please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Used to love this pub but it really has gone down hill.
The service is really slow and the beer is not in as good condition as it used to be.
They also tried to serve me a beer that was about 20% short of a pint.
tanky - 20 Oct 2014 13:11 |
"I asked for a carlsberg and got a carling...I wasnt a happy man"
Clearly a connoisseur then.
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I think this was a great place, wandered in after some chinese... took me a while to find a table but thats not really a problem...although I asked for a carlsberg and got a carling...I wasnt a happy man, not at all. Plus its abit expensive, got a round for 3, payed with a 20 only got 3 quid back...apart from that if your well off its a good bet.
plus food is really good
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Had given this place a seven, but when I visited last night for the first time in a while, wasn't overly impressed.
Beer selection was relatively decent and tasters were available.
However, the girl behind the bar didn't seem hugely clued up on everything available.
And, most annoying of all, the music was ramped up loud enough to turn any conversation into a shouting match.
Not cheap either, with a round of drinks over £20.
Shame.
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This used to be such a great pub, always rammed with punters. Went in there last weekend after the Golden Saturday Olympics, about 5pm and it was dead! When I was eventually served, I realised why, having to repeat myself as to which beer I wanted (Much more important that the girl behind the bar finished her text messaging), then she served me a half and I wanted a pint. This calls for slamming of the half pint glass on the bar because it was my fault she wasn't listening. At this point I would normally walk out, but because I could see my being "a customer that needs serving" was annoying her, I decided to stay! So when the pint actually arrived, I had to ask how much the round was (2 of us) as she has just held out her hand for me to supply cash like some sort of cashpoint machine. Fury written all over her face! Change arrived and she went straight back to texting.
If the manager reads this I do hope some notice is taken... Welcome to London, enjoy your pint etc etc - I will in one of the selection of outlets in very close proximity...
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Definately one of the better pubs in this area - I am not usually a massive fan of covent Garden/Leicester Sq but as I was with friends who have not been out around here for a while I thought we would pop in. Staff were friendly considering where we were, the beer was alright but the prices......ouch - definately a tourist trap! I do wonder what will happen when alcohol duty goes up again, I honestly think in the end this rip off culture in central London will have to end as people will quite simply refuse to pay the prices - not bad for one but take out a loan if you intend to stay for more!
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Good little pub, head n' shoulders above many in the area. Good beer. Fit barmaid too, when I was there.
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Always a good bet if you need a beer in Grockleland - good, well-kept selections of ales (bar staff were impressively engrossed in conversation about the upkeep of the ale as they served yesterday), outside tables good for Thesp-spotting (afternoon, Mr Gambon, Sir!), prices reflect location and the food looks standard but head & shoulders above the local competition.
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Have enjoyed a previous visit, so popped in for a pint and a bite to eat while down in London for the day.Friendly and decent service,nice pint of dragon slayer and good value grub
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Popped in here a couple of times now.
Its a decent enough pub compared to others in the area. Most look quite decent from the outside but lack any charm on the inside other than over-priced beer and food and lack of space.
Seemed friendly enough
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Named after the coat of arms of the Neville family, been a pub sine early C18th..
Popped in there on Easter BH...leicester Square was crowded, but luckily the pub wasn't....mostly St Austell beers on the pumps...tried the Atlantic IPA ...nice drop, though not a session beer...
felt sorry for the bartender...on his own coping with drink and food orders aswell as taking food to the tables...was pleasant enough...especially considering some of the tourists..
"One Beer"
"Lager or bitter sir?"
"Ordinary"..^^
Worth a visit...appparently Chaplin came here when performing in nearby theatres..
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Given the location and the standard of most of the other boozers around Leicester Square, this place is pretty decent.
It might get quite crowded, take a while to get served and the staff can be a bit surly, although can almost forgive the latter point when you spend your day dealing with tourists.
Popped in last night to find six ales on tap. Pleasingly there was a nod to Hallowe'en, with Hobgoblin and Ghost Ale (from the York Brewery). Also Hooky Gold, Landlord, Darwin's Original (from the Salopian Brewery) and one other. All well kept and around �3.50 per pint, which is expensive, but sadly the going rate for the area.
