please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Fantastic little pub, nice atmosphere and friendly bar staff. What is more great selection of real ales (6 of them, always on and in good condition, well done!)Highly recommended.
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Charming little pub on Greek Street with clean interior and a welcoming atmosphere. Great selection of real ales and tasty food menu.
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A better visit to the Pillars. 9pm saturday evening, My partner wanted a coffee and we were told the coffee was now finished. After a little persuasion and maybe the thought we would go elsewhere the bartender made a fresh brew. I had a Theakstons which was very nice. They also had Adnams Oyster on which you do not normally seem so we just had to try a pint. Can recommend it if you like your ales dark.
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Visited again on good friday, Had a nice pint of theakstons after struggling with the bar staff not having a good understanding of the English language.
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Are you sure you were at the right pub Kiwi? I work in Soho square and use this place for lunch at least twice a week. I've always thought the food was good in here and never had a problem with the staff.
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Nice for a drink but there are lots better places nearby for food.
We visited this pub on a recent Sunday. Signs in the window said two meals for £8.50 Mon - Fri & all day Sat/Sun.
I ordered a steak burger for me and the soup with baked bread for my girlfriend, I asked about the 2 for £8.50 promotion and after the server finally worked out what I was talking about she said it was only available Mon-Fri 3-5pm. I pointed out that the sign said all day Sat/Sun. Another staff member who was sitting nearby said that was only because they forgot to take the signs down but made no attempt to honour the offer even though it would have lost them only £1.50 to do so. They had no interest in customer service, then the girl serving me made up some story about you having to order 2 of the same meal, I was embarrassed for her.
The soup came and was clearly a cup-of soup type thing(served warm) with miniscule dehydrated vegetables that hadn't even been given time to rehydrate the "baked bread" turned out to be 2 slices of thin brown toast from a loaf of sliced bread. the "steak" burger was just a regular beef burger. It was nice enough but it was a standard burger and should be called that. The rolls that the burger were nice square white ones and would have been good with the soup also but they didn't think of that for some reason.
The beers were nice, but then Carlsberg made them
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I been coming here on a regular basis recently and it's great (and sadly unusual) to find all 6 real ales on all the time and always in good condition! Good food menu and efficient staff. Hats off to the landlord!
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After the Ben Crouch, this was a far better proposition. Yes, it was busy, but service was prompt and efficient. 5 real ales on offer and the ones I tried were in good condition. I'll quite happily give it a respectable 7/10.
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What has happened to the Pillars. We went in on the saturday after christmas only to find non English speaking bar staff. Whats that all about?.
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I visited this pub for the first time last night. It was quiet and there was a good selection of ales on, including Deuchars IPA, Theakston's Old Peculiar and a couple of Adnams ales.
I only had enough time for one pint, and I went for the Edelweiss Weissbier (an Austrian wheat beer) as I had never tried it before. It was pretty good but not as fine as other Bavarian-style wheat beers I have had. It also seems rather odd drinking this type of beer out of a traditional British pint glass - it just isn't right.
I'd like to go back and try their ales because without doing so it would be a little unfair to rate this pub.
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Always used to be a good pub but the selection of ales of late has ben very poor to the point of boring.
Still nice to go to on a saturday afternoon when its not too busy. Saturday nights its packed out.
Loo's are downstairs in the cellar with a dodgy staircasethats not good if you have had a few.
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I used to go to this pub 20 years ago and I was pleased on a recent visit to see that it has changed little.This is a pub that is over 200 years old and has not become a theme bar .The atmosphere was excellent , the staff very attractive and efficient and I had an enjoyable evening.Well done!
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I went there tonight and invited four friends. I am so ashamed and embarrassed that I subjected my friends to the rude and impertinent behavior of the bar staff. Never again. I cannot believe that someone would own a bar and not care whether or not their staff treated their guests properly.... The manager was there and seemed happy to chat with her friend rather than serve the customers.
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The beer quality is erratic to say the least. This week the Deuchars was just about drinkable but it was a close call.
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I have visited this pub on several occasions and have never had a duff pint. If possible, I always choose a real ale which I have never tried before and most have been reasonably palatable.
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the ever-excellent DJ Wheelie Bag (on Wednesdays) is the only reason to go to the pub at the moment. the bar staff are normally friendly, but the place is sometimes very smoky and the ale is disappointing: often tastes off and the selection is much less inspiring than in previous years (obvious choices like Youngs, etc).
anonymous - 18 May 2007 12:46 |
Unremarkable chain type place. Does a job i suppose but nothing special.
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I went here on a pub crawl Thursday night (22nd) and rated the beer best of the night. I couldnt wait to go back and so I went again last night (25th) and the beer was terrible. Had a Bombardier that was drinkable but tasted nothing like Bombardier, and an undrinkable Bomber. Confusing.
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Would have been a very nice pub but for the loud music. I got there early on a weekday to have a quiet pint and perhaps some conversation. I met a proper gent who regaled me with stories of London during WWII. With the loud piped in music it was hard to hear each other. I could have stayed for awhile as the range was good with Old Peculier as one of the choices. I left after one.
