Iconic London pubs- your recommendations please

JohnBoyUK

Stig said:

JohnBoyUK said:

The Blind Beggar, Whitechapel?

It may have changed, but the last time I was in there (in fact, every time I've been in there) it was an absolute shit hole - then again, perhaps that's part of the appeal.

The biggest disappointment for me, is that you can't get a bottle of Mann's Brown in there. Given that it was developed on the same site, it shows the sort of disregard for the history and culture of brewing that would deservedly rule them out of any Beer Guide. As far as I can see, it trades solely now on the Cornell story, which is just about as good a reason to give it a swerve as I can think of.

Tbh with you, only went in there once and I was working at Whitechapel & Mile End for 16 years.  It was a proper sh*t hole.
Just mentioned it for the history, relating to the Krays.

Stig

Another vote for The Mitre here. Likewise The Blackfriar. Some others that might be worth a look:

• The Edgar Wallace, Essex Street: Well worth a look upstairs for their interesting collection of knitting patterns (really).
• The George, The Strand: Opposite the Courts of Justice. The adornments outside are worth a look, even if you don't go in.
• Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese, Fleet Street: It's en route from The Mitre to The Blackfrair, so it'd be rude not to pop in and say hello.
• The Good Samaritan, Turner Street: A far better Whitechapel pub than The Beggar. It used to be handy for the brilliant museum in The Royal London Hospital. Sadly this is now closed.
• The Pride of Spitalfields, Heneage Street: They used to have a big fluffy cat and give out free roast potatoes.
• The Jamaica Wine House, St Michael's Alley: Impressive woodwork.

WillmoreTheRed

Normans Coach & Horses, Soho.

Gisappointed

Princess Louise, Holborn close to diamond quarter, Inns of Court and Fleet Street. Used to be an influential folk club. Stunning interior, crap beer.

ForeverAddickted

The Nell Gwynne, just off the Strand

sirjohnhumphrey

Two slightly more local - The Dog and Bell in Deptford and Blythe Hill Tavern in Catford.

Gisappointed

Half Moon, Putney is a great music venue. Just up the road, the Dukes Head has good sporting connections.

Oliver Reed used to be a regular in the Marquess of Anglesea, Covent Garden. He used to put it away at lunchtime.

Three Kings by West Ken station used to be a huge music venue.

hermann

Gisappointed said:

Princess Louise, Holborn close to diamond quarter, Inns of Court and Fleet Street. Used to be an influential folk club. Stunning interior, crap beer.

Was in there on Friday night - fantastic boozer. Beer is the usual Sam Smiths selection, not amazing but cheaper than most pubs in central. Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese is Sam Smiths as well. 

Big William

Argyll Arms - Argyll Street near Oxford Circus, amazing Victorian interior

Ship and Shovell  - Craven Passage (Ooh er) near Charing Cross, split between two buildings either side of said passage.

I was in the Freemasons arms in Long Acre at the weekend, another decent pub, where they drew up the first laws of football in 1863. That set of laws didn’t include VAR, so they deserve your support.

As I like a drop of Fullers, I’d throw in the Admiralty on Trafalgar Square, also the much older Lamb and Flag in Rose Street Covent Garden (difficult to find, but worth the effort).

 

CatAddick

Lamb and Flag - another vote
Kings Head N8 - more comedy than music, but I spent a few nights in there in the mid-80s
Hole in the Wall at Waterloo just for general shittyness and to show how good the others are....

valleynick66

The George at Borough Market/London Bridge. 

Not a music thing but historical. 

Karim_myBagheri

Not sure it's been mentioned but does anyone know what that pub in central area which has a bar in a circle with several private drinking areas separated by marble glass and small wooden doors that you have to duck through. 

Wheresmeticket

sirjohnhumphrey said:

Two slightly more local - The Dog and Bell in Deptford and Blythe Hill Tavern in Catford.

The Blythe is in a class of its own

SporadicAddick

Can't believe no-one has recommended The Millers Arms in Bexley Village.

Carter

The blackfriar is one people get fizzy in the gusset about but it falls into the same category a lot of London pubs do (and none of this is a negative) cramped, small toilets down flights of stairs, most people move outdoors to get some space and air. 
The blind beggar if thats your thing. 
The Wheatsheaf in Borough Market and the Mudlark just underneath there are two I like. 

McBobbin

Magpie and Stump on old bailey. Nothing special to look at the from outside, but got an interesting history if public execution is your bag

Covered End

Big William said:

Argyll Arms - Argyll Street near Oxford Circus, amazing Victorian interior

Ship and Shovell  - Craven Passage (Ooh er) near Charing Cross, split between two buildings either side of said passage.

I was in the Freemasons arms in Long Acre at the weekend, another decent pub, where they drew up the first laws of football in 1863. That set of laws didn’t include VAR, so they deserve your support.

