please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Good selection of beers, if a little scruffy. I'm fussy over good bar service and the barmaids here were attentive despite the busy lunch hour I spent in there, albeit with somewhat dull personalities. Nothing to really make the pub stand out, except perhaps the uneven floor. If you like Nicholsons pubs its more worth hitting the Blackfriar a short walk away.
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I've been visiting this pub on and off for the last ten years and it has had its ups and downs. I'd say this is in one of its better phases. Beer is well kept, and the staff are neither rude nor friendly: they just seem to be getting on with their job. If you want to be on first name terms with the staff in this area, go up the road to the tipperary. The interior keeps a sense of history notably via the floorboards and wooden fixings, and while busy it is usually possible to secure a seat because the throughput in the pub is quite high with passing trade. Food is pretty good. I think they still even have the pickled eggs in the corner cupboard at the back that looks like it should be hiding a dart board. Shame it isn't open at weekends though. Finally if you hear people talking of a rat in this place, it isn't a concern. A gentleman who goes by the pseudonym rat is in there all the time, and his name usually comes up in the context of drinking games and a failure to get a penalty drink down. Nice chap though.
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Oh dear dear dear dear
And oh dear dear dear dear dear dear dear
My wonderful local for three years until 2004. Stil use it regularly. Interesting and famous interior as used by Chris Wren when building the local church. But oh dear dear dear dear dear dear dear.
"This beer is flat can I change it please". "No, it is bitter it is meant to be flat, no one else has complained." From what I hear this is typical of the place now. Got nothing about sourcing staff from around the world, but please please please know something about keeping and serving beer. And don't be surly to the customers! If it isn't fit for purpose, it isn't fit for purpose. And P off you suits who decided to join in the discussion, bunch of winkers.
Food actually very good, shame really
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I was bit disappointed in the Bell - beer was OK but not great and it all felt a bit ordinary. Maybe just an off day (me or the pub) - will resolve to go back and give it another chance!
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Good selection of beers and a nice, snug layout. Food is good value, but portion size a bit small!
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the food is uncommonly good in here. other nicholsons houses nearby run the same menu but they do not even come close. no idea about the booze as i don't drink during the day but if they take this much care over their food, i'd be astonished if it is any less than exceptional.
this may sound gushing but it really is very good. even though i lost my £4.50 change in the quiz machine.
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good bar, nice beer, swift service, decent food.
will come again.
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Last thursday i had the best pub lunch of my life,the sausages were exellent,whith creamy,fluffy mash (mash melts in your mouth) and well flauvoured gravy,and backed up by exellent service.I foud it quite unbelievably good.Probably one of the best pub in london.(recommend)
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Still had Pride, Adnam's Bitter and Landlord on today. Guest beer was Highgate Fat Catz. Never had this beer before, but was pretty good. It's a darkish beer with a sharp flavour.
This pub is bigger than it looks from the front, with a fairly large non-smoking area on the left as you enter from Fleet Street. But I did not feel very comfortable in there today - some work was being done on the back doors, which were open making it fairly cold in the main bar. The music being played was some very good blues/jazz, but was almost drowned out by the workmens' saws and one of the Eastern European barmaids shouting into her mobile 'phone. But I won't let any of that put me off visiting it again. It is clearly a historic pub, and with Wren's magnificent St Bride's church outside the back doors it has enough character to make it worthy of inclusion in a pub tour of the area.
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Maybe it was due to the fact that it was the end of the night but the Olde Bell just seemed old to me. Its a bareboards boozer (which I usually like) with a horseshoe bar.
My pint of Pride was nondescript.
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Great atmosphere. Historic boozer. Go if in the area.
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A bit small and crowded for my liking on a Friday night. Usually a good crowd although does suffer from a few up themselves city types which has to be expected given the location. Lots of atmosphere though and never any aggro.
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Excellent beers: London Pride, Adnams, Timothy Taylor's Landlord, and a guest beer (my beloved Theakston's Old Peculiar this week). All well-looked after by the affable landlady and her friendly Lithuanian barmaids. (I'm in love with all of `em!) The place is a gem, and is my favourite in the area - where I've worked for a few years. Yep, it does get a bit crowded, with a few city suits, but there's usually a good mix, and a mellow atmosphere. Enjoy.