Plenty of normal pub food on the menu, but portion sizes aren't fantastic. So, have a couple of pints here and head elsewhere to eat.
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Been here on a couple of occasions recently and have to say I've been quite impressed. Beer seems to be well kept, food is reasonably good and the staff are fairly pleasent and efficient. Not really somewhere I'd want to spend a whole evening in but for a couple of pints and a bite to eat in the afternoon it ticks all the boxes for me.
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This place scrubs up quite nicely when you come in and has a pleasant dining area upstairs. They were doing a meal deal with �7.95 for sausages and a pint of ale. The Landlord we ordered went off after one pint so the other two of us had Black Sheep which was a bit vinegary. Other options were London Pride and a Moorhouse's offering which was put on after we'd ordered. Sausages were okay but portion size was small and service wasn't the best. Best leave this place to the tourists who seemed quite enthusiastic about this place.
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When I last visited this pub over 20 years ago it was quite bohemian and full of character, festooned with theatre posters and memorabilia. Was quite disappoined to find this pub of yesteryear has been completely expunged. Having said that, this is still a pleasant enough pub, with friendly staff and tasting notes on the handpumps of each ot the 6 real ales on offer. Prices, at just under �3 a pint, were very reasonable for central London. One nice touch, a member of staff going round offering free samples of the 'seasonal sausages' currently on the menu. All in all you could do worse.
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Part of the Nicholson�s chain that seems to be quite dominant in the area although in my opinion, they are one of the better chains. The current pub dates from 1878 however they can apparently trace the continuous licencees back to original pub which was built in 1714. A history of the pub, the local area and some of the people associated with it can be found on various displays around the pub.
The interior is fairly small and quite typical of many of the pubs in the West End. The bare floor main bar has been knocked through into one room slightly extended to a raised area at one end with a collection of old West End theatre stars. Service is also typical West End, impersonal and functional European staff who generally prefer to talk to each other whilst serving than concentrate on the customers in front of them. The piped music is safe and bland but the big plus is that they do have a fairly decent beer selection, the 6 ales on my last visit being Jennings Cumberland, Landlord, Spitfire, Doom Bar, Pride and Bitter & Twisted. Prices are very reasonable (as they usually are with Nicholsons) and taster notes, strengths, prices etc are displayed on each pump, another nice Nicholsons touch. Food is standard pub fare with a few special meal deals. A separate restaurant can be found upstairs, named after Charlie Chaplin who apparently used the pub when performing in the West End. There is some seating outside with a couple of barrel tables but the road is a constant stream of buses, taxis and tourists so not exactly a peaceful option.
If the pub were anywhere else it would probably have more general appeal but in the heart of the West End it is a pub that is easy to dismiss as just an average London tourist pub which is a bit of a shame, because it does have enough to merit more than a passing glance.
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Considering this is just off Leicester Square, it was not that packed when I walked in on Friday night. A great selection of Ales and a nice atmosphere.
The only down side and this is a problem in London pubs such as these as that it is very hard to get a seat. Only a minor gripe. Recommended
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An excellent little pub - always a good selection of ales, and well kept at that. Anywhere you can find St Austell's Tribute is good in my book though!!
The staff are generally very nice (one particular blonde barmaid is very friendly at the mo) and the beer is good value.
My only complaint is that they won't let anyone sit upstairs with just a drink. For us business "pint and a laptop or newspaper" people, that's a downside.
Otherwise, the best watering hole that side of Leicester Square!!
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They had six ales on when I was in there the other day � Hobgoblin; London Pride; Timothy Taylor Landlord; Morrissey/Fox blond; Doom Bar; and Black Sheep Bitter. This is a typical Nicholson�s West End pub. I noticed the sign at the back, next to the cigar moulds, proclaiming that the pub had been extended into Inderwick�s the tobacconist in the 90s. I thought the pub looked bigger than it used to. Nice touch acknowledging the traditional tobacconist that they had subsumed. I thought it was fairly gloomy inside, mainly due to the blinds outside providing cover for the smokers� tables. But it�s a traditional West End pub � not good, not bad, but OK. And it has a decent ale selection. There are many worse places to stop off for a pint in this area.
