please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
I picked a very wet day to check out some pubs in the St James's area, not unusual in the 2015 crawl as nearly every day was wet. The problem with wet days is that folk who might not normally use pubs seek shelter in them & the pub fills with steaming ancients/shoppers/tourists looking down their noses at the lower orders while ordering tea & coffee & taking their time doing it. This pub, like the Chequers & Three Crowns nearby were probably quite fine places but it was impossible to assess calmly. I'll try to pick a fine day (if there is one) next year.
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This used to be the venue of choice for work drinks at a former company I worked for on Pall Mall.
Never spent a full evening there but regularly stopped off for a couple on a Friday. The pub gets very busy however, the staff here are efficient and serve you in order as opposed to just serving the person who looks like they are going to spend the most.
Pub has nice period features such as stained glass but has quite a trendy feel to it. There is additional space upstairs including a balcony that overlooks King Street which is popular with smokers when the weather is warmer.
They have 3-4 ales on which includes tipples such a Trumans and other easy to find ales. Beers are generally in good condition.
They do have a few high tables outside but you have to get there really early to get one. Mostly people just stand in the passageway.
You will have to sometimes put up with groups of braying toffs who work for the local asset management companies however, this is In keeping with the area. You will also sometimes get bothered by an old soak who is on the ponce but again, this is what you come to expect in London. All in all, a nice little boozer.
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Fantastic little gem! I was taken there after a meeting nearby and was charmed by the lovely building and the friendliness of the staff. It was a busy Thursday night yet service was fast and though the outside area was very crowded the atmosphere was friendly, I'll certainly return again.
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Interesting pub right in the centre of St James's. As it's a bit further away from Piccadilly Circus it is very much a local office worker's sort of place. I think it's a free house and range of beer was pretty good (although can't remember as I'd had a few earlier on!). A pretty good place for a stop-off if you're doing a crawl around this part of London. 7
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I love it in here except for it shutting at 5 on a saturday. My uncle like to eat crisps in this clean authentic pub.
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Yesterday afternoon the bar staff would not let my 7-month pregnant wife sit down. Pathetic.
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I just went to go for lunch in this pub today. I ordered the special (thai chicken curry). I was still waiting 45 minutes later. Staff refunded the money no problem and were quite polite etc. Would not recommend the place forlunch though!
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Very narrow inside with limited seating consisting of a few high tables with stools and a drinking shelf opposite the bar on a side wall. I liked the leaded windows with the stained glass inserts including the golden lion motif in the curved front bay. Further windows above the shelf face onto the side passage. The bar is attractive with carved detail and a green tiled gantry with flower/leaf designs. There is what appears to be a Royal coat of arms on the side wall next to the bar almost hidded from view. I'm not aware what the significance of this is unless someone nips in now and again for a sharpener or two!
Two banks of handpumps, in three's. The choice of two was repeated, being Twickenham Grandstand and Gales Seafarers, with the third reversed.
I didn't visit the upstairs theatre bar.
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Tried to call in here tonight as was in area to say best wishes to new Manager, as she was AM at my local in N1. However told it was closed at 9:30 pm. Pity, but I suppose they must be minting it if they don't need my custom...
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Beer in good shape on my visit - TEA and Adnam's Old Ale - there is a bar upstairs, a relaxing place during the late afternoon. Down to earth and worth dropping in to if you are in the area.
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As previously stated a very attractive pub from the outside with exquisite lead lined windows with the large bow front being the centre piece. Then a dark wood panelled interior which, although probably not original, still gives the place a very traditional feel. Not very big inside but benefits from the covered passage way outside for outside drinking.
Beers on during my visit were Sharps Doombar and Red Ale, Admans Green beer and one other I cannot now remember, and the Adnams green Ale made a pleasant change.
All in all liked this place and probably preferred it to the other Lion in the nearby Crown passage, but it�s a very close thing..
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TEA and Harvey's Best were in excellent shape. The latter far better than the CAMRA fetishised Harvey's shop The Royal Oak Tabard Street. My man commented this beer could not be in better shape to be judged if you like it or not.
The Seafarers was less good but I suspect that is the beer.
The TFA Strong and Dark has acquired some chocolate, chicory and coffee notes since another of my boys told the administrator it lack character.
Staff were attentive and I would recommend it as a stopping place for a quick pint or three.
