please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Lovely pub. friendly bar staff. Gas burners outside. Very comfortable.
£3.00 a pint Fullers and Seafarers. Chanced an ESB which was spot on. Will come again.
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A revisit over 1 year on from first discovering this gem. I could have caught any number of evening trains home but stopped overnight in Bayswater just to drink here to end my holiday:-its that good !!
No discernible changes and still a great pub with a fun atmosphere on Tuesday quiz night. London pride was spot on. There are other pubs in london with maybe more complete interiors. But for the all round combination of tradition, atmosphere and quality beer this is my favourite London pub.
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Amazing that a pub so close to a mainline station can be this good.
Always seems busy and the upstairs (as previously noted) is a treat to look at.
The beer was great but we ate there and all agreed the menu and the food they brought us was spot on too.
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Best pub for miles around, friendly staff, good beer, great food & excellent atmosphere - why go anywhere else!!
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Great pub end of story.
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Fullers Pub of the Year for a Reason! Great Londlord, good local, never any trouble, excellent food. All around excellence on every level.
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Visited this pub for the first time yesterday. The beer was good and the staff were attentive. It is indeed a lovely pub of the kind that seem to be disappearing in London. Just a couple of gripes: there was a musty/damp smell coming from somewhere and my friend and I were constantly swiping little black flies away from our drinks, which suggests that the pub could be cleaner than it actually is.
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Has just won the award of Fullers Pub of the Year 2007 and the Griffin Trophy was proudly displayed behind the bar when I visited yesterday afternoon.
This is a splendidly traditional well-run pub, a must visit pub when in the area.
Do take the opportunity to visit the upstairs rooms - particularly the bar with the former fittings from the Gaiety Theatre.
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Does tend to get very busy, worth a visit just to view the interior !
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Postively rammed with people when I stopped in for a visit on a Wed night. Getting to the bar took both effort and an age. The wait staff were swamped and doing their level best to keep everyone served.
Probably the cloudiest pint of ESB I have ever laid eyes on. Tasted okay (maybe a tad yeasty) so I stayed with it. They were moving so much ale I am surprised they could keep up with demand.
My wife had the Pride and it was in excellent form. (It went off shortly thereafter).
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This pub has become our local since moving in - I can't believe we went to the Sawyers Arms and Pride of Paddington! Beer is very well kept (Pride, Discovery, ESB), though more guest beers would be welcome. Interior of pub is original Victorian and very pretty, especialy two upstairs rooms. Food is good but not great. Great quiz on Tuesday. The pub is always very busy with a friendly atmosphere commented on elsewhere. My only gripe is that when the landlord or his wife are not behind the bar, the service is terrible and slow.
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This pub is very much how I expected a traditional Victorian London pub to be. With the wood panelling, mirrors, fireplaces, decorative bar etc, it is an absolute delight. London pride was "spot on" and bar staff were friendly and efficient.Young and old, regular, tourist,passing visitor, roller blader or buisnessman all rub shoulders harmoniously (as commented elsewhere). Especially enjoyable on a Saturday afernoon when a little quieter. Pubs like this are fast disappearing from our cities.It is great to come across a survivor in our capital and long may it remain so.
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Don’t bother with the bars on Paddington station, take a stroll up London Street across the road from the entrance and find the Victoria. A positive symphony of wood and glass with two gorgeous fireplaces. The “Theatre Bar” upstairs is nice but next door is the Library which resembles a gentlemen’s club. Not, unfortunately on CAMRA’s list of outstanding interiors but it’s certainly on mine.
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Decent pubs in or around mainline stations in London are hard to come by so next time you're in the Paddington area drop by here for a more pleasant experience.
Decent Fullers beer plus great decor adds up to a nice atmosphere. Last night the place was busy with a selection of locals, tourists and roller balders wearing playboy bunny ears and nobody bsatted an eyelid. Apparently the Dracular club meets here too which must be a sight to behold.
You can tell there's lots of history to the place even if I wouldn't necesssrily take everything the touristy aimed menu tells you to heart. I didn't try the food but it looked pretty average pub fare. Bar staff are friendly enough without being to in your face and the barman even charged me half price for a pint that didn't quite reach the top of the glass - what more can you ask?
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Although I posted a review criticising this pub before on my recent visit the service has improved quite significantly. The food doesn't seem too bad and the beer is well kept although can be a bit expensive.Hopefully I won't have to complain again.
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Beautiful decor ,very busy ,friendly staff.On the downside a tad expensive and the journey to the gents is like descending the north face of the Eiger.
anonymous - 28 Nov 2006 18:31 |
a lovely pub to relax in reading the paper whilst people watching..good wine and great atmosphere..every trip to London is enhanced by a visit befre flying off to Kings Cross and home. Isn't there a theatre upstairs too?
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Great beer, superb London Pride. No music, but the punters pack in and it can get noisy. Not cosy, but great atmosphere. Good staff. This place is a real oasis and a traditional London pub where the gentry can sup beer alongside scumbags and lost tourists. Good for a couple of pints and the food was half decent too. If you like a bit of people watching, this is a fine place to snoop over a bevvy.
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Excellent pub - tried this place for the first time on Friday night on recommendation. The place has a beautiful old interior in the main bar, and plenty of seating outside. It was a nice day, so there was no trouble getting a table inside. Didn't have a chance to check out the "library" upstairs, but will do next time.
The steak and ale pie seemed a bit stingy (gravy and ale pie more like), but I washed it back with my first bottle of Fuller's Anniversary Ale, which was incredible. I always viewed Paddington as a bit of a black hole for pubs before, but will definitely be coming back here when I'm in the area.
