please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Stuck in London for a few hours near Charing Cross, so I gave this a try (I hadn't been here for a few years). Not bad, especially for the overpriced area, but still a Greene King fairly ordinary place. Decent food, though. My wife and I were the only Brits in the place, the rest being Americans. 5.5/10
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Timothy taylor boltmaker on. Not seen it before. Ptobably got the name wrong. Great location.... Not as much tat as I was expecting.
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Friendly enough barman on when I visited. Themed pub for Sherlock Holmes fans. GK beers and a "Sherlock Holmes Ale" which in fact is actually Morland Original! Worth a quick pit-stop but wouldn't be a regular haunt of mine. 5/10
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Just above average id give this place. It was harmless enough on my visit, I wouldn't say I had a bad visit.
It is not only called the Sherlock Holmes, but is a monument to the character created by Sir Arthur Conan Coyle. It has a downstairs bar area and an upstairs restaurant. I went for a meal, so never experienced downstairs. It wasn't too packed, and to service wasn't too bad throughout - the American guy hosting tried to engage the clientelle, so wheather this is something appealing or you'd rather be lest alone to dine is to personnel taste. He managed to loose his stick that you sign onto the till with, and was scrabling around looking for it before service continued, however its called being human. Admittedly, he remembered we'd ordered drinks prior to this and still delivered.
There is also a room upstairs decorated to a Sherlock Holmes scene with memorabelia. Its worth a look through the upstairs window. There's also a small warmed up enclosed balcony bit next to this.
All this being said though, the pub looks and feels standard London fare. Pint range on tap is limited upstairs, and food and drink is still typically pricey.
Id still return, however, it wouldn't be the best pub ever to return too.
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Good location and good choice of real ales. Contrary to previous reports, I found the bar staff friendly and helpful, and the service was good.
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What's good about this pub? Location, three minutes walk from Charing Cross Station, slightly tucked away. A choice of Ales - Old Speckled Hen, Abbott Ale, Green King IPA and Sherlock Holmes Ale
What's bad about this pub? Attitude of the bar staff. Service is slow. Beer is pricey. Abbott Ale �3.55, San Miguel �3.95 and Peroni �4.35
Comments: Despite attracting a number of tourists with the 'Sherlock Holmes' name, the pub is actually very ordinary and has nothing special to offer. The bar staff are happy to serve you and take your money up to last orders and then get very rude when you don't drink up and leave within ten minutes. There is no need for such rudeness. I wouldn't recommend spending your money there.
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Was disappointed that the Sherlock Holmes Ale was off when we visited last night. Had to settle for Abbot Ale instead, which was perfectly drinkable although �3.55 for a pint.
Place obviously relies on tourists, with loads of memorabilia and also stuff for sale. Tenner for a pint glass, anyone?
Downstairs was very busy, and we ended up standing outside for a while. Dining area upstairs was much quieter, though.
Food was okay, although nothing special for the �10 or so which they charge for a main course. Did do table service on drinks too, although you had to wait for them to be delivered in the dumb waiter, so a bit of a wait at times, especially as there was only one girl serving.
Service at the bar downstairs took a while, although it was very busy. Girl upstairs was very good, so points for that.
Only went there because other places were rammed. Better than I thought it would be, although wouldn't rush back.
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I worked at this pub a while ago as I was desperate for some cash in the holidays between studying, it was hell on earth.
I was so embarrassed to be working there it was unbelievable, I'd love it if it got shut down as it is such a bad example for tourists. Massively overpriced and intentionally greedy, this is purely a pub for one time only customers. The food was shockingly bad, worse than school dinners and priced at medium restaurant rates.
Everyone who worked there was in the same boat and hated it, just tried to get through the day. I tried to be as nice as I could to customers and tourists, helping them choose, speaking a bit of their language but I still had to serve them expensive slop.