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Tiny place with a very impressive exterior particularly the windows. Inside is a little spartan with only a few higher bar type tables and a few stools against the ledge on the wall. Beer selection slightly odd with Doom Bar, Pride plus Jack Frost and some kind of super strength Santa based ale from the Hogsback Brewery (7.5% so I'd suggest going easy on that one).
Very much off the beaten track particularly on the weekends
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Very attractive exterior aspect, including an extraordinary �bowed� lead light frontage with picked coloured glasswork; I can only imagine it originally curved around an interior pillar (and the ceiling markings may support that). Enter to dark wood panelling, bar to left with old tiled raised surround, bar-back of wood and etched mirrors. Nice large arched windows opposite bar, flush-bolted to each side, but unfortunate mock panelling in centre with poor finish & wrongly directed grain bringing a damning verdict from my carpenter pal. Peripheral tall tables & window drinking ledges, decent soundtrack � Lennon Come Together, then mellow jazzy blues. I failed to investigate the upstairs �Theatre Bar� but the ground level was small but very nicely formed, quiet Sat pm. Pint of TT Landlord & halves of London Porter & HogsBack TEA came to �6.30 (my round, ouch!), the halves were in very good nick, but the pint was pretty average, Pride was the other beer on tap.
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This is not a nicholsons pub as stated by rexRattus, its a capital pub co pub. the red lion around the corner is the Nicholsons. The Golden lion was 1/2 full when we arrived, we both had guinness , was served in good condition and well settled. staff were ok , worth a visit when in the area
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The last call on a mini crawl of St James's /Mayfair tonight. Not bad but surprisingly uncrowded which might be saying something. The Hog's Back Summer Ale was delicious but I wouldn't have bracketed it with other summer ales. I was a bit irked when the barmaid cleared my glass away when I was paying a call of nature and I hadn't finished my drink.
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This is a fairly small Nicholson�s pub. It features some rather impressive leaded lights windows, but it was not clear to me whether they were original features or a more modern addition. It also had an unusual tiled gantry which was no doubt a fairly modern addition. But it�s a nice enough little pub with some fairly decent ale � Sharpe�s Doom Bar; London Pride and Hogsback Summer Ale (I had the Sharp�s Doom Bar, which was fine). The only really negative point for me was the fact that the only seating was high stools around either ledges by the windows or high tables. I just don�t like this type of seating, but that is just my opinion � I suppose there must be some valid marketing justification for it as the trend seems to be spreading. OK for a pint if you happen to be passing, but it won�t become one of my regular haunts � The Red Lion round the corner in Crown Passage is much better.
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It's a lovely old-style pub, I was a regular but the current management disappoints me. The staff is not dressed appropriately given the area, some of my collegues have had avoidable arguments with the manager, the food and the drinks are now too expensive. All the friendly atmosphere of last year seems gone
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A big disappointment! Service was apalling. Two blokes behind the bar but only one seemed to be doing anything. Wasn't that busy but took ages to get served. Beer average to say the least. Will not be returning.
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Excellent traditional London boozer.
The "T.E.A" (Traditional English Ale) was in fine form when we went for a Friday lunchtime birthday bash.
Superb, friendly service and good pub food.
Wholly recommend this place.
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I love this pub. Location is excellent, choice of smoking and non-smoking rooms, beer is good and their Aberdeen Angus burger is the best I have ever had. Staff are, usually, friendly and service is good. However, on my last visit I was a bit disappointed: one of the barmaids was, probably, in a bad mood because we (customers!) arrived and disturbed her watching a recording of her wedding ceremony.
I think that, when an English pub chain employs people who grew up in another country (especially in Eastern Europe), it should give them proper training in the English way of life and in how to be friendly and polite. Otherwise, our wonderful pubs could finish up as Soviet communal canteens�
I am a foreigner myself: I was born and grew up in the former Soviet Union and know whereof I speak. London is a wonderful multi cultural experience � the Capital of the World � and the Pub, an institution I�ve come to love, is quintessentially English and should remain so.
dwlaw - 23 Sep 2006 21:02 |
Nice traditional pub in the heart of St James - badged as a Nicholsons pub. ( Not far from The Red Lion in nearby Crown Passage, which is highly recommended )
Beer in the White Lion was on good form, pricey as might be expected given the location, hence I took exception to being served short measure - not far short of an inch !
Beware - you have been warned
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