please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
The last time I went in this pub was over 20 years ago, and it was naff then.
So at least its been consistent , as in consistently naff.
You only have to check out the customers sitting outside on a summer evening,
to know how many marks out of ten.....
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visited on 29/12/15; alighted the train at Kings X to meet friends in Bloomsbury. 3pm, saw a sign on the Euston road so thought I'd give it a try. What a mistake. The Irish guy behind the bar could barely bring himself to serve me, just mumbled the price of my Kronegbourg. Horse racing on the TV, seemed like Irish 'locals' place. When I left I took my glass back to the bar only to be grunted at. Presumably what an IRA outpost would feel like. I told Mr Jolly behind the bar what a pleasure it had been, which got another grunt. Vile, don't bother!
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It is a ‘two bar’ set up. Bar on the left has its regulars on stools around the small bar, stools around the walls, no tables and a pool table. The second, has tables and seating and serves Thai food.
I actually like this place. It is shabby, could do with a face lift and would benefit from new toilets but the staff are courteous and polite, the locals are friendly enough, give good banter and remember you each time you visit and always say hello.
It is worth a visit just to sample the Thai food, which is lovely and reasonably priced.
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This used to be where my workplace had its gatherings, I went along twice (I never learn!) dear god, where to start?? Sticky floor, sticky bar, a selection of glowering mono-browed locals and being charged a different (escalating) price for the same round each time! Final straw was when a double vodka appeared in a round (nobody was drinking it in my group) and when it was pointed out to the young man serving me his response was a lightning-quick "oh well, I'll have it then!" and it was down his neck before you could blink!
However, thems the bad old days and now we all drink in the Skinners round the corner!
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Worth a visit if you are in the area. Two-bar setup and friendly staff, not too bad ale and Thai food. A slightly Irish feel but not at all tacky. More like a classic backstreet boozer. Worth a visit. Also pretty good in the summer where you can sit out front.
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Two-bar pub whose decor is probably fairly unchanged and which sells London Pride. Does Thai food as well. Back bar had a little problem with unruly behaviour but one individual was asked to leave (and did so), which suggests that the barstaff do have some control.
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First time visit last night as we made our way back to Euston station. It has the potential, or maybe has been in the past, to be a good boozer, but we found the atmosphere a bit unwelcoming. Far from hostile, but more of a case of "its a local pub and your not locals". Barman was a bit of a misery, had a game of pool which was tough due to the size of the place, but the ale was spot on - had a nice pint of Pride.
PS - Watch the step in the gents, I nearly broke my ankle!
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Two roomed pub on a quiet street running parallel to the main drag outside Kings Cross station. The room to the left contained a pool table and some unfriendly inbred locals who I would associate more with estate pubs.
The room to the right was a bit more appealing despite the 70s middle class estate decor. The customers in here were a mix of local office workers and Kings X travellers. Only Pride on offer but this room at least was bearable for a pint.
Reading the previous reviews on here and going by the hostile atmosphere in one of the bars it is difficult to recommend this pub over the many superior alternatives on offer
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Great little pub just off the main Euston Road, a great find for Thai food and a good pint. Was shocked to see the other comments, have never experienced any kind of trouble myself.
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It's very easy to walk into the Dolphin, look around for signs of real ale, fail to see any evidence, and walk back out again (I know, I've done it a couple of times over the years, and I know I should have asked but it hasn't seemed the sort of place a stranger wants to start asking questions...). However, it turns out that I have only ever entered the public bar (because this has the obvious door on the corner) but there is also another entrance along the Hastings Street side which is easy to ignore unless you happen to see somebody entering or leaving. This leads to a simply furnished lounge bar with Pride on offer from the one operational handpump. Glad I finally got a pint in the Doplhin, but I won't be rushing back.
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No ale on when I visited .The layout of the bar (that being a pool table and the only available seating being stools facing towards a shelf along the walls) don't make it amenable to mixing or communicating. However, it did have a more genuine feel and was a quiet oasis just off the Euston Road. On my visit the locals appeared to be ordinary working folk (though not so sure about the staff) enjoying their lagers and guinness. There were coppers outside on my visit but they were dealing with some blokes who were sleeping in one of those industrial waste bins over the road. Even if there was ale on I'd probably stick to the Kronenbourg.... saying that would return here as opposed to the poncified Betjemen in the station.
anonymous - 11 May 2010 22:59 |
On the way to the train station on May 1st I thought I would give this pub another try. Unfortunately the road had been cordoned off because in mid-afternoon a customer had been beaten up so badly that the ambulance was there.