Rules at the bar included:
- No tasters, so no beer was wasted. (This was 'covered' by a sign in the staff room saying "If you have to say there are no tasters, say sorry that's company policy" making you seem like the good guy even though you were told to say this.
- Plastic cups only after certain times on busy nights. This was worst when you serve somebody a pint of Peroni for �4.35 in a plastic cup
Once, the assistant manager went around pouring the waste from all the drip trays from the ale into a glass and sent it up to a customer in the restaurant upstairs. I looked on in disbelief.
All in all, this pub should be SHUT, closed permanently. This is shocking for the UK tourist industry.
I hope this message helped
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Visited mid-afternoon on a winter weekday, for a late lunch. Pub not crowded. Very friendly and efficient bar staff, served me almost immediately on two visits to the bar. Sampled two of their beers, one of which was their own "Sherlock Holmes" ale, both quite acceptable. Steak and ale pie had, in the proper way, been removed from pie dish, and contained vast amounts of steak (though purists might object to flaky pastry, rather than short-crust pastry). Interesting SH memorabilia around walls (signs said there was a "museum" upstairs - not investigated).
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Brewed by Morlands? Hell, it must be vintage stuff then!
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It wants to be a tourist pub (Sherlock Holmes film, even a Sherlock Holmes beer [brewed by Morlands]), but doesn't seem to be making as much effort as it could. Consequently it's a bit of a half-way house and overall it felt like a fairly typical Greene King pub. As far as I could see there is nothing wrong with the pub, and it's a bit less crowded than the Ship and Shovell, so one could pass a pint there on a pub crawl, but it doesn't feel like a place you'd ever get a really special beer.
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Ventured there last night as the Ship and Shovell was closed. The Old Speckled Hen was fine as was their own ale but we left after a couple of drinks as the place was absolutely heaving with tourists taking photos and even videoing one another having a pint. Am sure it'd be okay if it was quieter but given its location, I doubt that ever happens, so it's one to be left for visitors to London town.
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Barman looked right at me and ignored me first time, when he came round the bar again finally served me. Place was PACKED but this was Remembrance Sunday we were there and Ship and Shovell just along the way was closed so maybe thats why it was so busy. They had the recent Sherlock Holmes movie playing silently on a telly above the door, but not bad place. Really need to go back when its quieter to appreciate the interior etc.
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I was in here for the first time in ages (early 90's). Called in on sat night - it was pleasant enough, beer was alright - didn't have the bad experience that most other reviews seem to have had! Maybe i got lucky but i was happy enough there!
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I must be the 'odd one out' here, because I don't actually mind this pub. It's an old Bass managed establishment and the GK beers are in reasonable condition (not the best I must admit). The pub boasts a 'horseshoe' bar and every time I've been in I found it to be ok. Can't comment on the food, never eaten there. As for the prices..., well you are in a tourist area of town so what do you expect??
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Disgusting food (and I mean really digusting), absolutely awful service, the staff weren't interested at all. Not as tacky as I was expecting with an OK beer range (not great but ok)........ avoid.
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A GK-owned theme pub aimed at tourists and the curious, the Sherlock Holmes revamp aided by Conan Doyle's family in 1957. There is a room with Holmes memorabilia and a restaurant upstairs. The clientele was an unholy mix of tourists and bores, while the staff was largely uninterested in serving, except one gentleman who, whilst enthusiastic, was not able to supply a full measure without a fuss. Beers were from GK and Wadworths (guest beer?). The Great London was pretty average and the overall experience was disappointing. A good place to meet at lunchtime as it's easy to find, and it was convenient for the Colony Club (next door) and the Northumberland Hotel opposite, but it's not somewhere I would choose to spend an evening and I wouldn't bother to include on a crawl when there are so many better pubs nearby.
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A blatent tourist rip off joint - �4.35 for a pint of Peroni? No thanks!
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Crowded, unpleasant with poor bar service. Avoid.
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Quite frankly, disgusting. Any female would be ashamed to turn up there. So yuck!
