please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Not what it was & living on its past reputation.
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I agree with the last review. It smells of cats and I definately wouldn't want to order food. Nonetheless, the beer has always seemed quite good to me and the decor isn't bad.
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I agree with all comments about charm and history etc. What I can't believe is no-one has mentioned the dirt.This is by far the most filthy pit I have ever seen considering the extortionate prices maybe the odd wipe here and there might not be out of order. and has ANYONE ever ever EVER got a clean glass in here???
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The Seven Stars used to be one of my favourite London pubs. Whenever I was in the area (usually every four to six weeks) I would pop in. However this year it has plunged down my league table. A couple of years ago I had nothing but praise for it.
This year, though, it has gone downhill rapidly and I have decided my last visit a fortnight ago will be my last! Having visited about half a dozen times it does not appear to be a one off glitch. The staff now seem incredibly sullen and slow. To make matters worse if they see someone they recognise come in after you they tend to serve them first. On a couple of occasions the beer has not seemed 100%. It is also becoming increasingly expensive. When I went in with a group of friends we worked out that one was charged £4-50 for a lukewarm Magners over ice. Considering a number of pubs in the area, such as the ‘King & Keys’ have closed down in recent years the Seven Stars cannot afford to become complacent. For me it is time to move on. I will, though, keep an eye on this entry to see if things start to improve.
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Small and full of character, the only let-down being the prices. But this is central London.
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Came in here on Friday night and was a bit disappointed following a previous visit. Adnams Bitter and Broadside together with Fullers Chiswick. They put Harvey's Best on later. £3.20 for Chiswick was ridiculous. They have the most pretentious and expensive pub menu I have ever seen.
Nice little pub, don't wan't to complain, but it could be better.
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Great boozer, fabulous beers and a real unspoilt gem in Central London. I didn't see the famous cat but I expect he was relaxing in a quiet corner somewhere. In some ways this is an almost continental-style cafe but that can only be a good thing. They sell Aspall's Dry Suffolk Cyder and Harveys (not the Bristol Cream). The blackboard outside recommended NO Big Brother Conversation - I couldn't agree more...
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Very, very, very small pub, but also rather lovely. Bar staff are friendly, beer is fine, bar cat is excellent and fat. Only real gripe is the prices. Some pints have now topped £3.50 which is just ludicrous.
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Disappointing. Use to be a must on a pub crawl but the beer choice was limited to Adnams Bitter and Broadside. The pint of Broadside I had wasn't the best either. Great little pub but not as good as it use to be.
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Had a cracking pint of Harveys here last night. Small but welcoming. Pleasant staff and a pleasant pub cat.
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Unusual old pub with a narrow bar area and small rooms to each end. As others have commented a steep spiral staircase leads up to the toilets with rooms visible either side seemingly being part of the living accommodation. Mind your head on the way back down! Legal themed pictures and film posters adorn the walls.
Adnams Bitter, Broadside,Black Sheep Bitter and Dark Star Espresso coffee beer available on my visit. Beer a bit pricey even for the locale.
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In mid-week at 7:30 for a quick couple of excellent pints - very quiet. Great beer but expensive (Harveys £3.10). Loads of character, friendly. Apparently the food is excellent and won the 2008 Good Pub Guide award for London.
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place full of character and characters,nice pint of Harveys and a dodgy trip to the bog ,which gets worse as you drink more.I never seem to see the pussy when I come here,but that could be the story of my life.
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An intriguingly odd establishment,had a lovely pint of Harveys and revelled in the rare opportunity to drink beside a ruff-wearing cat,must also mention terrific journey to the toilet,steep staircase leading to glimpses of strange, ramshackle rooms - its just not a proper day out on the crawl in London if the toilets aren't located either up or down tricky steps with low beamed ceilings!
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Nice pint of RSB from the Red Squirrel brewery yesterday, not cheap though.
Where have all the legal eagles gone that used to frequent this place - seemed to be full of scruffy students yesterday ?
