please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Turned up 5.45pm Sunday (25/05/08) to find them out of the beers that make the places reputation, just left immedialtily, couldn't even console myself after a bad day at the football. Gonna hope that tyhe review below and my experience was a bad weekend and it will be back to normal soon!!
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Yesterday (Saturday 24th May) I took friends to see this, one of my favourite pubs in London, only to wish I hadn't because of the lazy slob that was manning the bar.
No smile, no greeting, moving around like we were being done a favour, the barmaid made no effort to make us feel welcome and every effort to make us feel unwelcome.
None of us could believe how obnoxious this individual was being. Though we had ordered drinks, because of her attitude, we cancelled them before she had a chance to start pouring an left.
Could the manager/owners please do something so that no one has to suffer this again!
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Cracking little Soho pub thats oozing charm and glorious old fashioned bar decor. It is tiny so getting a seat is nigh on impossible, but its worth it for the ale. Al fresco drinking in the summer, if we ever get one,also good for spotting the luvvies, Brendan Gleeson was in on my last visit,mean spirited sod didn't buy me a drink though ! If you are around Soho its a must
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A Good Soho Pub.
Get there early: grab a seat at the back and enjoy the ale and your coveted seat.
Get there late: prop up the bar and enjoy the ale and a pickled egg.
There's a pavement and an upstairs bit too.
What else could you need from a Good Soho Pub?
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Decent beer, good prices for the area, good sausages.
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Tiny pub that heaves on a saturday night. Dont expect to get a seat you will be out on the pavement drinking. Very good selection of ales to choose from and yes the loo's need sorting.
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Nice of the landlord to wait until we'd had a full afternoon session, pouring money in his till, before sending his rottweiler barmaid outside to tell my friends and I that we were being too noisy. Sort the toilets out, sack the rottweiler and let drinkers enjoy themselves, for crying out loud it was ten past five in the afternoon, we were hardly keeping people awake.
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Went into this place saturday.
its a very charming looking place, and the bar staff were freindly and helpful. They had 'old peculiar' on, but it was an absolutely criminal effort, flat, stale, stinking of vinegar type of affair. to their credit i had it changed easily enough, explaining it was tosh. the 8 stone russian bar maid had a taste, then realised how ludicrous she probably looked trying to appear more knowledgeable than a rather fat 6ft 2" midlands meat head, and kindly agreed with my professional opinion that the beer was shite.
the staropramen was off so i opted for the stella, which was average.
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Good selection of RA,s,{6] abit pricey at 2.85 a pint ,but very quick service there were three behind the tiny bar last Thursday ,a nice bar,well kept as is the beer
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This is a great little place, completely unpretenious and a great place to meet people due to the fact that it's so small. Staff are completely true, if they like you they like you if they dont they dont, which is how it should be, none of this 'customer-service-smile-at-everyone-wetherspoons' crap.
About Westminster Council - they are trying to shut down many pubs in this area because 'locals' are complaining, locals meaning rich people who want to live in this area but don't appreciate the area's vibe late at night. Unless it's a heavily regulated area most places won't stay open later and the dog n duck is not in the right area (altho it's very close). Not the pub's fault.
Go here any time of day, do what you want and be what you want. It's a much better experience if you have no hang-ups
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This is another traditional little pubs that attracts a few regulars and some very lucky tourists who want a "real pub" experience.
The downstairs bar is very small but the staff and locals are pretty friendly so its never been a problem.
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PS I absolutely agree with Mr Bean below, they do shut much too early, but I.m told that's not their fault, but Westminster Council being control freaks. Does anybody know the full story?
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This year saw the 40th anniversary of my first visit to The Dog And Duck, back in 1967, on the first day of my new job as an assistant animator, round the corner at TV Cartoons in Dean Street.
I went back to the Dog the other day for a little reunion with a few old animation chums, and we were very gratified to see that the appearance of the pub has changed very little since the great days of the 60’s and 70’s, when it was the local and social hub of the whole of the London animation industry... If walls could speak...
I even got married in there... well, there was some sort of formal nonsense at the Registry office first, but the real business was done in the upstairs bar, which was a private function room then. [That hasn’t changed too much either].
The barman told me The Dog is a listed building now, and so it should be. It’s a classic of its type: an unpretentious little street-corner boozer, a style of which there are far too few survivors. The lovely old tiled walls, ornate but welcoming bar, decorated mirrors, and odd little nooks and corners, were all just as we remembered them... unfortunately, so was the pong in the men’s bog...