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Excellent pub. Splendid pints of Chiswick. A boon after a brisk walk across the park following prom. concerts.
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An essential stop off before train trips! Lovely pint of ESB, friendly staff.
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This pub seems to go between a barman who tries too hard and a pleasant young barmaid (think she's Italian)who always has a smile and pulls a good pint. The main problem this pub has is placing great store in the people who have a coke and chip butty and insist in paying by credit card. Maybe we should go back to what a pub should be for - drinking!!!!
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Visited this pub on a Friday lunchtime having read good reports. Sadly a huge disappointment due to the fact that firstly only one member of bar staff on duty when pub was quite busy. Secondly I was unlucky enough to get in behind a group of ten or so young professional males who all chose to order a drink and a meal then pay by credit card card individually. Finally when I did get served the bar person gave me a pint of guinness with a rather large head. I do hate to have to ask for a fair pint but it really was necessary. The guinness was well kept and I enjoyed another pint but overall the visit was a let down.
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The Vic is a mecca for skaters because it is simply the best pub that is close to hyde park. Mostly the skaters who go there tend to hand out in the library upstairs out of the way, but the place does get packed on wednesday and friday nights when there are organised street skates that end in the park.
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A nice little pub. Lovely physical plant, personable staff, decent beer selection. The food is mediocre, but well presented.
Just out of curiousity, what's with the rollerskaters? Nothing against them; just wondering how The Vic became a mecca for skaters...
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Very busy indeed last Sunday lunchtime - but with a rather transient type of crowd. Walking from Paddington station to the pub, I seemed to be the only person without a suitcase trolley or rucksack. The first pint of London Pride that I had was the colour of mud and didnt clear, but it was willingly changed by the helpful and efficient bar staff. Sombody came in just wanting a bowl of hot water, so he could heat his baby's bottle of milk up - served willingly and politely. A lesson here for many other London pubs.
Seems to have more atmosphere now since my previous visit and posting in April 2005.
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This is a great little pub, and retains its traditional interior. Friendly landlord and staff. Fullers beer is always served in excellent condition. Main bar area is usually busy. There are function rooms upstairs, and some seating outside. Popular quiz night on Tuesdays is good for a laugh.
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very pretty boozer, keep fullers well, always busy. to many sweaty rollerskaters for my liking.
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John,
Cheers, my old china ! I will make a visit back to this one this October when I go back for my annual trip. It's a real shame how a lot of the pubs lack the feel that I was so accustom to when I had the wonderful opportunity to live in your country as a teen and an adult. However, there are still a ton of them around. Miss hanging out at the pubs. All of us Yanks are quite jealous of them compared to the "Genrica" bars, restaurants, etc. that are all over the US. Disgusting ! Maybe I'll see you there for a pint in October.
Cheerio,
Joe
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Splendidly ornate and traditional Fullers pub. Admire the glasswork.
Rather like the Archery Tavern in nearby Bathurst Street, which is also well worth visiting, pubs around here seem to have lost most of their soul and atmosphere, simply because there are so few - if any - English people still living in the area. It's a crying shame as it's a pub deserving of support. Joseph, further to your comment here in October 2004, that's why it now lacks the "real good local buzz" that you encountered back in 1985.
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Lovely Victoriana type pub. If you are in the area visit the Theatre bar upstairs
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Stevo - Cheers ! I was going to stop by on my pub walks last month. I remember in the summer of '85, they used to serve ice cold tubes of swan lager out of barrel of ice. Lovely. It had a real good local buzz to it back then. A nice pub vibe that seems to be lacking now.
Thanks again for the update.
Joseph - 29 Oct 2004 18:19 |
Hi Joe,
Yes. It's now excellently run by Chris and his wife, who previously ran The Mad Bear and Bishop in Paddington Station.
Stevo - 26 Oct 2004 08:36 |
I used to go here quite often in the mid/late 80s. When I went back to visit in '01, I found it to be a bit beat up. Is there new managment ? Joe/USA
Joseph - 25 Oct 2004 18:58 |
I generally get there at 11:01am on a Saturday morning. I can't think of a better place to have the first pint or three of the weekend.
Great beer, great staff, great decor decor - great pub.
Stevo - 23 Sep 2004 13:03 |
visit at any time, but it's particularly great to visit during week-day day times, CHECK OUT THE TWO UPSTAIRS BARS .
anonymous - 23 Sep 2004 11:44 |
go upstairs, especially if you visit during the day time .
dan - 26 Jul 2004 12:27 |
This is the friendliest pub I know and the one I most frequently visits when ever I go to London. And they have the best beer in town, Fullers.
Ulf - 26 Jul 2004 12:04 |
A fine early victorian compact corner pub? Best in Paddington, has a quiz and good ales.
Keep on keepin non - 30 Jun 2004 00:54 |
A very friendly barman offered a couple of tired travelers Honeydew Melon Ale on draft and a quiet upstairs parlor to sit in - with wingback chairs. Bliss.
Ginny - 24 Jan 2004 01:54 |
Decent traditional pub
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It sells Hoegaarden...
Keith - 6 Aug 2003 16:40 |
This a terrific little pub. Friendly staff, good beer and very classy decor. Generally speaking less tourist-infested than other pubs in the area and that can only be a good thing.
Stevo - 2 Jul 2003 13:10 |
Really nice Fuller's pub - lovely interior, normally has at least 4 Fuller's beers on. Can get a bit crowded.
Kath - 28 May 2003 16:57 |
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