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Quite possibly the worst pub I have been to in 30 years in London. Appalling beer with even worse service. Honestly, I am pretty easy going but I will swear against this hell hole until my dying days!
waz69 - 20 Mar 2010 00:21 |
In my opinion not as good beer wise as the Ship & Shovell close by but still worth a visit. A big draw for the tourist trade, finding a seat can be difficult but there is a brisk turnover.
Holmes memorabilia everywhere including posters, pictures, various props and a hounds head in a glass case. The TV depicts Holmes TV series or films with the sound down. Being a Holmes fan I like to try to work out which story is being shown!
The beer is ok- nothing more.Greene King available. The service is not great but I guess they don't have to try too hard to attract custom.
Upstairs is a restaurant with part of the room set out as Holmes' study with a life size model of the great man sitting in an armchair.
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Went with a friend for a festive drink. looked lovely from the outside but very disappointed with the drinks and service. Ordered mulled wine and presented with glass of boiling clove flavoured mud. On enquiry the staff were rude and argumentative and refused to refund or exchange our drinks. Merry Christmas...? I shall not be returning!!! (They get a point for the nice chips and Christmas lights)
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Very attractive pub on a fine summer�s day, but as previous reviewers have mentioned this attracts the tourists in swarms. It�s not so attractive on a cold , wet December evening, but then has the advantage of no tourists and only the after-work crowd.
It�s an OK pub dispensing the usual GK fair, and my pint of Sherlock Holmes ale was perfectly passable, but hardly memorable. But the main purpose in life of this pub is to filter out the tourists before they discover the far superior Ship and Shovel further up Craven Passage.
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Quite a smart little place. I couldn't imagine staying here for more than a couple (not least beacuse the drinks are surprisingly expensive!!) but it's ok to stop in on your way to somewhere else.
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Visited on Tueday afternoon as The Grenadier (in Belgravia) had stopped servibg food 10 mins before we got there and would not even make us a sandwich (8 persons custom lost)!
No tables left so we sat on the "terrace". We had to order the food at the bar, which was ok. Sandwich's and ploughmans very good and the bar maid kept popping up to see if we were ok. Our friemds visiting from the US loved it so it was worth the visit ,at least they were more accomodating than The Grenadier.
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As a footnote to tanky's experience, the Press Pack available on the Cask Marque website states that all such accredited pubs must offer a "try before you buy service" so their accreditation could be at risk if they no longer operate this policy.
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Went in on Monday night with overseas friends. It's an OK boozer, the staff seemed friendly enough. Had a pint of London beer, I think it's Greene Kings attempt to get London into the name of one of their beers, not bad. I did ask the barman if I could try a beer before i bought it but he told me the company had stopped this because of the amount of beer that was being tasted by tourists.
tanky - 25 Aug 2009 12:57 |
Considering the amount of tourist that frequent this pub (The name naturally attracts them) I suggest the London tourist board send the staff (In particular the landlady) on a public relations course and the sooner the better, whatever qualities this pub has to offer our soured by arrogant staff. Sadly unsuspecting customers (tourists) will keep the tills ringing, but I doubt many return.
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The one advantage to this pub is that if you drink outside, you are sure to be in multiple photographs, as there are busloads of tourists taking pictures of this "Olde English Pubbe." Otherwise, do your tourist friends a favor and take them to a pub with real history. There are many within a 10-minute walk.
At least the real ale selection wias decent.
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Interior and exterior tick all the right boxes being suitably genuine looking but the warning signs are there for the discerning pubgoer.
Under the picture of the great man himself on the sign outside is the motif "A traditional pub".
Yes folks what we have here is that great staple of this area - the tourist trap.
Venturing inside for what turned out to be a very swift pint it did indeed transpire that most of the occupants were our friends from over the Channel or the Atlantic (how do their arses get so big) all guzzling fish and chips and trying to drink Guinness without grimacing. The sillier ones ask the barman for "4 beers" at which point he pours them tasteless crap like Carling.
