please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
RIP Witness Box as was. Now it's a Jamie's Wine Bar dump. No real ale on tap at all and bottled beer incredibly expensive: £5.25 for a bottle of Doombar - ridiculous. I'll never visit this place again, unless it turns back into a half decent pub.
|
Downstairs bar tucked away on a quiet corner off the hustle of Fleet Street. Selection of reasonable cask ales.
alexw - 14 Sep 2012 11:05 |
Downstairs bar tucked away on a quiet corner off the hustle of Fleet Street. Selection of reasonable cask ales.
alexw - 14 Sep 2012 11:04 |
I used to come here a while ago but lost interest. I had to meet a old mate friend for a pint in the area and he suggested the Witness Box. I went along with it but thought it an uninspired choice. How wrong could I have been. We went on a Friday and the place was humming. The old smell that used to linger has gone. There lager and ale selection has increased in number and in quality. 5 real ale pumps, or which I tried four (all very well kept). The place has a little work done to it, not much mind but the place had a whole new life to it. My friend told me that the new management had really turned the place around. We were going to meet some friends elsewhere for some food but had them come to us instead. The food was excellent. To our delight around 9pm and small troop of cabaret performers appeared and played some one of the most entertaining sets I have ever heard. The sets where a little sort but they played quite a few. I lost track of time and around midnight I was surprised to find out that they have a 2am licensee on Fridays. Made the last tube. I will be back. One of the best nights I have had in a very long time�top marks
|
I met up with a few mates and they took me down to The Wittness Box last Friday. Was a bit skeptical at first (it is tucked away round the back of Fleet st). However, once you get downstairs the basement bar is like some twisted speakeasy. There was a guy on the piano in the corner, a chap playing a drum and a blonde girl singer with a ukulele. They have mad names, Nick Of Time and Kitty La Roar! The guy on drums has a normal name Stu Ritchie, but then he gets out this electric ukulele! Have to say they were bloody good though and easy on the eye ; ). Well... it kept us there till the wee small hours. Good old fashioned boozer, full of legal bods drinking after work and then after 9 on Friday it turns into full blown speakeasy... Very cool. Def be back.
|
Obviously popular with the regulars, the underground bar had a rather chemical smell but managed to dispense a reasonable pint of Courage Best.
|
Just back from a Friday lunch and very satisfied. Good beer (Courage �2.70), food (Steak / Onions baguette �5.95) and service.....felt like a proper boozer. Lots of tables to choose from at about 12:15.
|
Awesome breakfasts! Venue of the monthly JPMorgan Breakfast Club offsite for a morning repast of epic proportions.
In the evenings, sitting outside is not to be recommended as the narrow street by the tables is regularly frequented by large lorries turning at the gate that closes the street. Inside, the downstairs bar is snug but can get a little crowded.
|
Probably one of the more obscurely located pubs in the City, off the beaten trail and frequented, I suspect, only by those who work in the nearby office blocks. Its main weak point is the fact that the main bar is entirely underground in a rather dingy bar than can get rather crowded. On the plus side, it always has three or four real ales, including some guests, although they're not always in best condition. The service is generally good.
|
This pub should be worse than it is.
But it manages to cope with fairly modern surroundings and pours an honest drink. It's a good place to stand a round. In the old days it was a mix of lawyers and journos. Now it's hard to tell, but the journos are almost all gone and Fleet Street is worse for it.
anonymous - 15 Nov 2006 22:58 |
Opens at 5am in the morning! Absolutely fantastic fried breakfast in a medium size version for �3.50 or really large for �5.00. Coffee/tea charged extra, but less than a pound. Coffee only instant, unfortunately.
Glas doors on one side of this corner pub are opened in good weather, but no outside seating. I don't drink beer, so no idea what that is like.
|
