please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Amazing pub in Kensington. Really olde wordly, with an impossibly low door from one bar to the next, and a lovely big tree in the delightful beer garden. One of the very best. Kensington is blessed with great pubs.
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I went to this pub with a group of people (some of whom had come from as far away as Holland, Belgium & Italy), who had booked a reservation for us which would include a meal there. On arrival, we were told we were not welcome because our party contained a couple of minors (who would not of course be drinking alcohol) - a fact which had been discussed at the time of booking, & were told it would not be a problem. The reality was, the Landlord, as surly a piece of work that could have stepped from the pages of a Dickens novel, insisted that he would not honour the reservation. His reason? He claimed that this was a completely inappropriate pub for minors, as the Saturday night clientèle were loud, drunk & aggressive, & there could be bottles or glasses smashed & fights breaking out. Really! Some recommendation! Given his desperately unpleasant demeanor, we decided to leave, but not before the landlord had engaged in a furious argument with members of our group who had had the temerity to buy soft drinks for the minors who had been waiting outside.
The pub itself indeed has a very 'cosy' & traditional feel to it, very comfortable surroundings, if a little small (cosy=small) & has a decent selection of drinks available, but is seriously let down by its surly & unhelpful staff.
Having read these reviews before posting this one, I see that this is a recurring theme, & one that could seriously impair the standing of a pub that once had a very good reputation.
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I am glad to see SOMEONE remembers "The Bard" (Michael Mannion). I often wonder what people make of that photo, which was taken in 1983 in Durango, Pais Vasco, where I now live. Mind you, many people from here pay a visit to the Windsor just to see the picture -- because THEY know THE OTHER TWO GUYS in the photo!!!
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Nice, quirky and surprisingly uncrowded on the Sunday afternoon I visited however the barman's a grumpy bugger who could do with a good hair cut.
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Excuse me... but this is Beer in the evening !! it seems to have turned into some bloody restaurant guide...IT'S A PUB !!! and as such it has three real ales on but usually only two but if the Timothy Taylor Landlord is on it's excellent, the only downside are the chinless wonders and Hooray Henrys that get drunk on a bottle of Magners, and talk about scharfing ????
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I was very exited when my wife suggested we head to the windsor it was sunny and I was hungry and rather thirsty.When we ordered our food my excitement turned to dismay.My wife's lambshank was cold to the core. My corriander and carrott sausage was average and plain. The Windsor use to be my place of joy my place of funk on a Sunday.Instead it's turned into a place of food sadness. I will return only for the fun and remember the day I spent drinking cold beer and scharfing with my mate Jimbo
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I have been going to the Windsor Castle for the last couple of years. The outside beer garden is one of the best around and the quirky interior is fantastic. However, something has gone horribly wrong after their recent re-fit.
I have eaten there a couple of times since they have re-fitted and both time have been poor, the last time so much that I feel I need write this review. We initially ordered the Sunday roast off the blackboard and were told how good it was by the bar staff. A couple of minutes later a member of staff came to our table to tell us the roast wasn't on offer any longer and the standard menu was all that was in operation. From the very limited menu we decided on a shepherd's pie and the pork belly. We were apparently unable to be refunded on the price difference as the computer wouldn’t allow it. Instead we were offered desert (see below) as replacement.
The 'shepherd's pie' consisted of large amounts of potato, pees and leaks, and the most miniscule amount of mince. The small amount of mince they decided to sprinkle in the pie was very raw. Our pork belly was initially delicious, until we spotted a black hair nested in the potato. We asked for a replacement and when we eventually got another dish, it appeared the returned the same piece of pork belly and had just kept it in a warming draw, as it was now tough and chewy and a lot smaller than the original portion.
For deserts we went for the ‘sticky toffee pudding and ice cream’. This came out with the tiniest amount of toffee, a very dry pudding and no ice cream. With no explanation offered when we received the dish we were later told the ice cream had run out (as the toffee must have been close to doing).
The Windsor Castle is a fantastic place to drink, especially on a sunny day, but save yourself the misery and stay well away from anything that isn't alcohol, as you will undoubtedly be disappointed!
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Truly excellent - the only thing that prevents a higher score is the Hackett-shirted hordes who tend to invade the garden the minute the weather rises above about 11 degrees. Very cosy indeed, with some wonderful alcoves, the garden itself is a lovely and the pub is picture perfect from the outside. One of London's best traditional ale houses.
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I'm always pleased by visits to this lovely pub. Often crowded. Nice people.
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Lovely pub - but closed till March 7th apparently
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Parked here last Saturday with a few friends and had a great time. Good selection of continental beers and British ales, but all at London (and at that Notting Hill) prices.
This does not, however, diminish from the decent food and odd, but friendly bar staff (think Kerrang readers). Well known for its sausages this is a good place in both summer and winter. Good place to park off for a few hours if you need to catch up with someone in a good pub. Diverse crowd as well.