The only useful function this pub serves is to lure in tourists before they reach the Ship and Shovel 50 yards away.
Best described as a necessary evil.
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Hmm; some cellar skills need to be applied here; really dreadful Old Speckled Hen was on offer recently. How many tourists thought that this was what ale should taste like? Could be really great, just needs a bit more TLC.
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Really a tourist restaurant as far as I can see, with tourist prices to match, although it does do some real ale (GKIPA, Abbott, OSH and �Sherlock Holmes Ale�). Some Holmes memorabilia around the wall, plus a small Sherlock Holmes �museum� upstairs. As a pub it�s not too bad as long as you don�t mind lots of tourists, the pervasive smell of overpriced fish and chips, and Greene King beers. But the Ship and Shovell a few feet away is far superior.
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A tourist trap and, to be fair, that is to be expected considering the name. The Sherlock Holmes ale was relatively decent. However the staff treat the customers as if they are in a prison camp, expecting us to decant our drinks into plastic glasses at 11pm for no apparent reason at all and getting narky when we question the value of this rather arcane and insulting practice (especially as it means they have to wash twice as many glasses). Add the fact that the guy who ordered us to decant our drinks obviously hadn't figured out that a belt is supposed to keep your trousers UP rather than show your pants to all and sundry and it is doubly disappointing. My advice is go to the Ship and Shovel down the alley and get treated like a human being and not a piece of crap.
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This place is the king of tourist traps, but then that is to be expected with the Sherlock Holmes theme. It�s a nice looking pub, but I�m not sure about the dog�s head on the wall, be it real or not!
I didn�t check out the upstairs restaurant or the diary room, but the toilet was a stench fest.
The barman was very friendly, but my pint of Sherlock Holmes was decidedly iffy. Greene King IPA, Old Speckled Hen and a few bog standard lagers were also available among others.
Maybe if this pub was on Baker Street I would rate it more highly, but it doesn�t scrub up well to its peers in this area.
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Go in, see the reconstruction of 221B Baker Street - then go elsewhere for a drink.
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Tourist trap pub serving GK ales (and the Sherlock Holmes Ale is just re-badged Morland, don't be fooled into paying more folks).
I guess it has some novelty value for a quick pint and a gawp at the Conan Doyle nik-naks, but as many others have said elsewhere, your beer money is better spent at the Ship & Shovell a short walk away, which is also a hell of a let better in terms of being a proper piece of old London memorabilia.
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Very convenient for dropping in on the way over the Millenium bridge to Waterloo.
lovely pint of Abbott was enjoyed on friday 18th April. We were about to get another when we were told quite firmly that we were not allowed to sit at the bar on the bar stools. Since there was no table free and there was no crowd around the bar we considered these comments, which were delivered in a tone worthy of a teacher to a naughty adolescent, quite out of order. How about some training on customer relatios. We left straight away.
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I like this place - if you sit outside tourists will take pictures of you (well not you, the pub, but still). Resonably priced for the area. Nice place to have a pint after work if you don't want to be somwhere with loud music and young people.
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Perfectly reasonable traditional pub that gets a lot of tourists in due to its association with you-know-who ( the clue is in the pub name )
I tried their own branded Sherlock Holmes Ale, on the basis that it would probably have the biggest throughput. It did, but it wasn't particularly inspiring.
Roger B ( posting in Dec 2007 ) may well be correct that this beer is Morland in disguise - after all it's now a Greene King pub - but I couldn't discern anything from the taste.
Worth taking your American cousins to, but I think I'll stick to the Ship and Shovell myself( under the arches selling Badger beers )
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a fine establishment for enoying a half of the cheapest whilst embarking on the circle line challenge. although our stay was brief, the staff were friendly and understanding to our outrageous order. not even very pricy for its location.