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Had a great couple of pints here after the great British beer festival. A gem of a pub and the atmosphere was terrific.
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A very nice pub with a good selection of real ales. The only downside is it's popularity - it's normally two or three deep at the bar by seven on a saturday evening. A friend and I waited about fifteen minutes for service and gave up. I've been here plany of times and never had a bad pint; one of the best pubs in the Leicester Square area.
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Leicester Square is a vibrant and busy place and is generally not somewhere this reviewer particularly enjoys finding themselves in. It was with some reluctance then that I headed along Bear Street to the aptly named Bear and Staff: a member of the popular Nicholson�s chain. A neat and tidy and accommodating interior is immediately evident upon entry and the setup is not dissimilar to many other traditional West End pubs. The main bar area is fairly small, though seating is adequate and to the right as you enter is raised area to accommodate small groups. Clientele is seemingly made up of after-work suits tourists and theatregoers. Choice at the bar is more than reasonable, with a decent array of ales to choose from. Amongst the more regular offerings of Green King IPA, London Pride and Timothy Taylor�s Landlord (the latter two being priced at �2.60 and �2.90 respectively) are St Austell�s Tribute and a number of seasonal guest beers. Up the rickety staircase and one finds themselves in the dining room where you can example traditional pub fare and there is a fairly extensive sausage menu: a board proclaims what varieties are currently on offer. Having not eaten in such a place before, I looked forward to my reasonably priced (�6.75) steak and ale pie � it didn�t disappoint. The ambience is one of relaxation and made for a pleasant experience. D�cor wise, upstairs is not too dissimilar to below and amongst the old-style furnishings; portraits of celebrities such as Sid James adorn the walls: indeed, The Bear and Staff plays heavily on the theatrical heritage of the area, with old prints of Charlie Chaplin being on display by the stairwell. A small bar with a more limited selection serves those dinning. Background music was pleasing unobtrusive in all areas and the staff encountered were hardworking and graceful in their service. To conclude: here is a quite excellent hostelry and despite the pitfalls of the locality, triumphs over many of its near neighbours.
HTM69 - 16 Jun 2009 18:34 |
Nice pint of Greene King IPA for �2.25 and London Pride for �2.50 (How do they do it?). A pleasant hour spent out side watching London Go By. Give it a try
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I liked it in here as, along with a range of standard and premium lagers, there were six ales available from the very welcoming staff.
This was definitely a good find and I will visit when next in this neck of the woods.
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Top selection of ales and after we were given a sample we went for the Sign of Spring which was green!! It looked like we had pints of lime squash but a nice beer and well kept. Staff very friendly and great location for sitting out front and watching the people of London rushing by. I will be back.
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Never had a problem with this pub, the beer always seems well kept, especially the Pride, and the staff are friendly.
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Visited this Pub today with my Mum, Dad & my 10 year old Daughter, Meg. A fine couple of pints of Sharp's Doombar for Me & Dad. Went upstairs to the small but cosy restaurant section. Was made most welcome by the Deputy Manageress. Had the two meals for a tenner option, Dad had the fish & chips and I had the Gammon steak & eggs. Mum partook of the speciality Sausage & mash and Meg had the Scampi. We were all stuffed at the end, couldn't fit in the delicious sounding puddings we were offered. We obviously hit it at the right time, especially as it is half term. Will Definately visit again when in the vicinity.
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Glad to hear the Beer and ambiance are still as good as the last time i reviewed the place Sept 07,Sorry to hear about the lack of "sausage action" you received , i have not eaten here so i can"t comment but the ale is always top darts
do yourself a favour and chip over the road to Gabby"s for a Salt Beef sandwich
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Millay and vegge are spot on. NOT a place for breakfast. Beer is ok.
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I agree, if you want breakfast then you should not go into this pub, there are plenty of other places nearby. If however you want a decent pint of real ale then this is probably the best place in the immediate area. It can get a bit full of tourists but that�s only to be expected given the location and often adds to the entertainment. I�ve always found service to be friendly and efficient, it never takes too long to get served, unless of course a load of people come in ordering breakfast.
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Always a good pint in this lovely little oasis from the supermarket pubs around the West End. Taylors landlord was in particularly fine form.
