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

The Albion - Monday night trivia! by goldilocks

goldilocks — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 11:03:46 +0000

Review by goldilocks

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7583 0227

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

Tags: relaxed, different pub food, friendly

Monday night Trivia is a blast (even though we are no good at it)!

The atmosphere is relaxed and unpretentious and the staff are friendly. I'd recommend this place for after work drinks or for their hearty Sunday RoastsMonday night Trivia is a blast (even though we are no good at it)!

The atmosphere is relaxed and unpretentious and the staff are friendly. I'd recommend this place for after work drinks or for their hearty Sunday Roasts

Cellar Door - Disappointing by curlynewf

curlynewf — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 17:14:08 +0000

Review by curlynewf

Rating: 1.00

Website: http://wcukdev.co.uk/ryan/cellardoor/backend/page.html#

Ugh! Not what its website claims it to be at all. "30s Berlin meets New York basement dive"? Far from it. More like "90s tack meets tourist trap". We stopped by on a Friday evening with high hopes for quality live music, a laid-back vibe, maybe some red velvet upholsteryâ¬¦ But what we walked into was total carnage. It was packed to the rafters with whooping girls taking digital self portraits and guys in suits trying to pull them. Mirrored walls, cheesy lighting... Ick. I think I see what they were trying to do with the decor, but... FAIL. Disappointing to say the least.Ugh! Not what its website claims it to be at all. "30s Berlin meets New York basement dive"? Far from it. More like "90s tack meets tourist trap". We stopped by on a Friday evening with high hopes for quality live music, a laid-back vibe, maybe some red velvet upholsteryâ¬¦ But what we walked into was total carnage. It was packed to the rafters with whooping girls taking digital self portraits and guys in suits trying to pull them. Mirrored walls, cheesy lighting... Ick. I think I see what they were trying to do with the decor, but... FAIL. Disappointing to say the least.

Knight's Templar - Wetherspoons chic by realalelass

realalelass — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 09:28:44 +0000

Review by realalelass

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7831 2660

Website: http://www.jdwetherspoon.co.uk/pub/theknightstemplar

Tags: pub chain, posh, food

This is another large Wetherspoons pub in central London (on Chancery Lane, so as a previous reviewer has commented, populated with members of the legal profession).

The interior is very grand. Get a table upstairs on the balcony, overlooking the pub if you can. However, this pub definitely isn't posh - it's a Wetherspoons! The beer is reasonably priced and well kept, but as with all Wetherspoons, it gets very very crowded, especially on a Friday evening.

The food is typical Wetherspoons fare, cheap and cheerful (and a little bit greasy).

The toilets (in the basement), are some of the grandest I have ever seen in a pub.This is another large Wetherspoons pub in central London (on Chancery Lane, so as a previous reviewer has commented, populated with members of the legal profession).

The interior is very grand. Get a table upstairs on the balcony, overlooking the pub if you can. However, this pub definitely isn't posh - it's a Wetherspoons! The beer is reasonably priced and well kept, but as with all Wetherspoons, it gets very very crowded, especially on a Friday evening.

The food is typical Wetherspoons fare, cheap and cheerful (and a little bit greasy).

The toilets (in the basement), are some of the grandest I have ever seen in a pub.

Walkabout Inn - It's a Walkabout! by damo1977

damo1977 — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 16:17:51 +0000

Review by damo1977

Rating: 2.00

Phone: 020 7395 3690

Website: http://www.walkaboutinns.com

Tags: sport pub, pub chain, food

What can I say? It's a Walkabout. A typical Australian themed bar.

All the staff seem to be Australian, however, so are most bar staff in London.

There are screens all around showing various sporting events, however, you can guarantee that the event you want to watch will not have the sound turned up.

The beer choice is pretty sparce, with exception of Stella, your going to try something new. Australian and New Zealand beers take preference. (Although there was not Castlemaine XXXX)

If you want a bar near to the District/Circle line then this is one for you, Temple station is behind the bar and the tracks run below the dancefloor. (See it wasn't that Heffer dancing!)What can I say? It's a Walkabout. A typical Australian themed bar.

All the staff seem to be Australian, however, so are most bar staff in London.

There are screens all around showing various sporting events, however, you can guarantee that the event you want to watch will not have the sound turned up.