Still a great pub though, but do take care when visiting the toilets unless you want to fall and break your neck
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I agree with other posters about some of the niggles. Yes, the stairs are steep (I like that); yes, Ms B's oh-so faux Bohemian attitude grates somewhat; yes, the food is pricey and...err...vinegary. BUT how come when I'm uptown I am inexorably drawn to this charming, interesting and cosy pub?
The cat is called Thomas Paine. And he wears a ruff.
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Pussy and dykes in a pub? Purrfect....
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Had a couple of pints of well kept Adnams last week. Facinating place, freindly bar staff and a cat sat on the end of the bar, cant ask much more from a pub really.
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dark star hophead,cat licking its arse on the bar, and a couple of wierdo dykes running the pub. give it a visit, truly superb boozer.
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I had a superb boozy lunch here last Saturday; some great ale, good food prepared by Roxy herself (who was on fine form), all polished off with a very strong well mixed Martini and a Cuban cigar. And the sun was shining! What more can a man ask for?
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Well kept beer, over-flowing hanging baskets and an eccentric cat. Almost says it all really...
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Another good evening here last Thursday. Ales on offer included Adnams Broadside, Black Sheep Bitter, and something rathr good from Dark Star Brewery. Oh, and a "proper" barmaid was a real bonus, pity there aren't more like her in London's pubs.
A good mix of customers too, from the £250K pa lawyers to £25K pa lower grade civil servants, all mixing happily it would have seemed.
Another in the "I wish this was my local" category.
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I highly recommend seeking this place out if you're in the area, in fact, it's probably even worth a journey out of your way to find it. A good, changing selection of well kept beers with Brewers Gold (which is probably one of the best golden ales you'll ever try) and an Adnams beer seeming to be the regulars. Definitely worthy of repeated visits.
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Always charming but I had not visited for many years until the other night. Sampled the two beers from Dark Star (Mild and Hophead) which were excellent if pricey. Recommended in the area.
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Like this pub a lot. The Broadside is on top form. I can email the addresses of a few All Bar Ones or other similarly bland sh*tholes to those whingers who don't like bar staff to have opinions or personalities.
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Amazing home away from home with spectacularly good food and proper beers. Tom Paine is worth the visit alone and the serving staff on the weekend second to none...
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Something of a Marmite pub it seems. Personally, I'm on the side that loves it. They serve a great pint of Harvey's and it's characterful without being cliquey. I will grant that service is occasionally on the slow side, but I'm happy to wait. If you find yourself offended by suits, you are encouraged to seek out a pub not situated behind the Royal Courts of Justice. My uniform is jeans and a t-shirt and I have never been looked at askance.
Ghoti - 14 May 2007 17:27 |
Very bad. Phoney, self-conscious take on a london local. Sullen, extaordinarily slow service. clientele mainly tourists and suited post-office people. whole thing feels smug and inauthentic - the opposite of a proper local pub. Avoid.
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The best pub in town. Terrific food from a varied menu, good guest beers, great landlady and staff, and a sartorially savvy cat. Watch out for the treachourous ascent to the bogs.
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This is a really good pub, full of character. The staff were friendly, the cat was reasonably friendly, the American tourists I chatted to were friendly, and the beer (They had Dark Star Spring Equinox and Hopwood on as well as Adnam's)was superb. That'll do it for me. Will definitely be in again later this week.
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The fact that I popped in on Sunday to meet some fellow CAMRA members and bumped into a contingent from the Society for the Preservation of Beers from the Wood completely by accident says it all. The beers - Adams Bitter, Broadside, Harveys Sussex Best and Crouch Vale Brewers Gold - were amazing. Perfect place for Sunday dinner. I can't wait to go back.
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Nice, snug pub in a great location with a funky interior. Landlady didn't seem too impressed when I moaned that it was £6 for the cigarette machine, but then it's her pub and I was perfectly drunk at this point. Am going back soon.