I have to say thought this website was "Beer in the Evening" not "Sausage in the evening" !!!
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I just visited this pub. VERY disappointing. I had always been satisfied with breakfasts at Nicholson's pubs previously. Not only did I find out that (unlike previously), a hot drink wasn't included (which added extra to the cost), they seemed to have greatly reduced the amount of food also. On the menu is states that for �4.50, the vegetarian breakfast comes with sausageS. Yes, plural. They only gave me one. Then breakfast for the people near me, who ordered after me arrives. They get two each!!. What on earth!?. It's ridiculous. The hilarious thing about this is that I live really close by and shall never ever be returning there again. I didn't say anything at the time there, as I didn't want to make a scene and there's no where online to find an email address to complain.
Last year: �4.50= breakfast (including 2 veg sausages and a hot drink)
This time (despite the credit crunch): �6.25 (1 sausages and a hot drink).
I feel so ripped off and disappointed. Personally, I'd avoid this place at all costs from now on.
vegge - 28 Jan 2009 11:38 |
It's a nice little pub this - it's main problem is that the location attracts an unholy mix of tourists, people up to London for their big day out and the sort of baboons who think Leicester Square is ideal for a big night out. It was nice and quiet earlier today although one tw*t at the bar was dressed as close to Ali G as I've seen anyone in London.
Go in the daytime - it has nice beers and you can enjoy it more
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On Saturday they had Landlord, Pride, Wadworth Henry's IPA, Coach House Blueberry, Beartown Bear Ass and Everards Wacko Jack-O. Had the latter which wasn't great but more down to the beer than the pub I think. Not too busy for 7pm on a Saturday, didn'y take long to get served. Main bar on ground level with a bar/restaurant upstairs.
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Always try to get a half in here and wait for the rush hour to subside (thats my excuse anyway!) STaff are varying, but ales always well kept. Just don't try to order food
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Visited this pub yesterday Afternoon as part of "THE THEATRELAND" Dick Whittington Beer Trail. Usual Nicholson selection of Cask Conditioned Ales on offer, well kept. Full of locals and Tourists alike all having good time. Well worth a visit, would go back.
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Visited on a Saturday afternoon - not too busy for its location, sat outside.
Reasonable beer prices for the location, 6 beers and change from �20 - unusual for the West End!!
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Remembering the favourable posts by fellow BITErs prompted me to call in at this pub as was passing yesterday and was duly rewarded. A lovely pub in a very busy part of town. Choice of 6 ales - 4 of them commonplace but also had Stonehenge Ales "Sign of Spring" and Brains SA Gold. The SA was excellently kept and I just had to have another. The eastern European barman/landlord(?) chatted and gave me a sample of "Sign of Spring" which was very different, very green(!) and also very well kept. Reasonable prices for this part of town - I paid �2.90 but the Pride was �2.50.
Nice well maintained interior, typical theatreland pictures on the walls, a lengthy sausage menu in the main bar and steps to an upstairs bar and restaurant. Quiz machine (silent) and some unobtrusive piped music.
I'll be back :-)
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Never seems to let me down this pub. Six handpumps and generally some interesting guests. Plenty of premium lagers, Heiniken Export, Stella, Kronenburg etc., Erdinger on draft and Erdinger Dark in bottles. Right in the heart of the tourist area so is always busy but the crowds are accommodated well by the efficient staff.
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Not too busy early Saturday evening. The place had the feel of a friendly local. Surprised given its location. Quick, efficient service and an excellent pint of T.T.Landlord. Most enjoyable.
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Wow Tank boy - all that choice must have blown your mind, Uncle Joe would never have allowed it!
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A great little pub, 6 real beers with 2 guest beers always on and always in good condition, friendly staff. Only gripe is that it is often served with a large head but never any hesitation in topping it up when asked.
tanky - 25 Sep 2007 15:44 |
Always try and stop here for a beer when "up west" never too rammed to get a pint and you can stand outside only on the side next to the zoo bar though as was explained to me by the Polish/latvian/croation doorman!(still he was polite)
Nice pub worth a go while on the crawl
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As noted by others, never too busy which is surprising given it's location. Not a bad place to stop in for a quick jar.