The beer choice is pretty sparce, with exception of Stella, your going to try something new. Australian and New Zealand beers take preference. (Although there was not Castlemaine XXXX)

If you want a bar near to the District/Circle line then this is one for you, Temple station is behind the bar and the tracks run below the dancefloor. (See it wasn't that Heffer dancing!)

Ye Olde Cock Tavern - good old fashioned pub by jlonners

jlonners — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 19:07:28 +0000

Review by jlonners

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7353 3454

Tags: lively, good value, food

This is a Quintessionally English old style tavern. There are red and green high backed leather chairs with the button studding and the walls are all bookcases filled with leather bound books. It put you in mind of a gentlemenâ¬"s cub of old, you can imagine a well dressed man sat here smoking a pie and drinking brandy in days gone by. This is an old pub as well so itâ¬"s likely this that is how it was here log ago. The feel of the place isnâ¬"t stuffy though and you will feel welcome here and relaxed. This isnâ¬"t a hurried place, you can sit here on a Sunday with a pint and read your paper for as long as you like, no one will rush you.This is a Quintessionally English old style tavern. There are red and green high backed leather chairs with the button studding and the walls are all bookcases filled with leather bound books. It put you in mind of a gentlemenâ¬"s cub of old, you can imagine a well dressed man sat here smoking a pie and drinking brandy in days gone by. This is an old pub as well so itâ¬"s likely this that is how it was here log ago. The feel of the place isnâ¬"t stuffy though and you will feel welcome here and relaxed. This isnâ¬"t a hurried place, you can sit here on a Sunday with a pint and read your paper for as long as you like, no one will rush you.

Buddha Bar - mostly smoke and mirrors by Busi_78

Busi_78 — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 13:50:11 +0000

Review by Busi_78

Rating: 1.00

Phone: 020 3371 7777

Website: http://www.buddhabar-london.com/

Tags: romantic, pretentious, bar

I wanted to like this place, I really did. I love the chillout tunes and the whole buddah vibe, what's there not to like?
I also liked the dÃ©cor, sumptuous exotic and expensive. The bits we could see anyway, as it was so dark we barely read the menu.

What I didn't like, plenty..

The door people in shiny suits and wires coming out their ears, don't like em.

The toilet attendant whose sole purpose there it seems, is to hand you a towel when you've finished washing your hands, unecessary in a restaurant, it gives it the whole west end nightclub vibe.

The food, a pan asian-japanese-everything-fusion. We had sushi to start, lovely and fresh ( we ordered hand rolls and got california rolls instead, not a biggie). My friend had a green thai curry with banana leaves. It came out as a curry 'n rice mix with a banana leaf garnish, pleasant enough, but not worth Â£19. Another friend had seared tuna with sesame seeds, again allright, not smashing. Mine was a duck dish with ginger, I had been warned it would be spicy - it was as spicy as a korma and the duck was over-cooked. In the Buddah Bar's defence, my usually picky vegetarian friend enjoyed her curry but grumbled about the tiny portion. I would recommend the spiced edamame beans as a side dish.

The cocktails were allright, not worth a tenner for a Russian Mule with no kick.

Overall, I would recommend this venue for drinks and to gawp at the truly fantastic decor ( the mock croc tiles in the toilets being a favourite feature for me, tacky-chic)
The food I would give a miss, Busaba does better for a whole lot less.
The hauteur of the wait staff should be reserved for Nobel Prize winners. And the souvenier thingie at the door makes it look like a theme park (Â£300 for a key ring). I think this place will appeal to people who like wag-chic, not quite my bag, but I can see how other people might love it.
I wanted to like this place, I really did. I love the chillout tunes and the whole buddah vibe, what's there not to like?
I also liked the dÃ©cor, sumptuous exotic and expensive. The bits we could see anyway, as it was so dark we barely read the menu.

What I didn't like, plenty..

The door people in shiny suits and wires coming out their ears, don't like em.

The toilet attendant whose sole purpose there it seems, is to hand you a towel when you've finished washing your hands, unecessary in a restaurant, it gives it the whole west end nightclub vibe.

The food, a pan asian-japanese-everything-fusion. We had sushi to start, lovely and fresh ( we ordered hand rolls and got california rolls instead, not a biggie). My friend had a green thai curry with banana leaves. It came out as a curry 'n rice mix with a banana leaf garnish, pleasant enough, but not worth Â£19. Another friend had seared tuna with sesame seeds, again allright, not smashing. Mine was a duck dish with ginger, I had been warned it would be spicy - it was as spicy as a korma and the duck was over-cooked. In the Buddah Bar's defence, my usually picky vegetarian friend enjoyed her curry but grumbled about the tiny portion. I would recommend the spiced edamame beans as a side dish.

