please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
I was there at the "closing" parties, where they hosted a live theatre event of Jeffry Bernard is unwell, performed by Robert Bathurst.
I was convinced that would be the last time I saw it in the way I had come to love it.
7 months later and I find myself in London and checking it out. Furniture, bar back and general decor - all exactly as I remember. This is a great thing.
Beers - far more choice - and London Pride in fine form.
Fullers have not actually ruined this pub - which was the big fear when they ousted the last tenants.
I am delighted.
|
Ghastly place which is in need of new management. I suspect the brewers cannot get rid of the long standing tenant.
|
Its always gloriously grim but this time, on my biannual visit, it seemed grimmer than ever.
How is it I always end up in here on a Wednesday when its knees up on the out of tune piano?
No real ales on at all. The last one not turned around was Seafarers and that spewed out froth. Forced to drink very cold czech lager.
|
I was recently told by a regular that the Coach and Horses was closed for renovation
and, remembering my visit of a year ago, I thought that the much needed decorations might be worth seeing .So being in the vicinity, I popped in a coupe of days ago and found that the appalling state of the place was exactly as before.
I defy anyone to name a pub anywhere in the world that has more holes in the floor covering. The few clientele were as scruffy as the decor; I kept expecting to see Bill Sykes walk in.
Definitely one to avoid even though it still does Leffe on draught.
|
Still a great atmosphere and wonderfully ungentrified, but I'm afraid the Chiswick bitter was in very poor condition and gave me with a bad headache and a dodgy stomach the following day. Only one other bitter was available - some kind of Red ale. The barman didn't know how to serve a pickled egg. The owner needs to get his beer and bar-staff back on track.
|
Sixth monthly visit to check that it hasn't been gentrified just yet. It hasn't.
Photo at my walking blog - http://bit.ly/1WJ19Jx
|
A stone's throw from Leicester Square underground station, this is a fairly typical Soho pub insofar as it's grubby and full of tourists. On Wednesdays and Saturdays there is an old fashioned sing song around the piano, sometimes led by one or two old plonkers who should know better. This is OK if you are looking for a break from the usual pop rubbish but not conducive to relaxed conversation. The beers are reasonable and they are currently doing Leffe on draught. Apart from that, the 1950s East end feel of the place is a depressing reminder that all this talk of London being so wonderful is just so much bollocks. Sorry about the bad language but I'm not sure how to spell hyperbole.
|
Exactly the same as it ever was. What is interesting is that the jars of pickled eggs (and other things) are looking more and more like something out of a horror movie. I keep going in the hope that someone will order one.
Wish they still had Lowenbrau.
|
Sad. And the bar staff are boring euro-drones.
|
The Coach n'Orses is still a traditional pub in a studied manner. No expense has been incurred on the decor, which is the way some of us like it. It still attracts an interesting and varied bohemian clientele, and It's great to sit outside watching the Soho life pass by on a warm sunny evening. The pickled eggs in beetroot juice are surprisingly delicious. The Hopspur beer from the Redemption brewery was refreshing, slightly chilled and delicious, and my chum's Chiswick and Seafarers bitter were pretty tidy too.
On the downside, one is constantly harrassed by beggars (outside, but fortunately not inside), the pianist is very much an acquired taste, and the service from the barmaids can be haphazard and idiosyncratic. Worst of all is the price of the beer which can seem a bit random.
For 2 pints of Hopspur I paid £8, while 1 pint of Hopspur and 1 pint of Chiswick bitter set me back £8.45. Steep, if not vertiginous, even by London standards!
|
Not sure what the fuss is about. It's just a grubby little bar with some admittedly great cartoons in a frankly honking gents. Pint of Seafarers was ok when I finally got it. My long wait was not the fault of the barman who had my sympathy in having to deal with a bunch of American tourists who wanted a list of all the ingredients in all the drinks.
|
I've always had a sense of disappointment about this place despite many visits (it's handily located for a host of great eateries in Soho and Chinatown as well as numerous bookshops and cinemas) - service was always a unfriendly and the historic media linkages just didn't seem to elevate it. Perhaps the cleaning up of Soho has contributed to the increasingly anodyne nature of the Coach, although most of the clientele are stull grizzled and at least they don't serve halves of lager only like the French House.
|
What has happened to the Coach (in Greek Street)? It looks as though it has been taken over by squatters with bizarre slogans hung outside such as "London's first vegetarian pub", "this is an independent pub". It is getting very messy looking. Still, they must be doing something right - the place was packed last night.
|
Once nice and dark, now not.
