please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
The pies are very good and it's forte. Would recommend for food but not just a drink. It is a restaurant that sells (well kept) beer these days not really (or at most tenuously after work on a Thu/Fri night only perhaps) a pub.
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Arrived at lunchtime, was very busy, full of suits as you would expect in this area, but we managed to find a table. Bar staff very efficient and quick, had a nice pint of Youngs Special, 3 other beers on. Would go back at a quieter time.
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Popped in on a Wednesday lunch time for a pint and lunch having not been here for at least 15 years.
Always was a Young’s pub but now it’s a very attractive “posh” pub grub lunch pub. Testament to this is the cracking pie that I had for my lunch, for this area of London it was good value at £12.00
All the Young’s range of beers on tap, I had a couple of nice pints of Young’s Bitter, perfectly served and more than quaffable.
Very busy in the front and back seating areas @ 12.30pm with hardly any tables spare.
Great service, very swift and attentive.
All in all a very good pub especially for lunch
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Dropped in here on Saturday afternoon. I'd last tried to visit a couple of years ago, when I was turned away, as I had the nipper in tow. This time I was alone and a little worse for wears after visiting 8 other pubs, including getting through the complete cider range at the Harp in Covent Garden, plus some of their ales. I'd read that the pub was due to close at 4:30 on a Saturday. But there were still plenty of customers at 4pm. Although food was no longer being served. Ales were Youngs Bitter, Blonde, Special, London Gold & Winter Warmer, Courage Directors, Wells Bombardier & Sambrooks Junction. Nice enough pub and the best of the 2 I tried in Mayfair.
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When I called in in was lunchtime and extremely busy. Has a reputation for decent pies! Had a well kept pint of Twickenham Grandstand Bitter at £3.60 from a choice of half a dozen hand pumps. Unfortunately, I had to stand next to some elderly business men who swore like troopers oblivious to whoever was around them. I'd call in again but probably later in the day when its less busier. 7/10
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A good sized pub that seems to specialise in pie based food offerings, it doesn’t have quite the same charm that many other nearby establishments do, but is nonetheless pleasant enough. It looks as though it may have had a makeover at some point, and perhaps lost some of it’s traditional character in the process.
The pub is carpeted throughout which seems to be coming something of a rarity these days, has chocolate brown paintwork on the ceiling and is broadly one open room with a few partitions to break up the space a bit, and a separate room down a couple of steps at the rear. This is known as “Pie Room Too” and featured a large pie painting on one wall with dark wood panelling on another and another picture of an old windmill which is appropriate enough given the pub’s name.
As mentioned, the menu is very pie orientated with most of them priced around the £10 mark. A chalkboard listed another five or six “Today’s Pies” options but if that’s not your thing the menu also offered a good choice of burgers and other pub staples such as Ham Egg & Chips, Sausage & Mash, etc.
Good choice of beers on tap with Twickenham Naked Ladies, Doom Bar, Sambrooks Wandle, Young’s Bitter, Young’s Special, Directors and Bombardier. A specials board also listed Deuchars and Twickenham Grandstand, although I didn’t spot these on the bar. After such a good selection of ales, I was especially disappointed with the fact that they only had Strongbow on offer for the cider drinkers, unless you count a mulled option.
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My switch card went 'missing' from the card 'safe'.
Started a tab. As the night progressed I forgot and woke up with the key. Rang first thing the next morning was told it wasn't a problem, just bring the tab key in later.
Arrived at the pub, and the card was not in the card 'safe' that it was put in. Manager said that he had the only master key but couldn't explain where my card was or how it came to be missing.
Was told they would call when they found the card....still waiting.
Somehow however they magically managed to still charge me for the night and extract funds from my account WITHOUT MY PERMISSION despite apparently not finding my card!
NOT impressed AT ALL!
Still debating whether this should be a police matter or not.
Either way massive hassle, massive stress, had to cancel card and get a new one delivered (5 working days).
Will not be returning.
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There was an article in the Times on Londons Top 10 pie pubs. The details have been copied into my phone, so that an alarm can ring if I am ever in the vicinity. There is no way I would have come to this pub, if it hadn't been for the list. Tucked away down a side street. Went straight to the first floor pie room, where they managed to squeeze me in. Service was good - food took a while, but this was due to it being packed. And was the pie deserving of its three times champion winning status. Probably! Beer was good - I have Young's Special. 1 down, 9 to go.
