please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
It looks the part of a proper English pub but the ale quality (Whitstable IPA) lets it down. Mainly populated by tourists who opt for Guinness or lager and who can blame them with the second rate ale served.
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Nice corner pub, Shepherd Neame away from their heartland, and the upstairs is lovely with a bow window like a captain's cabin with theatre posters all around it. Range of Shep beers included Early Bird for on that day I was one.
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Easy-going and relaxed atmosphere, efficient service and well-kept Shepherd Neame ales. The pub serves food, but I was on a purely drink visit. Well worth a look in. 7/10.
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As the Bloomsbury is the first London pub I ever visited (way back in 1992), it maintains a place in my heart that's probably not commensurate with its actual qualities. Certainly, it's one of the prettiest pubs in London especially in summer when all of the exterior plantings are in bloom (heh - bloom' - get it?) The interior is not quite so lovely - smallish and garishly lit up at one end by a trivia game or a fruit machine or some such thing. In the past, I've had excellent Brakspear's Bitter (and had two employees argue over how to pronounce it) but in recent years, Spitfire, Bishop's Finger and Master Brew have been featured prominently. Do they serve food? I have no idea. Close to the British Museum and some of the theatres, it's worth a visit particularly after a show lets out and the place is relatively uncrowded. I'll continue to drop in for sentimental reasons though there are probably better places nearby.
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OK pint of Spitfire. I liked the laid back atmosphere and the fact they had a couple of daily newspapers on the bar to read. A very typical London Pub.
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Narrow corner location Sheps pub in that vague area between Bloomsbury and Covent Garden. Plenty of wood but somehow a bland, ordinary feel. Pipped music, no atmosphere, limited selection of indifferent quality pub grub. Three Sheps casks on offer. There's nothing downright bad about the place, but as there are better pubs in the area I see to reason to come back.
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The previous poster has it right. Nice enough, but feels a touch unloved. I'm guessing it is a Sheps managed pub, far from Faversham and no moneyspinner. Beautiful from the outside, previous owners have clearly done the interior no favours. Frankly miserable staff on this visit.
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Perfectly ordinary little pub. Good range of beer from Shepherd Neame, unusual for London. As said previously, a cut above the rest in the district.
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Visited as part of a crawl around the area. OK pint of Late Red.
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Visited last Friday lunchtime - was busy but not overly so. Stayed in the bar downstairs and used two comfortable bar stools.
We took the oranjiboom followed by the Japanese Asahi and Whitstable Bay (Shepherd Neame). Couldn't fault the quality or the service. We had two nice sandwiches with very fresh bread and well-presented.
A cut above the pubs in the vicinity.
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Decent albiet unremarkable shepherd neame pub, good beer pleasant feel but wouldnt go out of my way to visit
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pleasant old fashioned pub selling good tasting ale but �3.40 for a pint of Late Red.
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One of the better pubs in the West End - decent Shepherd Neame beer (Late Red when I visited, plus Spitfire etc.) and my brother happily polished off several pints of Asahi. The upstairs seating is nice and a good place to get away from the hustle and bustle outside. My only small gripe is that the beer is a slightly pricey, even by London standards.
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Good pub away from the hoardes of Seven Dials and other completely packed areas though this does also get busy from time to time, hardly surprising though given its (tiny) size. Good range of Sheps on the pumps but stuck to Kents Best on my last visit.
It curiously has a Nicholsons branding over one of the entrances though it is a Sheps pub through and through.
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Spitfire & Late Red were very good but, be warned, 3 pints came to �9.50 � make sure you get a top up if sold short!! Masterbrew was the other option. Attractive wood panelled downstairs room, nice lead light windows with heraldic stained glass centre-pieces. Solid wood barstools but not much table seating; we therefore ventured upstairs where chesterfield sofas are arranged around a fireplace, supplemented by a couple of regular wood tables around the room. Small leaded arch windows give the room light, & a feel of being slightly older than it is (I read 1895), but the other small group up there had unfortunately commandeered it as a 2-kiddie-creche, so we headed back to the bar to finish our drinks.
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This place is so much smaller than it looks from outside, where there are 3 entrances. A fairly unremarkable but not unpleasant interior with a single room having the bar along the inside wall with seating opposite, plus bar stools. Further seating available upstairs. Nice stained glass windows with heraldic shields picked out. Sky Sports on mute.
A Shepherd Neame house now, Nicholsons picked out in the glazing over one door but not any more I think. Good to see the Late Red back at this time of year.
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This place is so much smaller than it looks from outside, where there are 3 entrances. A fairly unremarkable but not unpleasant interior with a single room having the bar along the inside wall with seating opposite, plus bar stools. Further seating available upstairs. Nice stained glass windows with heraldic shields picked out. Sky Sports on mute.
A Shepherd Neame house now, Nicholsons picked out in the glazing over one door but not any more I think. Good to see the Late Red back at this time of year.
