The Blackfriar

This is perhaps one of the coolest ambiance bars we went to during our time in London. It is the typical old English pub, but there’s some unique character in the granite and friar carvings on the ceiling. The smaller size, the odd shape of the building, the christmas lights all add to the charm.
The food is standard pub food and like many of the Nicholson’s pubs, it has the same menu as may of the pubs around town.
It killed some of the magic for us to find out that Nicholson owns half of the pubs we went to, but it doesn’t completely takeaway from the fact that the food lives up to the hype. We ordered the meat pies and fish&chips — going large on the fish&chips is the most economic meal for two. The mac and cheese filled with oily cheesy goodness is also highly recommended. I’m not huge on english pub food and this was one of the pub meals that I actually enjoyed in my life.
For the ladies out there (or those who like variety), you can order half pints in London! Can we make this a standard size in the US too?

We popped here for lunch in search for their pot pies. The chicken pot pie was tasty with the flaky crust only on the top, which made it super crispy. They were out of mulled wine so we had the mulled cider instead, which was delicious. We’d definitely return!

This is the most stunning pub I have ever visited. The wood/​marble/​copper used in the décor is fantastic. Great beer selection. Food good too. Cannot recommend more highly.

«See the Back Room!»
What a little gem of a place! Definitely go inside and check out the back room, get a seat if you can back there. Marvel at the beautiful decorative lighting and charming artwork. Not much in the way of vegan food offered here, so all I could have were onion rings, but they were good, and so was the beer. The service was great and the lights tend to go on and off seemingly by themselves, and the waitress had to keep turning them back on. But it was fun!

If you’re looking for a traditional old English pub with history and character, look no further. The Blackfriar has it all.
Located just across the road from Blackfriars Station and close to a few sights, workplaces etc you’d expect it to be busy but I have a feeling the main reason it’s busy is because of it’s charm.
The interior is beautiful and interesting. You can’t help but spend half the time admiring the setting. There’s also a bit of a history lesson about how it was a friary and then saved from demolition — worth reading!
It’s a relatively small pub but they have quite a few small tables. We managed to get the biggest table which had about 8 of us round. The music was subtle so you can have a conversation but without out being really flat in the pub.
We didn’t eat here but I saw some onion rings — they looked delicious, so I might have to go back even if just for those!

Lovely pub with spectacular decorations and ambience. Nice selection of well-​kept ales and good food. Crowded in late afternoons and evenings. Very good service.

Pints were excellent. Service slightly slow but patience is a virtue. Excellent outdoor patio tables, beautiful old building with stained glass and monks. Definitely go by and have a pint. Menu looks fun but we didn’t eat

The inside of this place is a national treasure. One of the most beautiful pub interiors I’ve ever seen. It has an «Arts & Crafts» interior — kind of a folk-​medieval vibe which makes it appear much older than it actually is, it was a style of architecture popular at the turn of the 20^th century (the pub was built in 1905). Definitely a gem in the Nicholson’s Pub family.
We went in the mid afternoon while it was still quiet — a good time to go in order to have a wander around the place (particularly the dining room) before it gets busy. We plunked ourselves down in front of the fireplace and had a few halfs, largely just looking around saying WOW. The ales were well kept and as a Nicholson’s the food would be good as well, but go for the atmosphere and architecture — you won’t regret it.
I’ve added a bunch of photos we took inside to give you some idea of the detail here — it’s incredible.

It’s a good proper pub, been many times. Nice interior oldy worldy. Well worth a visit after work.

A favourite. If you want a proper ale in a proper pub in this part of London then this is the place to go. Pub grub isn’t too bad either!

So this is my favorite Pubs in London. Of course I have only been to London a couple of times, but as an american travling, looking for good beer, good pub food, and a cool environment, this is the place. Not only was the food good and the service great, but the aesthetics of the inside were pretty cool for an english pub. (get their burger)
The place was packed when we were there and it didnt seem to be slowing down when we left. Seemed like a great place for anyone traveling to meet some other individuals.

Still a fan, but the bar woman I dealt with this last time was a bit odd, kinda cold, never smiled while serving me, and almost ‘pulled a face’ as I took my drinks… off moment, I guess, maybe her dark pony tail hair was pulled too tight, whatever…
The building interior is the draw, and the beers and ales on offer are certainly quite different. For me, it’s always a toss between Doom and Redemption, both very good.
The setting is something oldy woldy and charming, and the punters that hang out here are a friendly lot and chatty as well.
A couple of pints, friendly crowd, amazing setting: 4 stars.
Enjoy!

Came here mainly because the pub is located right across the street from where I was staying (crown plaza the city). They have a great selection of beer (about 15 on tap). You do have to go order your beer and food at the bar and pay also right then in there. I ate their bar nachos, which i flat out did not enjoy/​did not like (their nachos sauce is a bland dry aged cheese sauce).
I would give this place another chance because they do have food selection and my wife did enjoy their huge fish and chips. I also did enjoy the beer, which is apart of the allure of London right?

My first trip to England, stayed at the Crown Plaza Hotel and Black Friars Pub is right across the street. We were initially interested in this pub because it was right across the street however we looked at the reviews on Unilocal and saw the history and age of this pub and the fact that it was one of the only establishments in the area that survived the bombing by the Nazis during WWII. We were interested and thirsty so we headed over. I have to say London is pretty cool and I really like the people here. Glad to have them as our allies!
The bar was busy, the wait staff friendly and accommodating. We had a few cidres and tried some of the recommended ale and were really impressed. Sat down for dinner, the food was good, the service was good, and the booze was good. The building and architecture were amazing. I would definitely recommend and return!