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Despite this being local to work, I�ve avoided it for a while now in favour of the Ship and Shovel 100yrds away. Mainly because of the couple of times I�d been in before, the beer had been awful and place rather grungy.
However after being persuaded to pop in for one at lunchtime I have to say it seems much improved. The refurbishment of a while ago seems to have cleaned up the seats. The pint of Abbot I had was good and the service from the cheery barmaid excellent.
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First visit since the refurb despite walking past this place every night on the way home. Nothing really changed except the seats don�t collapse beneath you any more and everything is a bit cleaner and fresher. Usual Green King beers - IPA, Speckled Hen, Abbott and their own branded Sherlock Holmes Ale (which I understand is Morland in disguise). Decent enough prices for the West End and service fine. All the Sherlock Holmes memorabelia will be of interest to fans. Was packed to the rafters on Friday but at this time of year, where isn�t?
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Always liked this pub, good beer, good staff, but was incensed last week when, having consumed a few ales, asked for a pint of tap water. "We aren't allowed to do that here" Won't be going back.
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Great Pub!!! good atmosphere, nice beer, and must go more often.
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Very, very good pub. On the ball, chatty and welcoming innkeeps, food was scrummy but overpriced in my opinion. House ale 'Sherlock Holmes Ale' was brillo. Decent customers and decent, clean and characterful inside and out.
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Another refurb that doesn't appear to have made much difference, but i can't help liking this pub.
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myself and my best mate went to this pub in march of this year, and i cannot understand those inbreads who slate it, ok it took me three days to find it but when i did it was great, the staff were helpful and attentive the pub was clean and well kept the home ale was grand , the place was heaving and still it only took me minutes to get served and i even got to try the sherlock holmes ale with out buying. what more do you people want!! the locals were friendly and welcoming even though i was being a tacky tourist and taking pictures using flash photography doing everything i myself find annoying in my own local pubs, they showed extream tollerance. we liked the place so much we are going back in a few weeks and this time we wont take that long to find it!!!
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An interesting and altogether very touristy pub situated just across the road from Trafalgar Square, I was content enough in The Sherlock Holmes yesterday afternoon (28th July). My pint of Speckled Hen tasted okay and the staff were friendly and attentive. Whether I could withstand a session here, I don�t know, but its worth popping in if passing by.
HTM69 - 29 Jul 2007 11:07 |
Nice enough pub, worth a quick trip to for the Sherlock Holmes.
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Good food, good service, along with a good pint of IPA, and a solid British menu.
Let down by the deteriorating decoration, but this then boosts its quaintness factor.
TV and piped music a bit annoying.
On the tourist trail, but appears to predominantly draw native Londoners.
Despite being a tourist attraction, the staff do make the effort to provide a good, convivial, service, which probably attracts the local patronage.
Be prepared to have your picture taken every 15 seconds or so by the never ending trail of tourists passing by.
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Went there for a pint in February and service was appalling. Not particularly busy but waited over ten minutes to be served and they even served someone who joined the queue after me, seemingly because they know him. If it had'nt have been named after me, I 'd have walked out. As it is, had two pints and went. Disgusted.6/10 purely for name.
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not bad, certainly one of the better in the area. resonable booze. wouldnt go out of my way for it
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went in one saturday and been here many times only for a quick pint but my companion wanted a short so we ordered a double vodka n red bull and i had a vodka and orange ..... �12 , i know this is central london but how do they get away with charging these prices ?
think im gona stay with lager in here from now on , apart from that the service is good (mainly foreigners behind the ramp) havent tried the food but hear good things , bit of a touristy pub as mentioned on a few of the london tours , nothing to write home about
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Friendly pub. Food wasn't as good as I'd have hoped (small portion considering the price) but it was tasty and the service was good.