The cocktails were allright, not worth a tenner for a Russian Mule with no kick.

Overall, I would recommend this venue for drinks and to gawp at the truly fantastic decor ( the mock croc tiles in the toilets being a favourite feature for me, tacky-chic)
The food I would give a miss, Busaba does better for a whole lot less.
The hauteur of the wait staff should be reserved for Nobel Prize winners. And the souvenier thingie at the door makes it look like a theme park (Â£300 for a key ring). I think this place will appeal to people who like wag-chic, not quite my bag, but I can see how other people might love it.

The Tipperary - The Tipperary by dartwolf

dartwolf — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 14:41:34 +0000

Review by dartwolf

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7583 6470

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

Tags: relaxed, friendly, food

One of London's hidden gems, well not so hidden as it's right on Fleet Street.

A traditional pub with no prententions, Bill and Wendy the licensees make everyone feel welcome whether you're stopping for a quick 1/2 or maybe a couple more.

Always a great place to pop in for a quick beer and chat with people at the bar.

The food is down to earth pub grub not gastropub nonsense,
you order bangers and mash that's what you get
.... not hand reared gloucestershire caviar fed pork sausages with mashed shiatsu massaged potatoes.....

All in all a great traditional pub, the only thing that detracts from the experience is the ridiculous smoking ban which means you can't enjoy a smoke with your pint.

One of London's hidden gems, well not so hidden as it's right on Fleet Street.

A traditional pub with no prententions, Bill and Wendy the licensees make everyone feel welcome whether you're stopping for a quick 1/2 or maybe a couple more.

Always a great place to pop in for a quick beer and chat with people at the bar.

The food is down to earth pub grub not gastropub nonsense,
you order bangers and mash that's what you get
.... not hand reared gloucestershire caviar fed pork sausages with mashed shiatsu massaged potatoes.....

All in all a great traditional pub, the only thing that detracts from the experience is the ridiculous smoking ban which means you can't enjoy a smoke with your pint.

The White Swan - Great for a meal or a drink by sue

sue — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 16:06:38 +0000

Review by sue

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7242 9696

Website: http://www.thewhiteswanlondon.com/

Tags: food, stylish, friendly

My usual dining companion (aka AM) recently started working in a new part of town, and came home one evening raving about a bar called the White Swan just up the road from his office. Apparently it had a great sounding restaurant too. Ok, I was sold, and a table was booked for dinner the following week.

Meeting AM at the office we wandered up to the White Swan for a drink before our meal. I immediately liked this modern pub, with its welcoming bar area, complete with a massive mirror and a good variety of mounted animal heads. There is a small mezzanine level over the bar, offering additional seating, while the restaurant is up on the first floor.

I was equally impressed with the restaurant. The room is stylishly decorated, with wood and caramel tones, attractive (but not so comfortable) chairs and although there are plenty of windows it still had a very warm feel about it, which was perfect on the cold, wet evening we visited. Oh, and it has a mirrored ceiling too. Service was very friendly and professional, yet relaxed, which was perfect for the environment. There is an impressive wine list, with a great range of wines from around the world and a good selection by the glass as well.

To start, AM had the Braised oxtail with parsnip puree and roast garlic, and I had a couple of tastes. Loved the presentation and the comforting flavours. Main course was excellent - we both ordered the Roast breast of pheasant with boudin noir, creamed bacon and savoy cabbage, chestnuts, fondant potato, caramelised apples and Calvados jus. It sounds a bit much doesn't it, but it was superb. All of the facets of the dish came together deliciously - I even enjoyed the Boudin noir, which is blood sausage.

Dessert was less successful. We ordered the Steamed chocolate pudding with vanilla bean ice cream, and the Plum tarte tatin. The choc pudding was nothing special, and the tarte tatin was unfortunately undercooked - the pastry was half raw. We had been warned that it would take at least 15 minutes to prepare, so I was a bit surprised when our desserts arrived sooner than that.