Hey ho, a small price to pay for the charms of age: and, a couple of pints into the day, we were even able to look tolerantly at the influx of youthy media-types at five o’clock: newcomers to Soho, who actually seemed a bit above the average for their stereotype, [or not quite such a pain in the bum as usual anyway]. I guess there are enough WankerBars in the area to blot up the real premier league dickheads...
All the same, dead on six o’clock, the thud-box came on. Why don’t publicans get the message? If people want to hear disco ‘music’, they go to a disco, not a f***ing pub...
...on the other hand, when we complained, they did turn it down, so seven out of ten for that.
Having wallowed shamelessly in nostalgia and old man’s grumpiness, I must also say that in one very important way there’s been a major improvement: the quality of the ales on tap. When we were there, on Thursday, it was London Pride, Taylor’s Landlord and Harveys Best, all in very good nick, and Black Sheep was promised for next week...
A sight better than the Double Diamond rat-piss they used to sell!
I’ve rated The Dog at seven, considerably higher than anywhere else in the Soho area. It’s a good deed in a naughty world: I will be going back.
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What a gem of a pub this, with a great interior that is also very cosy. Things are better still with their attention to real beer and that means good guest ales too. Downstairs is more interesting than up – but what a lovely pub and it is one that I’d certainly head back to when I’m in the area again.
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Great pub, one of my regular haunts when passing through Soho. Beer selection usually good, always a pleasure to see Tim Taylor, but also brews new to me. Gents is a bit hard to find if you dont know where it is. Decor is lovely. More spacious bar upstairs.
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It has a fine tiled interior and seems to offer some of the less common real ales. I think I had Black Sheep there last week. It can get very busy but I had a choice of seats at noon last Thursday.
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Shuts far too early for 2007, especially in it's location
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Great pub with oodles of character and amazing decor a stone's throw from Oxford Street. The ale is always extremely well kept and although they have a guest beer on it's hard to stay away from Taylor's Landlord as it's just so good.
I haven't eaten here myself but friends who have say the food is good pub fodder.
All in all a solid, quality boozer that gets everything right.
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Had a nice pint of landlord last night but the barman gave me two pints with really large heads. He topped it up only after I asked, shouldnt be doing that in a place like this. He must be new. Training please!
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Earlydrinker, I am glad you liked it. During the couple of hellish visits I made to Oxford Street to do Christmas shopping I found time to slip into here for a quick pint of Landlord. This is a perfect pub for that - staff are always friendly and there's always conversation at the bar when not too rammed. And if it is too rammed, the pavement outside suits me just fine. I never visit Soho without stopping here.
www.stonch.blogspot.com
anonymous - 4 Jan 2007 17:57 |
Nice litle boozer (with emphasis on the 'little'!) which does a guest ale. Definitely one of the better pubs in the area.
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A little gem of a pub. Great location and usually one two very good beers on offer.
Not ideal if you have a fear of confined spaces..
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They owe Stonch a pint or two next time he's in, since, like Iceinthecider, I was srongly influenced by his comment (that and convenience) in choosing The Dog & Duck for a pint or two on a rare visit to Soho the other day. On first impression, I was slightly apprehensive regarding both the size and the ambience of the place, particularly since I had 2 elderly ladies with me - but my fears proved totally groundless, as we managed to find a seat straightaway, and thoroughly enjoyed the excellent T. Taylor Landlord, and also the genuine mix of age, class, nationality and probably, for all I know, religion and sexual orientation among the clientele. Didn't see Madonna and didn't giveadamn.
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I tried this pub several times in previous years and wasn't impressed, could never find the T.T. Landlord on, but something has changed and they have started taking pride in their beer. Now I go to this pub every time I am in Soho, its the only place that I can trust to give me a good pint. With 'try before you buy' you cant go wrong.
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Made a point of propping up the external wall of this place for an hour or two last week, on the strength of Stonch's ringing endorsement. Visits to the bar revealed a great looking place - we were highly envious of those merry drinkers ensconsed in the tiled area on the left, which was reminiscent of the best bits of The Crown Liqour Saloon in Belfast. The charm was sufficiently pervasive that we were happy to loiter outside, occasionally switching a pint from one hand to the other for thawing purposes in the wintry conditions. Safe to say that I WILL be going back for a proper, hopefully more sustained, and hopefully indoor visit.
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Very nice little pub with plenty of nice tiling and charm. Beer has been good on all my visits and particularly good on my last visit. Upstairs by the window is a nice spot if you like people watching. By the toilet might be better if you're gonna get well and truly swerved up!