As I like a drop of Fullers, I’d throw in the Admiralty on Trafalgar Square, also the much older Lamb and Flag in Rose Street Covent Garden (difficult to find, but worth the effort).

 

Argyll Arms £25 for 2 white wines (can’t recall if medium or large).
Actually it was the night I saw you across the road in The Palladium.

Arry Addick

guinnessaddick said:

The Tipperary in Fleet Street, the oldest Irish pub outside Ireland.

I thought that had closed down.

Arry Addick

Pelham123 said:

The Kings Arms in the perfectly preserved Roupell Street SE1. Adjacent to Waterloo East Station downside.

I work very close to this pub...gets a vote from me too.

blackpool72

Covered End said:

Big William said:

Argyll Arms - Argyll Street near Oxford Circus, amazing Victorian interior

Ship and Shovell  - Craven Passage (Ooh er) near Charing Cross, split between two buildings either side of said passage.

I was in the Freemasons arms in Long Acre at the weekend, another decent pub, where they drew up the first laws of football in 1863. That set of laws didn’t include VAR, so they deserve your support.

As I like a drop of Fullers, I’d throw in the Admiralty on Trafalgar Square, also the much older Lamb and Flag in Rose Street Covent Garden (difficult to find, but worth the effort).

 

Argyll Arms £25 for 2 white wines (can’t recall if medium or large).
Actually it was the night I saw you across the road in The Palladium.

Who was he staring as.

se9addick

DaveMehmet said:

The Cheshire Cheese in Fleet St

Definitely the Cheshire Cheese, if he’s a writer he’ll appreciate the Dickens connection. 

In all honesty you could narrow this request  down to pubs in the City and still come up with a good list (Cheese, Mitre, Citie of Yorke).

iaitch

Karim_myBagheri said:

Not sure it's been mentioned but does anyone know what that pub in central area which has a bar in a circle with several private drinking areas separated by marble glass and small wooden doors that you have to duck through. 

The Princess Louise, mentioned above, when it was refurbed it had a circular bar split by glass partitions not sure about the wooden doors though, not been there in quite a few years.

Here's a photo not sure how old it is and whether the pub is still like it.

se9addick

Carter said:

The blackfriar is one people get fizzy in the gusset about but it falls into the same category a lot of London pubs do (and none of this is a negative) cramped, small toilets down flights of stairs, most people move outdoors to get some space and air. 
The blind beggar if thats your thing. 
The Wheatsheaf in Borough Market and the Mudlark just underneath there are two I like. 

I work next door to the Cheshire Cheese so the Blackfriar is close. Not sure why people like it so much, it’s fine, but that’s about all. 

KBslittlesis

The Harp opposite Charing Cross nick was my favourite.
Tiny but serves some cracking beer and when you sit upstairs it’s like being at your Granny’s (well it used to be…..it’s over 10yrs since I was there 😞).

guinnessaddick

Arry Addick said:

guinnessaddick said:

The Tipperary in Fleet Street, the oldest Irish pub outside Ireland.

I thought that had closed down.

Reopened in the summer.

Chizz

guinnessaddick said:

Arry Addick said:

guinnessaddick said:

The Tipperary in Fleet Street, the oldest Irish pub outside Ireland.

I thought that had closed down.

Reopened in the summer.

Youngest Irish pub outside Ireland..!

swords_alive

There are 3 Cheshire Cheeses in central London. One is called Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese and that is comparatively near one of the others. I made the mistake once, thanks to other people's imprecision.

Big William

Covered End said:

Big William said:

Argyll Arms - Argyll Street near Oxford Circus, amazing Victorian interior

Ship and Shovell  - Craven Passage (Ooh er) near Charing Cross, split between two buildings either side of said passage.

I was in the Freemasons arms in Long Acre at the weekend, another decent pub, where they drew up the first laws of football in 1863. That set of laws didn’t include VAR, so they deserve your support.

As I like a drop of Fullers, I’d throw in the Admiralty on Trafalgar Square, also the much older Lamb and Flag in Rose Street Covent Garden (difficult to find, but worth the effort).

 

Argyll Arms £25 for 2 white wines (can’t recall if medium or large).
Actually it was the night I saw you across the road in The Palladium.

Ouch…I went to the Spread Eagle up the road, my Wembley pub, well it was in 1998 and 2019. Hope they’re not relying on me for another splurge this year.

IdleHans

The Salisbury at 90 St Martin's Lane has a spectacular mirrored and gilded interior. It's a Greene King but usually has a decent selection of guest beers.

throughthickandthin

The Angel in Rotherhithe 

The only Gable pub over the Thames that is left.

The view up to the city from upstairs restaurant is some thing else. There use to be a photo on the wall along side showing the same view circa 1950, it would be safe to say its changed