Buy a dimmer switch Fuller's.
|
Dear BIT:
I am sorry to say that you still have the wrong position on map for the Coach & Horses in Greek Street and I think posters are still confusing the several "COACH & HORSES" that are located in W1 postal district.
I am sorry to keep on about this but I do love the Coach that is in Greek Street, so I would like to see the confusion sorted...
|
We visited this pub recently, after hearing that the new owner had introduced a vegetarian menu. The dining room is upstairs, in a vintage tea room - very cool! The menu was a little limited as we were told it was currently being revamped, but the food was absolutely delicious! The chef used to be at Manna, a well-established and very popular gourmet vegetarian restaurant in Primrose Hill, and the food was up to the standard we expected. It's also very reasonably priced. If you're a meat-eater, please don't be put off by the vegetarian menu; give it a go. You won't be disappointed! We went on a Saturday night, and went down to the bar after dinner to find an old-fashioned sing-song taking place around the piano. The place was full to bursting with patrons of all ages and it was a great atmosphere. I have rated the pub a 7, simply because of two things: having to walk behind the bar to get upstairs was a bit weird, and the staff we dealt with were a bit clueless about the drinks. But that said, it was a great evening and we'll definitely be going back, not least to try out every item on the very impressive menu!
|
Sad to say it's gone right downhill. There was a time when you it was a REAL Soho pub full of the usual Soho flotsam. I went there a while ago on a saturday lunchtime and it was a morgue. No carpet and a hole in the floor that gave a view of the cellar. It needs to be run by people who understand pubs, but no-one in breweries do anymore. Drink was average. The fixtures and fittings are still great: but it needs saving. It is a ghost ship at present.
|
From what BobOs said about the tables he/she is talking about a different Coach & Horses, not the one on Greek Street. It does not help that the map SHOWS A DIFFERENT LOCATION...
|
I hadn't visited this pub before so walked in as part of a 'tour' of Soho pubs. The tables were all kitted out in bright, but cheap-looking, red and white Gingham plastic tablecloths with the result that the pub resembled a poor pastiche of a transport cafe. The place was, quite unsurpisingly, completely empty and totally lacking in character - we walked straight out as there are far too many decent pubs within a two-minute stroll to waste any time here!
BobOs - 23 Mar 2012 15:00 |
MESSAGE TO BITE:
You have the wrong location on your map. Maybe all the "Coach & Horses in London W1 are "wrong". Please note!
|
The Coach & Horses at 29 Greek Street is now a Fullers pub. It has retained the traditional fixtures left by the former landlord, Norman Balon. Has one or two guest ales and snack food is available.
|
Please, please sort out these 'Coach & Horses' pubs - they are in the wrong locations
|
NOTE: This pub is NOT in Greek Street
|
The BITE map provided above shows a pub at a different address, ie NOT in Greek Street. BITE, can you please sort this out? The post code may be right for the location on map!
|
Quite a old fashioned type of pub with Very friendly bar staff,
|
I found this pub by chance whilst wandering the streets of London. What a gem. Decor and ambiance of a bygone era. I was well impressed. Beer not to shabby either.
|
I think some of the reviewers are thinking of a different Coach & Horses - fair enough, there are several in London W1 alone!
This is the pub that was immortalised by the weekly column written by its famous customer, Jeffrey Bernard. Apparently the staff of 'Private Eye' magazine still come here for lunch - in the private room upstairs.
|
Visited this famous old Soho watering hole on Saturday afternoon for the first time in a couple of years. The downstairs bar seemed a little more sanitised than in the past, but with friendly enough service, and the upstairs bar was positively elegant, with a more foody vibe
Ale wise it�s Greene King bland, but my companion�s IPA was in good nick, my Aspall�s was nice and cold, and a table by an open upstairs window was a pleasant place to sit and watch the Soho comings and goings. Unusually for a Central London pub the toilets were at ground level � sod�s law that we were drinking upstairs!
