Latest reviews for Bars & Pubs in Knightsbridge, London, United Kingdom

The Star Tavern - Fullers, fire and good food by Alsation

Alsation — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 15:19:07 +0000

Review by Alsation

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7235 3019

Website: http://www.fullers.co.uk

Cosy, compact and friendly pub in the heart of residential Belgravia. They have some perfectly cellared Fullers on tap â¬ you just canâ¬"t go wrong with a pint of Pride in this pub.
The downstairs lounge bar has a large open fire and tends to be the most popular spot. I have found that the seats around the bar tend to get blagged by the locals, some of whom are a bit visitor-intolerant.
The lunch time menu is simple and the food well prepared. Nothing great, but sensibly priced and (so far) never had reason for complaint.
Once you know how to find the Star youâ¬"re fine, but going there for the first time without a map or instructions can be geographically embarrassingâ¬¦.
If I had any misgivings it might possibly be some of the pretentious punters that swan in and out. There is a distinct Sloany feel to some of the louder customers, but thatâ¬"s understandable, given itâ¬"s in the heart of their territory!Cosy, compact and friendly pub in the heart of residential Belgravia. They have some perfectly cellared Fullers on tap â¬ you just canâ¬"t go wrong with a pint of Pride in this pub.
The downstairs lounge bar has a large open fire and tends to be the most popular spot. I have found that the seats around the bar tend to get blagged by the locals, some of whom are a bit visitor-intolerant.
The lunch time menu is simple and the food well prepared. Nothing great, but sensibly priced and (so far) never had reason for complaint.
Once you know how to find the Star youâ¬"re fine, but going there for the first time without a map or instructions can be geographically embarrassingâ¬¦.
If I had any misgivings it might possibly be some of the pretentious punters that swan in and out. There is a distinct Sloany feel to some of the louder customers, but thatâ¬"s understandable, given itâ¬"s in the heart of their territory!

The Admiral Codrington - good fish and chips by ben_e_h

ben_e_h — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 09:51:35 +0000

Review by ben_e_h

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7581 0005

Website: http://www.theadmiralcodrington.co.uk

Tags: gastro pub, food, friendly

This is a great place to go for a nice plate of fish and chips. The restaurant is very light and airy and a pleasant place to eat. The fish and chips is excellent. Also very good is the steak burger with parfait of foie gras. I have not had the fish cakes have also had good reports of these. The price is slightly above average pub food but not too bad for this area and this type of restaurant and is overall OK value. There is a nice patio area outside the front to eat which is very nice when the sun is out.This is a great place to go for a nice plate of fish and chips. The restaurant is very light and airy and a pleasant place to eat. The fish and chips is excellent. Also very good is the steak burger with parfait of foie gras. I have not had the fish cakes have also had good reports of these. The price is slightly above average pub food but not too bad for this area and this type of restaurant and is overall OK value. There is a nice patio area outside the front to eat which is very nice when the sun is out.

The Grenadier - by Busi_78

Busi_78 — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 18:24:15 +0000

Review by Busi_78

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7235 3074

Tags: food, hidden, traditional pub

a cute quaint traditional pub minus the ubuqious slot machine (thankfully) that even a non-pub person like myself could appreciate. Tucked away in a cosy mews, it feels like stepping back in time, complete with gorgeous victian street lamps. We had cider outside and enjoyed the last of the summer sun in an idlyic setting. It's definately a place I would take friends from home to and is a nice hideaway from the bustling high streeta cute quaint traditional pub minus the ubuqious slot machine (thankfully) that even a non-pub person like myself could appreciate. Tucked away in a cosy mews, it feels like stepping back in time, complete with gorgeous victian street lamps. We had cider outside and enjoyed the last of the summer sun in an idlyic setting. It's definately a place I would take friends from home to and is a nice hideaway from the bustling high street