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Best pint of Broadside I've ever had in London (and I do try). Fantastic place with lovely food and great beer. Like the Nag's they also have Aspall's cider on, which is always good to see.
I've yet to see what it's like in the week, but I expect it'll be great even when it's rammed.
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I passed this pub a number of times in the summer and was somewhat intrigued. As there were customers spilling out onto the pavement (their garden) and a set of house rules on a board outside. Anyway a few months passed and as I was passing by there were only two people outside who seemed to be enjoying a smoke and quiet conversation. As there was some room inside I decided to give it a try. Some of the comments on this website could make one wary but I got a warm smile from the landlady and the customers all appeared friendly. They serve Adnams which is not seen so frequently these days. After ordering my pint I found a seat in the ‘Axminster bedecked’ side room and took in m surroundings. It is a small but cosy pub and totally individualistic. The beer was well kept so I stayed for another and then another. Each pint was served in a different glass – evidently a custom in this pub. Yes, I like this pub a lot. I will have to try the food next time – I suspect it will be pretty good. Recommended for those who like individuality.
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Went there this lunchtime.
Nice Beer
Nice food
Friendly service (and no we are nothing to do with the legal profession, beither were we wearing suits (indeed jeans were the order of the day.)
Treat others with respect and you will get similar treatment in return
anonymous - 10 Nov 2006 21:21 |
Now now children there appear to be a few people here suffering a sense of humour failure (on both sides of the bar.)
The Seven Stars is an institution an old pub recommended only for those who either don't drink a lot or with a bladder the strength of an elephant (well those stairs are not to be attempted after a good few pints.)
Sure the place is small and also unique. Yes it has its locals/fans but everyone is made welcome. Yes the staff are (seemingly encouraged,) to break away from the bland corporate norm and like all of us can get the emphasis wrong and make an inappropriate comment. If they do, tell'em and they should (if they are human,) take it with good grace. As for the landlady well I agree sometimes her reputation might just run away with her, but take her with the pinch of salt she deserves and you won't go far wrong.
I am not a regular, but find that in the Seven stars if you treat the incumbants with good natured respect, you won't go far wrong.
Oh and they serve a cracking pint (and I have never been refused a top up.)
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Yep, good one. The cat is called Tom Paine, by the way.
NB - Boss_Hogg, don't try nicking this one for your local Rat and Parrot. It won't work unless they have a cat called Tom Paine. And they don't.
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This is one of my favourite places. The beer is kept in excellent nick though rarely if ever served in the appropriate branded glass (this is my only criticsm, ok, and bangers and mash without gravy). The food is nearly always good, it's better in the winter and any complaints are always seen to. So what if the service is a little idiosyncratic, I've never witnessed a member of staff be rude without provocation. If you want obeisence you've come to the wrong place, bubba. If you don't like yer pub packed then go at two in the afternoon or at the weekend when you're pretty much guaranteed a table. Go alone and one invariably ends up chatting to really interesting people. Once I ended up engrossed in a WW11 bomb map an American Londoner just happened to have on him.
frankblack, I couldn't agree less, Roxy is a predictable drunk. Bringing cheer to those of that persuasion and short shrift for rude, miserable or stuffy gits (see ianfreeman). ianfreeman, being employed as a journalist (oh, noble profession) does not qualify anyone as an expert in banter and repartee (in fact the opposite , having time to consider and refine what they wish to say).
I am a regular and a local and treated accordingly. Roxy has no need to 'surround herself with cliquey types", people gravitate towards her naturally, there's nothing to be scared of. I've never seen so many spiteful opinions about such a great pub. If one would prefer a boozer where the proprieter is never seen and the staff are as bland as a steamed pollack, they are situated throughout London in great abundance.
This is a cracking pub.
I am not a member of the legal trade nor am I a close relative of the owners.
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Brewers Gold on today but there's no rush to serve you. Landlady is a character and in such a small pub it's difficult to avoid but who cares, at least it is a place where you can find out what everyone is like. Not the perfect pub but a special pub.