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Met my old friend Dr Watson for a drink here the other day, great boozer. And the pubs good too..! It was sunny, but just a tad chilly. Watters insisted on smoking his pipe, so i ventured upstairs to their 'no-smoking' veranda.. room enough for about 12 people off the 1st floor corridor, but its 3/4 open to the elements, and I detected a bracing cold wind in the afternoon air, so couldnt stay there too long..! We adjourned to the good old 'Arch Duke' over Hungerford Bridge, on the South Bank. The Doctor got the orders in, he prescibed me a lovely Paulaner weisse beer, which worked wonders. I suggest you try it too. Doctors orders! TJ
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Now reopened again - have not been inside yet to see what has changed. Might nip in tonight after work for a quickie!
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One of my favourite lunchtime pubs. I normally go for the Sherlock Holmes bitter (I know it's another brewery's!) Get there just before noon, bag a table and order lunch and enjoy your pint - marvellous! The food is excellent and reasonably priced and there are the old Sherlock Holmes films to enjoy too.
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Currently closed whilst undergoing a major refurbishment so you're too late if you wanted to try out the bottomless seats!
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Not too bad, provided that you don't get there at the same time as a coach-load of Conan Doyle enthusiasts...
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Originally called the Northumberland Arms, in the late 50's this pub became the home of the Sherlock Holmes exhibition that was previously part of the Festival of Britain (the pub itself stands on the site of the Northumberland hotel that featured in certain novels, hence the Holmes connection). It is also close to the old Scotland Yard police station. The horseshoe shaped interior has walls littered with Sherlock Holmes memorabilia, letters, Victorian artifacts, business cards, letters, stamps, police whistles, magnifying glasses, prints and pictures from TV and stage performances and of course, the iconic Sherlock Holmes pipe. There is even the stuffed head of the Hound of the Baskervilles! Upstairs, the restaurant offers views into a faithful recreation of Holmes study complete with a wax model Sherlock. It all sounds very tacky and touristy but I personally did not find the museum approach detracted from the pub. That said, strip away the Holmes memorabilia and you would be left with a fairly ordinary traditional style West End pub. Cosy enough and welcoming but nothing startling. The Green King beers are nothing special and I bow to the previous posting that the Sherlock Holmes Ale is in fact Morland bitter in disguise (not sure what Holmes would have made of this!). Some of the seating needs some attention as you almost fall to floor through the seat when you sit down. The 2 small TVs above the doors seem a little inadequate. There are some seating on the pavement outside and the passing traffic is generally tolerable for a main road in London. A short stroll from Charing Cross and Trafalgar Square, the pub is worth a visit, especially if you are a Holmes enthusiast, but then if you are, you have probably already been here. One last bit of trivia � this apparently used to be a regular watering hole for Jimi Hendrix.
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There last Saturday evening and thought it was great. Beer and service both excellent and a great cross section of customers made excellent viewing. Would definitely go there again!
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I decided to try this place for a quick drink last night before closing time. The beer was horrible, and so were the toilets. The staff noisily brought the outside chairs and tables in the piled them up while people drank. The nearby Ship and Shovel beats it hands down.
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tourist trap, but has a bit of very distant charm if you are in about 10pm.
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'Laid back Ron' used to frequent this excellent boozer, many moons ago!! Its still excellent! TJ
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Decent boozer! Lots of 'history' attached. A good place for a clandestine meeting.. or if you fancy Miss Marples! Good beer. Good food. Good grief..is that the time..? Time for a drink at the ole Sherlock! TJ
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A nice building, with a mock up sherlock holmes study on the first floor. A bit disappointing downstairs though. Nice from the outside. Prefer the Ship and Shovel though.
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Very near Charing Cross, so a good place to meet people. Very crowded around the time that the offices are emptying. Nice beers, worth going in for a pint or two.