The food being served upstairs looked really nice but, inevitably, along with the drinks, was on the pricy side. I still like this place though.
|
Go for a wee where the great Derek Raymond once had a tinkle. I love this pub. If there was a museum theme pub, this would be it. The decor has memories of long forgotton drinks - inde coope, double diamond and a personal favourite, Skol. They sell Pickled Eggs that look like Derek turned his nose up at them. He died in 1994. I don't think it was related to the pickled eggs.
I have been coming here since the late nineties. Only thing that was a disappointment tonight is they no longer do Lowenbrau.
Make the most of it. You cannot think that it will be here for ever.
|
A good old fashion boozer in Soho - BUT - shame the staff are indifferent, rude and inept. Went in there last night simply because it's convenient for work and have vowed it's the last time!! Nice bar staff can make all the difference to a night out. Sticking to the French House in future.
|
Went to The Coach & Horses last night as a friend had recommended we witness the good old fashioned London pub singalong they do on a Wednesday night. We fancied something a bit different to the norm nowadays and we were not disappointed! We were treated to an evening with Pat n Dave! Pat on spoons and various other instruments and Dave on the old joanna pounding out some cockney classics and other great singalong songs. Arrived at 8.30, left at chucking out time and I've been trying to find my voice ever since. I think I left it behind on Delilah ;-) Apparently Pat n Dave do every other Wednesday and I've a feeling I may go back in a fortnight to find my voice and then lose it again!!! Great night!
|
the coach was always my first stop in soho a great pub any time of the day and night good ale and good imported larger nice people.i could never work out the decor or style was it early seventies or was it second hand furniture.either way it survived the wooden floor uncomfortable pine furniture revolution and that was the reason why i liked the coach and will always go there !!
|
One of trhe best pubs in London. Very good real ale. Fine seating for smokers outside.
|
Do not believe the bad press about this pub. It's a great old boozer. And they serve fantastic food in the dining room which is a beautiful, secret find in the West End. Not many like this left. Enjoy it while you can.
|
The Coach and Horses is a great traditional pub with a very warm friendly welcoming atmosphere, fabulous ales and great tasty good value food. I look foward to many more evenings there to come !
|
Love the coach! Best Fish and Chips in London!! Good food, good company, good ale and just a a really good pub. Home made sausage rolls and scotch eggs to die for.
|
Without doubt the best pub in Soho. It is a real pub staying true to its roots. The decor is thankfully preserved as a few pubs and bars are in Soho. The cartoons on the walls are by the award winning cartoonist Micheal Heath and relate to the series published in Private Eye called the Regulars. These are carefully on show around the pub along with a collection of other pictures and portraits.
The illuminated beer signs above the bar are original and very much in vogue. The coach now offers six real ales all of which are fantastic, they also have three great hand pull ciders. This is a truely fabulous pub and I have always been well received not only by the staff but by everyone I have met in the pub from all walks of life.
It is an independent pub, few and far between in the West End, and all the better for it. They have introduced a fantastic traditional sing along on Wednesdays and Saturdays which now has a huge following and great fun to join in. The food in the pub and the dining room is outstanding simple british food all made fresh by their chef. It is very very good and extremely good value!
The Coach is great, an outstanding pub compared to many in soho that are just another chain. Keep it up the Coach, it refreshing to see the pub getting busier and busier.
|
We were here on Saturday, great fun, friendly bunch, try the home made scotch eggs, delicious!!!
|
Fab pub. One of my favourite pubs in London and I have noticed it getting busier and busier. Great crowd and very mixed. And now they serve the best fish and chips I have ever had, I had the half and my friend had the whole one... huge, humungous, very fresh and very tasty. I love the chefs tartar sauce... got an extra load of it, yummy yummy.
As we are both real ale drinkers we love the growing range of ales and by the looks of it so does everyone else.
Rock on Coach!!!
|
The coach is fabulous. Recommended by friends I came here on a Wednesday night for their cockney sing along. What a brilliant night. John bonsers comments should be removed on the grounds of racism... what has the fact that 'the magnificent betty' as they call her is romanian got to do with it?? She has a heart of gold encourages everyone to have fun, knows all the songs and never has a bad word for anyone. I suggest you don't come back bonser, you won't be missed but Betty would be. The atmosphere of the in the pub is wonderful. Full of friendly people and no agro at all. My friends and I sang round the piano for a while with a number of others who reckon Betty has a huge following, not suprised. Keep it up coach... a pub where a good old sing along creates mirth and merryment. We left with big smiles, not many pubs can do that! ps try their homemade sausage rolls and scotch eggs!!!!! Gorgeous!!
|
The Coach and Horses is one of Soho's best known pubs, situated right in the heart of this vibrant area of London.
