Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese

Quite easily the coolest bar I’ve ever been to. This place was RE-​built before America was a country — let that sink in for a moment. Grab a pint at one of the bars, and wander around to the various rooms, including the cave like carve out with extremely low ceilings.

Oh you just have to go here. PG Wodehouse has been here, Charles Dickens has been here, TA so cozy and warm, it’s such a PUB. Just go. But definitely prearrange with your friends to meet outside, because once you go in it’s a maze with ting spiral staircases and you may never find them. So cool. Order dessert!

Solid old world pub — definitely a step back in time and worth a visit for everyone. Really great prices too especially for central London.
Tip: there is a nominal surcharge on credit/​debit cards so bring cash if you want to avoid that.

One of the oldest pubs in London. It has a list of all the past and present kings and queens of England that have reigned during its time open which is quite an impressive list to say the least
A few mod cons have gone in since it opened with electric lights and plumbing being the major ones! The architecture has remained the same with the low ceilings and doorways so mind your heads
The brick work is fascinating with the arches and the old style wooden stools and table certainly don’t take up much space but there isn’t much room to swing a cat between the walls. There are a few sections which give it a feeling of space.
Not bad food and a standard selection of ales available. I was there with a friend when it was quiet so no idea what the crowd is like at peak times
By the way it’s hidden away down a lane off the Main Street so you need to keep an eye out or you will simply walk straight on by
Worth a visit if you are looking for a quirky tourist pub steeped in history, if only the walls could talk in this pub!

It is with a heavy heart that I have to give Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese a 3 star rating. This pub has been one of my favourites in London for the last 2 years however until this week I had never eaten in their restaurant or spent longer than an hour or so in there — sadly this week I did just that and the service really let the pub down.
We were seated in the restaurant and straight away the problems started. We had to ask to be given the menus, we had to ask to order drinks, we even had to ask to have our order taken (twice) and this continued throughout the evening with further drinks, desserts, the bill etc etc. I realise it was Christmas and they were busy but I do think that if we didn’t continue to ask we would have been sat there for hours on end and never received anything.
Now for the food. I was VERY excited to see that steak and kidney pudding was on the menu (it’s the northern in me) but when I went to order it the waitress informed me that they’d run out. I really felt like we should have been notified of this before hand as we then had to take a further 5 minutes to decide what we wanted and amend our orders.
So, I eventually opted for the roast beef. The beef was cooked well and the gravy flavoursome however there definitely wasn’t enough of it and you had to order additional vegetables and gravy if needed (which we felt was needed).
Overall it was a slightly disappointing evening but what I will say is that this hasn’t put me off Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese, it was just a bit of a let down. I will definitely head back when it’s quieter and give the pudding a try.

Loved the history, but too crowded, too loud when crowded, and to our dismay, a more limited beer selection upstairs (the only place we could find a seat). Did not eat here. I get some people like shoulder to shoulder pubs full of noise. Not me.

This pub is not on London’s top tourist attractions list, but it might as well be. Every time I have a guest over from the other side of the pond, I conclude my Fleet Street tour with a sojourn up and down the many stairways and levels of this fabulous pub. The best part? It’s older than at least a few dozen countries, mine being one of them!
Walking into Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese feels like walking into a hobbit’s house in the best possible sense. Turn down a Dickensian alleyway to enter the wooden panelled interior, with dim lighting and curved ceilings that make you feel as if it was carved into a hollowed-​out tree. The tight entryways and cavernous bottom floor give this pub even more character.
The good beer selection and its prized location means it’s almost always packed. However, it is surprisingly expansive so you can usually find a place among its many drinking areas.
Absolutely a must visit for every true Londoner. I am definitely a devoted fan. The fact that it is literally a three minute walk from work (doesn’t) helps!

A little secret through the hidden alleyways off Fleet St. This place feels like stepping back 400 years ago. The bartender was amazing, the prices are decent (£8−10 for a main) and the food portions are generous. Come here if you’re after an authentic pub experience.

I can’t say much for its beer, ale, etc., but the food wasn’t all too great. Portions are small and the place gets insanely crowded. I can’t help but feel that this is another tourist trap. In fact, at one point 3 out of the 4 tables around us were occupied by tourists from the US. So… message to my fellow USA citizens, again, I can’t speak of the EtOH, but the food here is just okay, nothing worthy of it’s 4 star rating. Plenty of good fish and chips and steak pie establishments back home. Perhaps, we go because of our love for Charlie…

Literature nerd alert! One of the oldest pubs in London, Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese was the drinking establishment of choice for famous writers. Legend has it that Charles Dickens wrote A Tale of Two Cities here, W. B. Yeats threw down some poetry, and even Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was inspired by a proper pint of Ale. The very environment of the pub arouses one’s creativity. With dim lights, low entryways, and a fascinating labyrinth-​like layout it is no wonder authors were driven to write.
Although they don’t really have a great selection of pints, their ales were creamy and tasty and certainly offered a greater variety of Samuel Smith beers than we’re used to in the states. As a good little tourist I had the fish and chips with mushy peas, and my wife had the steak and ale pie. As my first meal in London, it did not disappoint! The fish was crispy, tarter sauce tangy, and the pie was meaty and flavorful.
A truly magnificent place with friendly bartenders and a rich history.

This stop was a highlight on our trip to London.
We read about it in the Frommers guidebook and hit it on a weekend afternoon. Surprisingly, there were very few people there. The service at the downstairs bar was fast and friendly.
We LOVED the cozy, unique «drinking rooms.» That we were drinking a pint where Charles Dickens once drank was a fact that thrilled my husband. The fish and chips were fantastic, the chicken pie went over very well with my kids, and the custard did not disappoint.
We should have gone back a second time. Really, truly a highlight.

