please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Like going for a pub in a crap hotel. Quite uninspiring and you can do far better in the immediate locality. Also I don't drink in McMullen's pubs anymore since they closed a number of community locals elsewhere to turn into flats.
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Decent pre/post thetatre pub.
Couple eating steak alongside us, looked rather delicious.
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A good size pub, in the middle of theatre country. Lots on tap and all well kept. Good mix of wines and spirits. Popular pub, so sometimes can be a few minutes to get served. 2nd Bar downstairs which does live music in the week (and maybe weekends), will try and charge you £5 entrance for this bar if someone good is playing, but normally a smile and bit of banter and they let you in for free. All in all its a decent pub worthy of 2-3 rounds before moving on.
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Bartender was a gentleman who let me taste a couple before settling in on the Country Bitter. Very tasty and a nice calm atmosphere around 11:00 am with leicester square so close.
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Well I always enjoy coming to this pub when I visit central London, the staff are good, the tables are cleaned regularly( no piles of empties) The beer is well kept & the wine cold. I haven't eaten here, but this pub always ticks my boxes for consistently high standards in a tourist area that often doesn't care. My husband comment 'Good bogs' what more :-)
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A rare McMullens outlet in these parts. Beer well kept (I had Country) with a full range of Macs on pump. Quite when I went but right next to the Palace Theatre so I would imaging this place gets mobbed near show time.
Small al fresco drinking area.
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Large place. Full of tourists. Myself included. Interesting selection of herfordshires finest ales. Wouldn't go out of my way to come here.
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Good to see that the Kazi has been refurbished but I didn't like the sticky Banister on the way down.
I tried a Pint of Blue Moon "an American Wheat Beer" , an odd taste, not for me!
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gggggg
anonymous - 15 Jul 2011 20:09 |
I recently popped in here for a Pint of McMullens IPA and also had the Wild boar & apple sausages Mash which was delicious but I thought a bit overpriced at �9.50.
Quite a big Pub so plenty Tables when I was there late afternoon.
The live Music downstairs was not open when I was there but ................
I shall return.
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Grubby place, sticky seats if you're lucky enough to get one. I can't see why it's so popular. Beer isn't too bad to be fair.
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I go here whenever I'm in the area and want a meal. A constant turnover of customers ensures a table soon becomes available.
The ales are good and not expensive considering where the pub is situated. McMullens AK, Country Bitter and Country Gold were all on last time I visited. The Country Bitter was especially good.
The service is friendly and always they're quick to ask if you're being served. Unlike some pubs there's never a shortage of barstaff.
Worth popping downstairs to check out the live music. Open mic nights can be entertaining.
Finally the toilets are clean and tidy and more spacious than others in the area.
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For central Soho, I think this is a great pub. The Guinness is ok, which is more than I would say for any other pub in that area other than the Toucan. The bar staff seem to know what they're doing and are friendly, which is another rarity in that part of town. The food is decent, although slightly pricey I feel. It doesn't take long to get served, even on a busy friday evening. They have McMullens real ale on tap, no tvs dominating the decor, music at background level, clean toilets. Winner.
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Went to this pub because of the jazz sessions on friday lunchtimes
the jazz was great but the country bitter was not that good the AK was very pallettable though food good to
the cellar bar where ths jazz is played is a different world from the city above and very well worth a visit
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Good live music venue serving McMullens beers not to pricey either, �2.90 for a pint of AK will definitely be back again.
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Visited back in May,first time for many years.Used to be very smokey,now much nicer.
McMullen's beers not particularly to my taste,but AK,although now marketed as a light bitter is in fact a light mild.So hard to find mild in London,so it was better than nothing.
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I haven't been in here for a good long while until a few weeks ago. It's been redecorated and I have to say that on the whole it's been well done. The problem for the pubs on Cambridge Circus is that they attract all sorts of people who are in there for a quick one before a show at the Cambridge Theatre (or that other one on Old Compton St) or a meal in Soho somewhere.
It means the atmosphere is a bit like a station pub and the Spice of Life suffers more than a little from that. Still the surroundings- if not as good as the Cambridge- are more than acceptable and I oculd easily imagine meeting someone there to start off the evening.
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I've been to the pub a few times over the years, and must admit I quite like the place despite not being a particular fan of McMullens beers (although they are always well kept here). Despite being in one of the busiest parts of central London, the staff in the main bar are usually efficient. I'd forgotten about the live music, but the blues night music in the basement bar was great (and free) entertainment.