It's still promoted externally as Norman's Coach and Horses - "Norman" being of course, the notorious Norman Balon, allegedly London's rudest landlord, who retired several years ago. I never had the distinction of being served personally by Norman, although I did once receive an icy glare when I pointed out to one of his staff that my pint needed topping up.
It's a former Taylor Walker pub with a light pine, wood panelled, carpeted interior and several interconnecting areas. It still has a rather bohemian feel, attracting some real local characters, several of whom were noticeably rather the worse for wear on my recent early evening visit. There's a Private Eye dining room upstairs.
In one room a woman was enthusiastically belting out all the old Cockney favourites on a piano and customers were being avidly encouraged to join in, without too much success. A drinks break between songs revealed that the woman was not a Pearly Queen, nor even a Londoner, but was actually Romanian !
There appears to be a wider range of real ales being served from what I remember several years ago. Beers on were Cumberland, Black Sheep, Pedigree, Bombardier, Doom Bar and Trumans, which I suspect is probably too many for this pub. All beers were priced at � 3.40p.
This pub is inevitably crowded and, taking the visit as a whole, I'd only rate it as average.
|
I've been going to the Coach and Horses for 30 years, since I was a student. Even when I was overseas, it was always the rendezvous point for mates when in town. But I've given up on it, after feeling uneasy about the place for at least two years. The staff are hopeless. They all seem to have been hired straight off the Eurostar backpacker special. Clueless. Gormless. Mainly interested in chatting to to each other. Thank God we've still got the French.
|
Went in there last night and was pleasantly surprised by the piano and sing sing going on in there - the atmosphere was really friendly too.
On the down side the only draught lager on sale was Carlsberg as they had sold out of all othr varietes. Good job I'm not that fussy but it's not too clever having a pub without beer!!!
|
A wooden oasis in a desert of bland sensibilty. If you like to drink, and like to chat, or even just drink, or chat - pay the Coach a visit. The booze does what booze is supposed to do and the carpet reminds me of the Queen Vic so if I miss Eastenders because I am in the Coach all I have to do is take a quick look at the floor, and there I am at the Bar with Minty and Pat.
This place is a proper pub and I love it.
Vive la Coach.
(and its horses)
|
The Coach and Horses has always been a great place to escape from the hustle and bustle of Soho. During the day it�s a haven of tranquillity but come the evening it transforms into a marvellous place to meet friends. Weather you�re looking for a good ole sing-a- long, a bit of a natter, minus the blaring back ground music of other pubs or a delicious meal upstairs. The Coach and Horses never fails to hit the spot. A+++++
|
It seems many of the reports featured here relate to a different pub unless this one was knocked down & rebuilt in the last few months. I found the beer t be very good at a reasonable price considering the area. I would recommend the Royal London which is both refreshing and tasty. Also, since it's refurbishment, the cleanliness is top class. Staff are genuinely helpfull & polite. Can't say as I can find much wrong with this pub at all in fact of all the pubs we visited in London I would say this was the best.
|
This pub is still trying to live on the reputation engendered by Norman Balon, Jeffrey Bernard et al. It clearly hasn't been redecorated for about 30 years as evidenced by the signs for Ind Coope, Double Diamond and Skol behind the bar. There is a certain quaint charm in this but the 70s was not a high point in pub decoration and the nasty red patterned carpet and furniture rescued from a northern working mans club do not make this the most comfortable of environments.
The clientele appeared to be a mix of tourist poseur and Soho regular but the staged pub sing-song at the piano at one end of the bar made me feel like I was at some kind of themed restaurant.