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Expensive seems to be catering for the tourists that sometimes swarm the area friendly staff the only positive note I can think of.
juzza - 23 Apr 2006 19:58 |
A homely old fashioned style corner pub with a local feel to the place, which is quite surprising for the area. Usual pub knick-knacks along with the inevitable Sherlock Holmes material. A relaxed and reasonably atmospheric pub - one of the better Greene King places I've visited. There are twelve pumps working, but only four different beers. The house special - Sherlock Holmes Ale - is Greene King's Morland Original. The food is typical pub grub, with bangers and mash at under �6. Beer condition is decent. All in all a pub which is slightly above average.
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pretty average, only greene king available, and pretty expensive at that. Full of tourists, never tried the food but it looked pretty standadard and a bit pricey... The staff were very friendly though.
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I had a couple of pints here one lunchtime and enjoyed it. Nice atmosphere, good service.
anonymous - 1 Apr 2006 14:28 |
been here many times and quick like this pub before 4pm after that it gets too busy , which is ok on a sunny afternoon as you can sit outside and watch the world go by , the beer is good and the service is good , the food upstairs is sublime , i do like this pub , but on a weekend you get alot of people doing the monopoly trail using the pub , but nice pub all in all
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Well, it does everything fairly competently I suppose.
I'm just not sure it's worth going out of your way for.Beer is good (Greene King) albeit expensive, food fairly standard-issue and the interior no great shakes.Busy enough, so maybe i'm just being a moaning so and so.Still, I reckon you'd be better served by going to the Ship and Shovell nearby.
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Average pub, average beer, full of tourists but you are next to Trafalgar Square so what you expect.
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Quaint - but jam packed with tourists - so expect a long wait to get what you went in for. Beer was ok - cold but a bit flat alas.
Generally it was OK though - would go in there again -well if someone else was buying the drinks that is !!!
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Nice pint. Very quick service despite the crowds, which was impressive. Pity we never managed to get a seat.
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As South African travellers - we found this pub very "warm" and typically english and thoroughly enjoyed our pints as well as some good ole' fish 'n chips! Very central for "walking tourists" will call again when the opportunity presents itself.
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Went to this pub on a thursday evening it was heaving so i sat outside it seems to be owned by greene king now had a nice pint of i.p.a quick efficient service despite being busy a nice pub i have been here quite a lot on visits to london.
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Good place to have a couple of pints now and then. Very amusing when an australian tourist told one of his mates on the phone it was called the 'Shakespeare Arms'. Elementary mistake to make.
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One of those places where you get the impression that the bar staff think they are doing you a favour by letting you buy a beer. We all know they don't want to be there but does it have to be so obvious?
Tourists might enjoy it.
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I have had a few very well kept pints of Speckled Hen in here whilst the Adnams and the Sherlock Holmes own (are you Adnams in disguise ?) were passable. Seems to be on the tourist route as occasionally a coachload will appear to fill it up for an hour or two - but it's better to catch this pub late at night - when there's lass of a crush at the bar and you can breathe in without catching a lungful of smoke.
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For all its tack, this pub defies the reviewer and remains a fun place, if a bit too busy. There is really little to recommend it except its central location: expensive and poor ales, lots of tourists, not enough seats, sometimes a bouncer, etc. But I kept going back. There must be something about it, though that something is certainly not the booze. A true survivor and the tourists think it is very British. I'll drink to that. Cheers!
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Very smokey pub attractive from the outside. Very busy and expensive probably due to it's close proximity to Trafalger Square. Had a pint of London Pride it was ok.
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A bog-standard pub in general appearance with a deceivingly pleasant exterior. Stupid prices (�2.70 for a London Pride, you're 'aving a laugh!), badly pulled (would you like a flake in that, luv?), terrible selection of beers and food. You'd be better off buying a couple of cans from Tesco Metro and sitting on the riverside.
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Maybe it will be good only for tourist, but, as a tourist, I've had some real good time in the busy rooms of this pub, with some good food and a excellent ale.
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Tourist-tastic, but quite a nice little boozer nonetheless. Normally a few decent hand-pulled ales available. Best in warmer weather when outside drinking is possible.
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Insane pub, obviously aimed at the Yankee tourists who lap it up.