Our waitress was devastated when she saw the half eaten tarte tatin and immediately knew what the problem was. She apologised and didn't charge us for it, nor one of the glasses of wine - though that may have just been an error! Loved the White Swan.My usual dining companion (aka AM) recently started working in a new part of town, and came home one evening raving about a bar called the White Swan just up the road from his office. Apparently it had a great sounding restaurant too. Ok, I was sold, and a table was booked for dinner the following week.

Meeting AM at the office we wandered up to the White Swan for a drink before our meal. I immediately liked this modern pub, with its welcoming bar area, complete with a massive mirror and a good variety of mounted animal heads. There is a small mezzanine level over the bar, offering additional seating, while the restaurant is up on the first floor.

I was equally impressed with the restaurant. The room is stylishly decorated, with wood and caramel tones, attractive (but not so comfortable) chairs and although there are plenty of windows it still had a very warm feel about it, which was perfect on the cold, wet evening we visited. Oh, and it has a mirrored ceiling too. Service was very friendly and professional, yet relaxed, which was perfect for the environment. There is an impressive wine list, with a great range of wines from around the world and a good selection by the glass as well.

To start, AM had the Braised oxtail with parsnip puree and roast garlic, and I had a couple of tastes. Loved the presentation and the comforting flavours. Main course was excellent - we both ordered the Roast breast of pheasant with boudin noir, creamed bacon and savoy cabbage, chestnuts, fondant potato, caramelised apples and Calvados jus. It sounds a bit much doesn't it, but it was superb. All of the facets of the dish came together deliciously - I even enjoyed the Boudin noir, which is blood sausage.

Dessert was less successful. We ordered the Steamed chocolate pudding with vanilla bean ice cream, and the Plum tarte tatin. The choc pudding was nothing special, and the tarte tatin was unfortunately undercooked - the pastry was half raw. We had been warned that it would take at least 15 minutes to prepare, so I was a bit surprised when our desserts arrived sooner than that.

Our waitress was devastated when she saw the half eaten tarte tatin and immediately knew what the problem was. She apologised and didn't charge us for it, nor one of the glasses of wine - though that may have just been an error! Loved the White Swan.

The George - City pub, what more do you want? by t0m

t0m — Sat, 06 Oct 2007 09:06:15 +0000

Review by t0m

Rating: 3.00

Phone: 020 7427 0941

Tags: food, traditional pub, independent pub

It's a pub on Fleet Street.. pretty standard. Some good beers on tap, but it's empty by 9.30pm when all the city guys and girls have moved on. It's a pub on Fleet Street.. pretty standard. Some good beers on tap, but it's empty by 9.30pm when all the city guys and girls have moved on.

Cheshire Cheese - Not bad for a city pub.. by t0m

t0m — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 23:06:31 +0000

Review by t0m

Rating: 3.00

Phone: 020 7836 2347

Website: http://www.thecheshirecheese.com

Tags: food, traditional pub, pool

It's fine. I wouldn't get too excited about it, but given some of the competition locally (e.g. Walkabout), this is a good alternative. It's often possible to get a seat here, and usually quite relaxed.

In summer the city folk pour onto the street, you know how it is. It has pool downstairs, if you like that sort of thing. It's fine. I wouldn't get too excited about it, but given some of the competition locally (e.g. Walkabout), this is a good alternative. It's often possible to get a seat here, and usually quite relaxed.

In summer the city folk pour onto the street, you know how it is. It has pool downstairs, if you like that sort of thing.

The Three Tuns - The LSE bar by alexandros

alexandros — Tue, 24 Oct 2006 19:57:49 +0000

Review by alexandros

Rating: 4.00

Tags: cool, relaxed, cheap

This is a typical university bar. This means that at the Three Tuns you will find lots of students from all over the world, cheap beer and a relaxed mood. It gets really crowded after 5, when classes end and students go there to quench their thirst, play pool or watch a football game! The staff are cool and friendly and the prices are surprisingly low. Highlight: the large leather sofas which are loved by all kinds of students, from those who go there to discuss on a group project to those who just want to flirt a little bit...This is a typical university bar. This means that at the Three Tuns you will find lots of students from all over the world, cheap beer and a relaxed mood. It gets really crowded after 5, when classes end and students go there to quench their thirst, play pool or watch a football game! The staff are cool and friendly and the prices are surprisingly low. Highlight: the large leather sofas which are loved by all kinds of students, from those who go there to discuss on a group project to those who just want to flirt a little bit...