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Cove, Covent Garden

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user reviews of the Cove, Covent Garden

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

I have just discovered that this bar has closed (it appears to be a posh chocolate shop now). Bit of a sad loss - yes it was touristy and you can get the pasties anywhere nowadays, but there was something slightly quaint and individual about the old bar with its Cornish beers and the upper seating area overlooking the piazza.
Shame!
mcroyal - 5 Jan 2012 12:21
Yet another pub bites the dust! Closed down as part of 'gentrifiication' of Covent Garden. Premises is to become an upmarket restaurant.

Was one of the better pubs in Covent Garden. Like a traditional pub, and never got too full of tourists. Was pricey though. �5 a pint. Served Proper Job, and Skinners ales, which seem hard to find in London.

altdorfs - 8 May 2011 13:04
Sorry, but I won't miss this place. Yes, it was a good outlet for Cornish beers such as St Austell and Skinners, but the praise stops there. It was ultimately a cramped tourist trap, selling expensive booze in the middle of Covent Garden. The West Cornall Pasty shop is no great loss either. The franchise is ubiquitous in London now.
Misk. - 12 Feb 2011 17:56
Sad to relate that the Cove has GONE! Wandered past yesterday and the pasty shop that was below was completely stripped of everything. A woman who was inside the ex-pasty shop told me that the lease has expired and the pub had closed. Apparently this had happened fairly recently.

Despite the extortionate prices I will miss the Cove. The Skinners beers were always well-kept and the Proper Job on my last visit was good too.
GrahamA - 15 Jan 2011 07:15
Always manage to get a seat or at least a step to sit on, so a favourite in the area for this alone. Good beers, friendly staff, but recently �4.20 a pint. Bit steep.
samphirehoe - 30 Nov 2010 21:29
I have a soft spot for the Cove, but paying �4 for a pint, as I did last night, is always a bit much.
Usual case too, that by 9.30pm, several beers had run out.
Still a better option than most places round Covent Garden way, and if you want a pasty, buy it in the shop downstairs and bring it in with you, rather than being fleeced at the bar.
duchyjim - 31 Oct 2010 13:46
Truly amazing... Cornish theme is different but �4 for a pint of ale... and not particulary good or special.... gobsmacked!!
SgtPepper - 18 Oct 2010 01:09
Been in here many times but walked out yesterday before being served. Bloke at the bar was told to pay 4.60 for a pint of bitter and a pint of Peroni...then the barman told him he had made a mistake....it was 8.60...a bit steep really and though this was probably down to the Peroni I did not want to find out the price of a pint and white wine....probably in excess of 8 pound.
MSE12 - 25 Apr 2010 12:47
Although I have visited before, I was surpised that I was asked for �4 for a pint of Proper Job!
Roberttherailway - 20 Feb 2010 21:07
I've always liked the cove, it's a nice little hideaway that feels like a local in the middle of a tourist hot spot, with nice ale, comfy seating and a lovely balcony to watch the street performers, but why has the music recently become so bloody awful?!
RiffRaff - 11 Sep 2009 12:40
This is a brilliant little hideaway. I've not been for a few months now, but I'd say �3.50 is an ok price to pay for a very touristy part of Central London.

The beer and service has always been top notch.

Some people here obviously just like to moan. It's small, it's in Central London, but it's an oasis.
I_love_Ellie - 9 Sep 2009 12:23
I recently returned to The Cove for the first time for quite a while, and was gobsmacked to find that I was being charged �3.60 for a *lager shandy*. It wasn`t even a pint of 100% beer. The prices have risen dramatically across the board, including, it seems the food. Even by West End standards, that was a tad steep.