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A really lovely pub. Shame about the woman who answers the phone. I just rang to enquire as to whether I can reserve an area for a group of ten to twelve people for after work drinks and I got a flat no. She was incredibly abrupt, rude and unhelpful. Shame, because I work about 5 seconds from this pub and would have brought her a lot of business. I don't mind that they don't reserve areas but she could have been polite.
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nice shame isnt open on a weekend,
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Tucked away on a little side street the Windmill is actually a reasonably large pub particularly for Mayfair. It is an L shaped pub split into three sections - two at the front and one to the right and rear of the bar. The decor is warm deep reds and because of this is probably one for cosy winter nights rather than scorching summer afternoons. I dropped in late afternoon and there were plenty of people inside without it being overcrowded.
6 ales on offer - Youngs Ordinary, London Gold and Special, Bombardier, Wandle and Doom Bar. Bar staff were friendly and efficient.
The Windmill is a good pub and definitely worth dropping into if in the area.
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Fab find, not too far from the pub death row that can be Oxford St. Great selection of beer and lagers, lots of tables, on the ball staff, good food options, or, simply put - a pint, a pie and a seat!
Loved the fact that it has no pretensions, not trying to be anything other than a good solid British pub, will definitely go back.
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We popped into the Windmill at lunch time during our trip to London in november 2009.
Nice Young's pub with three real ales on hand pump (Young's Bitter, Well's Bombardier and another one I don't remember, I tried them all, very well kept) and a stunning victorian interior, gold and red walls with great decor and thousands of prints and old photos.
Above all top quality pies at reasonable prices, they have a large selection of home made pies, really delicious! We ate downstairs near the bar, among several office workers (the pub was not packed at all), and the landlady was very kind...highly recommended.
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A high quality Young's house with an excellent [but often quiet] pie house restaurant upstairs, which I use frequently. Highly recommended.
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Nice pub and handily close to the office.
I'll be going back and will have to try out a pie one of these days.....
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always busy after office hours I've noticed but only wnadered in recently for first time in long time. Rich colours; reds and golds and wood, and quite dim lighting give a clubby type of feel, and there is a nod to classcicism in the theme of the prints on the walls. Elaborate cornicing and ceiling panel decoration are well kept up.
Noted re pies comments - I wasnt eating but they sound good. Youngs of course and Bombadier and firendly staff.
Have to say that depsite its proximity to Regent St, on a Saturday afternoon with a handfull of tourists in, it was somewhat dreary - in 'pure character pub' terms. For a while I kinda liked that.....
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You must try one of the pies in the upstairs restaurant. Best I've ever had - not cheap but worth every penny. I don't normally eat in pubs but I'll be coming back here. Service was good too.
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A splendidly unpretentious pub. If you like pies (which I do) then this place is the best pub or restaurant to go to in London.
Ales on tap are fine (Youngs / Charles Wells standard) but also try bottled beers - The Double Chocolate stout goes very well with steak based pies.
Was quiet when went, but pub had just opened.
Recommended.
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have just busted a gut eating in here, great pies we had three between us, amazing value and really friendly staff. The place to be in mayfair but can someone please put a cardiac unit on standby outside the door seriously im so full i really dont know how i made it home
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Reasonable size open plan Youngs house, good pint of Tribute on my visit and very friendly Aussie staff. Worth a visit if passing, not outstanding but clean, tidy and well presented, with a good atmosphere.
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Comfortable Youngs pub close to Regent Street. The guest Tribute I had was very drinkable. Good sandwiches and chips! Good service.
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Met a friend for lunch on a Thurs as it was close to work.
Staff were friendly, wine reasonable and both pie and burger delicious (and not too bad at �9ea). Not too busy although it did start to pick up as we were finishing. Not smokey or smelly either which was a plus! Would go back for sure!
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We had a Pie Club event here this Tuesday - the Pies were Fantastic! The service was friendly but a little slow - but what nearly blew it was the booking process. Booked a week in advance for 16 people and had them call the day before to say they had double booked and could we change. I said no, and they squeezed us in.
Would we go again - yes, but we'd make damn sure they got the booking right!
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Only been here once, and only because
1. it was raining hard
2. I was kinda lost, on my way to The Guinea for a pint of Young's bitter. (Well, hadn't been there for nine years).
But I was sure up for a surprise. Didn't expect much, but found that the bitter was terrific. Which, after all, is what's most important. The staff was friendly, too.