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Beer excellent (Hophead) if overpriced and landlady's language entertaining although I can see why one may hesitate to bring WAGs. Visited twice now and found barstaff variable. Full measure on one day had to be fought for next time. However, on 2nd visit...
Paid for a round with £20, barmaid proffered change from £10. Stood my ground and had the balance literally thrown across the bar after only a brief shuffle in the till. (They don't usually give in that quickly!) Conversation with a local suggested this was not an isolated incident.
Bloody funny pub but worth a visit if you can count.
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Its a great pub. The beer is good. The bar staff can be idiosyncratic but provided you don't take yourself too seriously, it isn't a problem. The lunch there is good - it is made on the premises and could be regarded as a bit pricey. I think it is worth it.
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This is a great pub unfortunately let down by the landlady (an unpredictable drunk who surrounds herself with cliquey types), the smell (perhaps it's the drains) and the beer (they have no cellar so in summer time the beer's way to warm) It's a shame because it could be one of the most celebrated pubs in the country, yet alone London.
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That's the great shame about the Seven Stars. Despite this Roxy character has lots of luvvee friends and gets bigged up in the media, she doesn't understand how to behave as landlady of a pub, and her food isn't actually very good to top it off.
(I admit those are rather harsh words but it annoys me because this place could be one of the best pubs in London if she'd sell up to someone decent)
anonymous - 10 May 2006 20:05 |
Lovely pub, just a shame about the attitude of some of the staff including Roxy, who before I exiled myself served me in a 16 oz glass rather than a pint. Rather than apologising she had a go at me. Shame. Marked for the pub and beer!
On prices when I first went there it was the cheapest in the area but then worked out that they could charge a premium (who can blame them)
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The same layout as Whitelocks in Leeds-though about 200 years older!Wasnt too busy when I visited during the day.It appeared to be a bind to the barmaid to serve people as this kept interupting her text messaging.......
As expected-most of the other punters were legal bods-trying to outdo each other with their stories.
Pleasant enough place.
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Quality place, nice food, friendly barmaid and old man at the bar. Cramped but then it's an old little pub. I'd go again.
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A classic case of having to choose between good, well-kept beer, and a comfortable place to drink it. The Seven Stars might be a nice place to sit down and relax if you're the only patron, but it gets crowded in a hurry, and the pub's denizens aren't in the least interested in making room for one more. Try to hit it in the off-hours to enjoy a pint of any of the guest ales on offer (mostly Adnam's).
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I agree w/Roger B: visited last Saturday and did not get a good feeling from the female barstaff...either they were in a bad mood or they have no intention of encouraging new patrons to their pub. Adnams was well kept and tasty.
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One of the oldest (dating from 1602) and probably one of the most cramped pubs in the area. The main bar is very narrow and having seating at the bar leaves very little room to maneuvre in the remaining space. A narrow ledge offers some solace if you want to put your pint down somewhere. There are a couple of small tables but you would need to be there early to nab one. There are 2 rooms to the side of the main bar, one used primarily for dining has a few more tables with their café type tablecloths and the other is quite frankly best avoided unless you like bright purple paint. They have Adnams and a couple of guest beers (Dark Star Solstice and Hophead when I was last there). Prices appear to be slightly higher than the surrounding area but I suppose this is to be expected when the customer base consists largely of professionals – the Royal Courts of Justice are opposite so the pub is used extensively by lawyers, solicitors etc. The walls are adorned with various prints and posters with a legal theme and the almost tatty appearance does lend the pub an air of authenticity. There are some interesting characters among the staff and customers but it is difficult to know what to make of the Seven Stars. It comes well recommended in various guidebooks, the beers are excellent and the food looks good but the pub comes over as very insular and you get the impression that you are either standing in someone’s reserved space or sitting in someone’s chair. It is certainly worth a visit but perhaps not everyone’s cup of tea.