The Audley - Nice pub but nothing special by ClaireN

ClaireN — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 21:37:17 +0000

Review by ClaireN

Rating: 3.00

Phone: 020 7499 1843

Tags: posh, food, relaxed

I ate here with a group of colleagues in January 2008. Being a bit early I settled in with a pint in the downstairs bar which was lively and full of young workers. All very pleasant, until the rest of our colleagues arrived and we were sent upstairs to the dining room. This was a dark and formal looking room, and worst of all it was completely empty apart from our group.
The food was perfectly OK, if only bog-standard London pub grub fare, and somewhat overpriced. The Polish waitress was delightfully friendly, but she still hadn't grasped the norms of English pub food, so ordering was somewhat painful and long. Her good natured manner helped off-set the wait though, as did the Bombardier on tap.
I wouldn't go out of my way to eat here, to be honest, but if I did find myself in the area again I'd try to get a seat to eat downstairs, where people seemed to be having fun.I ate here with a group of colleagues in January 2008. Being a bit early I settled in with a pint in the downstairs bar which was lively and full of young workers. All very pleasant, until the rest of our colleagues arrived and we were sent upstairs to the dining room. This was a dark and formal looking room, and worst of all it was completely empty apart from our group.
The food was perfectly OK, if only bog-standard London pub grub fare, and somewhat overpriced. The Polish waitress was delightfully friendly, but she still hadn't grasped the norms of English pub food, so ordering was somewhat painful and long. Her good natured manner helped off-set the wait though, as did the Bombardier on tap.
I wouldn't go out of my way to eat here, to be honest, but if I did find myself in the area again I'd try to get a seat to eat downstairs, where people seemed to be having fun.

Eclipse Bar - Very cool bar by LukeG

LukeG — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 16:37:31 +0000

Review by LukeG

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7581 0123

Website: http://www.eclipse-ventures.com

Tags: cool, relaxed, posh

I was amazed when I went to Eclipse not too long ago. I was expecting to be surrounded by posh, champagne drinking Chelsea girls and city type guys. Instead I found the people extremely chilled out, young and up for having a good time. The staff were really friendly and the bongo player was awesome. We had a great night and have already penned in a return......watch out!I was amazed when I went to Eclipse not too long ago. I was expecting to be surrounded by posh, champagne drinking Chelsea girls and city type guys. Instead I found the people extremely chilled out, young and up for having a good time. The staff were really friendly and the bongo player was awesome. We had a great night and have already penned in a return......watch out!

Swag & Tails - posh pub grub by petrus

petrus — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 23:20:03 +0000

Review by petrus

Rating: 3.00

Phone: 020 7584 6926

Tags: relaxed, independent pub, food

The Swag and Tails is a small pub hidden on a South Kensington backstreet on the way to Knightsbridge. Bernie Ecclestone can be spotted here lunching from time to time and this may give you some idea of what to expect; it's not your standard London boozer.

I had lunch there today with that blissful feeling that comes with the knowledge that someone else is paying, in this case my work were shaking out the moths from the corporate wallet and picking up the tab. This is an occasion as rare as spotting a red squirrel in the churchyard nearby and so I cherished it accordingly.

The menu is a slightly odd mix of clearly French influenced cooking, with a nod here and there to modern british and right on ingredients, such as Pollack. There are about 6 starters, ranging from soup to the seared foie gras at Â£10.95 that I plumped for. To my mind if you are going to have foie gras with all the attendant guilt, then seared is the way to go. You can keep your terrines, your pates, cappuccinos or custards, just a very hot pan, coloured on both sides, finished in the oven and taste bud ecstasy is guaranteed.

In this case the chef had decided to add a few bells and whistles to the main event. In fact he or she may have got a little carried away with the squeezy sauce bottle as it came out on a plate that had been deluged in coloured squiggles . The liver, with an appealing brown crust, was on top of a granary crouton, which itself was on a spiced pear compote. The final flourish was a black pepper tuile, otherwise known as wafer with a bit of black pepper on it. As one of my companions commented, "It looks more like a dessert than a starter!" Although all the other components were tasty enough in their own right, and some, the pears, complemented the liver well, overall the dish was overdone in effort. A simpler presentation and fewer flavours on the plate would have allowed the excellently cooked piece of foie gras to shine more clearly.

For the main I had sautÃ©ed loin of rabbit, with smoked black pudding and a broad bean and pear salad from a longer list including more simple pub fare such as a burger and steak sandwich. This was a very good dish; the rabbit had been timed beautifully, with a good colour outside and succulent inside. I have never had smoked black pudding before, but I would certainly like to have it again. The smokiness went brilliantly with the rich, crumbly pudding. The salad gave a lighter, summery note to the dish, and I could have almost managed to describe it all as healthy, had it not been for that pesky order of shoestring friesâ¬¦

The Swag and Tails seems to have a good chef in the kitchen, this is not a pie and chips pub, I guess your average billionaire wants a tad more sophistication when they go out to lunch. The prices are pretty high, but that comes with the turf. The main for example was around Â£15, which is punchy pricing for a pub. I would definitely recommend it, as long as someone else is paying!