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This pub is seriously underrated on this site, for me personally its the heart of Soho.
anonymous - 6 Sep 2006 23:12 |
Cosy little Soho pub, part of the Nicholson's chain, which means a reasonable range of well-maintained ales, with a 'try before you buy' policy. Usually very busy, with the clientelle possibly swelled by punters hoping to kop a view of rumoured customer Madonna. I don't usually spend a lot of time in womens toilets, but my girlfriend reported that there was only one cubicle in the ladies, with a queue and no toilet roll. In fact she reported that she had to use the cardboard inner tube for wiping purposes. I somehow doubt if Madonna would put up with that.
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Have just been to this pub for a quiet lunchtime pint and read of the paper.
It may just have been bad luck but they had a delivery going on right in the middle of the bar.
The noise was awful. I should have just stayed in the office.
The rest of the pub was not all that and I won't be going there again.
Barda - 31 Aug 2006 14:08 |
Very Friendly staff, nice to see the try before you buy policy in operation. Nice ales and fast service. Stand outside on the street and soak up the Soho atmosphere.
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Pleasant enough, feel as if in the nitty gritty of Soho when in here; especially when on the upper floor which is a pleasant little bar with a good view of the goings on on the streets of Soho.
LOL81 - 12 Jul 2006 23:06 |
Very friendly and efficient staff. Pint of Landlord I had was pleasant enough but a bit cloudy and 'eggy', surprising given that they make such a virtue of cleaning pipes here. There was some wanker wandering around laughing and annoying folk... presumably he was just a soho nutter who'd got in 'cos he didn't stay long. All in all, a good pub, and Nicholson's have been pretty sympathetic about the interior.
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Lovely little interior, and unlike most Nicholson's pubs often has interesting guest ales on. Gets busy. Ate here once, distinctly average but I remember the service being very, very friendly and leaving with a big smile on me face.
anonymous - 8 May 2006 16:11 |
Too quick to shut :(
Come on Landlord! 24-hour drinking!
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Awesome place, well run with a very small team. Staff have changed and are generally friendly if not too conversant in English!! Great bunch of regulars & fantastic ales which change often. Please never change!
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Very small and cosy corner pub. Quiet on my mid afternoon visit but would imagine it would get crowded in the evening. Best pint of Landlord for miles.
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This tiny Victorian corner pub can be an absolute treat when it is not too busy but rather unbearable when crammed (as it often is). The bar area is limited with just a few seats at a ledge opposite. The pub is full of very ornate tiling (spot the dog and duck tiles) and a few unusual advertisement mirrors. Away from the bar area is a small room with a few tables but you need to get there early to blag one. There is also an upstairs bar that offers a bit more room and a good view of the surrounding streets for those who like to people watch. Good selection of beers (Nicholsons range) but can be poor service (expect to have to go through a topping up ceremony with the pidgin English bar staff). Whatever the faults, this remains one of my favourite Soho pubs.
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A small but good pub with a really interesting history - check out the tiles.
The Orwell pub upstairs is tiny but very relaxed. If you can get a seat in the window, it's a great way to spend a smoke free evening in Soho.
anonymous - 14 Jan 2006 17:44 |
Small pub on the corner just like lots of small corner pubs in soho. Beer is ok and not too expensive. Traditional bar snacks as well. There is very little space though and it's best late at night. Next!
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Had a bit of a refurb a few years back and the opaque windows went, but managed to keep most of the character... the beautiful old mirrors and tiling for instance. I can't be the only one to think that the place has declined in service a bit since Madonna bigged it up on the telly (and does anyone REALLY believe that she's a regular?)... the Taylor's in here ain't all that (and I should know... I was born and brought up 100 yards from their brewery) but I've had some decent pints of other stuff here. It's a good pub, though.
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Probably best in warm weather when you can stand outside with a pint of Madonna's favourite tipple, watching the dealers doing brisk trade across the road. Probably one of my favourite Soho haunts though.
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Went to the upstairs Orwell Bar this weekend. Great place. Cosy, intimate, relaxing with soft background music, cushions on the comfortable curved benches, light and airy with views of people bustling around on the streets outside. Noticed that it is now part of the ever growing and decent Nicholson chain so beer choice has expanded. Probably the best pub in Soho.
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Used to be a fantastic pub but went sharply downhill a few years ago. Crappy service and beer not always kept properly. Suitable alternative to the Crown for getting drunk at lunchtime during the summer.