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Nice snug traditional pub much frequented by the legal profession. Don't use the upstairs loo if you're a bit the worse for wear, descent perilious !
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Great beer - the Brewer's Gold was on when I was there and was exceptionally ell kept. But why do they big the food up here? The bangers and mash I had was terrible which doesn't bode well for the rest of the menu. I did not like the staff at all. The clientele include far too many americans and arrogant barristers, but then considering the location it would be unfair to criticise the pub for this reason alone.
anonymous - 30 Dec 2005 13:23 |
Great pub if there is room or it's warm outside! Good beer well kept.
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Nice snug pub with loads of atmosphere. Had a nice pint of Adnams Bitter here. The stairs to the upstairs toilet are a challenge!
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Went here after a works do a couple of months ago, and despite being amongst a load of the quietest people I know we were told to shut up by the bar staff, who then proceeded to take the mick.
OK, so they have 'famous' people running it, but it's a pub, I'm a drinker, and I don't expect to be patronised by a load of people who think that they are better than you.
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Nathan, have only just noticed your comments. I found your staff anything but fun-loving - they were acid-tongued and singularly unpleasant. I have not been back to the pub because of it. One person's 'lip' is another's downright rudeness. And as a journalist, I can assure you that they were not 'expert in banter and repartee' - they were childish, rude and disrespectful.
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Proper pub, this one, in an area where you'd least expoect it. Great beer, great atmosphere, but I've bought shoes that came in boxes bigger than this place. Don't bother trying to get in after work, it's futile. Leave it couple of hours, though, and it's a great little place.
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I trek to London once a year and this pub has quickly become a favorite. Its a cozy room, the staff is engaging and the Adnams is always top notch. I can't wait for my next trip.
anonymous - 27 Mar 2005 23:37 |
I love The Seven Stars, I used to work near Holborn and would nip across Lincoln's Inn Fields whenever I had enough time at lunch. The beer is good, the food is fabulous.
I like the staff! Sure they tease you a bit, that's a good thing isn't it?
I don't think I've ever been in there and not ended up talking to a really interesting stranger.
It's tiny though, so don't all rush in at once.
Tom - 19 Oct 2004 14:09 |
It's true about the staff. Seemingly, all female and mischievous. Excellent Bitburger on draught, recommended. Watch out for the climb to the loos. This place hasn't changed since I was a lad at the nearby LSE and that's just one of the good things about this rather fine establishment.
Dermot - 14 Sep 2004 20:52 |
The staff are expert in banter and repartee. They give customers lip, but they ain't rude-- just funloving. They're fabulous actually. Try them! (I'm the co-proprietor.)
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This was by far the best pub of about 15 in the area we tried on a stag night. It has PERSONALITY. You won't get this atmosphere in any of the McPub chains that litter London. Cracking!
Mike Thomas - 24 Nov 2003 15:05 |
Staff was a bit cheeky but at least they had personality. The place was packed with locals spilling out onto the sidewalk. Great off the beaten path location.
Jeff - 16 Nov 2003 14:25 |
great little pub; concur w/that the staff is a bit persnikity...when i said to the blonde behind the bar that this pub was hard to find on a rainy night she replied quite convincingly "we like it that way"...the other woman was helpful however in recommending a sunday pub crawl to hammersmith..she was even willing to take a photo of me and my tourist american friend. worth the trip.
scott anderson - 1 Nov 2003 03:04 |
Beaut friendly pub, great filling pub food. Interesting atmosphere. Very cosy
Peter Wotton - 21 Aug 2003 05:29 |
A tiny pub with a lot of history. The landlady only really likes serving regulars (local legal types) and allows the resident cat to sit on the bar. Worth a visit but don't use the toilets if you've had a few. You WILL die on the stairs!
Gary - 26 Jul 2003 12:10 |
A nice little pub, if a bit over-hyped, but quite the rudest staff I have ever come across. It was like they were doing you a favour by allowing you to spend money there.
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