please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Dreadful pub! Poor decor and atmosphere. Went with a group of friends and I tried the Spitfire. It was undrinkable, my friend who got the round in and went to take it back to the barmaid, she asked the landlord, he said it was not off and that was the end of that and so instead of giving a new pint or an alternative my friend had to pay again for a pint of pride. I took this up with the landlord who was very unhelpful and showed no customer service at all, he just mentioned he had won awards for his beer (which looking at the reviews below, you wonder how!) He then tried to blame the barmaid for not telling him the full story. At no point did he apologise or try to resolve the issue. This is the first time in over 20 years of drinking that a pub has refused to deal in some with a 'dodgy' pint. Needless to say he lost any more custom from our group and we went on to far finer establishments then this.
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characterless, beer barn nothing to recommend this place, not one redeeming feature.
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I didn't sample the ales on my last visit but did notice it had a couple of regulars and a guest (can't remember what, but it's a start). Suspect this is probably an all right place.
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Popped in here last Sunday as a relief for myself and my fiance who had spent the best part of an hour checking the sights out.
It's unremarkable, but pleasant enough. Beer was well kept, though I'd argue that their guest ale (Scrooged or whatever it is) should be immediately confined to the slops tray as it tasted like it had been filtered through one of my socks after a hard nights football. Apart from that, the decor is nice and it's been kept very much as it should be int eh Victorian way.
Not a highly recommended pub, but certainly better than some in the immediate vicinity
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Recently put in disabled access, via a ramp up to the side door, and a disabled toilet. That said, it appears this has been done as an afterthought and not particularly well. The ramp is often inaccessible due to large plant pots being left in the way and the disabled toilet is in a corner where it can only be accessed by moving the table in the corner and anyone sitting at it.
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Agree with last comment by NWLondon_girl - it's a quite OK place, nothing special, just a bar really, useful for a pint or two on the way to somewhere else and handily positioned. Good range of ales - Deuchars, Brakspears, Pride, Spitfire and another I can't remember but 3 of them were off being "conditioned". The Pride and Brakspears were unexceptionally kept but reasonable.
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Had a few drinks before a restaurant booking round the corner & it was ok. Not too much on either side to say really, your very average central London boozer but good for people watching from the tables by the windows.
The staff were smiley & polite & looked like they were enjoying being there. Makes a change from the norm!
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I use dto like this pub as it was a handy place to meet up in central London. That changed however at the weekend when a surly bar manager's attitude to my family put me right off the place. He wouldn't let us take our son in, even though we planned to eat, and wouldn't even let us use the toilets to change him. His attitude stank, and we left straightaway. Given that there are so many other pubs looking for our custom, I'll be giving this miserable, unfriendly place a big swerve in future.
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pint was a bit nasty but it was sunday morning. found it very snug round the corner. Nice atmosphere and not expensive.
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Now now. Certainly not the most exciting of pubs, but to put it in context it's massiveley improved on how it used to be: does anybody else remember its previous incarnation as Presley's, the Elvis theme pub? I kid you not. Not just the worst pub in Tottenham Court Road, or even the worst pub in Fitzrovia. It was the worst dive I've ever set foot in - and my standards are not all that high.
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sucks the soul of you this boozer.....ii dunno why i keep doing it to myself
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not a bad pub better than the fitzroy tavern not that is difficult
juzza - 29 Mar 2006 12:49 |
Packed. With suits. On a tuesday evening. To be expected I guess, given its location. Beer ok too. Foodwise, only had a snack ... standard pub fare, not bad.
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As part of the latest refurb they've added large screen televisions add a grotesque note in what was once a fine victorian interior. They also serve as a reminder that these days, the Rising Sun caters mainly for passing shoppers buying electronic status-symbols on TCRd. Used to be a great pub but for the past five years or so it's been on an ever-downward slide. Beer quality (and staff attitude) tends to be very erratic. At least it's not as bad as the Jack Horner across the road.
If you don't mind Sam Smith's beer, the Fitzroy, just a short stagger down Windmill St is vastly preferable.
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This place has recently been refurbed and rebranded. I hadn't been in here before but it's certaily nice now. Big and clean with great seats to relax on. Food was good and staff were pleasant. Fine place for a quiet drink, sunday lunch or the start/middle of a larger evening.
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Ok I suppose - food not too bad, drink not too bad. Usually empty.
Highly offensive manager - recently whilst dining at the pub he came over and ranted at the Australian family sitting outside on the next table because they had dared to buy non pub food for their 2 year old daughter despite the fact they had purchased five meals and numerous drinks.
anonymous - 22 Jul 2005 09:57 |
This place is a gem compared to the "trendy" bars you'll find in nearby soho. Agree with the others that you can almost always find a seat, also its got a good selection of drinks and the foods good value too. Perfect place if your looking for a pub for a pint and somewhere quiet enough so you can hear each other speak
crisp - 25 May 2005 13:07 |
OK - menu has improved greatly since last time I was here but seems to be very understaffed. I guess its good because you can always get a seat...
anonymous - 3 May 2005 01:15 |
Strangely i like this place - maybe cos i always fall into it after a hard days shopping or just before the cinema - but i always seem to have a good time here - i cannot explain why except that its mildy inoffensive, the beer is cheap, the tables are big and you can always find a seat.
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Got kicked out of there once for smoking a doobie. "FOOKIN SHITE"!!
anonymous - 6 Apr 2005 00:02 |
What a horrible dive. Not what you would expect for the area. The place has a lingering smell which becomes unbearable after a while. For a place with such a high ceiling it gets very smoky as well. I go to the Fitzrovia round the corner now instead.
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Some quite nice beers on - and a student discount. Littl bit dingy, but dinge isnt always bad. Been here a couple of times - would probably return.
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Geat pub...a decent pint of Speckled Hen and very nice food. Staff were friendly and efficient. Definately recommended.
Dunc - 8 Apr 2004 18:36 |
Horrible pub, with incompetent bar staff.
Grynster - 5 Mar 2004 17:06 |
our 22 year old son (jim) is on a 3 month working holiday (from australia) in the rising sun. His overall impression of the staff and patrons of the Rising Sun is overwhelming. There seems to be a very friendly atmosphere which has made him feel right at home( apart from all the teasing about our loss in the world cup). From his comments the Rising Sun appears to be an inviting and relaxing hotel to dine and have a few drinks with friends
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I love this pub the music is always great, bordering on fantastic. They have a selection of guest ales as well as the usual type and the wine is never horrible. Don't bother with the food though and don't sit outside, you will be asked for money. It's a lovely atmosphere though and loads of different types of people.
Sian - 23 Oct 2003 11:09 |
I like the Rising Sun. All of what Ruby says is true but it's not a bad place. The staff are friendly. The nicest thing about the place is it is fairly anonymous and doesn't have much of an identity in that it's not a theme pub and it doesn't have a large proportion of any one type of customer. So, you can go there and just have a drink without any of the crap you have to put up with in many of Central London's pubs.
I would say there's not a great selection of beers but the food's quite good.
Also, I'm not a big fan of the Windmill although they do have a couple of pool tables if you want a game.
fitzrovian - 3 Oct 2003 11:03 |
What is it about very conspicuous pubs in the centre of London? There's nothing inherently wrong with the Sun, but there's nothing particularly right with it either.
Maybe because it's so easy for tourists to simply wander it that Londoners are petrified of it, and natually, the barstaff are Australian.
Go to the Windmill instead. It's 20 seconds round the corner and infinitely muckier.
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