Very disappointed.
Welshbeard - 8 Sep 2009 14:04
Despite various revies to the contrary, I visited the cove again yesteday lunchtime, and Enjoyed Skinners Betty Stogs, my favourite beer, which was kept in top condition. However, prices seem to have risen from the resonably modest �2.90 a pint to �3.50 in little over a year. Well worth a visit however, for the range of Skinners and St Austell brews available. Maybe a Sharps beer would improve it still further?
ahscum - 14 May 2009 14:29
I went to this pub a couple of days back with a mate I meet up with a few times a year. We got there about 5:30 so the tourist cliental was off its peak and the post-work cliental was on its way. Managed to get a seat on the balcony and it is a nice place to sup a pint and look down on the hustle and bustle of the world. Pint of Tribute was excellent, but you don�t often find a pub with St Austell Brewery fare on sale very often, so we thought we would try the �Proper Job�. It looked and tasted exactly the same as the �Tribute�. I then thought I try the �Clouded Yellow� (a wheat beer) and when that came up looking and tasting the same as Tribute I complained. It turned out that they only had Tribute and all three taps were the same. They still charged the wheat beer price until I complained. Nice through the Tribute was I was really pissed off that they just didn�t say up front that they only had the one beer.
GEPC - 3 May 2009 10:37
I�ve been to Covent Garden more times than I care to remember and I�ve not noticed this place before, which is a shame as even with its faults I really liked it. The bouncer on the door didn�t seem that keen on letting me in, but once I had bought a pasty from the lovely girl in the attached shop he seemed to change his tune and welcomed me in. I�ve since gleaned that this place is the West Cornwall Pasty Co�s Cove Bar, which explains a lot.

After scaling the stairs I found myself in what seemed like a loft with wooden beams and pillars and a few chairs and comfy stools placed for maximum capacity. It was comfortably busy unlike the upstairs area in the Punch and Judy which is always rammed solid. I think that the balcony area overlooking the piazza is smaller, but again it is much more comfortable as there are not people jostling for position.

The only ale that had not run out from the five hand pumps was Tribute, but I really enjoyed drinking this at a table whilst listening to the Gypsy Kings and eating my pasty. I didn�t so much enjoy my visit to the toilet as there seems to only be a ladies and a gent�s cubicle, which is not enough. I�d hate to imagine what the queue is like when it gets busy.

The next time I am up town and start to get the hunger pangs I will certainly make my way here again.
Strongers - 28 Apr 2009 10:43
Well at least the full range of ales was on when I returned - and an excellent range it is too, including the fantastic 'Proper Job'. But I think the recent inconsistencies have affected this place's trade big time. Very quiet. The prices probably don't help either! Still a very nice outpost for Kernow ales, when it works... I fear the credit cruch may be squeeze them a bit though if they don't sort out the frequent ale shortages and the prices....
GeoffK - 12 Jan 2009 10:30
Neat setup and nice if you can get a seat on the balcony, but they were out of every ale except Guinness when we were there.
psark - 9 Jan 2009 00:59
Didn't have any problem getting served lat night as there were hardly any customers. I've never seen this pub so empty! The beer was in fine condition - especially the St Austell 'Proper Job'. The price - at �3.60 a pint was a sobering experience though.

This pub is always a nice warm spot in which to nestle on a cold, cold evening.
GrahamA - 8 Jan 2009 11:48
Well........ a difficult one to rate. Was up in London at the weekend and popped in here. In terms of the ale, 'Proper Job' was just outstanding, beautifully kept and one of the best pints I've ever had. Betty Stoggs was also outstanding. Great building, beer and location, BUT like so many other comments on here the service was utterly appauling - unhelpful staff who really don't care. I guess that given its location they don't need to worry about repeat custom. Must mention the loo's are the filthy too.
9 out of 10 for the beer, building and location, 2 out of 10 for the staff and loos!
lordcheese - 2 Dec 2008 11:02
I AM NOT RETURNING HERE UNTIL THE CURRENT, USELESS MANAGEMENT & STAFF LEAVE AND THIS PUB IS RESTORED TO ITS FORMER EXCELLENCE!

Thought I'd give this pub one last chance, and popped in for a pint around 5pm after a day's Xmas shopping. The GOOD news is that there were 2 ales on, including the superb Cornish Knocker. BUT...