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Small, cramped but charming pub with little decorative details adding character. Beer (Landlord) was not in best of conditions, but drinkable. Value for money platter of chips and dips. Has, obviously, gained a wider audience since Madonna revealed on the Ross show that she likes to wear a flat cap and order "A pint and a half of Landlord please."
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The pub itself is delightful, small, smart, old-fasioned looking, tastefully furnished; only problem is it seems to be popular with the type of posh, arrogant Soho media types who never seem to do any work after 1pm. No Taylor's Landlord on handpump on my last visit either, had to make do with the ubiquitous London Pride.
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Love the place.......especially as they are one of the only pubs in Central London to serve Addlestons cider!
Never had to wait more than a couple of minutes to be served no matter how busy the place has been.
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What has happened to this wonderful pub??????? Having been out of town since January, I have returned to see this once brilliant pub being run into the ground.
It looks like there has beeen a complete change of management and staff AGAIN!!!! Having seen out the last Landlady and finaly getting a Landlord (albeit young) this pub was the place to be and the atmosphere was back to its prime. But now the Staff are rude and grumpy and don't seem to know how to create an atmosphere - POOR SHOW - now frequent the Three Greayhounds around the corner
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having left the coach & horses on greek street due to no ale, i stumbled across this little pub. very quaint and does a good pint of Adnams. some horrible groups of people in there with no manners but then it is xmas party season so they had probably been on it all day. I would go back.
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Overrated desperately dull place. Full of tourists - it must be hyped in one of those tourist bibles for rich american tourists as being "authentic" or something, and so they arrive in packs of four after seeing some equally overrated West End musical and the ugly kids are wearing "University of Florida" shirts and they all drink a half pint of Carling or some bullshit. Or even better they arrive after 11am and look bemused when they're told it's closed.
Madonna even drank a Timothy Taylor Landlord in here once. Give me strength.
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Lovely little place with a lot of original tiling and a range of real ales. Crowded in the late evening but then it was the beginning of December.
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What a great pub!
Can anyone remember "Eddie" the italian chap that worked there a few years back. What ever happened to him?
Sally - 11 Nov 2004 00:19 |
Fantastic little gem of a pub, the staff are all very warm and friendly people who have been there since the change of management over a year ago. If u go in the pub in the morning and again in the night you will probably see the same bar staff behind the bar! This pub has so much to offer. Highly recommended!! By the way, the bar staff arent as rude as i would be if i worked 12 hour shifts!
Frank - 3 Nov 2004 10:55 |
Nice little pub. With regards to the comments about the staff, Ive gone in there with others so am not looking to strike up a meaningful conversation with the person who is serving me a drink.
Jack Knight - 24 Aug 2004 12:02 |
This might be a nice pub if the bar staff weren't so miserable
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Dont agree with below sniving comment.The pub is small,yes,but it is steeped in history and has character and let me tell you its a breath of fresh air around here to not have the usual " All BAR ONE" ETC ETC,NICE BOOZER!
Nick Hamer. - 30 Jul 2004 18:45 |
Dingy little pub with foul smell, moody bar staff and shit atmospehere in general!
ALISON - 23 Apr 2004 11:02 |
Used to be a great pub until it changed hands about two years ago. Beverage service has suffered dramatically and the staff are disaffection personified. Great shame.
Ben - 1 Apr 2004 19:55 |
Nice little pub - however it's badly let down by unfriendly bar staff who seem to have lost the will to server people with a smile of any sort.
vicc - 8 Mar 2004 09:54 |
Tippy-toppy Victorian boozer with cut glass mirrors a go-go...Unfortunately Madonna told Jonathan Ross that it was her "bloomin' local, guv'nor" or something recently and that she drinks Tim Taylors...cue the brewery chucking out the old wooden stools (triangular..nice!) and replacing them with lady-friendly chairs and huge liberty print cushions. Cushions..everywhere! and knick knacks..knick knacks on every available flat surface. Luckily, Madge has taken her cor blimey spoon-playing activities elsewhere and the cushions and knick-knacks are gradually falling in the fire/getting covered in beer/disappearing into people's handbags. Normal service will be resumed shortly. Great upstairs bar which no-one seems to know is there; possibly because it's hidden in a cupboard and often locked up.
seb - 18 Feb 2004 12:02 |
Classic old style boozer with ok beers. Let down by a barmaid who must have come last in a personality competition
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Once a truely excellent pub (makes the Pillars of Hercules on Greek Street look positivly huge). However, since a change of management it seems to have lost something.
Keith B - 1 Dec 2003 11:10 |
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