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This place is so much smaller than it looks from outside, where there are 3 entrances. A fairly unremarkable but not unpleasant interior with a single room having the bar along the inside wall with seating opposite, plus bar stools. Further seating available upstairs. Nice stained glass windows with heraldic shields picked out. Sky Sports on mute.
A Shepherd Neame house now, Nicholsons picked out in the glazing over one door but not any more I think. Good to see the Late Red back at this time of year.
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First visit to this pub for a good two or three years, but it�s not changed as far as I can see. Easily the best pub in New Oxford Street � but there is really little competition. It retains the distinctive stained glass fa�ade; has a couple of tables on the pavement; and a handful of tables/chairs/stools inside. So, fairly small as pubs go, but a welcome respite from the hustle and bustle of the surrounding area. Decent pint of Master Brew as well.
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We visited this pub 3 or 4 times in May 2006 during a week visit...staying in Bloomsbury. it was always very busy when we were there but the bar staff were efficient and very friendly. They have a good selection of Kentish ales. Patrons were on the noisy side!
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Previous reviewers seem to hit the nail on the head. This was pub 6 of a Friday Night crawl so must have got here about 8 30. Pub was busy but not heaving. My mate decided we should all drink Oranjeboom for some reason but it was nice enough although I would have preferred a nice pint of Ale. Will definitely visit again. Good atmosphere.
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Nice relaxing atmosphere, great before going to a gig in a tiny packed venue like the fly. or other venues like astoria, will visit again..
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Tasty beers here. Was a nice warm refuge from the perils of Oxford Street on a Saturday afternoon and the bar snacks were honestly priced. Good chips too.
Pleasant and revisitable boozer.
gcc24 - 11 Dec 2006 21:53 |
Standard pub but good for a quiet drink, if you like Shepherd Neame. I don't like their Early Bird or Late Red but do enjoy their standard ales.
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A quiet havean not far from the tourist trails of Oxford Street and the British Musuem. The pub still does have a number of the original features and glass, as see with the Shep Neame's logo in the panelling behind the bar.
As you would then expect, Shep'd range from the usual Spitfire (fine), Masterbrew and the specials (in this case quite hoppy and rather nice). Staff also friendly too.
The only downside being the place is not that large. However, did not seem to get too busy when we were in, with further space upstairs. A change from the Crown just along the road, which can get rather smokey. Look forward to going back again.
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I loved the decor, and both the staff and other patrons were very friendly, which created a great atmosphere. The Spitfire was nice, but the Early Bird was completely without taste.
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The SMDC visited The Bloomsbury Tavern one weekday evening, and found it to be very pleasant indeed. A very well presented Victorian London pub, clean and tidy, and a relaxing lounge upstairs too.
Beer sampled included Spitfire - a favourite of many; and Porter which is rather harder to find. Because they don't serve food on weekday evenings, we then made our way to the Italian Kitchen next door, for a fantastic meal at a reasonable price.
No doubt, we'll be revisiting this on our rounds some day!
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Don't much like Shepherd Neame (beers or pubs) so this isn't my cup of tea. Didn't like the atmosphere too much when I was there.
anonymous - 1 Jan 2006 23:13 |
Best pub in central London. Excellent beer & great food, always see regular faces, worth visiting just to take in the atmosphere. A fine example of a great British boozer.
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Had an excellent pint of Masterbrew in this clean cozy pub. Friendly bar staff. Recommended
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An excellent pub serving well above average bar snacks, excellent well-kept real ale and lagers, staff & management very customer focussed.
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Good place that seems very popular. The only time I visited we had to sit outside but the beer here is well-kept and there aren't too many tourists considering the very central location.
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A cracking pub for kentish beer, a full range of good bitter of Shepherd and Neame, food's abit dull and the pub not used to its full (upstairs is abit plain) worth going to though just for the beer.
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Nice pub, smaller than it looks from the outside. Only been once, had a very nice pint of Bishops Finger but sat outside as it was pretty crowded. The place looks nice, service seems decent, beer is good. I think sometimes they have an upstairs open too which would be good.
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enjoy the beer even more if they had pint jugs
anonymous - 23 Sep 2004 16:45 |
Until fairly recently, this place was a dive: unwelcoming and full of miserable posties from the nearby sorting office. Since then, the sorting office has closed and the pub has been bought by Shepherd Neame. The refurbishment is fantastic and the beer always good. A lovely place to enoy a pint or two of Spitfire!
John - 8 Mar 2004 16:41 |
Didn't know this place existed until last weekend-lovely little place with great beer and attentive bar staff.
anonymous - 15 Jan 2004 22:11 |
Changed my mind on this pub - it's even BETTER than I first thought.
A real diamond of a pub!!!
Darren in the City - 30 Oct 2003 09:16 |
Fanstastic - a Shepherd Neame pub hidden away in the West End (it's not even listed on the Shepherd Neame website).
Good selection of old favourites and the latest seasonal beer. And can sit outside too.
Bliss!!
8/10.
Darren in the City - 3 Oct 2003 09:32 |
There was a bit of an odd smell round the tables...
Clare - 20 Sep 2003 10:40 |