There were more coppers outside The Dolphin than at a police academy graduation.
I think too highly of my teeth than to visit this place again.
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I was in the area as departed at the station and popped in to this place. I only had one drink before i left. Fairly rough down at heels place and not in a good way.
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The only thing different between The Dolphin and the movie Deliverance is that the pub patrons don't have banjos. There are some very strange locals in The Dolphin. Makes one wonder if inbreeding is the new KX trend. The beer tastes like someone drank it already. Count your change. The very drunk landlord looks as if he would steal a hot stove and,judging from the close together eyes of the patrons, keeping one's back to the wall is probably a good idea.
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There's some slightly questionable characters in here. But it makes for good entertainment. The barman (landlord?) told us off for walking into the one bar as it was "closed". So we returned to the main bar where the pool table is the focus of attention. No real ales available. I doubt I would come back here in a hurry.
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I think the previous poster got it on a good day. Make no mistake, it's rough.
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Best pub I went to in London. Popped in on the way home from the wembley tournament for a quick pint and stayed till after hours. All the locals were class especially the landlord Mick and Mr McDormott (forgot your first name, sorry). Everyone was really friendly, great time. Even missed my flight cause we stayed in the dolphin too long. Will defo go back.
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Stopped in to see what the deal was. Tim Taylor Landlord was only pull on but was good. Interesting interior but somewhat tight for me...but then again I was busy drinking my pint and writing a nice postcard to my wife in the States. Seemingly a locals pub but unlike the Sherminator above, no one paid me any mind.
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Excellent selection of lagers and a couple of real ales too. Very friendly landlord who tells it like it is. And also delicious thai food, available all day, which is handy. 10/10.
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Strange place. The landlord barely acknowledged me, the locals are rough, you do get stared at (Deliverance style).
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I've always wanted to like the Dolphin, as it's a nice-looking old-school pub from the outside, tucked away on a side street off the Euston Road. However, when frequently waiting for a train from St Pancras, I will assess my options carefully, and generally go to McGlynn's, the Lucas Arms, Bree Louise, the Skinners' or even the real-ale free Boot. Only occasionally will I try giving this pub another chance and, each time, the uneasy feeling from being stared at, in silence, the general lack of ale and the service make me drink up my overpriced pint of lager quickly, leave and resolve to maybe try it again in another year.
Don't get me wrong, I like my pubs old-school and tend to drink in the unregenerated bits of N4, SE15 and SE16, but I keep my back firmly to the wall in this one.
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An interesting experience! Popped in for a quick pint (no real ale unfortunately) and met a wild and very drunk woman and her slightly more sober friend (added plus, a Tottenham supporter!)
Landlord seemed friendly enough.
For real beer, McGlynns is a better bet.
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Mick's peculiar.
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Millay, I'm with kind of with you, though would recommend giving up with the trying occasionally.
STOP FLOGGING A DEAD HORSE!
This pub is indeed a shitehole.
Presumably the positive reviews are from the locals/mutants who drink here, thankfully I'm not one of them.
Was shoved in here out of desperation and wish I had bought a can of Special Brew from the offie and drunk it on the street instead.
I sat with my back to the bar the whole time, hairs pricking on the back of my neck throughout, while there was constant shouting and abuse from the "friendly" locals.
Got the major sweaty eyeball on arriving and for the duration of our stay.
General feeling - AVOID AT ALL COSTS!!!
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I give this one a go now and again but always feel uncomfortable walking in and invariably sink a quick pint and go somewhere a little more friendly. The sign to the �Restaurant� is laughable, it�s just another bar, perhaps The Dolphin thinks this is the way forward in KX�s brave new world. I certainly wouldn�t recommend this pub to anyone stepping off the Eurostar and I imagine neither would it�s regulars.
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uh oh - candles on the tables?
