please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Not prepared for what was inside - what a joyful surprise.
Bar area still has wooden partitions, snob glass and breaks up a very ornate central horsehoe bar. Fun getting through the 3ft doors without looking like a prat. Ornate Tiling.
Lovely to see the period detail.
Best pint of the evening - an exceptional Youngs Special.
Worth visiting.
Visit blogged at http://bit.ly/2oErY9B
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Nice example of a period pub, complete with original bar partitions and restaurant out back where there once was a skittle alley... Beware of the local thug called 'Nick', he inflicted ABH to myself and to my friend who was pregnant at the time! Police were called, but the bar staff protected his identity when he fled (he obviously has previous). Otherwise enjoyed this pub for many years prior. Many specialist ales on draught and bottled, good selection of nibbles if you can't afford the restaurant. Nice both in summer and winter. Would recommend.
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Currently boarded up but fortunately only for ceiling repairs.
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Remarkably a pub which Youngs hasn't ruined! Four small bars divided by wooden screens and a larger saloon bar remain - a unique survival in London's pubs . It has been refurbished since I visited last ten years ago and somewhat improved. Youngs Ordinary in good condition. There's a dining room adjacent to the pub through which you go to get to the loos.
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As below, the high-ceilinged Victoriana is a joy to behold, with the front section of the pub suitably maze-like along with the gin palace air. Food portions look ample, and it was bedecked with the checked-shirted on a Sunday lunchtime. The only gripe is the prices - I was put off of selecting the superb Charles Wells/Dogfish Head New World IPA after seeing it priced at £5.04 on the drinks menu.
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A difficult one this... as a pub I entered and saw a classic Victorian style layout (though a red flock background would be more in keeping) and am sure that the H & S fraternity wouild be outraged about people ducking to go in to certain sections (though on request am sure the outside doors would be opened to allow you access, hence - banging your head = your own fault). A Young's outlet and increasingly I seem to find that Young's pubs just offer Young's Ordinary and Bombardier as a proper draught option. Here though they also had Chocolate Stout (on keg) which I went for. It was a nice drinkable pint but at �3.95 (when I'd paid �2.80 for an excellent pint at the Cleveland) then it is somewhere to drop in and marvel at the surroundings over a half before moving on to do your proper drinking elsewhere.
anonymous - 8 Jul 2010 20:22 |
used to be my local when i was working at warwick ave tube station 20 + yrs ago and was a great proper pub with darts pool and no poncy food .alas no more went in there last year didnt even make it to the bar before walking out .why do they destroy pubs like this !!!
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I used to live round here but never managed to visit this place back in the day, and had heard it was rather pretentious. Visiting on a recent weekend lunchtime, I was quite impressed. The interior is splendid: an unspoilt Victorian interior with the different sections of the front bar partitioned in the style of e.g. the Earl of Lonsdale at Notting Hill. Lovely large windows give a very pleasant light feel and the ceiling is wonderfully high. Two real ales were on: Young's and Directors, although as I had over-imbibed the night before I stuck to the softies. The pub is obviously food-focused (there is a large "dining room" out the back): we ate in the main bar and I thought the food good without being excellent. The pub was pleasantly quiet, and I'd describe the patrons I saw as a pleasingly mixed crowd - I didn't get any feel of pretentiousness or over-trendiness. I'd return, I think.
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I love everything about this pub. The food, beer, customers, staff, location - everything!! Not the cheapest place in the area, but better than any of the pubs around Maida Vale. I suppose if you want quality, you have to pay for it...
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yar... rar... ordered a cocktail to match my gucci loafers... as the drink was being poured i realised it probably wouldn't match (?!) ... quickly legged it to the westbourne & narrowly avoided a situation which could have been frightfully embarrassing !
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Interesting pub, beers are well kept, nibbles are quite expensive, and there's usually a stunning brunette bar-maid! Worth visiting for the novelty factor of ducking through partition walls, but would get annoying if it were your local I reckon!
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Unusual pub. Which is slowly getting the trendy makeover. Youngs Ordinary & Bombadier on but tasted awful. �3.15 a pint too.
The Partitions are a talking point and i'm sure if the seven dwarves lived locally they would love it.