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I have always found this to be quite a decent boozer - the ale is usually on good form and there's a healthy buzz about the place, with it being just on the edge of Leicester Square. You could do a lot worse.
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Good choice of well kept ales
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I have been in here on a friday night and has not been busy at all.not sure why, seems a good little pub.
good to sit out side and ogle the crumpet waiting to enter the zoo bar
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I was surprised how not busy it was when I went. There were plenty of seats available. The staff were friendly enough.
It is not that indistinguishable from other Nicholson�s pubs, which are becoming a lot more common throughout London. They are practically an identikit chain with a rather faux-historic approach. That said, having a reasonable selection of ales (including guest ales) probably makes them preferential to Fuller�s or Young�s.
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Beer is still good a nice selection. Punters can even vote for the next guest beer at the bar. On the wall you get a choice and you place your vote at the bar, how cool!
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Apart from us 4 and a couple of others this pub was virtually deserted on sunday lunch time around 1 in the afternoon.Glared at by the barmaid for offering a little Northern humour.Decided on the Guinness for a change.Been going in this pub for years.Even before they bought the tobacconists "Inderwicks" next door to make the pub bigger.
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Good food, good choice of ales.
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Usually busy, as one would expect from a well-placed Theatreland pub, but prompt and efficient service by the bar staff.
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Friendly staff, well located to meet up with friends - thumbs up.
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a damn nice little pub.Ive been drinking here for six years and it is one of the only pubs in the area that has a loyal little collection of regulars which gives it that local feel,rather than a stereo typical west end pub.Does fill up with curious tourists but luckily they tend to bugger off to the upstairs restuarant,leaving the real people doing the proper business of drinking downstairs.
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Not a bad pub for a couple Ive been in here more than once so it cant be that bad
juzza - 14 Aug 2006 19:35 |
Agree it's better than most in the area. Not a bad spot to meet people as you can watch Charlie Chaplin films while you wait.
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A very small pub in comparison to most around this area. Bouncers were polite and let us stand outside with our beers as inside was very busy.
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Not a bad boozer.
There's better around the area but there is also ALOT worse.
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if you find yourself in leicester square most weekends, then don'y inflict your opinions on pubs on the rest of is, yes? no? yes?
this pub is a standard, soulless nicholson's. dross.
anonymous - 28 Mar 2006 11:47 |
I LOVE this place! It'a a great little traditional pub near Leicester Square. My boyfriend and I go there everytime we're in the area (which is practically every weekend). It's slightly cheaper than the big bars in the square. Perfect if you want a drink in a good old english looking public house, although it can get very crowded at times.
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I like this pub, can get crowded (location, location, location) but it has some atmosphere, certain regulars, and good staff that make it a better pub than others in the west end.
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A Quality little boozer! Pleaant staff and a lovely pint make this pub a winner. Live sport is also shown here! Situated about 3 minutes walk from Leicester Sqaure underground and 30 seconds walk from the main square, this place is in a great location! The toiles are kept very clean which is also a bonus when on a London pub crawl
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Nice little pub, good bar staff, theres an upstairs as well.
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the only oub with some feeling in the area.
I like it!
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Yep, agree with shit500, best of the bunch round here, used to be Preedy's local when he was milking Capital, now just a convenient place to lay your hat nr Leicester sq,........I love the idea of people getting the train in, for a night out in "Londons West End" and ending up in this dump,......lits a lot more credible than the "Long Island Ice tea" shop or other tips of that ilk.......
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any pub with Bear in the name should serve Hofmeister
good boozer, my pick in the area
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Was very crowded which limited my assesment of the pub. Heard many good reviews but it really came off as just another Nicholson's London pub in the end. Great area to people watch.