Yup, normality2000, landlord is certainly grumpy. I like that.
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Terrible shit hole of a pub with surly and probably drunk landlord. Tried to charge me nearly two quid for soda water (which, for the uninitiated, is tap water with CO2 running through it) and had a go at me claiming 'he had to live' when I challenged his prices (I was in a large group who all ordered alcoholic drinks). No real ales. Avoid.
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cool little boozer, regulars are a bit clicky but thats all.
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This shithole kinda grows on you. It's full of odd characters: an old geezer always swaddled in layers of coats and jumpers no matter the season, always clutching 'the manuscript'; Union officials from down the road (the place is sometimes 'committee room D') drunkenly declaring never ending friendship; sudden influxes of workers from the Royal institute of the Blind 'round the corner with a few soppy labradors if your lucky.
Has authentic reasonable priced thai food; admittedly the ale is usually shite - stick to the guinness (it is a Irish joint after all). Weather your first impressions and you will find this 'shithole' friendly, easy going - a genuine local.
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Ok Boozer, in a hellhole of London(though kings x is improving)Guinness was good, and the service wasn't too bad considering it was mobbed out with football fans(spurs)
After the game with Arsenal we returned and had a buffet laid on.I would definatly use this boozer if in the area.
regards
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i want to speak up for the dolphin too. relaxing friendly local pub with decent beer - so good to find a place like this in central london.
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In defence of The Dolphin:
It's a shitehole - Well it has a charm of it's own that may not appeal to some - I like the interesting artefacts on the wall - howabout a reference to committee room D(olphin) by the National Union of Journalists?
The regulars give you looks - Yes, but try talking, they're not hostile, perhaps they try to hide their friendliness so it doesn't get too popular (my opinion). But there is definitely no aggro.
The landlord is strange and pissed - a little unfair, he's alright really, just like the locals. He'll do everything he can to look after you while you're there. Just look at comment advising someone to go to Mable's (pub down the road) when real ale was off.
It is quiet in here but that makes a change to some of the others nearby.
The food is great, Thai curries etc, authentic and tasty.
I arranged a xmas social for my union branch here and the food was excellent, the price very reasonable and we were made to feel very welcome.
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My word Martinl I have upset you haven�t I pudding.
I am sorry if I have misquoted you, but I sort of thought that my summary - "its shit" - rather summed up your comment that it is a "shithole". Sorry if my imagination leaped a little too far for you.
I didn�t intentionally mis-spell your name either I merely hit the wrong keys after reading your name a little too quickly - something which I naturally apologise for. Thanks for the comments about my grammar and my name, I greatly appreciate them - clearly I must take more time when posting my two line comments on a pub website. If you want to see any of the media releases I write on a regular basis during the course of my job to prove that my writing and grammar is up to your high standards I will naturally send them on.
In the end I was merely pointing out that you didnt really describe what was wrong with the Dolphin that is all. I have no problem with your negative comments at all I just dont understand why people post terms like "its shit". I am sorry if I have offended you massively.
Tough life isnt it.
anonymous - 18 Mar 2006 19:55 |
Neither real ale pump (GK IPA, London Pride) was operational on my visit but the barstaff helpfully pointed me in the direction of Mabels
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A few words of advice for pgazz (hey! Crazy name, crazy guy, eh!)
1. At least have the manners to get my name right before attempting to criticise me.
2. Learn how to use apostrophes before attempting to belittle other people's prose.
3. Don't attribute me with comments I did not actually make in my assessment of The Dolphin.
I stand by my negative rating of this place. I am at a loss as to understanding how someone can enjoy drinking, and even eating, in a place which by their own admission smells of stale vomit. But, pgazz, I bow to your superior powers of judgement. My contempt for this place is quite obviously my loss and your gain. While in the area, try another place just behind The Dolphin called The Boot: it has everything The Dolphin has going for it, only even more so. Enjoy.
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Thank you for your constructive comments Martini.
I`m assuming from the level of critical analysis and wit ("its shit") you demonstrate that youre a rather big fan of Oscar Wilde?
anonymous - 4 Mar 2006 18:36 |
I'm finding it difficult to take in some of these positive comments about what is, was and shall forever remain an unmittigated shithole. As for the regulars: I once visited this place as a member of a team representing The Head of Steam at Euston in the Evening Standard pub quiz. Let's just say we won, very comfortably.