This pub has seen better days and there really are better places to drink in the area
|
the bar staff have improved over the last few months,they fired all the useless ones and brought in people who want to work haha.
that said its still the same soul-less , overpriced pub it was. no music so you can hear every smokers cough in perfect suround sound. grab a pint and sit outside
|
This is a bright red-painted corner pub in Soho, just round the corner from Cambridge Circus. They had two real ales on � London Pride (of course) and an ale from Sambrook�s Brewery �brewed in the heart of London�. The Clip said �Wandle� so maybe that was what is was called, or maybe the brewery is located on the Wandle. Anyway, it tasted excellent, but at a top of the range price of �3.30 a pint. They also had a cider and perry on tap � Weston�s Old Rosie and County Perry. The pub itself was surprisingly quiet at around 1.00 on a Saturday afternoon, with only me inside and three or four punters outside. But it filled up a bit, with the number of customers getting into double figures.
The pub retains the vestiges of its multi room history with some surviving screens, but without the intersecting doors. It looks like an inter-war interior to me. The bar and panelling certainly look original. I realise that at another time it could be a very different pub, but I found it to be a quiet(ish) and welcome respite from the hordes usually seen in this part of London.
|
In the event of a nuclear holocaust, only two things will survive - cockroaches and keg cider. In that case, this will be THE most happening joint after the fallout. Four, count them, FOUR types of cider are available - Addlestones, Strongbow, Stowford Press, and Weston's Scrumpy. I haven't seen that amount of overkill since the last Rambo movie. Ended up settling for two pints of Lowenbrau, which set me back a cool �7.60.
Nice wood panelling and IND Coope marketing decorate the place beneath the hoards of self-agrandising pictures, charactures, and paintings. This pub's biggest fan is clearly itself. I'm a big fan of old Soho drinking dens, but with all of the pictures talking about how great it is and the various chic people who have been in over the yeras , you can't help feel a bit of an outsider in the place.
Decent, but I'm in no rush to return.
|
The criticisms are correct - expensive, inept barstaff and the running out of all four cask ales.
However there really is something about this place - the drinkers are an interesting crowd, and the building is nice and also unusual - original Victorian elements with later woody changes (amongst which the charming Double Diamond lights high up behind the bar.)
|
I still dont know why people still rate this pub, on of the least charming establishments in all of Soho.
|
On the face of it you'd think that this pub would be the perfect antidote to all those sterile chain bars.
But whats the point of having 4 real ales on tap if all 4 have run out as was the case when I went in there last week.
Very disappointing.
|
I never realised this place had such a history, but being Soho, doesn't everywhere? (apart from the All Bar Ones, Cafe Neros, Generics-R-US etc)
Anyway, this is my new fav meeting point for the West End (sorry Porcupine!). It's fairly quiet, but with interesting clientele, lovely staff, great artwork on the walls but most of all, it's a place I would feel perfectly comfortable going in on my own to have a glass of wine and read my book or just relax for a while.
|
I was a bit concerned when the new owners took over but the improvements they have made have not diminished the esential character of the pub.
It is still an old fashioned boozers pub and a bit harsh on the wallet if you are on a budget but if thats not what you're after then there is a McWetherspoons round the corner you can go to instead.
The loos are now a lot nicer and the range of beer and particularly the ciders have greatly increased so for that the new owners need to be commended.
The new landlord is also much more welcoming than Norman and Michael ever were !
|
I had a few pints of lager in here last Thursday night after work and wasn�t overly impressed with any aspect of the pub.
It was busy, but that is only due to the location. It is also very expensive, �3.40 a pint of bog standard bitter/lager. I wonder how much the stella is?
The barmaid was in no hurry to serve and the toilets were an utter disgrace.
There are plenty of far superior pubs in the area, so I won�t be rushing back for another Coach & Horses experience in a hurry.
|
The reality is that this pub has altered very little since Norman left. You'd certainly only find this place in Soho. It's averagely priced for the area, the staff in my experience are actually very jovial and the toilets are no worse than an average pub. I haven't tried the food and personally wouldn't; this is certainly a drinkers pub. The age range is totally mixed and yes, there are probably a few more middle aged Soho types in here than most pubs, but quite frankly, if a youthful crowd is your main reason (or even A reason)for visiting a pub, you should be delighted witih 95% of the pubs in the West-end and go and drink in one of them instead. I'm 28 and I've never been the youngest in the C&H whenever I've been in, so ignore the old man stories. I would certainly concede that this is a love it or hate it type place though, and it's also fairly exclusive, in it's own odd way. I'm definately in the "love it" group.
|
Hi, everybody!