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Very atmospheric, my favourite pub in this area. Lovely interior. Wasn't too difficult to bag a seat on a saturday night. Yes there were a lot of posh people but not in your face types. There were 3 or 4 ales on, which nearly all ran out by the end of the night. The guest ale was scribbled on a blackboard sign on the handpump but illegibly. When I asked the barman about it he didn't seem to know much, or maybe he did but his English was so poor I couldn't understand a word he said (Japanese I think). To be fair I did get a generous sample from him before buying.
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Slightly self-conscious in its authentic tweeness and crowded such that it's often hard to get a seat, but still a nice pub and well worth a visit.
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A perfect lunch experience! Lamb & Rosemary Sausages & Mash. Pint of Timothy Taylors Draught Landlord. Stupendous cheeseboard served with panache and a smile in the courtyard.
A first visit for me but certainly not the last.
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Works equally well for either a sunny Sunday afternoon in the garden or a warm and cosy drink on a winter's evening. Top notch ale (a lovely Timothy Taylor yesterday) and the food's always been excellent whenever I've eaten here.
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Absolutely brilliant. Amazing interior that has to be seen to be believed - only Ye Olde Mitre and the Holly Bush can compete on this score. The beer garden is one of the best I've been to in London too.
Perfect pint of Adnams Broadside. Food looked triffic but didn't eat here (wish we had).
Bar staff weren't the friendliest however, though not arsey enough to ruin this 10/10 pub experience.
anonymous - 18 Apr 2006 09:45 |
This was wick-ed as the locals or hugh laurie might say. Qualidee!
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Still a great pub for a quiet romantic drink in the winter or with friends in the beer garden in the summer. Food is nothing special and expensive.
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When it's busy it can be a bit of a turnoff due to the fact that there's absolutely nowhere to put your drink down. But that doesn't really bother me since by the time it's time to put the pint down, it's empty. I love all the nooks. The doorways are quaint but a bit bothersome after a while. It doesn't take too long to figure out that you're better off going out the side door and back through the front door if you want to get from one side of the pub to the other. Full marks for character. Decent selection of ales available. The large table in the back is a nice private place to enjoy your drinks.
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Heard a lot about the place so went there one Sunday afternoon. Unfortunately couldn't get a seat in the garden so we sat inside. Lovely garden though and the clientele seemed very amenable. Unlike the bar staff were young, surly and constantly pre-occupied. There didn't seem to be any management keeping them in check. The service lacked politeness (in some cases not a word was uttered!).
The food was awful for the price. £8.50 for an Angus burger which arrived in a tiny faux wooden bowl. This was filled with a wilting pile of grey chips, a bog standard catering burger in a bun with a lamentable salad. At least Dick Turpin wore a mask! All in all a mediocre experience. Could do much better....
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Yeah its alright this place, nooks and crannys, a real pub, pub-kinda-pub-type-pub.
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When reading these comments you've got to remember not to listen to people who's username is 'pintofcarling'. This did have some toffs in it but it is kensington, one of the most affluent areas on the planet. We found the beer garden without trying where we enjoyed three top notch rib-eye's for a tenner. If you can't afford that don't go out drinking in kensington, unless you find a weatherspoon's.
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Lovely pub, though as said before it is pricey, especially the food. But has to be done in summer, as the beer garden is the best for miles.
I don't understand how anyone can miss it, referring to some of the posters below; it's outside ;-)
Either go straight into it through the gate from the street on the side of the pub, or from inside go to the left of the bar (from the punter's perspective) and when you leave the last part of the bar continue straight on, past the gents on the left, and it's right in front of you. But please don't go there on sunny weekday lunchtimes, cos we don't get there till about 1 and it's difficult enough getting a table!
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A lot of the comments below are spot on. The Windsor Castle is well worth a visit for its traditional dark wood and curious low ceilings, but it disappoints in other ways. The staff are unfriendly and inept. The customers are loud and overprivileged, even by Kensington standards. The small range of ales is not well kept, and the food is overpriced. I'm with Gerry on the beer garden that everyone keeps mentioning: Where is the entrance? I've visited this pub half a dozen times, and never seen it.
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Splendidly traditional pub.A throwback to the old days of proper pubs. The previous contributor is spot on with his comments. Remember to mind your head when passing beween bars - you may regret it otherwise !
Food is pricey, but I suppose that's to be expected given the location
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Imagine if you will that you are in the belly of a galleon. The smell of old wood, wooden benches, wood everywhere. Little trap doors to enter the next bar and low ceilings to boot. No, you are not a mariner scurrying to canon in the Victory, you are a boozer in the Windsor Castle. OK, so I exaggerated. Beer, food and garden are good. This pub, along with the Uxbridge Arms, The Hillgate and The Churchill Arms are the jewels in the crown of Kensington beer culture. One of the best pub crawls you could imagine.