.... there were 4 (F-O-U-R) staff behind the bar & I was the only one waiting to be served. However none (N-O-N-E) of them could be bothered to serve me :-( . Indeed, two of them even looked straight at me, then went back to chatting amongst themselves *grr* . So I've had enough! *sigh*
Darren_in_the_City - 30 Nov 2008 14:18
I don't know if we were lucky or if the pub has improved but last Thursday they had Tribute, Betty Stoggs, Cornish Knocker and Proper Job. Tried them all and they were pretty good, especially the Tribute. The barmaid was from Truro and happily gave us full pints with a smile and friendly chat. The cornish pasties were excellent. A great view of the street performers perhaps explains the rather expensive �3.60 a pint. But we stayed for four pints so we must have liked it!
dagenhamdave - 16 Sep 2008 21:15
I too visited a couple of weeks ago to find no real ales on. It's a real shame, but I would tend to agree that this place seem to be on the slide...
GeoffK - 4 Jun 2008 18:02
THIS PUB HAS GONE TO THE DOGS *GRR*. Turn up at 5pm on a Friday night - NO real ales, not even the Skinners Lager!! A disgrace!! These new oweners have RUINED a great pub :-(
Darren_in_the_City - 31 May 2008 14:01
I love The Cove; the pasties are delicious, and not heated to the nigh-on molten lava temperatures that the West Cornwall Pasty Company shops usually work to. The real ale is lovely, and a great complement to the pasties. The terrace is a great spot to people-watch, eat and drink, and be sociable, on a warm summers day. The downside is, as virtually every other poster has commented, the ridiculously loud music (totally unnecessary for such a small pub), and occasionally having to wait quite some time to be served. Please, owners - take note!
Welshbeard - 30 Apr 2008 10:14
I first came here in the summer of 2006. It was a nice pub, where you could have a good chat with friends and the service was perfectly fine. Since then, I presume the ownership has changed hands. It now plays crap music at the highest volume, which means you'll be lucky to have a conversation with yourself let alone anyone else. Above all, the service here is absoulutely ridiculous. You will no doubt find yourself standing at the bar for 4 or 5 minutes whilst the bar staff chat amongst themselves. A terrible waste of a fantastic location. There are several beter pubs in the area, go somewhere else.
lordbeardy - 13 Mar 2008 00:10
Oh dear, what has ahppened to this pub? :-( Went in a couple of weeks ago and just one of the real ales was on - how can they not be prepared on a Friday evening!?!?! And the staff were useless - whoever served me couldn't understand that I did NOT want a pint that was 30% head.

Went back in yesterday, and was pleased to see the beer was good again. BUT staff still useles.. When I arrived there were 4 peopel behind the var - 1 serving, 1 sorting out a barrel, and the other 2 just standing around gassing. And rather than serve the growing queue, they just wandered off.....

So have downgraded this former oasis from a magnificent 10 to an average 6. :-(

PS: The nearby "Essex Arms" has a sign saying that is Covent Garden's "best kept secret" (sic) - er, no that woudl be the Cove as it's a real bugger to find the first time ;-)

Darren_in_the_City - 23 Nov 2007 15:25
Busy spot. Staff a bit inattentive. Good selection of Cornish Ale. Met a really interesting academic from Cornwall and had a lovelly nice long chat. Its worth a visit.
jbarnes - 4 Nov 2007 19:43
Gave this place a go yesterday while killing time in London. Was happy enough to find it as the address didn't make sense, just look out for the West Country pasty shop.

4 ales on while I was thee, 2 Skinners and 2 St Austell. Had he Proper Job and an Ice Blonde whih were both ok. Wasn't too packed as it was Saturday afternoon and the service was fine.

Good if you want to watch some entertainment in Covent Garden but you will still be asked for cash!


GuideDogSaint - 28 Oct 2007 11:39
Paid my latest visit to this Pub on Friday, when it was absolutely packed solid. Music was exceptionally loud, but service seemed fine. Four or five staff all doing their best to make sure evryone got served quickly. Still five Cornish ales, from Skinners and St Austell Breweries. However, the latter Brewery's HSD has now been replaced with their 'Proper Job IPA, a good improvement in my opinion. One thing that would improve the cove still further would be to introduce a berrs from Sharps of Cornwall, such as Doombar or Own. Here's hoping!
ahscum - 21 Oct 2007 15:06
Lovely St. Austell Tribute unfortunately served by probably the worst staff in central London. Completely uninterested, slow, unhelpful and rude - customer service doesn't seem to exist in this place anymore. My gran could do a better job and she's been dead ten years.
TheBeerMonkey - 3 Oct 2007 13:51
I loved this place. Being a music lover and a real ale fan this was perfect. Never heard of the venue until my colleague introduced me last Friday for a beer there. We ended up staying a good 4 hours and 6 pints later!!! Cornish beer - great. Skinners and St Austall. The bar staff were plesent but needed a bit of training when pouring that perfect pint from a cask.