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Near Soho and situated in Cambridge Circus is The Spice of Life - a pub I have bypassed dozens of times over the years and never thought to enter. Having time to kill on a recent Friday evening, this reviewer decided to change all that by taking the opportunity and having a peek. I had always presumed here was a Fullers House (why, I don�t know), so was pleasantly surprised upon learning this was not the case and that I was in fact in a pub owned by the McMullen�s Brewery � I had previously never heard of them. Once I had sidestepped the burly bouncers, I found myself within a rather tidy, though visibly formulaic West London pub. The flooring was carpeted, the tables wooden and shiny, the background music bland, though pleasingly unobtrusive. The clientele observed were primarily an expected mix of tourist�s theatregoers and the like and the atmosphere was restrained and relaxed enough. Down the stairs and past the gents is a basement bar where you can reportedly catch an array of acts, from folk to jazz � the entry-fee seemingly being reasonable as well. Back to the bar and the opportunity to sample ales from a brewery previously unkown to me was always going to create interest. The McMullen Cask Ale (�3.05) was well-conditioned and an ultimately most refreshing and satisfying pint. The bar staff were attentive and showed keen awareness in making sure they prioritised who they served. To conclude: I enjoyed my hour-or-so here and can envisage paying more visits if time were on my side: a respectable six out of ten.
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Took me a few goes to find this one in Advanced Search (ref. Moor Street) since the address known to me (and confirmed from the pub's own website) is
6 Moor St., Cambridge Circus, London, W1D 5NA
-- and not as captioned in this entry. Maybe Royal Mail reassigned the address/post code?
Very variable and mixed crowd both in the ground floor main bar and the basement. I can affirm the Tuesday blues night in the basement bar is worth attending (steer clear of the occasional well-cut rough diamond as the evening wears on) as are the Friday lunchtime jazz sessions ditto when you can make it. Seemed quite toppy beer prices but then again it is the West End and the place has evidently had money spent on it; loos usable etc etc. Didn't like the McMullens beer but personal taste only... Quite fast service and people seem to eat here so overall positive.
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Good food, good beer and a friendly and helpful staff. Good meeting point with a warm welcome.
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Friday lunchtime there is good jazz of varying styles ,downstairs ,admission is usually about �6. Bit of a push to get served ,and its quite murky down there but well worth it,a friendly crowd too,recommended.
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I spent Friday night in this pub standing at the bar with a large group of friends and it was very enjoyable. The staff were very friendly and knowledgeable and the bouncers were very amiable. The place was very busy but there was never a long wait to be served and the barman remembered the 12 drink order every time we required another round.
It was a bit pricey, but you come to expect that in Central London. The available lagers were your bog standard Fosters, Krony and Heineken with a Strongbow thrown in. I�m not a bitter drinker, but I did make note of the AK, Country Best and Winter Ale.
There is a room downstairs that had a group playing some music, but as far as I could see there weren�t many people in there and I think there was a charge to go in, so I didn�t.
If I�m in the area I�ll probably pop in for a few jars, but I wouldn�t make a special trip.
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clean and friendly place, handy disabled toilet on the ground floor to save going down to the ladies!
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And did you know this pub makes a cameo in the film Sid and Nancy?
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Not particulary fond of this place. It's OK. If it was anywhere near to Victoria station (the no mans land of the pub world if ever there was one - there is one decent pub there I can think of) it'd get a decent rating, but in Soho, with so much to choose from within less than 400 yards from here, it's a 5/10.
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Usually avoid drinking in this part of town but called in here to see if Festive Stout was available. It was. A busy pub but not heaving, worth a visit if you're happy to drink McMullens range of beers and lagers.
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Oh...dave71 likes The Spice of Life.....still. I'd have never guessed from the two previous posts he made about it.
Not everyone likes acoustic music, or open-mic nights, and I'd put a lot more faith in a review from JohnBonser, who's been to a lot of pubs and posts very good & justified reviews, than someone who reviews the same pub over, and over - and clearly has some personal interest in the place.
Sitting outside The Spice of Life is awful, and only slightly better than sitting outside the Nell Gwynne. If you manage to survive the fumes of one of London's biggest traffic bottlenecks, you can be harrassed for money by passing tramps on a seemingly endless basis. All this, while watching the local "pharmacists" use the pub's hanging baskets to hide their stash.
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Spice of Life
Standing guard over the entrance to Soho at Cambridge Circus, the Spice is enjoying a revival thanks to an egalitarian policy of daily live entertainment and to upping the ante on food and drink offerings. In its crossroads location, the Spice was always a place for a passing pint � but the decision to throw open its basement Backstage Bar to jazz musicians twice a week, indie bands thrice, bluesers on Tuesdays and open-mic try-outs on Mondays has generated a new community of regulars spanning the generations. On Friday lunchtimes you�ll see over-50s queuing for trad jazz; by the evening, it�s earnest young indie types. The spacious upstairs bar is a hive of activity, with its all-day kitchen (Big Plates of chicken-and-seafood paella �8.95, sirloin steak �11.95) and fine ales (McMullen AK and Country Best, Deuchars IPA). Six wines of each colour and cheap cocktails too.