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an ok pub. nothing worth writing home about
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Nice pub. I particularly liked the Sausage Menu with some really unusual types such as Wild Boar or Phesant. Nice selection of real ales, my drink was fine. Agree that some postings seem over-critical. Yes, It's small but it is always busy so must be doing something right.
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It is a tad small and can get very busy. ideal for meeting people though I've never stayed for more than two. The girls behind the bar are particularly nice at the moment.
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Loth as I am to gainsay a reviewer of Stonch's expertise, but I think this is slightly better than he suggests. It is indeed "pokey", and too dark, but six real ales is well above average for this locale, and my Adnams Explorer (I'd say reasonably uncommon in London) was in pretty reasonable condition.
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Guinness was fine, staff were attentive, good port of call when on a crawl of area. there are worse nearby.
Some people just too critical methinks.
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A pokey little pub. The girls behind the bar seem nice, that's the kindest thing I can say. As Darren says below, though this place has a reputation for serving a variety of real ales, seems to just dish up very common (at best fairly common) bitters. Having visited three times, I've never had a pint in particularly good condition. Won't be bothering again - the Dog & Duck is close by.
stonch.blogspot.com
anonymous - 8 Jan 2007 11:43 |
Popped in a couple of week ago and was very disappointed - has gone from serving a variety of real ales to serving badly kept Youngs.
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good littel boozer for a swift one,pretty and friendly barmaids.
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Very plesant and unpretentious Soho pub, with surprisingly good Thwaites. Good value too.
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It seems that it's not just Connor from Neighbours who works at the Pillars of Hercules, but also his on-screen (and real life?) girlfriend Michelle Scully!
Good 'celeb' service, and they have Ringwood on tap. Nice pub.
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Was in here today briefly. Five real ales, three of them unusual-ish, which is a good show. Had a half of Old Peculier and sadly it was past its best. Didn't linger. A dingy little place, the lay out isn't condudive to a nice pub atmosphere and although it gets marks for being a "proper pub" it isn't somewhere I'll be back in a hurry. Dog & Duck is much better, and I must admit I like the Three Greyhounds a bit more too. 6/10 from me.
anonymous - 11 Sep 2006 00:34 |
They poor a great Guinness and if you want to do some celeb spotting Connor from Neighbours works there.
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Deciding to leave I went into Soho to The Pillars of Hercules at 7 Greek Street here I was served by a charming Aussie girl only two weeks in the country. 2 pints of real ale I have forgotten what it was called but at £2.75 a pint the best value of the day. At first I sat inside over hearing conversations one where a man kept telling another man he knew a mathematician. On the other table a man kept telling a women he had done this that and the other. After a while of this I decided to stand out side where there were no chairs however.
I gave directions to four groups of lost souls. Then a man came up and shook my hand before going inside the pub. At this time it started to rain very heavily so I went inside as well. The man whom shook my hand was drinking a half pint of Fosters larger. He informed me he was some one whom claimed the ‘dole cheque’ he had been to Australia and had Grand children in other words he was a crushing bore. After drinking two my pints I decided to go home a good skin full had been had after all.
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There are still a few decent pubs left in Soho, this being one of them. Decent ales and somewhat surprisingly a group of six of us managed to find seats. Stairs to the toilets are potentially lethal if you've had a few. Would definitely make a return visit.
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new owners to finance a facelift and the imminent summer months can only mean good business for the pillars. always crowded due to its size so be prepared to stand outside - which really is preferable anyway.
proxy - 13 Apr 2006 16:25 |
Not a bad little place, decent beer, nice variety. Suffers from being very small, dark and smokey. And the toilets are nasty too, but then again in Soho that's the norm, eh?
Pop in for one, and then press on.
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Good little pub, normally some seats available, some real ales, crazy DJ - when he is there.
Chris
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Quality of the ales can only be described as "variable" but it's a nice enough pub and very handy before or after a gig at the Borderline / Astoria / Mean Fiddler. As previous comments suggest it does get very crowded due to diminuitive size.
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I have been coming here for the best part of 20 years and don’t think I have ever managed to get a seat in this typical characteristic one room Soho pub. Originally built in 1733, the present pub dates from around 1910 and retains several features from this time. There is a good range of beers at reasonable prices and served by efficient staff – you rarely have to wait no matter how busy they are. Food is somewhat limited but you wouldn't come here to eat anyway. The initial seated area inside the door leads to a bit of a bottleneck adjacent to the bar. Beyond is a further small seated area. The stairs to the toilets are reminiscent of a cliff face. Despite the obvious cramped conditions, the atmosphere is very friendly and welcoming. It attracts a mixed bag of customers and is often populated by music fans, the Astoria, Mean Fiddler and Borderline all being within a stones throw. Such is its popularity, there are usually twice as many people drinking outside on the pavement than there are crammed inside the pub. Definitely worth a visit.
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Small, somewhat cosy TJ Bernard pub that suffers from poor quality fittings and dreary decoration giving it a somewhat transient feel. But does have one of the best ranges of guest ales in Soho.