One for my future list!!!
andrewkitney1973 - 25 Aug 2007 18:42
Absolutely loved this place. Great ales, great music, a great mix of people (mainly student types)and the atmosphere was fantastic. I can't see how people can find faults with this place. I love the fact you have to go through a pasty shop to get in as well, a quirky touch.
Thebman - 24 Jun 2007 14:11
great pub but managers and staff is unexperienced they dont know what does it mean customer service , most of the staff is very ignorant , where is the old staff with experience ?
i used to enjoy my pint of beer there but not anymore
anonymous - 11 Apr 2007 07:22
This place had somehow a change in management and it's not a friendly place as was used to be.

I've been kicked out of the pub after asking to lower the music a couple of times as it was impossible to speak with friends.
I was forced to shout to order the beer and I stated "you can't understand me if you carry on with this volume of the music".
All the people in front of the bar were forced to move to other rooms to speak with their mates!

After asking the address of the owner/place to write a complain letter they kicked me out.

Unbelievable poor service and the manager is not capable to understand what's customer service is about. I doubt she's able to manage the place too as I found unusually empty for a Friday eve (it was used to be packed!).

We'll come back to the place once the management changes.
anonymous - 27 Jan 2007 14:43
Enjoyable 'one-off' pub. Decent selection of Cornish ales (mainly from the St Austell brewery), though my beer was too warm this evening. The prices were reasonable (�1.35 for a half; the Lamb & Flag down the road was �1.40 and that doesn't have any USP)

However, as noted on previous posts, this place has a cramped interior which means that it's not great for meeting friends or for having relaxed chat. And getting a beer from the crowded bar is like trying to get prise a bar heater off an eskimo.

Well worth sampling once for the balcony view over Covent Garden, or for taking a foriegn guest.
Quinno - 10 Jan 2007 00:00
Great pub. Great beer. Shame about the needlessly rude and ignorant door staff.
anonymous - 3 Jan 2007 16:34
A return visit for quality control purposes. Lack of control meant that I had to repeatedly check the quality just to make sure. Same excellent selection of beers with the Betty Stogs from skinners being absolutely top notch. Once of the best Pubs in Londom, and along with the Harp, the best in and around covent garden
ahscum - 1 Jan 2007 17:06
A small pub right in the heart of Covent Garden, so it can get very very busy. Pleasant atmosphere inside, though, and it does a good range of Cornish ale. If you can get a seat out on the balcony it is very pleasant. They also serve pretty good pasties. Although crowded and touristy, this pub's a good bet.
Crow_Valley - 7 Nov 2006 21:03
Not that easy to find when you don't read the gen info above. Once inside, great beer (Betty Stogs & Tribute sampled) and a nice feel of Cornish charm albeit somewhat contrived. Yes it's small but perfectly formed, unlike the loos which are small with dodgy locks and several steps down (not good after too many). Too busy last night to enjoy the balcony but not too busy to sit inside. Staff friendly enough even though command of English was not top drawer. I'd recommend this one. Will try again early July and see how things are with full on summer crowds and even hotter sunny weather (or is that a joke?)
Harlap - 8 Jun 2006 14:36
Beer selection interesting but always far too full on weekends so I've never actually stopped for a drink
anonymous - 31 May 2006 14:31
Ok plus points for this place, good looking friendly staff, good beers well kept and poured and yes the balcony gives you a good view of the plaza. On the negative side this is in fact a loft and a small one at that. There is so little room in here that it would feel crowded even if you were the only customer. You enter/leave by way of a staircase which is parallel to the bar so when queuing for a drink and I mean queuing you end up doing an insane sort of dance swaying this way and that to avoid comings, goings, spilt drinks and Americans with over sized umbrellas. Also there are only two toilets which means you queue again. After just a few minutes in this place I was forced to scream � I�m a customer get me out of here�
anonymous - 28 May 2006 11:14
Nice beer. Great location. Small but just got seats at 5pm on Monday. Big negative was ridiculously loud music. We had to go elsewhere to hear ourselves talk, even before getting to try a pasty! Without the music would score a 7, but frankly unusable as a place to meet people. Shame.
Joffee - 24 Apr 2006 22:02
Visited this pub yesterday based on previous reviews. The location is great and the pub itself, although small and crowded, is surprisingly comfortable. Good selection of beers and the added bonus of being able to order a pasty to go with them!
Oolybel - 22 Apr 2006 10:36
Still great! And the Betty Stoggs was delicious :-)