I visited this pub the 20th July of this year!
I liked very much. I knew a very special person who made me feel alive during more than one month.
I come from a different land and I admired you profoundly. I also like your language for which I am very fond of. I also liked the half pints of Guiness with that special person offered me that night.
|
This pub has a bit of a musty old fashioned feel to it inside, its rickety wooden tables and chairs, appaling patterned carpet and vile wood panel effect walling making it look and feel like an OB shot from a 1982 episode of Minder.
The clientele seems to consist mostly of middle aged men or older, so unless this is the type that takes your fancy probably not a good stopping off point if you are "on the pull".
Despite all of this, along with the over sized cutlery on each table, the positioning of the odd poorly flowered vases and not the most friendly bar staff on the planet, it at least has some character.
There are a great selection of bottled ciders, which are also delicious, along with a menu which suggests that food is very cheap indeed. I am, however, unable to report on its quality.
If you can avoid the gents toilets (which absolutely honked the last time I was there) and the dodgy individuals on the scrounge (one of whom has always been in when I have been supping) , it might just be a good pub to while away a rainy afternoon or two.
|
Always enjoy poppin in for a pint in this spot cant see why so many bad reviews always found the staff helpful even when i realised i hadnt brought any cash and had to do a dash to the cashlink.
|
Rather refreshing on a Sunday afternoon when most of the obvious choices are horrid chain pubs full of tourists. Staff friendly enough and clientele about as normal as you expect for this part of the world.
|
Wasn't aware this pub had any history or anything. Had 5 good ales on, Peetermans Artois, Lowenbrau, loads of other beer etc. Nice atmosphere, superb crisps, really expensive though. Old fella behind the bar was a little odd though.
Sharp - 16 Feb 2007 12:00 |
very entertaining, I have never encountered so many idiots before!
beer like piss
|
Unsure that this place is now quite as bad as some of the other recent reviews suggest, but certainly not a patch on what it used to be. Not usually a cider drinker, but had a nice pint of Thatchers draught though.
|
I'm afraid I have to agree with previous postings. Now calling itself 'Norman's', it's a vain attempt to cash in on bohemian popularity. Fat-arsed beer-heads and pretentious lap-top wielding media wannabees in suits; well it's Soho so what did you expect? But the current landlords are rude. I agree that this may be an attempt to perpetuate the principal characteristic of a former incumbent, but it just strikes me as offensive behaviour.
There are better drinking experiences nearby. Give this one a miss.
|
The hours I wasted in this characterless shithole hoping that Tom Baker would wander in again (he didn't). Just because a pub has "history" certainly doesn't mean it's any cop now. It isn't.
|
No question that there was an element of people putting up with mediocre beer and over-inflated prices just to drink in the legendary Coach (though I suspect many didn't really know why it was/is legendary) but now Norman's gone there's no doubt even the spurious air of mythology has started to fade. The quirks have gone and generic wines have appeared on the shelves. It's pretty much all over for landlord-run pubs as this last bastion has fallen, but there's no point crying over it. Just move on to a better pub and hope for the best.
|
I used to love this pub, and the Three Greyhounds next door, but Norman and Roxy have gone, and so has the charm. Some of the staff seem to think they have inherited Norman's legendary rudeness, but they have not the panache and it comes across as plain nastiness now. Far too expensive as well, and inhabited by faded old soaks. It's only a few minutes' walk to decent pubs that are trying harder, like The Harp in Chandos Place.
|
Worn out old barman frowned at my wife when she ordered a half-pint. That wasn't necessary. We finished our one and moved on.
|
I don't know how anybody could say the beer prices are reasonable in this pub! Norman Balon must be laughing all the way to the bank.
|
Easily one of the top two or three pubs in Soho. Admittedly the toilets could do with an upgrade but good beers at reasonable prices, cheap no-frills food and decent bar staff. What else could you ask for?
|
I like the place, but it's definately trading on past glories. Seem to be a more than a few 'professional alcoholics' who will bore you to half to death for several hours at the slightest provocation. However, I definately wouldn't want to see anything change except the beer selection and it's still a great place to spend an evening.
