This quaint little pub tucked away from the bustling streets of London is a rare little gem. The street it resides in has few foot traffic which I suppose would prove popular with office workers from the nearby buildings. I came here on a Friday evening and the place was filling up nicely. Price wise is fine. What I do have a niggle about is that food stops being served 9:30 ish which is a huge shame considering it was after all a Friday night and people get hungry. Very hungry. Especially after downing the weeks sorrows and stresses away. This pub has three floors. The top and bottom can easily be used as private function rooms so that’s something to consider.
Christopher R.
Rating des Ortes: 2 Manhattan, NY
It’s all about the history here, and as a North American, I’m a pushover for anything over 200 years old. Other than that… typical pub with typical prices. Pleasant experience marred by an ogre-like bartender. I was in its street-facing pub last Friday night, and was astonished at how rude the(Australian) bartender was. At 11:30 he brusquely demanded that everyone leave immediately(usually, there are a few ‘warning bells’). None of the patrons had more than thirty seconds’ notice to clear out, or to face his wrath. Unbelievably rude.
Rich G.
Rating des Ortes: 4 London, United Kingdom
This place is proof that people used to be shorter. I really like this pub. It’s got a lot of character, low ceilings, meandering stairs down to weird cellar bars and a freakish amount of room! You can tell its 400 odd years old. Being a Sam Smiths the beer is cheap, which is a bonus. The service wasn’t too slow despite being a Friday night and only one of my(far far too many) beers tasted a bit off! You can hang out in the courtyard nearby if you want to be outside and there’s plenty of room there. Genuinely awesome classic London pub. If you’re just visiting then definitely come here. You’ll get some good photos. If you’re a local then I assume you’re unlikely to be swayed by its quirkiness but you’ll probably be swayed by cheap beer and relative spaciousness! Definitely come here at least once. It’s also on the monopoly pub crawl…
Hannah S.
Rating des Ortes: 4 London, United Kingdom
Nice little pub, very traditional with dark exposed beams and a kitsch dining area upstairs. Not much of an outdoor area but there was some tables and stools put out so we could get a bit of the sunshine. Good selection of bottles and tap beers, ales and ciders. Friendly landlord.
Steve C.
Rating des Ortes: 3 New York, NY
This place shares the name of the real authentic place on Fleet Street. Make sure you go to the right one because we didnt and had to go to the other one later on. The place tries to be old but it doesnt share the same vibe. Loud ass construction went on our entire lunch but it was ok. Reasonable prices but Not much reason to come back
Bill H.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Los Angeles, CA
One of the oldest pubs in London built in 1538 then destroyed by the great fire of 1666 then rebuilt in 1667. Bars in almost every room. Lots of tiny stairwells. Good craft beers and ok food.
Stacy S.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Chicago, IL
Great little pub! We were suggested this place by a salesperson at Herrod’s and were told it was the oldest pub in London. Whether or not this is true it was a great time with nice bartenders and a good selection of drinks. I’d go back!
Amy S.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Venice, CA
This hidden gem is a perfect example of what an English pub should be. After a heavy night out, I was in dire need of home cooked food and was not disappointed. This pub is old… very old, but in a fond, visiting your grandparents sort of way. It still has the original glass windows and quaint homey decorations. When our large group piled into the bar they directed us to a large table downstairs. The Irish owner was very welcoming and served our drinks right away. I ordered the pie of the day, steak and ale. I can easily say this is the BEST pie I have ever had. The steak was melt in your mouth, the crust was flaky and the sauce was just perfect. The only problem was I wish I had more sauce to pour over my mash!!! Amazing food, great service, quaint atmosphere… I will definitely be back.
Jim J.
Rating des Ortes: 1 Yountville, CA
We confused this place with the historic«Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese» on Fleet Street, recommended in Rick Steves guides. Not the same, and nothing historic here.
CJCarr
Rating des Ortes: 4 London, United Kingdom
Not to be confused with the Sam Smiths’ on Fleet Street, this Cheshire Cheese is a lovely gem of a pub tucked away on quiet Little Essex Street near Temple tube station. If you read sources such as Andrew Cameron’s book on the old media industry of Fleet Street, you’ll know that the building has a fairly, erm, interesting past and it definitely has a lot of character. I believe that its new owners have been in situ for around a year now and the place has hugely improved during that time. Now clean, welcoming and with a well-cared for selection of draught lager and ale, this pub is a great place for an after work drink. Although the drink choice isn’t the biggest in the world it does cover most bases and the prices are reasonable. Sadly I’ve never had time to try the food but it appears to be a traditional pub menu at affordable prices.(From memory it’s about 7 pounds for a main course.) A great new addition to this pub is the downstairs games room, with everything ranging from traditional games like darts to more modern options like Wii Sports. All in all, it’s a great place to relax with friends, the only downside being that you might find it difficult to drag them away from the Wii when you want to leave!