10/10. (And still fun to look at the saddos over at the pisspoor Punch and Judy)
Darren_in_the_City - 13 Apr 2006 11:06
I love this place, it's got the lot. Upstairs, a terrific range of 5 constant & well-drawn Westcountry Ales (St Austall's Tribute; HSD; Skinners Cornish Knocker Ale, Betty Stoggs Bitter; & Weiss Bier); A balcony, complete with outdoor heaters, with a cracking view over the Covent Garden Plaza for people-watching & overlooking the street 'entertainers'; A West Cornwall Pasty Shop downstairs with all the exotic fillings you could think of, available for eating in the pub or for takeaway after you've finished your session (Pork & Cider is my fav); And an awful lot of varied & interesting clientele, as you would expect in this part of London. (Plus the missus likes it too) Always worth a stop-in at any time of the week.
young_camra_collectiv - 2 Apr 2006 18:22
Tried it on the strength of previous reviews and weren't disappointed. All that's been said before is absolutely spot-on and it's a surprising oasis in that area. The Betty Stoggs and the Tribute weren't great as it happened, but maybe we caught it on a bad day. Busy of course, but not packed and service was quick and prices reasonable. Pretty Good!
junior_idiot - 11 Dec 2005 21:34
As said elsewhere, it is fake beams/cornish and nothing like a cornish local. But they have a good (Cornish) real ale range - 5 on - kept well. And they even will do tasters if you are not sure which one to start with. (Perhaps as the staff do not seem to know the beers?)

Prices for the area very good - under �3 a pint. Also good view over the piazza and nightlife, althou chilly this time of year on the balcony. Added advantage for the way home is being above the pasty shop, you can still buy one, as the shop is still open! A rare change...
zakman - 23 Nov 2005 13:57
It should firstly be pointed out that the Cove is situated in Covent Garden, one of London�s premier tourist areas. It should therefore be not be a surprise to note that the bar is a somewhat cynical touristy recreation of a traditional Cornish smugglers inn. The bar itself is accessed through a Cornish Pasty shop at ground level and is easy to miss (I have been walking past it for 18 months without giving it a second glance and only really found out about it from this web site). The Bar itself is made out to look like an old boat (maybe it was, but I doubt it) and leads to a further 2 small drinking. The surroundings may be fake but it is comfortable and they have done a good effort to try and make it feel authentic. Unfortunatley there is nothing that can be done to replace the local opera singers and street entertainers with the sound of the sea crashing over the rocks at Lizard Point so an amount of poetic imagination is required. The walls have a nautical theme with portholes, pictures of washed up ships and old sea captain murals. The seats are a strange combination of comfy chairs, cushioned cubes and sturdy low bar stools. There is an outside veranda overlooking the piazza where there is always a healthy throng of tourists watching the street entertainers. The big plus about this place is the beers. They have 5 Cornish Ales on hand pump (including a wheat beer) and they are reasonably priced considering you are in such a tourist trap. There are 2 or 3 standard lagers and Scrumpy Jack cider for the non Real Ale buffs. One small gripe is the annoying habit of bar staff handing your change over with a receipt on a plate expecting you to leave a tip. They wouldn�t dream of it in Cormwall!
RogerB - 25 Oct 2005 15:20
Got in early via the pasty shop and had an excellent pint of Betty Stoggs whilst sitting out in the sun on the balcony watching the strained attempts of the performers to generate a crowd which they hope can be persuaded to put hands in pockets for 14.5 minutes of blather & 30 seconds of uncertain action...NOW THATS ENTERTAINMENT!
EdgarBriggsMI5 - 21 Sep 2005 21:07
I love this pub. Mainly because St Austell beer is among the finest in the land, particularly Tribute. Have had some great nights in this absolute cupboard of a place. Gets rammed but is still better than the Punch and Judy. Which is pap.