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Often referred to as the "Gateway to Soho" for reasons which are obvious if you approach from Foyles. If you can catch it at a quieter moment (or better still when the famous DJ is in residence) this is a surprisingly decent pub, given its location and owners. Beer's usually excellent and they normally have a good range. Internal layout means it can feel cramped at times but the best in the area.
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Well, I'm not sure about the TJ Bernard business but I was in there yesterday and they had the usual six real ales on, including Exmoor Gold (@£2.62) and Lancaster Bomber, one other from a smaller brewery I can't remember and some more mainstream one like Young's, London Pride, Adnams.
Depends what sort of pub you prefer; it can get uncomfortably crowded at times, but as an ale drinker I regard it as a safe bet.
The comment about the gents toilets below is something of an exaggeration, although I can see where the analogy came from!
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From the paintwork, surely this is a TJ Bernard pub? Can it really be any good??
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Small old-fashioned pub, and one of the few I've come across in the West End to have a decent selection of guest ales; up to six ales available on handpump with a good balance between the large regional breweries and the smaller independents.
There are seating areas at teh front and back with three booths along one side wall in the middle where you can sit on stools and the bar opposite. It does sometimes get uncomfortably cramped with suits congregating at teh bar and blocking the way in and out for everyone else but most of the time I find this to be a nice place for a few quiet pints and a chat; not really ideal if you're in a large group though.
Prices tend to be in the £2.50 - £2.70 range for ales depending on strength, which isn't excessive by West End standards.
I've only managed to catch DJ Wheelie Bag once, but I enjoyed his quirky selection of obscure Blues/ska singles.
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Nice enough little Soho boozer. Can get very cramped and of course the prices are inflated because of it's location, but it's very cosy and welcoming and has a decent range of beers.
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Only thing I recall about this place is that it had the WORST toilet in the world.
Think 'Trainspotting' and you're somewhere near...
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I have drunk in this pub many times over last two years as it is located v. near to my work place. Has a good selection of ale and usually a friendly greeting. I particularly enjoyed hallowen there last year with an ecentric DJ playing haunting tunes. I also enjoyed a pre xmas drink where i was thrown a free t shirt for drinking plenty of cask ale and had the novelty of a xmas bauble melting onto my Parker.
anonymous - 12 Jan 2005 23:11 |
If ever i am in Central London i always try to visit this pub.Great atmosphere with a good selection of real ales.I am surprised that there are a few negative comments below as i have never had any problems here
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For such a little pub this was a vast disappointment. Unadvertised is a Wednesday night 50’s port-a-DJ. The music was so loud several of us asked for it to be set to something more becoming the environment. Staff were unhelpful in this respect and we were not surprised to be joined by other fleeing clients at a pleasant pub around the corner. We shall not return.
David - 2 Sep 2004 09:44 |
This is a charming little pub in the heart of Soho. The best place to sit is up in the window at the front. It is great to spend a lost afternoon and the background music can be good too. Only down point, there are sometimes a few iffy characters drinking in there that the staff are either loathe or scared to remove. So, if you like a pub with "edge" - this is it.
Pippa - 27 Jul 2004 14:39 |
Still a nice little pub in the heart of Soho - though big emphasis on the word 'little'! Don't go here if you're fat!!
Also, good selection of real ales - well would have been but out of the 4, 2 were 'off'.
Darren - 12 Mar 2004 14:53 |
This pub is finally showing a return to form. It lost its way a few years ago. I went back in on Friday for the 1st time in nearly 3 years and it seemed much better (even recognised one of the regulars from when I drank there before and had also moved on).
Beer was nice, and the staff were friendly.
Keith B - 1 Dec 2003 11:33 |
If you get a good corner then it's a nice little pub. A bit annoying if you find yourself stuck in the gangway though cos it is very narrow, as others have commented. Get in there early and bagsy a good spot is my advice!
TheG - 23 Oct 2003 14:43 |
a little gem of a pub with a friendly atmosphere
Especially cosy in the winter, me and my mates have had some great nights before going out to countless other bars in the area.One of my favourites!
pat - 22 Oct 2003 14:28 |
Fit barmaid who for some reason didn't seem overly enamoured with a German ex-Wimbledon champion lookalike. Maybe because I was leering.
And yes, it is narrow. Stand by the bar and you'll constantly be squeezing up to let people past. Ok.
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Good atmosphere, good beer, good staff. The best place to go before or after gigs round that way.
Darryl - 20 Jun 2003 00:22 |
A bit too narrow on a busy night, but always a good atmosphere. Several good nights had in there!
G - 16 Jun 2003 17:42 |
Get along there on a Wednesday evening for a great night of 60s RnB and Soul music and plenty of friendly smart Mods. It's like stepping back in time!
The Priest - 28 May 2003 17:49 |
This is a small city pub with a great atmosphere. I visited the pub on Monday 17th March and the barmaid on duty was really friendly and helpful. Probably because she was an Australian ex-pat (Donnah was her name). Anyway I had a nice quiet drink in very pleasant surroundings.
Mike - 1 Apr 2003 05:09 |
A bit small, another JJ Bernard pub that looks the same as all the others. Very handy for the FA HQ and the Borderline :)
Briony - 10 Dec 2002 13:44 |