Nice looking pub. Prices ok, but the nachos were sad ;-(

English
One of the most exquisite pubs in London that I’ve visited, I must say. The wedge-​like house clearly stands out where it is located among modern office buildings around at the new Blackfriar Station.
Inside there was a classic bar in the first room so no news there.
We were to have breakfast before a day at the British Museum, so it had to be something substantial. Bacon, eggs, bread, baked beans, mushrooms and tea, of course.
The dining room was a cool room filled with marble and ornate decorations that made you almost think you were in a palace than a small pub.
Unfortunately, the waitress was more interested in talking to her colleagues than to give us some reasonable service. Too bad as it spoiled the experience a whole lot to have to wait, go and fetch her, etc.
Otherwise, well worth it to go here and have a beer or eat breakfast (which was good and plentiful.)
Swedish
En av de läckraste pubar i London som jag besökt måste jag säga. Det tårtbitsliknande huset sticker ju helt klart ut där det ligger bland modernare kontorsbyggnader runt omkring vid den nya Blackfriar Station.
Invändigt så var det även där lika spännande och mysigt med en klassisk bar i första rummet så inga nyheter där.
Vi skulle ha frukost inför en dag på British museum så det fick bli något rejält och traditionellt. Bacon, ägg, bröd, vita bönor, svamp och te såklart.
Matsalen var en häftig lokal i marmor och utsirade dekorationer som gjorde att man nästan trodde sig sitta i ett smärre palats än en liten pub.
Tyvärr så dras betyget ned då vår servitris var mer intresserad av att prata med sina kollegor än att ge oss nån vettig service. Synd då det spolierade upplevelsen en hel del att behöva vänta, gå och hämta henne osv. Tror att puben skulle behöva se över sin personal lite.
I övrigt väl värt att gå hit och ta en öl eller äta frukost (som var god och riklig.)

One of my family members said that this was her favorite pub in all of London. As Americans who absolutely love pubs, we could not pass up an opportunity to check out this place while on vacation. I am so grateful we came here as this was definitely the best pub we went to in London.
The staff seated us immediately and the service was pretty good throughout our meal. We had calamari for an appetizer, which was perfectly cooked and tasted excellent. My fiancée and I both got burgers (she tried the cheese burger and I got the Iberian black pig and apple burger) and they were absolutely delicious! They were definitely two of the best burgers we’ve ever had. The drinks were not bad as well and the décor inside is really quite a treat. The pub was built in the early 1900s at the site of a Dominican friary and the artwork around the pub reflects the friary past — including mosaics and stained glass, which is really a nice touch.
We both really loved this place and I definitely recommend this pub to anyone who will be in the area!

This is an amazing bar on Queen Victoria Street and it will be apparent while you’re walking up to the place because of the countless amount of patrons enjoying their drinks outside, even sitting on the public lawn. I think this might be the place to go to after work. It can get busy inside so there might be a wait to order something but they’re good about putting out their product quickly to the masses.
There is a lot of beautiful coppertone metal art inside along the walls which will make you question if this spot doubles up as some sort of museum. This is probably my favorite bar in London and an awesome place to meet up with friends since it’s in a central location right next a tube station.

My favorite pub in London.
Great location across the street from Blackfriar’s tube station, Blackfriar’s bridge and the River Thames. Hard to beat for accessibility and convenience.
Very cool setting in a wedge shaped building with a lot of character — including a giant friar monk sitting on top of the doorway. The interior is just as cool with a cozy dining area, a substantial bar area, and outdoor seating when the whether allows.
Standard pub fare but prepared very nicely. Had the Iberian Black Pig burger and was very pleased. Coupled with two pints of Fuller, I left with a big smile on my face thinking I really need to go back to this place when next in town.

As soon as we dropped off our bags at the hotel, our first order of business was to have our first real English Pub experience.
This place was, as the British would say, BRILLIANT! We got there around 5pm and there were a ton of people there; everyone was super friendly. We had a few beers, but unfortunately we weren’t able to stay too long — they also serve food and it smelled delish.

En vacances à Londres et en quête de pub atypique, je suis tombé sur ce magnifique bâtiment à l’architecture improbable et situé dans la City. Le Blackfriar est un vieux pub où j’ai pu déguster d’excellentes bières dans une atmosphère détendue, à l’ancienne. La décoration est juste extraordinaire et la salle de restauration vaut le coup d’oeil. Je suis même resté pour dîner avec quelques amis pour profiter de ce lieu. Les burgers sont délicieux au passage. :-)
Je recommande ce pub et n’hésiterai pas à y retourner.

Am ersten Abend meiner London Besuche unternehme ich immer einen Spaziergang über die black friars bridge die Themse entlang Richtung Westminster. Dabei kehre ich dann im black friar ein. Der von Außen klein wirkende Pub ist innen ziemlich groß. Rechter hand der Theke kann man sich in einen richtigen «Opasessel» platzieren. Hier bestelle ich immer den Angus Burger, 250 gr. mit Chips. Schmeckt ausgezeichnet, nix Mc doof oder sone Kette, und sättigt. Dazu natürlich mein geliebtes Guiness.

Un pub design
La déco est une pure décoration d’Art déco sur le style d’un monastère dominicain qui était présent à cet emplacement au XIIème siècle d’après le gérant. Un très bon pub très sympa pour parler avec les travailleurs londoniens quand ils sortent du bureau.