Toilets are a laugh. Beware the open window....
Beermeup - 20 Sep 2005 13:19
good idea this, a cornish themed pub. must admit i've toyed with the idea myself a bit....ditched it eventually and went for the herefordshire theme. if you're in covent garden anytime soon maybe come and check out my rutland-style boozer.
tanderson7 - 16 Sep 2005 13:34
Nice Cornish beers in this small upstairs pub. If you are lucky enough to get a seat on the little balcony on a sunny day it can be a great place to watch people go by.
edrok666 - 15 Aug 2005 20:30
Entered the Cove at 11:01 a.m. for my first pint after a long trans-Atlantic flight. Barman was extremely friendly, pouring tasters of all 2 real ales (St. Austells' Tribure & HSD and Skinner's Betty Stogs and Cornish Knocker). Opted for the Tribute which was fairly good. Cornish pasties were great. Worth a look if your hanging around the 'garden'.
ale_brewer - 13 Aug 2005 21:53
Still a top destination but the beer quality was a bit suspect on Friday night. However I always would prefer this to the Punch and Judy opposite.
GrahamA - 13 Aug 2005 21:12
Best (only?) selection of Cornish beers in the capital.
BigPete - 12 Aug 2005 17:12
I always make a point of visiting this place when in London's a sunny day you can sit on the balcony watching the performers doing their stuff below.Eye candy behind the bar is worth the trip alone,always different,always top totty & polite,the steep stairs are a bit on an effort when exiting after a few beers,a risk worth taking,it can be a little claustrophobic
glenn468008 - 20 Jun 2005 20:55
Very true about the waitresses. What an eyeful! Decent beers, decent food, lovely place in general. Except when people get impatient waiting for the toilet. There's only the one so they bang on the door while you're tinkling away. I have to have another couple of beers to calm my nerves.
PeterGoodman - 16 Jun 2005 21:53
Surprisingly well hidden pub right in the heart of Covent Garden Piazza. I daren't think of how many times I'd walked past this place and never noticed it, hidden as it is above a cornish pasty shop. Worth the time to check it out though, as the beer is good and reasonably priced and is served by pleasant and quick bar staff. Crowded and cramped inside but gorgeously atmospheric decor still made it a pleasant enough environment. Balcony is your best bet, but beware that you may struggle to find enough space to raise your elbow to drink whilst watching the street performers(not a euphamism for prostitutes!) below and just generally people watching. Nice on a sunny evening though. The pasties from downstairs are excellent and can be delivered to your table, the traditional is lovely as you would expect but for heathens that would tamper with the sanctity of a traditional pasty; the lamb & mint ones are very nice too.
Mr.Monkfish - 31 May 2005 10:42
Hidden Pub with selection of well kept, if somewhat cold, Cornish ales from Skinners and St Austell. Extensive pasty menu available and balcony from where you can watch the street performers. One of the best Pubs i've visited in London and reasonably priced beer at �2.60 a pint
ahscum - 30 May 2005 11:28
Considering its prime location and the amount of tourists who frequent it this is not a bad pub with very friendly staff and good pasties. OK, the beer is nothing special but still a good atmosphere and view over the Piazza.
Knocker - 24 May 2005 17:32
Finally discovered the location of this pub - and it was well worth the wait! Definitely one of the top 10 best pubs in the whole of London!!! Serves excellent and varied range of Cornish beer (Betty Stoggs Bitters was gorgeous) - and food .If you're lucky enough you can sit out on the balcony and enjoy the sunshine & street entertainment (for free ;-) ); and look across at the saddos in the piss-poor Punch & Judy. 8/10
Darren_in_the_City - 29 Mar 2005 16:44
I like this pub a lot. Being in covent garden it aint cheap - but they have a pasty bar downstairs, beat that. The steak and guinness pasty was very nice if somewhat expesnive, given the size. The cornish beers are all very nice. Does get PACKED however - all days of the week so i'm told.
spleen978 - 10 Feb 2005 14:53
This is an awesome pub. Cosy inside, cool balcony. Great range of brews, all pretty decent quality.
Fantastic location in the square. Pasties sold downstairs are tremendous. Also close to a great cigar shop.

