Barley Mow

Expensive (this is Mayfair) but the interior is cosy and there’s usually room in the upstairs ‘lounge’ even when the main bar is busy.

One star for decent food — terrible service. Ordered our food and waited an hour to be told that they only had two out of the seven orders, so we had to order something different and wait another 45 min while half of our party ate their dinner before we received the rest of our orders. The wait staff was not at all apologetic and it would be a stretch to call them friendly. Thankfully we were in no hurry and the beers were good. With all of the other options around I would recommend to just avoid this place.

If you want great beer and great company, you need to go here. It can get pretty packed in here but well worth it.

Now that I’ve been to London a handful of times, I have learned a truth about pubs: While some may be extraordinary or extraordinarily awful, for the most part a pub is a pub is a pub. I love that London has such a pub culture, but after some time they all start to feel the same.
That being said, I certainly like Barley Mow as I found it to be quite cozy. The staff was friendly from the moment we walked in the door, the beer was readily available, and it wasn’t too difficult to find a seat. The street right outside is Christmas on steroids, so it was fun to watch the bustling action from the window. I approve of Barley Mow.
But I just finished saying a pub is a pub is a pub, so what is special about Barley Mow? I was a big fan of the private booths, with full wood doors to ensure privacy. We were joking that a lot of shenanigans could take place with that much privacy in a bar, but then I noticed that they all were in fact open to the bar. At least the barkeep could keep an eye on them! Still, I would love having either a date or a small group of friends get together and snag one of those private booths. I think it would make for a special night out.
Maybe these things are incredibly typical and I’m just the out-​of-​touch tourist, but it was the first that I saw and I dig. Yay Barley Mow!

It was loud and packed on a Thursday. We simply popped in for a quick cask check. Nothing out of the ordinary. This is just like any other pub as far as we could tell.
Mooooving along.

Great spot just across from our hotel in Mayfair, usually for an ale after our day of sightseeing.

Hmmm, I’m shocked at the negative reviews. I go there for the food and I love it. That said, I almost always get the bangers and mash, which of the dozen or so places in London I’ve had bangers and mash, the Barley Mow is right up there. Once you place your order they tend to bring it right away. One tip I’d offer is that when you order a soft drink, get the larger size — not much more but more than twice the amount of the smaller size.

The smell of wealth in Mayfair is so intoxicating that drinking almost seems like a waste of money. But of course drinking is an obligation not a choice, so we resisted the temptation to charge into Claridge’s with our ties around our head shouting «¡Viva la revolucion!», and headed for the Barley Mow instead.
The Barley Mow is a decent spot if you’ve been shopping in nearby Oxford Street, but probably a bit low-​rent if you’ve been shopping in nearby New Bond Street (head to the Connaught instead). The nachos were excellent, the beer was well-​kept, the girls behind the bar was cheery and chatty and even the underage drinkers were harmless. Amusingly, one of the teens nonchalantly told the bartender to «keep the change» in a futile attempt to appear like a grown-​up person. Or perhaps it was a bribe to secure continued illicit drinking time.
I deem it a three-​star joint because it is an unremarkable place, but it is competently unremarkable and a worthy spot to tank up on Doombar before starting the revolution.
Good for: after-​work beers, shopping pitstop, summer street-​drinking

Average food. Beer is just not kept properly.
The landlady claimed this was because they couldn’t replace the light in the cellar.
‘Nuff said.
Cheaper than a lot of places around there.

This place doesn’t really do it for me. It is old and scruffy and needs a good clean. Used to go in there quiet a lot and I don’t really now why. It was near the office but I cannot think of another reason why I would choose to go there.
Always a few people hanging around both inside and out (in the summer) but I am really struggling to tell you why you should go there… I could bang on about how it would be a traditional English pub and a perfect stop off for American tourists but I would be ashamed to think that is what an English pub is all about… I tell you what, don’t bother with this one, fins somewhere else.