My wife and I ducked in this pub after visiting St Paul. What a cool place! Unfortunately we weren’t hungry but there is something great about having a beer in a pub rebuilt in 1667 after the fires.

Amazing place, with so much history in it. High quality beers, great service, reasonable prices, and the hidden entry made of this bars one of my favorites.
You have formal and informal meals, tables for two and tables for big crowds.

Five for the pub, three for the food.
This pub is awesome. It’s not too far from downtown and it is the perfect old, classic, traditional pub. You walk in and its almost like a maze — it has small adjoining rooms where you can sit, eat or drink. Its really fun — but always watch your head!
They had a good selection on draft and in bottles. Well rounded menu and kind staff. We got the fish & chips with mushy peas. Unfortunately it wasn’t very good — probably a 2 star. I like my fish without skin on, this came with skin on, which caused the breading to not really attach. The chips were little cold/​soggy and the mushy peas were so bland.
Come for a drink at this traditional pub but go for food somewhere else

We ordered the house steak, the sausage trio, and another dish that was almost the same as the house steak… The food was alright, but felt a bit boring. It wasn’t bad, but I felt that the flavors could have been a little more pronounced. I have had better English food, but I suppose most English food is somewhere along the same line of excitement. Not horrible, but I wouldn’t be back for the food.
The environment was very nice and cozy though! We sat in a booth with walls that went up pretty high so we got a lot of privacy and it was a unique experience.

For the atmosphere (i.e. sawdust floors, low ceiling beams, and original structure) and awesome history? This pub gets an A+ from me and is a must for anyone who is visiting London. You could easily whittle away an afternoon, drinking in one of the nooks and crannies found in this historical pub.
The food is traditional British fare (which makes it all the better for tourists who want to try fish ‘n chips) but it certainly isn’t gourmet or gastropub quality. As it’s a Sam Smiths pub, it’s pretty cheap and a decent place to meet friends. Never gets too crowded, either.
A must-​visit for anyone who’s never been.

One thing I must wonder about this pub is how many tourists must walk through the door because of how famous it is. I get paranoid because then I start wondering, «Is it good enough to be something even locals would visit?» Obviously, I can’t really say since I am one of the tourists to visit, but I had a decent enough experience at this pub to appreciate it.
After being told this is one of the older and more well known pubs to still be open in London, my travel buddy and I went for lunch for the stereotypical fish and chips. Pretty standard fare in my opinion. The fish: good; the chips: good; the peas: good.
What I found was that the main reasons I liked this place was because of the location and fruit beers. The overall feel of this place was charming and a bit dark, but honestly, it’s very lovable. With a couple of floors to accommodate guests, we ended up in the basement level to eat. I only saw a few other people so it’s probably not very crowded in comparison to other tourist spots, but we went at lunch, so that may be why. I ordered one of the Sam Smith fruit beers, and while I normally hate beers in general, I really liked this one. Surprisingly light and subtlety sweet.
I think this place is worth checking out for its history and location. The beers were good as well but I only wish I was blown away by its food too!

I have been to the Cheshire cheese on many occasions. A go to pub when we have people visit from overseas, the pub is older than the US as a country which is so crazy but cool as I am American. The original pub was built in the early 1500s and was rebuilt after the Great Fire in the mid 1600s.
Very quaint, all dark wood, upstairs and downstairs. Duck your head when you head downstairs, there are signs, but I cant tell you how many times I have smacked my head, you would think you would learn. The downstairs part of the pub is cellar like and there are booths built into the rock. If you are planning on meeting people and are sat downstairs be wary that the signal is really poor.
The food is standard pub fare, fish and chips, pies, scampi. However, I have never found it disappointing always flavorful and hot. It is a Sam Smiths pub so there is not a huge choice, but I dont mind Sam Smiths beers so its never been an issue.
Very cool pub, that has a very Dickens feel with solid food and cold drinks.

Really cool atmosphere as it is very dark and very maze-​like in the cellar.
if youre a tourist you totally have to check it out once. its actually not as croweded as you think it is, which is an advantage or a disadvantage, however you like it.

Come for the history!
Stay for the beer!
If you’re hungry they can feed you.
Tourists and locals alike crowd this place from shortly after opening until closing, it seems, as I’ve never been here when there wasn’t a crowd about.
Wonderful beers, and helpful staff, and soak up the vibe along with your beer and before you know it you’ll be glad you are here.
(nice, that)
Cheers!
Enjoy!

Un vrai pub traditionnel anglais! Les serveurs sont très aimables. L’accueil, le cadre sont chaleureux, l’ambiance aussi. Les plats et les desserts sont de bonne qualité. J’ai adoré la petite purée de pois en accompagnement avec le fish and ship. Idéal pour manger un bon fish an chips. Horaire de service jusqu’a 23 h le soir.
A real English traditional pub! The waiters are very kind. The welcome, the environment are warm, the atmosphere also. Dishes and desserts are good quality. I adored the small peasouper in side dish with the fish and ship. Ideal to eat a good fish and chips. The meal is served until 11.00 pm.

A faire au moins une fois ?
A 10 minutes à pied de Saint Paul, descendez Fleet Street aujourd’hui dite rue des fantômes depuis le départ du QG de la presse londonienne. Pourtant de nombreux pubs y perdurent comme Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese datant du XVIIeme. Explorez les différentes étages avec son plancher et escalier grinçant parsemé de curiosités comme le dictionnaire du Docteur Johnson. Ensuite essayez de vous attabler dans la petite salle à droite en entrant. Une ambiance particulière se dégage de ce lieu.