And, being in Covent Garden, also close to other great watering holes such as the porterhouse, if you're looking for a change of venue/beer/pace.
eccentric_man - 4 Feb 2005 15:25
They serve HSD - enough said! Get there early in the summer to bag a balcony table and sit back and enjoy the surroundings with good beer and table service from the pasty shop downstairs.
Richard - 9 Nov 2004 10:04
Sort of a theme pub, I suppose, a tower in Covent Garden market made to look like a Cornish tin-mine.

They do have some good Cornish beers, though, and having oily pastry products on sale down-stairs seems a bit unfair. The Knocker is good but they do serve it a bit cold.

The customers are a fair mix of tourists and back-bakers and the bouncers can get a bit heavy at closing time but the barmaids are curvaceous and dark-haired and gorgeous.

Worth popping in if you�re in the area or fancy checking out the beers.

MrScott - 14 Oct 2004 12:01
Lovely Cornish Ale served in the upstairs bar - which is small, wooden and very cosy - is excellent and goes down well their authentic Cornish Pasties that come in many sizes and fillings (chips and Pizza etc also available). The girls behind the bar do an excellent job and look good too:> - Greg Katanic comments here are spot on. The Balcony looks over the square where street performers entertain - very touristy as can be expected in this area. Don't even think of visiting the the 'Punch and Judy', this is the place to be, a real gem.
George - 11 Jan 2004 16:34
A fantastic and unsurprisingly popular place. The beer is always excellent - Cornish Knocker is my favourite - and the pasties are very good too. They have heaters on the balcony so you can brave a cold evening overlooking the piazza, and the atmosphere is really friendly. The only downside is that it can get really smokey.
Graham - 9 Dec 2003 12:33
A nice, cozy and dark spot for a drink and a snack. Gets quite crowded, but that is part of the fun. We go every time we're in Covent Garden.
The Jessicas from Beckley, WV, USA - [email protected] - 2 Sep 2003 19:55
lovely pub for the Cornish homesick. One problem - the beer is too cold - its ale not lager!
vix - 29 Jul 2003 10:31
a bit squashed but quite cosy, have to climb over people to get to the toilet , but nice. the cornish pasties are lovely.
Nicole - 1 Jul 2003 18:12
In stark contrast to The Punch & Judy, this is actually a nice little place. You can get quite drunk and then wander downstairs and buy a handful of pasties for the journey home! (Though you probably will burn the hell out of your mouth in your haste to quell the drunken munchies.)

Top little place. As the last post says, a bit touristy, but fun.
TheG - 20 Jun 2003 10:20
cute, lovely balcony. a bit touristy, but fun. it's a great if you can get a seat, but otherwise, a bit uncomfortable. not much standing room.
anonymous - 18 May 2003 23:38
Weird Ice Blond Beer from Cornwall gorgeous (but �3.10) balcony overlooks main street artists, ideal place in summer. Barmaids always gorgeous Portugese/Brazilian love goddesses
greg katanic - 24 Mar 2003 11:53
Upstairs bar with balcony over looking main piaxxa in Covent Garden, so you can watch the clowns and the pickpockets. (on saturdays you get a crazy religious lady shouting at people when they come out of HMV.) Part of Cornish Pasty shop that sells all things Cornish so if you like odd sounding Cornish beers mulled wine and a wide range of pasties come here.
arturo_morales - 20 Mar 2003 09:28

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