TheGP - 13 Sep 2004 11:05 |
Tourist pub, food is tasty if you forget about the price, another pub with excessive head on most pints served.
Rob - 22 Jul 2004 13:40 |
I have happy memories of this charming little pub.I used to meet a couple of old drinking buddies in here at the start of an evening and the place was never too busy or too quiet.Lovely bar in a beautiful little spot just off trafalger square.
Nick HAMER - 9 Jul 2004 18:50 |
A nice pub serving good beer, London Pride, Bass, Speckled Hen and Sherlock Holmes. The upstairs study is worth a peep.
Nigel - 2 Jul 2004 18:17 |
My brother and I visited the pub last September and found it to be very interesting. I found the food, bangers and mash to be very good. My brother is a Sherlock fan and really enjoyed the pub. We visited from America and had a great time in your country.
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very nice pub, a place where I spent a few hours of my holliday, it's so sad that it is closed. Is there a possibility that this pub opens back soon? sorry, I'm not used to speak English
de deken - 22 May 2004 15:10 |
.....my first visit to the Sherlock Holmes on 13/06/02 had me bedecked in dearstalker & pipe in celebration of the incomparable Basil Rathbone's 110th birthday - what a star! Surroundings are pleasant and topical and service good but, as has been mentioned, the food is an absolute travesty. Still, it's a worthwhile experience for all Shelockians - with or without the props!
spudster - 19 May 2004 14:49 |
First, as to Tim's question about Holmes' and Watson's address. Yes it was in Baker Street. This pub celebrates the Northumberland Hotel which was featured in "The Hound of the Baskervilles". The hotel was located at the pub's location. It is a very important location for Sherlockians. Visitors should be aware of the superb recreation of Holmes' and Watson's flat. This is located on the second floor. It is on the floor just above the toilets.
The food is regular pub food. Not bad but not exciting either. Not a problem for a lunch when in the area. I enjoy the Flowers Bitter - it is the only pub I have that in. The staff is always polite and quick. There are a lot of tourists and why not. It is of great importance for Holmesians. There are a a great many of non-Holmesians who use it as a regular place to enjoy a drink and perhaps a lunch. It is a nice pub beyond it's historical importance.
Charles - 28 Sep 2003 04:51 |
Nice pub with friendly staff. Can get busy with suits and tourists (I thought Sherlock Holmes was from Baker Street???). Top tip is to use the roof patio, up the stairs at the back of the pub on the right, at the top it's the first door on the right. It's open air but under cover - perfect for the british summer and away from the crowds downstairs. Final thoughts: Nice pint of Pride and reasonable for this part of town.
Tim - 1 Aug 2003 09:21 |
It's ok, full of tourists though!
Mimi Le Bonk - 29 Jul 2003 21:42 |
elementary my dear watson, i picked a fancy dish to eat..and starters and dessert-all very nice-expensive for pub food but nice all the same. However my friend thought it needed a dose of fit young aguileras(he also asked me if it was true: was sherlock gay then?) thats friends for you-i need new ones!...well i rather be surrounded by decent sorts not up-for-it types(council estate yobs)food? go for the bohemian...or the case of something or the other...good stuff...loads of memorabilia too.
belgrave square boy - 21 Jul 2003 12:30 |
Went here a few weeks ago with a couple of mates and was astonished at the sheer volume of tourists who poured in. Shame, really, as the food belching out of the dumb waiter looked utterly inedible. There goes another British stereotype about to be reinforced. Sigh.
Still, not a bad boozer when there aren't gangs of Dutch men outdside screaming 'Hoopla!' on a half-hourly basis.
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Try the Sherlock Holmes Ale - vetry nice pub
Matt Le Ross - 28 Apr 2003 12:32 |
Has a most remarkable 'roof garden' with delightful panoramic views of, er, other roofs.
Pauly H - 12 Nov 2002 11:19 |