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I had some of the best times of my life in the Bear and Staff. It was back in the early 90's and the gov was John McFadzian at the time. It was packed with theater goers then too, but they had a VERY small theater they ran upstairs. They also had pool and darts upstairs, but John only let us regulars up there. At a time when Americans weren't always welcome in central London there were always friendly faces in the Bear and Staff. Americans were mostly accepted by the older folks, but the youngsters didn't think much of us. I remember one time the bar was stacked to the rafters and a young guy was trying to get a pint from the bar. the barman was passing it by me, but the kid couldn't quite reach it, so i took hold of it and passed it to the kid and said, quite offhandedly and barely audibley, "here you go, mate". He looked at me icily and said "I am NOT your 'mate'". so I said "OK, here you go asshole". His little girlfriend burst out with laughter, but he didn't appreciate too much. If he'd been Irish I suppose we would have had a row, but he just walked it off. And then there was an elderly gentleman who "met" me several times at the Bear and Staff over the course of my 3 year stay in London. The reason I say he met me several times is because he never remembered having met me before, but he'd invariably introduce himself and pound me on the back saying 'God Bless you yanks' 'If it wasn't for you yanks, we'd not be speakin the Queen's English today' and he'd buy me a pint. Just like in America, there are all kinds of people in England, which is why I love it there, almost as the U.S.
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I've been here once in 2004 and it is a lovely but crowded pub. Ther have what I call two tier tables where you can put your drinks on one level and empties on the other.
They have few well kept real ales which are lovely, including Hobgoblin.
Well worth stopping here for a few.
NeilA - 24 Jun 2005 19:48 |
A very nice pub, its nice to sit outside, they have heaters in the winter and watch the world go by. Its just off Leicester Square so alot of interesting people, locals and tourists.
anonymous - 16 Feb 2005 13:57 |
It is very nice pub in a very crowded place.They have lots of lagers,but only two Ales. There is a TV set in there,so You can see some sport.Manager(Lee)and staff are friendly and familiar to the customers.You have to visit this place,but not on Saturday between 11 and 12 pm. it is too crowded then.
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If anyone knows of a better pub within 5 minutes walk, could they please tell me, as I was VERY IMPRESSED.
alan - 22 Oct 2004 19:50 |
Since my last comment I must report that this pub has improved a tad.There is a new manager by the name of Lee whom knows what he is doing.Also the pub has more of a "worn in" feeling now and isnt so ghastly as it was just after the last refurb.So yes it is a nice pub for a few quiet pints.
Nick Hamer - 21 Aug 2004 18:39 |
Before the recent refit this was my favorite pub in London.I treated it like a second home.It was cosy and dark,very atmospheric.The bar used to have a wooden beam over the top,making it like a country boozer in the heart of central london.Then,as seems to be way now,the brewery "branded" the pub,took the beam from across the bar away,put stupid pictures everywhere and brightened the pub up so much that all the previous character and coziness of the place has vanished.Wouldnt recommend it anymore,tens to attract loud obnoxious pricks as well since it was given a new coat of paint.However the upstairs bar has been done nicely and is the only redeeming feature the bear and staff has to offer these days.
Nick HAMER - 10 Apr 2004 16:41 |
This pub used to do a lovely pint of Timmy Taylor's Landlord, but it has just been taken off, unfortunately. However, the rest of the beer selection is okay, and there are some decent wines on offer too. Tends to be a haven of (relative) calmness in the madness of Leicester Square area.
Jo - 5 Apr 2004 15:07 |
since the refurbishment the pub has come back to life! the perfect place for pre clubbing drinks and the meals are excelent, espeacially the steak and giuness pie. the staff there are mostly international and are constantly telling a yarn!!! friday and saturday nights tend to be busier and more popular with the younger age groups!
matt - 31 Jan 2004 00:54 |
Not to large, and luckily not too too busy. Has a differnt brand of Cider than I usually see 'addleton's' I think. Worth a taste. Nice look and friendly staff.
Richard - 7 Dec 2003 16:29 |
Well run and always welcoming, which is a bit of an oddity in The West End!
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visited today on the strength of it entry in the CAMRA 2004 good beer guide - something of a let down in choice and quality of real ales available, however on the plus side i had nice bangers and mash, and the place was comfortable and quiet - which is suprising given its location
Steve - 7 Nov 2003 21:44 |
went there last night (30/7) and was told it will be closed for the next 3 weeks for refurbishment - great shame as it's a top notch pub in a great location which doesn't get too busy
Darren - 31 Jul 2003 09:48 |