The Swag and Tails is a small pub hidden on a South Kensington backstreet on the way to Knightsbridge. Bernie Ecclestone can be spotted here lunching from time to time and this may give you some idea of what to expect; it's not your standard London boozer.

I had lunch there today with that blissful feeling that comes with the knowledge that someone else is paying, in this case my work were shaking out the moths from the corporate wallet and picking up the tab. This is an occasion as rare as spotting a red squirrel in the churchyard nearby and so I cherished it accordingly.

The menu is a slightly odd mix of clearly French influenced cooking, with a nod here and there to modern british and right on ingredients, such as Pollack. There are about 6 starters, ranging from soup to the seared foie gras at Â£10.95 that I plumped for. To my mind if you are going to have foie gras with all the attendant guilt, then seared is the way to go. You can keep your terrines, your pates, cappuccinos or custards, just a very hot pan, coloured on both sides, finished in the oven and taste bud ecstasy is guaranteed.

In this case the chef had decided to add a few bells and whistles to the main event. In fact he or she may have got a little carried away with the squeezy sauce bottle as it came out on a plate that had been deluged in coloured squiggles . The liver, with an appealing brown crust, was on top of a granary crouton, which itself was on a spiced pear compote. The final flourish was a black pepper tuile, otherwise known as wafer with a bit of black pepper on it. As one of my companions commented, "It looks more like a dessert than a starter!" Although all the other components were tasty enough in their own right, and some, the pears, complemented the liver well, overall the dish was overdone in effort. A simpler presentation and fewer flavours on the plate would have allowed the excellently cooked piece of foie gras to shine more clearly.

For the main I had sautÃ©ed loin of rabbit, with smoked black pudding and a broad bean and pear salad from a longer list including more simple pub fare such as a burger and steak sandwich. This was a very good dish; the rabbit had been timed beautifully, with a good colour outside and succulent inside. I have never had smoked black pudding before, but I would certainly like to have it again. The smokiness went brilliantly with the rich, crumbly pudding. The salad gave a lighter, summery note to the dish, and I could have almost managed to describe it all as healthy, had it not been for that pesky order of shoestring friesâ¬¦

The Swag and Tails seems to have a good chef in the kitchen, this is not a pie and chips pub, I guess your average billionaire wants a tad more sophistication when they go out to lunch. The prices are pretty high, but that comes with the turf. The main for example was around Â£15, which is punchy pricing for a pub. I would definitely recommend it, as long as someone else is paying!

Library Bar - Nearly excellent by chrisp

chrisp — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 13:15:05 +0000

Review by chrisp

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7259 5599

Tags: glamorous, posh, relaxed

Yes, it's posh and pretentious and certainly impressive at first, but there's something missing from the experience here. I don't know whether it's the rows of books that you slowly realise are fake, or the cocktails which are priced in line with other London hotels but fail to deliver on taste. It's a brand-new hotel bar masquerading as a grand-old hotel bar, and I'm afraid it's not quite there. Is all a very nice way to pass a few hours, of course, but you can do better. At Claridge's, for a start.Yes, it's posh and pretentious and certainly impressive at first, but there's something missing from the experience here. I don't know whether it's the rows of books that you slowly realise are fake, or the cocktails which are priced in line with other London hotels but fail to deliver on taste. It's a brand-new hotel bar masquerading as a grand-old hotel bar, and I'm afraid it's not quite there. Is all a very nice way to pass a few hours, of course, but you can do better. At Claridge's, for a start.

Mandarin Bar - Fascinating rather than good by chrisp

chrisp — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 14:56:31 +0000

Review by chrisp

Rating: 3.00

Phone: 020 7235 2000

Website: http://www.mandarinoriental.com/london

Tags: live music, pretentious, posh

The Mandarin Bar is a weird, weird place. As the previous reviewer pointed out, the clientele seems to consist of international kids, captains of industry and their "nieces", posing over their Bloody Marys.

The drinks aren't actually too bad at all, but the service can be frantic, finding a table almost impossible after about 6pm, and of course the prices are eye-watering.

On the other hand, it's the only place in London (to my knowledge) where you can order a Caesar (kind of a Bloody Mary, but with clam juice).

Oh and I don't consider the nibbles to be anything worth writing home about - compared with the home made parmesan sticks at Claridges, these are bog standard.The Mandarin Bar is a weird, weird place. As the previous reviewer pointed out, the clientele seems to consist of international kids, captains of industry and their "nieces", posing over their Bloody Marys.

The drinks aren't actually too bad at all, but the service can be frantic, finding a table almost impossible after about 6pm, and of course the prices are eye-watering.

