please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
It's certainly not closed anymore and was very busy when I arrived here last Wednesday to meet a friend for a few beers, the 12 taps busting with 10 ales and 1 cider, all drinks served in either 1/3’s or 2/3’s.
Music playing softly and busy with what was an after work crowd, the manager and female bar person were both very friendly and receptive to letting try before you buy, with such a varied selection this is certainly worthwhile.
I mixed my drink sizes between both 1 and 2/3’s and worked through the Five Point Five Point Pale Ale @ 4.4%, Mondo Brewery Kemosabe IPA @ 6.4%, Sambrook's excellent Battersea Rye @ 5.8% (this was the best of the lot) and the coffee flavoured Weird Beard Black Perle @ 3.8%. All ales extremely well kept and at the right temperature.
The Arbitrager is quite small inside and once you have a seat or standing place you don’t want to give it, there’s a nice relaxed atmosphere here and the ales are excellent. I was tempted here by my pal who visits quite often and raves about it, he’s not wrong…..it’s well worth an hour or so of your life.
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Now closed
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Down a narrow cobbled street behind the old Stock Market building before they moved to St Pauls - hence its name. This is the sort of place where you go and not be found, if you are looking not to be found! Guinness... plain and simple!
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Now on the face of it, this pub is not anything special; quite the opposite in fact. Its been under renovation for many years now and yet they haven't quite managed to finish anything off (if indeed anything was started in the first place).
Only Guinness is served draught upstairs - I believe lager may be on tap downstairs, but I have never seen a pint being pulled down there, so this is supposition only. That said, the Guinness is still very well kept and poured. Rarely will you have to wait to get served, as more often than not you will be the only paying customers in the place. Though there will no doubt be an assortment of gentleman hanging around that would not look out of place in Guy Ritchies next flick (I'm assuming this will be something to do with London gangsters. If it turns out to be a a big screen version of My Little Pony, please ignore my last statement).
In the bowels of the place there is a reasonably good pool table and, most crucially, a dart board. It could do with a fixed oche, as the rubber mat does tend to creep forward. Manys a time that I have started off from 7' 9"1/4 and ended up placing the darts into the board before I notice that the mat has moved. Strangely I still manage to score 26 or 41 from the shorter distance.
I'm hoping that, much like an episode of Grand Designs, that it will all come together right at the last minute and we'll end up with a sparkly new pub that retains all its original charm. I will not be holding my breath though. For now, why not pop in and sample a very good Guinness and imagine what the place could be like.
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Afraid stilkl very dirty and not looked after at all but the beer is indeed good- no room to swing a cat.
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This used to be a brilliant little pub, with one of the best pints of Guinness to be had in London. The pint I had yesterday was absolutely dreadful, and the barman couldn't have card less when I left it on the bar after one mouthful and went elsewhere. The place is filthy dirty, shabby & dark and the state of the toilet is hideous. It's offical: The Arbitrager is dead. Avoid this place like the plague.
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Under new ownership, but the landlord/owner, Andy, has no intention of going pretentious or trying to attract the city boys in their still cheap suits.
They've lost out on alot of summer trade because of the construction site opposite, but the building looks as though it will be completed soon.
Good service as usual and the Guinness tasted grand.
Downstairs bar massively improved (all the stored furniture has gone and there is a dartboard and a pool table)
I'd recommend it if you are in the area and need a break from the lemmings.
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Fantastic friendly staff, shorts served in iced glasses. One of the last real pubs left in the city that hasn't gone gastro and laminate floor on us.
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Excellent service downstairs. Mostly because it's usually because its deserted. Also provides a furniture storage service.
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People that drink in here are free thinkers, loose cannons, rebels,...they don't fly straight, do things their way,..and they deffo don't follow the crowd,...they're a bit whooa,..a bit wheey,..geezers,..philosophers,..sharpshooters and go-getters Where better on a glorious summers day then, than downstairs at the Arbitrager,..where it looks like a cellar undergoing some extensive refurbishment. Get a Magners and a sweat on, admire the upended table and the impotent ceiling fans, and allow yourself to feel quietly satified.......Satisfied that you are in good company with like minded social retards,..and at least not outside the Smug and Lettuce or in a "Jamies", with the rest of the city lemming set.
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nice place to down a couple of pints without having to deal with the city boys in their cheap suits... small upstairs bar can get smokey... service always very good and the guinness in there is always spot on..
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Nothing special - had one pint and left. Maybe I was in at a bad time and didn't try the downstairs bar but there are better pubs nearby!
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nother good gaff this,.not a sniff of essex attitude..downstairs bar is a good place to hide yourself away,....think it has gone down hill a little recently,..but still a pretty safe bet
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Spent many happy hours there. I think the story of importing the Guinness from Ireland is just a legend that Mick Ryan was happy to hear being spread. Glad to hear from another poster that they are freezing the lager-at least you can't taste it that way.
Dave - 23 Aug 2004 14:53 |
Great Guiness,this place is a City legend !!
squatter - 14 Apr 2004 10:47 |
nothing to say, best GUINNESS IN LONDON, IMPORTED FROM DUBLIN, darts too!
cliff - 29 Feb 2004 13:12 |
the guinness really is imported from Dublin, great fun, friendly staff, cant wait to Paddy`s Day!
Phil - 9 Nov 2003 19:44 |
fantastic guinness and now a darts venue in the heart of the city!! Great service too
kazza - 9 Nov 2003 18:36 |
Now under new management who are warm and friendly (unlike the last lot!). Try the pub out now - rebranded imported Heineken is as cold as beer gets in the UK and (regular) Happy Hours are fully recommended at �2 a pint! Yes, if you like Guinness, that is good too.....
Andy - 21 Jul 2003 14:37 |
Great Guiness and good bar staff.
Seems to get better all the time!
tony - 17 Jul 2003 17:25 |
surprisingly great place to watch England play footy, the St James Gate Guinness is exceptional
mike - 13 Jun 2003 14:14 |
fantastic city bar serving real Irish guinness and great toasted sarnies. Surprisingly mixed clientelle considering location by Bank/stock exchange. Great hidden bar downstairs
mike - 29 May 2003 21:04 |
