please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Slap bang in the middle of tourist central. Covent Garden is just too busy and crowded for my taste and this is a fairly unremarkable pub. However, it does have a nice little brass ledge outside on which to put your beer if it is nice enough to stand outside, and it did have a decent pint of Thwaite’s Wainwright on when I was there the other day. Not worth trying to find (though it would be hard to miss it) but OK for a quick one if you happen to be in the area and don’t know anywhere better.
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Small, but surprisingly under-crowded, pub close to the heart of Covent Garden. Otherwise a fairly standard-issue Nicholson's house, but the Elgoods Cambridge bitter was on good form.
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Excellant choice of beers - I highly recommend the Timothy Taylors 'Landlord'. Good background music and friendly staff. Will visit whenever I am in Coveent Garden.
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aug 1st
excellent pint of London Pride......nice old style pub great for people watching
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Went in last Thursday ,had a pub meal upstairs a bit cramped for eating but good portions ,eatable grub and reasonable prices ,would eat there again ,the London Pride was ok too.
anonymous - 30 Jul 2007 21:57 |
Conveniently located with huge picture windows, which allow a panoramic view of the bustle of Covent Garden.
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Nice selection of beers, though Youngs not alway on. Food reasonable both in price and quality for central London.
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Typical spirit pub. Enjoyed the pint and it was nice to escape the bustle of outside. Intended to do the pub walk but we got side tracked shortly after leaving here to a nearer hostelry!
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Small pub with both typical beer and decore for Central London. Not bad, and surprisingly uncrowded for it's location. Good for meeting people who don't know the area I would guess too. Still though, while it's not bad their is far better to be had in the Covent Garden area if one looks.
anonymous - 1 Jun 2006 17:15 |
Pleasant, small, single room Nicholson's pub opposite McMullen's Nags Head. GK IPA, Landlord, Pride & Youngs Bitter on offer. Simple and clean, typical central London cramped space with modest character but well kept. The wooden partitions appear to be part of a modern refit, yet add to the charm. A gentle relaxed place with the quiet buzz of happy conversation mixed with background music. Nothing special.
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I often used to stop here for a pint when meeting people in the area, might drop in again and see how it's doing. Thanks a lot for the update RogerB, much appreciated.
anonymous - 20 Jan 2006 15:27 |
The White Lion is now back in business after a sympathetic refurbishment. Apart from the smell of new varnish and the shine of the wood, it appears pretty much as it was, just a bit fresher and smarter. A small corner pub barely 30 yards from tourist hot spot Covent Garden market, this place has a surprisingly non-tourist feel to it and despite the refurb, still feels like a traditional basic boozer with bare floors and wooden division screens between the tables. Prime seat has to be at the ledge by the front door where the masses of tourists and office workers march by, occasionally stopping to admire (or laugh at) the human statues, buskers and street entertainers. If this is not the best people watching space in the area I don’t know what is. A history of the area is in a frame at the end of the bar and there are a few old prints of the surrounding area on the walls. An impressive coat of arms (presumable the Duke Of Bedford’s who has connections with the area) stands above the doorway to the upstairs Bedford Room (probably answered my own question here). 3 regular ales (IPA £2.60, Young’s Best £2.35 and London Pride £2.45) supplemented by a weekly guest ale (Landlord this week £2.70). They also operate a try before you buy policy which is worth taking up for that extra mouthful. They have a Casque Marque plaque outside that usually guarantees a decent pint. Lagers include Amstel and Starpramen (didn’t note prices). They also do good deals on drink/meal combo’s and are currently advertising a sausage festival. Basic TV is all that I could see entertainment wise. Surprisingly empty for a Friday lunchtime given the hordes passing by. Now it’s back open, it is definitely worth stopping by for a pint or two.
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The White Lion is currently closed whilst undergoing a major refurbishment. I will keep an eye on it!
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I enjoyed the White Lion on a recent trip from the States. Good Pub Grub and some Guinness Extra Cold Pints on draught. I do agree with the earlier comment regarding the bathrooms all the way in the basement. Not the best, but I have seen alot worse. I would recommend...
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I was in London, on a one-night, business layover. Covent Garden was recommended by a bartender at our hotel. The White Lion was the first Pub we came across as we exited from the Tube station. It was great. Nice, cozy environment. We got there at about 8:30 and it seemed like we hit the "happy hour." A lot of people out of work, on their way home, stopping to grab a pint. Unfortunately, the kitchen was closed, but next time I am in London, I will definitely stay near Covent Garden and hit the White Lion again.
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I have been visiting London for the past 15 years, and have spent many a night at the pub. The White Lion is a good pub to meet before/after a night at the theater. The staff was very friendly and despite what many believe - it does not attract too many of tourists. I would recommend everyone to stop in and have a pint if they can. Overall, a nice, fun pub.
chris - 12 Sep 2004 07:09 |
This is a simple lovely small pub,never too crowded and you can sit in the bar and watch covent garden going about its business.
Nick Hamer - 21 Jun 2004 18:41 |
Would be OK if the staff were not such rude twats and the toilets werent located down at the 7th level of hell.
Aaron - 14 May 2004 04:15 |
has sky, but you will need to use the remote control yourself. very small. tourists pop in all the time, as do the 'artists' after a hard days standing like a statue.
oliver penney - 5 Nov 2003 17:35 |
Not much to say about some place that has very little to offer. Its biggest problem is that the Nags Head is right across the street! Why even go in then?
Karen from Grand Rapids - 24 Jul 2003 21:03 |
This pub sucked. Bad service and unfriendly patrons and staff. Whoever heard of a pub where you can't smoke at the bar?
kathryn - 24 Jul 2003 20:42 |
Nice little pub and can drink outside (well, you can on a Wednesday). But both ales not on - usually it's only one of the two that's unavailable. Forced to drink Stella; ugh.
Darren in the City - 10 Jul 2003 08:45 |