On the other hand, it's the only place in London (to my knowledge) where you can order a Caesar (kind of a Bloody Mary, but with clam juice).

Oh and I don't consider the nibbles to be anything worth writing home about - compared with the home made parmesan sticks at Claridges, these are bog standard.

The Enterprise - Cosy Gastro-pub by Hugo

Hugo — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 00:10:29 +0000

Review by Hugo

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7584 3148

Website: http://www.sparkjumbo.co.uk

Tags: good food, terrace, food

The Enterprise is a handy and cosy gastro-pub in the heart of chelsea. A tasty menu with old favourites on makes it popular, which is an issue as you cannot reserve tables...be warned.

Not much space to swing a cat in here, so expect an intimate and bustling experience. Worth knowing about though.The Enterprise is a handy and cosy gastro-pub in the heart of chelsea. A tasty menu with old favourites on makes it popular, which is an issue as you cannot reserve tables...be warned.

Not much space to swing a cat in here, so expect an intimate and bustling experience. Worth knowing about though.

The Plumbers Arms - Fantastic Service by lisaadby

lisaadby — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 10:41:13 +0000

Review by lisaadby

Rating: 3.00

Phone: 020 7730 4067

Tags: good food, vegetarian dishes, food

Quick service, friendly staff and good food. Will be going back!Quick service, friendly staff and good food. Will be going back!

Thomas Cubitt - Sunday lunch by nGB

nGB — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 14:31:34 +0000

Review by nGB

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7730 6060

Website: http://www.thethomascubitt.co.uk

Tags: gastro pub, lively, food

Great place with table service, both inside and outside where table line the smart Elizabeth Street. The food it consistently good and the people always well turned out. Its best on a Sunday when the sun is shining.Great place with table service, both inside and outside where table line the smart Elizabeth Street. The food it consistently good and the people always well turned out. Its best on a Sunday when the sun is shining.

Duke Of Wellington - by dizzle

dizzle — Wed, 09 May 2007 21:24:38 +0000

Review by dizzle

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7730 1782

Website: http://www.shepherd-neame.co.uk

Tags: food, fire, busy

Great pub, great atmosphere.
It can get quite busy on the weekends, so get there early for a table/stool.
But when it's not busy, and you're looking for a quiet pint, this can also be the place.
The food varies, more so on the weaker side though.
A classic London pub.Great pub, great atmosphere.
It can get quite busy on the weekends, so get there early for a table/stool.
But when it's not busy, and you're looking for a quiet pint, this can also be the place.
The food varies, more so on the weaker side though.
A classic London pub.

The Blue Bar - by joel

joel — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 16:23:23 +0000

Review by joel

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7235 6000

Website: http://www.savoy-group.co.uk/berkeley/berkeley.html

Tags: tapas, trendy, food

Ultra trendy meets old world classic, great cocktails with excellent resturants in the hotel.Ultra trendy meets old world classic, great cocktails with excellent resturants in the hotel.

Art Bar - Move Along... by caffeinehit

caffeinehit — Wed, 08 Nov 2006 14:43:38 +0000

Review by caffeinehit

Rating: 2.00

Phone: 020 7589 8558

Tags: posh, food, bar

OK. Right, so as well as highlighting some of the better bars in London I should point out the slightly crap ones as well.

This is a slightly wanky bar with slightly wanky people. It's like going to a premiere aftershow party where everyone looks around trying to see if they can spot the richest, single person to go and speak to (eg. Stelios, Prince Harrys real dad etc).

The cocktails are average but v.v.expensive (mind you, we are on Walton Street so what do you expect), be suprised if you have much change from £10 for a cocktail. Bar staff are off and slightly lacklustre. All the same, when you're drunk it seems like a fantastic place.

If you're in the area worth checking it out and making your own mind up... My advice would be to check out Eclipse a few doors down...OK. Right, so as well as highlighting some of the better bars in London I should point out the slightly crap ones as well.

This is a slightly wanky bar with slightly wanky people. It's like going to a premiere aftershow party where everyone looks around trying to see if they can spot the richest, single person to go and speak to (eg. Stelios, Prince Harrys real dad etc).

The cocktails are average but v.v.expensive (mind you, we are on Walton Street so what do you expect), be suprised if you have much change from £10 for a cocktail. Bar staff are off and slightly lacklustre. All the same, when you're drunk it seems like a fantastic place.

If you're in the area worth checking it out and making your own mind up... My advice would be to check out Eclipse a few doors down...