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look. it's very simple. there's nowhere else on fleet street that will serve me - well - an almost perfect pint of landlord. i work round the corner - nothing else to say - give it a go. actually dont. a
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Back when CAMRA was young and so was I, a reasonbly competent real ale drinker could in a reasonable amount of time drink at all the pubs left in London that served real beer. I did them all with a friend, starting each day with a first ale at 11 and finishing at closing time that night. During the hours when the pubs were closed, we would occasionally do a real beer joint with a club license.
The Bell was a standout in those days and was the last time I was there about a year ago. Over the years, it's been consistently good with a good staff. It's not big but then most of the older pubs aren't.
If it's not jammed, it's a comfortable place to relax and drink good beer.
anonymous - 15 Nov 2006 22:51 |
I meant, of course, that I want it to remain a hidden haven, free of crowds...
Cheers
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Just to add to RogerB's learned account: The "back" of the pub facing St Bride's Churchyard was originally the front. The narrow passage opening onto Fleet Street has only comparatively recently become the "front".
This was my local over 30 years ago, and was the only pub in the area serving White Shield. Went back with the C.R.A.P.S. recently and found a good range of real ales in good nick.
It still retains the atmosphere of a proper pub, and is an excellent place for sampling ales in a quiet haven just off Ludgate Circus. But don't go there - there's not room!
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Probably the best pub along Fleet Street. Good range of real ales, reasonable pub grub and a very nice indoors. Never too busy and despite its central location, one feels this remains something of a hidden gem.
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Ye gods and little fishes, a decent real ale pub along Fleet Street. Not that there is no beer to be had nearby but this is the best I have tried in the area. Skinner's 'Heligan Honey' on the night which was fine.
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Good bloke Christopher Wren. While his builders and masons were slaving away building his churches, he had the great idea of building them a few pubs to relax in after work. 3 of his pubs remain in the area of which the Old Bell is one. Built in 1670 on the site of a previous pub destroyed in the Fire of London, it has been serving the local workers ever since although the builders eventually gave way to the Press men and today it is the haunt of office workers and tourists. The small area to the left of the entrance was originally the off licence and is probably the pubs best feature. The sun streaming through the stained glass windows is one of the more spectacular pub sights in London. The main bar area is rather cramped, the central bar taking up far too much room and squashing all the punters into a narrow area around the sides of the pub. The pub doesn’t actually feel very old, probably the result of various refurbishments over the years and apart from the fireplace, very few original features are apparent. The back of the pub opens up to the courtyard of St Brides Church, a rather tranquil spot in contrast to the hustle and bustle of Fleet Street. Now part of the Nicholsons chain (the pub that is, not the church), the fare includes 3 Real Ales (Landlord, Pride and Young’s Best) and the usual pub grub menu at reasonable prices. The pub gets busy very early and seating is limited. Certainly one of the most historic pubs in London and well worth a visit, although some may find the main bar lacking any real character for a pub this old.
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Graet pub with great beer. Whilst I was ther they had a visit from Cask Marque and they past all there tests with flying colours. 4-5 different ales were on tap and the food was of a high standard. Although the building is not as interesting as some of the others pubs near by, it more than makes up for it with friendly staff (I would!) and good beer.
anonymous - 3 Mar 2006 22:04 |
Best in the area. A very good drop of TT Landlord in a comfortable little pub which doesn't (yet??) deny the complementary pleasure of a cigarette with a decent pint.
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The interior, while cosy, was not as old-style as the outside lead me to believe it would.Still a nice cosy boozer; perfect pints of Timothy Taylor's Landlord and the fit as fukk barmaids made up for all the suits!
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Was absolutely heaving and full of braying city workers but the decor made up for it. Really nice looking, old fashioned pub - with a real fire which was much appreciated on a wet and dreary December night.
Had to drink Duvel as they only had typical lagers such as fosters on offer but my husband was pleased with his pint of ale.
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What a great pub - if you have never visited - it is a must!!!The Ale is great, and the staff are really welcoming - if only more pubs were like this - UNIQUE!
Jimbo - 24 Sep 2004 21:05 |
Great 'real' pub.
Paul - 9 Jun 2004 08:56 |
Excellent pub, with a great selection of real ales. Friendly and efficient staff.
Mandatory drinking place for anybody working in the area.
Richard Leyton - 8 Mar 2004 19:59 |
Small pub with a cool front seating area. Seems to be a real mix of locals and tourists.
Jeff - 16 Nov 2003 14:43 |
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