and while I remembered the gents' toilets, and the masses of cut and etched glass in the bar I had forgotten some of its architectural features. For example the great mosaics in the floor, the wall tiling and the (I think) unique little 'rooms' that encircle most of the main bar. Its a great place to visit and admire.

As other reviewers have noted, its a Sam Smith's pub so if you like Sam's stuff, great, but less so if you don't! I had a few pints of Old Brewery (as did another of the group) and it was well kept and tasty but its not a favourite, so after a few I had a bottle of Porter which was very good and it looked like the pub stocks most of the Sam's bottled range. Others were on the Organic Lager which I also tried and it was surprisingly enjoyable - refreshing but still with some flavour.

Service was fast, efficient and friendly - even though the 'rooms' make it tricky for the bar staff to see who is waiting.

An enjoyable visit - would recommend it to anyone, whether or not they like Sam's ales.
on_the_brightside - 4 Nov 2018 17:59
Wonderfully opulent pub but £5.50 for a bottle of Chocolate Stout? Very busy at 4pm on Saturday but service was quick.
paul_d102 - 5 Dec 2016 22:31
Had a flying visit to the capital this weekend, and this was our first port of call. Arrived at 11.45am but it didn't open till 12pm. The wait was well worth it, and as I entered I found wonderful original furnishings. A trip around the back of the pub revealed detailed stain glass windows and lovely floor tiles.

I am a big fan of Sam Smith's pubs, and in particular the extra stout, which was on form. Probably the cheapest place in London barring Wetherspoon outlets. Only one worrying issue was that there was only one barman serving. He was friendly and polite, but on weekends there should be more serving.

A must see.


realalerules1983 - 22 Nov 2015 14:48
Only visited once on this year's UK crawl, mainly to soak up the beautiful interior. To my mild surprise the Kiwi bar man who served me last year was still there: to my greater surprise he remembered ME! Also surprised by the Brewery Bitter still costing only 2.90, and surprised yet again by the relative lack of customers: the hum of conversation would make the complete pub experience.
Queenslander - 9 Oct 2015 23:53
If you're hosting a foreign visitor, he's inevitably going to have 'typical pub' at the top of his viewing list. I've long given up on the notion of 'typical', because as a pub enthusiast the plethora of ensuing ideas causes chaotic indecision in my mind. But I'll gladly have 'historic' as a near-synonym. And then I think of this place.

The layout and décor are first-rate. Stepping in here feels like warping back to the 19th century. The panels and side booths give an air of old-fashioned intimacy. The flooring eclectic as would be expected of the era. Yes it's been restored and refitted a number of times. But I wonder what the state of the wood would be like now if it had been left untouched since 1891...

So classic layout, check. The following point is common to all Sam Smith's houses, but it feels especially appropriate in tandem with the layout. The tied-ness of the place and restriction on beer availability also makes it classically English. Proper tied houses are a dying breed in the UK. Taylor Walkers and Nicholsons don't count. Every time I walk past a Watney's or a Charrington sign I wonder what pubs would be like if they had survived the lager wave.

All kinds of complaints fly about regarding the beer, and that is admittedly a bit of a minus - but there's also an excellent Wetherspoons round the corner catering to your real ale thirst. Talking of real ale, the cask OBB here isn't actually that bad, and at £2.80, is still under par for the area.

Busy at weekends but the bar staff are excellent. Emphasis on food just right - they do little things, which is how pubs used to be and should still be.

So perhaps not typical of today, but certainly classic and historic, and an absolute gem at that.
R3NW5 - 24 Mar 2015 13:32

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