Unless I am accompanied by a Time Bandit will probably avoid in future.
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Extremely impressive pub, occupying a large corner site. Just about all of the original Victorian features have been retained, including the partitions between the bars, with the small openings allowing movement between the bars that are ideal for the vertically challenged drinker. The curved, etched windows are better than anything else that I have seen in London. There is a large restaurant at the back, but I didn�t eat there, and didn�t see anyone else eating there either.
Ales on offer were Young�s Bitter and Bombardier. The Young�s was fine. Definitely worth a visit.
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Just minutes from the picturesque canals of Little Venice, the Prince Alfred is a Prince amongst pubs. Built in 1863 with a beautiful exterior, the Prince Alfred is a classic example of the traditional plate glass & wood favoured by the Victorians.
The inside of the pub is no less striking with the bar area being divided into 5 separate atmospheric �snugs� by original listed wooden panels.
Adjoining the pub, is the modern, minimalist Formosa dining room. With 52 covers, it offers a frequently changing menu of English to European fusion dishes, all served from the buzz of the open kitchen.
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Went in here on a Monday night and everything was well. There weren't any annoying Tarquins, the service was good, the ale (Young's and Bombardier) was good. The nooks and crannies are great and it just seems to be a reasonable boozer in a beautiful building. The smell of the food in the dining area was very tempting, but I was drinking beer so stayed in the bar area.
The reviews below seem to give a very exaggerated/biased opinion on the pub based on what it used to be like. But it was a Monday night.
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I had a great time here for my birthday last year, after hiring out one of the snugs on a Saturday night. I tried to do the same again this year, only to find that 'the management' have decided to slap a �20 cover charge for the privelege of making a booking. I don't know which guide to business strategy suggests charging customers extra for guaranteeing business in advance, but I'm happy to take my money elsewhere.
The service was very poor too. It took 10 minutes for someone to serve me, despite there being 3 staff in the bar area and only 3 other customers at the bar - they seemed to prioritise drink orders from the restaurant over people standing at the bar. During my 10 minutes waiting, the manager twice came to the bar to chat to her friend, and the girl who eventually served me took time out to kiss her waiter boyfriend beforehand.
I echo many other comments on here - such a shame to see a unique old pub being treated this way.
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For those who believe Maida vale needed a "modern dining room" cack-handedly plonked onto a one time beautiful pub, then this is truly the right place for you.
For those who actually like pubs, as opposed to treating them as a fashion accessory, they might want to try some less annoying establishments. The nearby Bridge House and Clifton have a good young crowd without being filled with the likes of Tarquin, Rocket and Jemima.
anonymous - 16 Jun 2007 18:51 |
I use to pop in here after work back when it was a "real" pub ie. smelly, dirty, old men and young kids playing pool in the back.
Now work brings me back round to maida vale, I love the change, - at last its been given the acknowledgement it deserves. One of the last old gin bars around still intact.
Someone has put some love into the old girl. Really like the way they opened the ceiling in the old pool hall to show the skylight and turned it into a modern dining room, just what maida vale needs, good food not to pricy and not to poncey.
Love the fact that the bar is now a twenties bar with funky music and some of the staff even funkier!- mad, all having fun. great atmosphere.
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love it!
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All I can do is echo other comments: once one of London's most impressive pubs ruined by an unsympathetic extension and clientele who make drinking here frequently less than endearing. Shame.
Lots of reviews here only talking about the restaurant bit, too. Still, good to see they're catering for babies; and there�s me thinking pubs were for grown-ups!
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I am very amused by many of the comments on this site. We have been regular customers for many years and always receive excellent service and fantastic food. They are very thoughtful and even offered to warm our babies bottle without asking. The staff are fun and enthusiastic despite being incredibly busy.
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I agree with a lot of the comments
I am not sure what it is trying to be now.Used to live on Sutherland Avenue and would often pop in on the way home for a game of pool or to play on the quiz machines.The layout now doesnt make any sense the pub bit is like a waiting area to go into the restaurant.Very disappointing.
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The Prince Alfred has recently been sold to Young & Cos Brewery. They'll probably be looking towards building an up-market clientele with an emphasis on quality food.
