please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
In my regular perambulations throught the nether world of our nations dismal metropolis I have often found myself musing profoundly upon the dire lack of a decent hostelry in the environs of Kings Cross. One often veers that way after a few hours discoursing on Kant's cant in Marylebone, or after a solo flight, recreating the atmosphere of 1950's Fritzovia through the medium of ales, spirits and speaking in tonges brought on by rapid bursts of amyll nitrate. By god I've propped up the bar in some terrible excuses for public houses around the area, all of them leaving me utterly, utterly dispirited ... one, I was only slightly vexed after a prolonged period of debauchery left me alone in The Dolphin after hours talking arrow's with the slovenly landlord ... I admit to being in the King Charles I in it's previous incarnation, the inconcievably ill monickered 'Craic House', and whilst the interior was rather welcoming, and the raggle taggle conglomerate of aging rakes and fiddler-de-dees somewhat amusing ... the 'proprietor' and staff were simply not up to par. So it was with a mighty sense of relief that I walked into this miniscule microcosm of all that should be right in a pub sevral months ago. I'd taken a furious beating at the hands of Samuel Smith's Alpine Lager whilst undertaking a lone expedition up the north face of Bloomsbury's sadly declining inns and sought refuge amogst the lost and lonely of the Cross. The pub was dark but with that subtle infusion of light that draws immediate and ever lasting sympathy from those often suffering from the rum fits. On entering a gap toothed local was sat at the bar, resembling a Staus Quo roadie falen on hard times. The barman was a tremendous beast of a man whose complexion, general demeanour and pupil capacity informed me of his fondess for 'sporting life'. I was intrigued and gladdened by the array of beer on sale, and already being several stages into a lager bent, sampled the bottle ware. I stayed for two hours, tucked away in a corner drinking Baltika and watching various 'music types'pour cions into the jukebox and then stand around discussing said tunes in impossibly daft voices. I didn't want to leave but I was hard pressed to lay my hands on any more cash after my earlier largesse. I have revisited this great and good pub on several occasions since and it's always been a beacon in an otherwise barren nebula of worthwhile toping spots.
Well done to all involved.
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Decent pub, and that's about it. Good beer.
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Just got here from Texas and went to KC to see if it could live up to the rating. I must say YES. 4 pulls all well kept and a friendly/helpful landlord. Likely a locals pub but I was able to easily have good conversation with those around me. I'll return before I get to York.
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Visited it yesterday and can't see anything going for it. Just a plain old pub in a seedy area.
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Can't see the attraction myself? You'd need to be pissed to live and work around here.
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Very Ronseal - it's a pub. Nothing more and nothing less - and all the better for it. Good beers, a jukebox and a good atmosphere.
Kings Cross is a strange old mix at the moment of the new bars trying to cater to the gentrification crowd of the new offices and flats and the old scuzzy dives associated with the area of old.
The King Charles would be a great little pub for any area - the fact that it's in the middle of this competition makes it even better.
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Great jukebox, friendly place, good beer. Food can be ordered from local takeaways and eaten in the pub. One of very few places to have bar billiards available. Easily the best pub in Kings Cross. It would be a 10, but the barman's hair is too long.
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Great little pub, best in Kings Cross by a long stretch. Run by two very friendly young chaps. Great jukebox, good selection of bottled lagers along with the excellent Westons Cider. 4 ale taps which are rotated constantly. Wish it were open earlier than 5 on weekends.
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Look, its fine to have a small dark pub with only students in and its even ok not to open till 5 on a Saturday....but its a basic to have at least one beer on and not run out of everything by 6.30pm!!!!!
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This has to be one of the most pleasant pubs to visit in the Kings Cross area. Good ale (Bateman's, Courage and Adnams were available last night), pleasant 'local' atmosphere and interesting decor.
Definitely worth a visit.
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Got to be the best pub in the Kings Cross area.
Not pretentious, not a gastro-pub/restaurant (thankfully) just a simple local, the sort of place that should be kept.
Food is bring your own, or order deliveries to the pub.
Beers on this evening where 'London Pride' & 'Wadworth’s Henry’s IPA' both in good order, the Deuchers IPA was ready “Just wanted pulling through.”
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Erm, my mates seem to love this boozer. Its not a personal favourite because its too small, never enough chairs and even on a cold night, it reaks of BO and body faust. That said, the decor is fab and great range of drinks.
Just remember: Its a resedential area so keep the noise down, yeah?
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What a great boozer - truly excellent. The kind of place you, at the same time, want people to use so it doesn't die but also don't want overran with fosters spillers.
2 excellent real ales on, someone had their their meal delivered from a local Thai round the corner, bar billiards, jukey and an open fire. All in the middle of kings x and even more extraordinary just round the corner from the Scotsman!!
Will be back.