Time Out Bars, Pubs & Clubs Guide 2006/7
Buy Bars, Pubs and Clubs 2006 ONLY �6.99
Services:
Disabled: toilet
Function room: Bar available for hire
Music: open mic 6.30pm Mon; blues 8pm Tue; both free; jazz 8pm Wed and Thur, lunch Fri and Sun; �5-�10; acoustic guitar and bands 7.30pm Fri-Sun; �6
Outdoor tables: 5, pavement
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This pub remains a decent but little known oasis in central London. OK, so it's not the most exciting pub in the world but it does decent beer, decent food, usually a place where you can find a seat, and with live music in the evenings. Plus the big bonus on an incredibly hot day - very good air conditioning.
anonymous - 25 Jul 2006 20:41 |
one of the problems with people who have been reviewing this pub is the lack of knowledge they have about the pub. If mr bonser had taken the time to talk to the bar staff or walk down stairs to the basement bar that has live music every night i hope it would educate him not to wax lyrical about something he has no comprehension of. this pub and music venue has the singular aspect of having regulars for over 20 years there are very few and far between pub's in central london that can make this claim.
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Rather bland and characterless. Functional, inoffensive and seemingly efficiently run, but uninspiring. A typically impersonal Central London transient pub. Not one to rush back to
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Pleasant enough pub but it has a bit of a plastic feel about it and gets very busy. You could almost imagine you were in a Wetherspoons but the �Spice� is actually owned by McMullens brewery which at least means that some unusual beers are on offer and at reasonable prices considering where the pub is. The main area of the pub is spacious with several tables although they get full very early. There is a raised stripped pine floor area with some imaginative tiling where the bar is situated. Service is very good � I was acknowledged by 2 different bar staff while they were busy serving other people. There is a false ceiling with built in lights and extractor fan outlets that contrasts with the chandeliers hanging either side from the original ceiling. Food is basic but looked fairly good when I saw it being brought out. There is a Wide screen TV but it is not really a pub geared for watching TV.
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Paid a recent visit after a gap of several years. The makeover is an improvement - it's now light and airy rather than dark and oppressive as in the old days. Good beers, although still rather smokey. Especially attractive is the feature that the bar staff actually interact with the paying punters, rather than the usual West End habit of simply relieving them of their money.
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Triangular shaped pub with chandeliers. Very open. Like a mini Wetherspoon. Echoing and noisy with thumping music and humming conversation. Light, clean and happy. A McMullens pub so serves interesting beer that is normally difficult to find in London. If it wasn't for the beer I wouldn't come here.
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Hi there - Can anyone tell me what the Spice of Life is like now. I used to go there as a student about 10 or so years ago. Live in Los Angeles now. Has the refitting changed it much or is it still a studenty/trendy haunt. Thanks very much. Mo.
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I used to drink here
every lunch, until my boss
asked me to stop it.
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A surprisingly traditional pub considering where it is doing decent beer. It has a mix of customers reflecting its position between theatreland, Soho, Covent Garden, Chinatown with lots of tourists, locals and students. A bit on the pricey side but quite a haven as it is usually possible to get a seat even though it can get busy. Not bad food as well.
anonymous - 8 Jul 2005 00:49 |
A really nice pub, simple as that.
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I love this pub. A little on the pricey side for me, but the place itself is comfortable and relaxing. A pleasant place to go for a good night in a welcoming environment.
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if you've never been then what have you been doing with your time in the west end . you can start at eleven and rub shoulders with musos and artists have a good lunch with a good selection of wines and beer's . then do some shopping come back an listen to the fine selectin of live music and any night of the week . If you want to create your own then mondays are open mike and sunday's are crazy kareoke
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a traditional english pub in the center of soho right next to the palace theatre. great location, lots of space and great drinks. they sell tradtional ale brewed by mcmullens which is very rare to get in london. also serves great traditional english food as well as a wide range of other food types to meet everyones taste. everything is freshly cooked. there is also a downstairs bar with live music everynight, from jazz to blues to rock and on sunday they have karaoke.
Gavin Chinasamy - 21 Nov 2004 13:31 |
A pleasant surprise right in the heart of the West End. Expensive but in the area that goes without saying! Very nicely decorated and comfortable. Street level bar is very light and airy and the beer is good. Downsatirs is more cosy and hosts live bands,etc. A nice place for a relaxing pint in a welcoming pub that temporarily takes you away from the hustle and bustle outside and in to an environment more similar to a decent local in the suburbs. Clean and well looked after and the food looked very nice.
scotty - 10 Nov 2004 10:02 |
The spice of life is such an excellent pub on karaoke night especially. The regulars are all very welcoming and the night is always a success. I love it!!
kat - 8 Nov 2004 16:31 |
revisited after a very long absense (probably nearly 10 years) fortunately the McMullens ale is kept in tip top condition, found it an excellent place for people watching, on the negative side ventilation for non smokers could have been better.
Steve - 6 Sep 2004 17:47 |
Although this pub is bloddy expensive (�3.10) for a stella,when just accross the road in the Cambridge it is onlt �2.60 it does still offer good atmosphere and has a great downstairs bar that holds a superb Kareoke night on Sundays.
Nick Hamer - 20 Aug 2004 18:50 |