Has anyone else noticed that the bottom of the bar looks like an old fashioned urinal?
|
Ian - I agree that the Coach & Horses is thankfully not a typical West End pub and does indeed have character, though the beer is nothing to write home about. Also I can only assume that the toilets are a relic from the Black Hole of Calcutta and I remain convinced that this pub should NOT be in CAMRA's Good Pub Guide. But "one man's meat....".
|
Ignore the other ill-informed reviews and misinformed rumours about change of landlord. Norman will *never* sell the Coach - it's a Soho landmark. This is a traditional community pub, with terrific staff and an air that it's hard to find in a West End bar these days. Visit and enjoy.
|
Norman Balon once banned smoking in parts of this pub, but all the regulars stuck two fingers up at him, ignored the ban and kept puffing away. Norman eventually admitted defeat, after trying to ban various people ... it could only happen in the Coach.
Poor old Norman, he's hasn't been around much which probably explains why standards there have slipped, especially the service - too many rude, amateur bar staff.
The new owners (of French House fame) should sort that out, though I wonder what Jeffrey 'Just the One' Bernard would have made of it all.
Tizer - 27 Sep 2005 15:36 |
For such a smart and vibrant part of the city this pub has to be one of the more grotty establisments i have stepped my elegently shod feet in, this is a real khazi, as you walk in, the bar smells as in has been doused in bleach, the badly kept beers have a whiff of disinfectant about them the decor is of that gloomy 1970's school not that the charming style of The Blue posts but that of a owner who's too mean to make this establishment welcoming. I have tried to give this pub a chance over the period of 20 years but i have yet to find a single redeeming feature to recommend this place avoid at all costs
|
Popped in as it's in the CAMRA Pub Guide - but can't say why this is an entry. Beer average, food average (though at �1 for a sandwich good value), toilets DISGUSTING!!
Barman (landlord?) clearly unhappy that me and my friends were being tourists by only having a quick half & food and got the distinct impression we were the only non-luvvies in there.
Disappointing. 4/10.
|
overly priced and rubbish beer. went there the other day and all the beers were off except Tetley's. I can see why people who have never left a city centre might like it as it looks like a proper pub. It is nothing of the sort. The �1 sandwiches look vile, but then you get what you pay for in this instance. with such a grotty place i wouldn't eat there anyway...
|
Expensive but then consider the rent they must have to pay. This is a genuine pub, as Nick Hamer says, and you can imagine - if the relevant cartoons weren't on the walls anyway - a string of slightly worse-for-wear out of work thesps and Fleet Street journos shambling in and saying, "JEFF BEEN IN?" Even so, refer to first word. Expensive. It is by no means the only pub with character in that area.
|
I have the pub next door (three Greyhounds) and i think that the Coach and horses is one of the leading pubs in soho. By the way Norman is a pussy cat because Johnno (who now runs the Dog and Duck,and used to be normans manager) told me so.
Karen
|
This pub is living of the legend of Mr Barnard. Over priced for what is a dirty little boozer with very average service - I don't mind "old man pubs" in fact I thrive on them, but it is service which separates out the great from the merely average and this oub is very much of the latter.
Ciar�n - 26 Aug 2004 16:44 |
The beer is hugely expensive but It is fora reason.This is probably the most famous pub in the west end,one of the last proper "pubs" in Soho.Legends have graced the pub such as Jeffrey Barnard (THE FAMOUS PISSED JOURNALIST) and george best (Well the famous pissed footballer).Attracts the regulars in the afternoons and the serious after work drinkers in the evenings.
Nick Hamer - 18 Jun 2004 18:48 |
I do like the fact that you can get a sandwich for a pound compensates for the beer being expensive.
Simon. - 7 Mar 2004 18:19 |
Once I saw Paul Burrell in this pub.
Pauly - 25 Feb 2004 20:24 |
This is my current favourite pub in Soho, and has been for some time. It may be a bit pricey for a pint, but this is a small price to pay for a genuine pub in the middle of false land. Also famous Rock band The Black Elks seem to be in there every Friday evening, getting merry from what I can see. All in all a top drinker.
|
This pub charges through the nose but it's worth it purely because you know Mr Bernard used to drink there. All sorts of people go inhabit this alcoholic nether world and I reguarly use it as a place to start a crawl around Soho.
Good for: the first pint of many
|