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I must admit that I wasn't expecting to find a place like this on a side street off the dodgy part of Pentonville Road near Kings Cross station. Inside, a small, old fashioned pub bar with wood everywhere and a friendly atmosphere. Nice pint of Brains SA, and they obvouly take a genuine interest in their beer here. Bar billiards table too.
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A fantastic find just a few hundred yards from King's Cross station and all the other soulless, identikit bars in the area. Small, friendly and with a decent range of drinks, this is the best place I know to while away time waiting for a train, or indeed, just to while away time. They don't serve food, but you can order from any one of the many nearby takeaways, or buy a sandwich from the Tesco Metro round the corner and they are more than happy for you to eat it in there. Well worth a visit!
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I often find myself in Kings Cross area waiting for a train and have been looking for this sort of pub for years in the area.
OK so its not exactly untouched but its relaxed, friendly and has a couple of Real Ales on as well as a large selection of bottled beers.
I am glad I stumbled across this place and will be visiting again
juwwi - 22 Nov 2007 14:24 |
Closed on a Sunday lunchtime
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Friendly lively local pub. However, the only real ale on on Wed evening was Deuchars. There's also about twenty bottled beers.
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A pub worth finding. Just a few mins from St Pan/KC. Two good beers at the moment (Deuchars /Spitfire at time of visit). The landlord (nice fella) is looking to add 1 or 2 more beers.Great jukebox. Nice mix of clientele.Support this kind of boozer there isn't many left.
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After years and years of looking, the impossible has been achieved - a decent pub in Kings Cross exists! And as far as I'm concerned, it's one of the best in London. Ales, superb jukebox, pinball machine, proper pub decor, and the chinese takeaway around the corner will deliver food for you (on a plate and all).
If you're really lucky, the landlord will personally entertain you with a story or two. Top fella, had us in stitches.
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This place was just called the plain old Charles I when I started working in the area but it then went through an Irish makeover (not unlike pretty much every pub around here) and became the Craic House for a few years. Now it has thankfully reverted to its original regal title albeit in slightly extended format. Not the easiest place to find but if you like quirky little pubs, it is worth the effort. It is not the biggest pub you will ever visit but it is probably the darkest. In the winter gloom, the tiny interior is lit by little more than the light that emanates from the small open fireplace. On the mantelpiece, a few candles pick out the mirror above and giving it a gothic Hammer Horror movie feel. The small bar usually has 2 decent beers including a guest (Deuchars and Camerons Soleys Choice were the recent options and at £2.70 for a 5.5% beer in London, the prices are pretty good). The furnishings are sturdy and basic with pew seats, benches and wooden stools on the bare floor. The dark paneling is battered and worn but fits nicely with the surroundings. The window sills are littered with more candles and a random selection of books and a newspaper rack sits by the door so you have plenty of reading material if you can’t find that elusive London Lite distributer. On the walls are a few old style adverts, a couple of mirrors (one nice old Guiness mirror and another with a rather ornate frame) and, rather bizarrely, a couple of African masks which coupled with the animal skulls on the bar canopy give the impression that the place is used for black magic after closing time. Despite the eccentric approach, the pub is quite welcoming and the staff very friendly. Until recently they had Bar Billiards but this has been temporarily replaced by a pinball machine although I was informed a couple of months ago that the Bar Billiards will return at a later date. The cues are still racked in the corner awaiting their next chalking. There are some benches outside for those who prefer to drink al fresco but the exterior of the pub and its surroundings are a bit glum. The pub is perhaps not to everyone’s taste but I always manage to fit in a visit when I am in the area. Given the quality of the competition in the area, you really can’t go far wrong here.
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I love having this pub on my street. It's tucked away so unless you know where it is it's hard to find. Very cosy inside, with a (gas) fire and they encourage bringing your own food with you. Good beer as well.
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This place has gone to the dogs. Was in there recently for the first time since last year. Barman poured me a pint of IPA, and it was digusting at first mouthful. He then proceeded to dump the rest of the barrel down the sink right in front of me! Used to be a great spot when it was the Craic House, but I know loads of people who've stopped going there because the beer is absolutely rotten.
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Fabulous place to go and buy a friend a drink, especially if it's their birthday or something. Small, cosy and friendly. And nice beer. And friendly staff. Even the drama students seem a nice bunch, for drama students ;-)
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OOh, sir!, OOh, yes sir!
Does this pub exist? We couldn't find it
anonymous - 3 Sep 2005 23:35 |
Formerly known as the Craic House this pub is a great local bar. Always friendly and relaxed and no chain pub tat or advertising. It trys to stay tucked away to avoid the football crowds and other hassle though it can get busy when the local acting school invades. It's a small one room bar with dark wood panelling and an open fire in winter. It can get smokey with the doors shut though. It doesn't serve food though they're happy for you to bring your own. Loads of character and even a pub cat!
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