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Suppose it's not that bad as Kensington goes (pretty dull place for a night out i think). Have to agree though with the comment below about the service even though it was made a few months ago, judging by my visit on a Friday night it doesn't seem to have got any better, took about 5 minutes to get served even though it wasn't amazingly crowded compared to other pubs i've been to at similar times. Don't go out of your way to go there.
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As said before a very small and dark pub, which gives you the feeling you've just stepped back in time to 19th century London. Nice beer garden in the Summer too. My only complaint is for a pub like this they could do with having a larger variety of ale.
Yes it is full of toffs, but what do you expect for a pub in Kensington?
anonymous - 24 Nov 2004 18:20 |
Really nice little pub - don't go in a big gang, though. It's not big enough!
Darryl - 25 Oct 2004 18:06 |
Just one question: how do you get to the beer garden everyone rants on about? -it must be from outside as we couldnt find an entrance from inside-or maybe we missed it? actually how does anyone move around this tiny partioned dark pub, its a recipe for a bang on the head or a trip up/fall...esp if drunk-even the floors are are warped!
very atmospheric, a dick turpin feel to it, dark and moody, but thats it.
rothschild wines served here, which is a nice touch
overall posh busy local kensington pub.
gerry - 13 Sep 2004 19:08 |
Yes, nice place, liked it, BUT quite the most indecisive inept goons behind the bar. Picture this: 9.20pm, Saturday evening, end of June. Whilst one inept soul went to change the barrel of lager, the other stood awkwardly, shifting weight from one leg to tother, unsure what to do, whilst about 6 of us (good friends by this stage) waved out tenners at him. He refused to serve us until his little friend came back. 10 minutes later. Hopeless. We served ourselves in the end, leaning over the bar and operating the taps, backward-style. Left the change on the bar. No tip.
Nice garden BTW. Go there. Laugh.
Lawrence - 5 Jul 2004 17:01 |
Recently hijacked by out of towners, the WC has great heritage. Time was, you would enjoy the company of suits, dustmen, musicians, journalists, teachers, bankers, artists and expat locals. The favourite haunt of Michael B Mannion, whose picture still hangs of the wall, poet Michael brought glee to the entire pub. There are three distinct cultures in three different bars and seldom do regulars switch from one bar to another. Great to visit in summer months during fine weather because everyone is sitting outdoors and the characterful, cool interior is relatively empty.
Richard Robinson - 27 Jun 2004 09:42 |
Full of toffs, barging and haw-hawing their way past you to the bar, so's they can buy their toff mates pints of champagne, despite the fact that you, a decent, hard working - POLITE! - tommy has been waiting patiently for half a corblimey hour. Jesus. I hated this place.
ElDickster - 12 May 2004 21:22 |
Marvellous place, if you're Hobbit-sized. Atmospheric and serves great food. Esp.nice in the afternoon.
jer - 16 Apr 2004 17:56 |
Great local. Warm and cosy in the winter and their platters of sausages are just what is required to soak up the booze. Summer their garden is fab. One not to b missed
Diana - 22 Dec 2003 19:44 |
Very plump barmaids in extremely dark, dingy and restricted setting - mind your head - true.
Perky_Pat - 5 Dec 2003 13:16 |
Almost always full of Hooray Henries talking in overloud voices...their excited shrieks can be heard from the beer garden on summer evenings, often causing sparrows and larks to fall from the trees. A dark and dank place even on bright days. Few local locals actually use it as Churchills is better, if you can avoid the tourists...
Thedoghector - 14 Nov 2003 18:13 |
I didn't think much of it on the first visit, but on a subsequent trip I sat in a different area of the pub and really came away impressed. A great locals pub.
Jeff - 13 Nov 2003 12:17 |
this is a really good pub, it has 3 bars and a great beer garden, and it is georgian -a very mixed clientele-mostly locals-though i have seen suits, tourists and goths.its the best pub in the whole kensington area-from Holland Park roundabout to the west -right up to Park lane to the east-this is the one that matters!!
Lord suffer-fools-not-so-gladly - 10 Sep 2003 11:56 |
Wonderful little pub with unspoilt interior and a great beer garden for the summer. Beer is well kept London Pride and the pub is very popular for Sunday lunch, any time of the year.
The Abbot - 11 Mar 2003 18:49 |
Nice little quiet pub off Notting Hill Gate on Peel Street. Small and old fashioned on the inside, but has a gorgeous little beer garden out back which usually gets quite full on sunny days. They also make the best homemade sausages and mash you've ever had (venison and red wine, lincolnshire, pork and ale, etc).
Dominic - 3 Mar 2003 18:09 |