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We're regular lunchtime visitors to this place and the pies are excellent. Haven't tried the "posh" room yet with the pricey menu but the pub grub in the main bar area has always been good. A good place to drink Young's beers (always in good nick) if you're still drinking them after they sold out.
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Strange smoking policy. The only no-smoking room is for "diners only" and, even though I indicated my intention to eat, I was thrown out of there because they weren't serving food at the time! Having alienated non-smokers, I wonder how they will cope when the new law comes in.
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Only been in once, a couple of months ago, but this seemed to be one of those typically OK pubs. Only had a pint, no food; it was comfortable enough, the pint was OK if not cheap for a pint of Young's bitter (but who expects cheap beer in this area?). Fine for a pint if it is on your way, but not really worth going out of your way to visit. There are better pubs to patronise if you have time for a 5 or 10 minute stroll.
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Pub nice and beer good, but food very disappointing. Is overpriced - had the Christmas Special pie in the bar. Was �8.50, but the portion was rediculously small, more like a child's portion. I bet they don't give Giles Coren that!
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Decent Young's pub only a stone's throw from Oxford Circus tube station. The barstaff were friendly, and the beer was very pleasant and well kept with the usual Young's ales on pump (but sadly, on my visit at least, none of their bottles). Went there on a Friday night, so it was obviousy quite crowded, but soon managed to find a seat. Not worth going miles out of your way for; but certainly worth visiting if you're in the area.
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Apart from the fact that the carpet looks like it has the pattern and colouring of number of giant pizzas, this is a very nice place. Unlike others, I didn�t find the bar staff rude whatsoever - in fact the opposite - and the beer was excellent. I�d be very happy to go back.
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A good little pub to know, if you work in or around Oxford Circus, W1. But I'd stick to bar food & drink which are ok. I had a set meal there with office mates some weeks ago, and the service was bad. The meat was cold by the time the veg arrived. Our meal was vastly over priced for what it was. And the staff seemed a bit 'offish' when we mentioned these things. I did not like the attitude of the manager, but fortunately he's not always there! I've had a drink in there since, and it was fine, staff on that occasion were Ok, but I will not have a sit-down meal in the Windmill again. TJ
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Modern style Young�s pub, very much focused on food, which was expensive (�9 for fish and chips!). Beer was in good condition. Not bad for a quick pint but I wouldn�t want to stay long.
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Very pleasant trad pub with red interior and ornate cornicing. Food looked good but didn�t sample, apparently pub is a founder member of "Campaign for Real Food" whatever that means.
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Visited 14 Sep 05. Youngs pub with the usual range of their real ales. We had Waggledance which was in good condition.
We can agree with all the previous comments regarding the food. Very good.
Unfortunately the whole experience was ruined by the attitude of the bar staff. Anything was far too much trouble. A request to have cutlery was met with a roll of the eyes and and a very audible sigh. Even then, only one set arrived, presumably we were expected to use the dirty knife that had yet to be cleared away from the previous customer. It wasn't just us, the chaps next to us received equally dismissive service from a different staff member.
Good Beer + Good Food + Surly Staff = No return visit
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Nice pub with lots of small rooms in which to drink fairly well kept beer. Just enough off the main drag that you don't have to use your teeth to get to the bar, even on a Friday evening. Didn't try the food.
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A Young's pub.
I can only reiterate what others have already said. The food here is superb. That may have been the best steak and mushroom pie I've ever had. And the bite I had of my mate's smoked chicken sandwich was also great.
Nice atmosphere in the pub. Not too crowded considering how close it is to Oxford Circus. I'm not a big fan of Young's but I'm pretty sure the food will have me returning.
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excllent food (especially the steak sandwich). The chef used to work in the Guinea grill hence the awards have moved from one pub to the other. Well kept ordinary. Not many tourists as people dont really know it is here and all those shopping on Bond Street will go to a restaurant for lunch. Worth getting there early if going for lunch as the tables are taken very quickly.
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Great food - won awards for it too! Good beer too
andrew - 20 Feb 2004 13:30 |
Located just west of Regent Street,this pub offers excellent sausages and meat pies at reasonable prices. There is an upstairs small dining room and a non-smoking eating area, a few steps down from the bar. Food preparation is overseen by the publican who also runs the nearby
pub, The Guinea
Bob F. - 13 May 2003 16:23 |