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Went there yesterday for a spot of lunch with some friends after a couple of visitis in times gone by. Pub seems to have changed hands. Full restauarant menu no longer available in the bar. I had roast pork, which was great (tho we had to ask for crackling), but so it should be at almost fourteen quid. Bangers & mash a dissapointment, mainly due to miniscule amount of mash. Only real ale is Young's. Staff friendly enough, but on a whole seems to have slipped somewhat.
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This pub was much nicer before they did it up. It now looks really odd cos it is traditional on one side and modern on the other. In case you don't know the history, the booths are so people could drink privately in the olden days without having to mix with other classes etc and the little doors were for the serving people to go through.
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This pub is just all wrong. I don't know how it was before, but the snugs just feel completely out of place, like they've been taken out of a cosy, convivial, darkened boozer and stuck into someone's giant conservatory. There's just no point in having traditional pub features if they jar so noticeably with what is basically the decor of a modern restaurant.
As for the clientele... you'd get more variety in a cloning factory. One of the nice things about going to the pub is to be surrounded by people from all walks of life, but here, if you're not a wealthy 25-34 couple (baby optional), forget it - you're in danger of being suffocated by the all-pervading air of smugness as you walk in through the door. Add to that overpriced and unpalatable bar food, and you have precicely zero reasons for ever wanting to go back again.
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Used to be a good boozer this! Loved the little cubby holes when I lived round the corner from it in the late 90s. I bet it's been ponced up now like most of the pubs in the world! Oh Well! Anyone fancy popping round mine for a couple of cans in the garden?
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Like the previous reviewer says it is a bit poncey but the food was excellent and V.Good value for money. The table service was excellent, well worth a visit but if your eating make sure you book.
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sounds like a broken record,...but "used to be better" before it was hit with the poncey stick,...try as they did though,..they couldnt totally fck the pubs infrastructure,..so its still a nice looking place,..but be careful of the breeze from all the air kissing in the restaurant area...
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Authentic Victorian pub as it should be. Although I am not too sure about the posh, brightly lit eatery at the back. Good beer and quite fun otherwise. Check it out - at least for the snugs.
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A real quirky pub, with it's little passages, well worth a visit.
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Nice bar. Interesting progress between panelled snugs by clambering through 3 foot doorways. Dining room serves good food.
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Wooden throughout with a clock over the ornate carved bar that's always stuck at 10.30 for some reason. Very popular being one of the best pubs in the area, so not always possible to find a chair, but well worth a visit and has the Formosa restaurant bolted on which will provide a quality meal for two for around �40 excluding wine which is available from a short but well chosen list.
anonymous - 5 Dec 2004 15:26 |
this pub rocks. the staff are superior and managed by a particularly good looking red-head. the menu is exquisite and the lager cold as ice. highly recommended. Cheers!
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Weird place, made up of a series of little wood panelled snugs with tiny connecting doors that you actually have to bend double (or triple in some cases) to duck through, which is mildly entertaining. Like Alice in Wonderland. The staff are friendly enough. Nicest pub we've found in the area since we moved offices there, and we've tried lots! Restaurant bit down the other end looked OK.
Sue - 28 Sep 2004 10:27 |
this is a great pub - feels like a local but looks like a palace. friendly fast service and good food at attached restaurant. The unique interior means it always impresses visitors who think all London pubs look like the Queen Vic
jim - 6 Apr 2004 17:22 |
Horribly pseudish and poseurish. Avoid - although W9 is not well-served with Boozers, there are a number of clearly superior alternatives about.
grecian - 29 Dec 2003 11:23 |
I loved this pub. When I spent the semester in London (I am from the States), my flatemates and I lived on Sutherland Avenue and we frequented The Alfred often. I miss it so much, especially watching the guys play pool and drinking fine English and Irish beer. Cheers.
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This pub is a great for the winter time. The attached restaurant serves excellent food.
Rowan - 12 Sep 2003 16:06 |
This is my fave gaff in London, Maida Vale boozers are poor but The Alfred makes up for it.
shearer9 - 25 Jun 2003 16:06 |
A very fine pub...known for its 'compartmentalised bar'. Basically the bar is devided into four parts with access via miniature doorways. The decor of the pub is traditional but very smart. Capex has been high.
simon - 1 Mar 2003 21:40 |