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A weird but interesting pub. It's small and decorated to feel smaller. There's an old public bar filled with the kind of locals who you don't want to annoy for any reason at all, ever. And there's someting akin to a saloon bar with walls covered in more random Irish tacky rubbish than you can imagine. The landlord is surly, and has been drunk on more than one occasion. A flustered Thai woman sells very good, and very reasonable Thai food. There's a rubbish juke box, and the toilets are... not for the timid.
It's an interesting, unique pub, well worth a visit if you want food, or just want to escape from the formulaic tourist filled pubs all over London.
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I`ve become a much more regular visitor to the Dolphin since my first review eight months ago and so its time for a positive re-appraisal.
Much of what I said earlier remains true: the small band of hardcore regulars (that gather in the left hand room of the pub) have less charm than a sloppy dog turd, the decor is very much of the old boozer variety and that stale vomit smell still has a nasty habit of punching you off your stool when it wafts in at the right angle. I still therefore would hesitate from taking a date here and dont have any problem understanding why its mostly empty throughout all of the beer drinking hours.
But as I`ve visited with greater regularity the charm of the place has rubbed off on me more and more, partly because its increasingly difficult to find anywhere earthy or original feeling in Zone 1 and despite its rough edges the Dolphin has this much sort after character in spades. Equally, despite some violent appearances, its worth re-stating that you never, ever, get agro of any real type.
Moreover the Dolphin does an excellent (and so far unmentioned) Thai food menu during the day which despite being a little bit at odds with its surroundings is really well done as well as being extremely affordable. I really would recommend that if you need a bite to eat in this area you duck into the Dolphins.
All in all I`m upgrading the flawed but hugely enjoyable Dolphin from a 7/10 to an 8/10
anonymous - 19 Jan 2006 01:20 |
Went to see Glenn Miller tribute band at the Camden Centre. Only had Stella (wife beater) on so sent the other half out to the pub to get some beers (she's good like that). Came back with a couple of bottles and said she walked in and everyone turned round and stared at her. Anyway, had a couple of drinks at the interval and after too. Liked it. Pool table, footie on Sky. It's just nice not to go to a gastro pub or a ponced up theme pub.
PS: Glenn Miller was great!
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Locals are a laugh a real friendly bunch once they get talking to you, although the funny looks you receive when first entering are quite off putting, staff could try to be friendlier, but again once you get to know them they're friendly enough. I had some good craic playing pool in this pub all evening, the fantastic Thai food was cheap considering the pubs location.
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As soon as you walk into the Dolphin you can spot its good and bad points.
On the negative side there are the locals, who will immediately fix you with a stare of varying degrees of hatred dependent on the time of evening and the closeness of dole day. The staff � or rather the main barman � isnt much better, sort of a mix between Rab C Nesbitt and Neil Ruddock, only with half the charm of each. The pub itself can also look rather grotty in a nasty old boozer kind of way, especially when the whiff of stale vomit catches the breeze and sweeps across the tight room that makes up the place.
However, despite appearances you very rarely get trouble in Dolphin and to boot the aesthetic repellent of the place means that even during a hectic Friday night the place can be quite empty. And if you actually make the effort of talking to the staff and the locals they are quite friendly. Additionally the booze is relatively cheap by London prices and after a satisfactory number of sharp lagers the interior even begins to take on a nice old boozer haze.
Despite the opening paragraph I`m going to give it a 7/10.
anonymous - 30 Mar 2005 20:15 |
The only pub I know in the area thats emply by 8pm on a Friday night. The staff are not over friendly and some of the locals are very odd. Not my choice for a night out, and often seems to smell of paint which is rather off putting. But ok if the other local pubs are crowded.
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Looked good from the outside, pretty scruffy inside, not that I mind that in a pub. But we waited for 5 minutes with no one appearing to serve us, so left. Locals looked at us, like we had two heads, which as we'd only had 2 pints, seemed a bit harsh!
Maz McGuigan - 10 May 2004 10:49 |
