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Marquis of Granby, Fitzrovia

user reviews of the Marquis of Granby, Fitzrovia

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A terrible pub. CHRIS the bar man, if you could call him that was awful. He was rude rude rude. A man above his station. DO NOT GO TO THIS PUB

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Shaime45 - 19 Jun 2012 07:29

The huge crowd of drinkers outside this pub yesterday afternoon promised a good session within as part of our 'tour' of Soho. Thinking we would have to fight to get to the bar it came as something of a surprise to find the interior almost empty. But then, on taking in the dullness of the spartan interior coupled with the most miserable looking barmaid (not the pretty one in glasses), it dawned on us that perhaps standing outside was a better bet! Although the ale was OK the whole experience was distinctly average.

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BobOs - 23 Mar 2012 14:48

Called in for a lunchtime pint and the place was alright. I can imagine after work it becomes slightly messy in there as there isnt a lot of room to move but it suited the few people in there on my visit. The Lia Fail was excellent.

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BlueMoon - 13 Jan 2012 15:39

Thought id seen it all until i visited this place,what a complete and utter dump,gents loo is the size of a shoebox,which is not good but urinal covered in vomit and toilet AND WALLS covered in poop,yuk,was there for a while as was stuck with a group and manager was told but done nothing about it, shocking prices,rude staff,ignorant bouncers,god knows what the tourists think???simply the worst and most disgusting pub ive ever been in,give this one a miss!

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jackbar - 18 Mar 2011 07:22

Noogs probably feel this is a rather low score for an above average pub in soho/noho. Guest ales plus the standard Doombar and london pride, supped nicely. A big tree outside for standing under, although the whiff of drains is hanging - not the pubs fault though. Prime position for watching things go by. Busy with after work media types, and early service was shody, but improved later as thinned out and we got our eye in. Toilets very, er, tight? Amazingly small infact. Chips were nice.....erm....that's your lot.

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PissedMonkey - 20 May 2010 10:02

Average sort of pub for London, nothing remarkable & beer choice OK

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Floyd - 21 Mar 2010 17:56

Popped in as The Newman Arms was closed. This is a street corner routine Nicholsons, fairly subdued lighting, dark wood floors as expected. A single squarish room with a central squared horseshoe bar. Nothing special but not unpleasant. Pride, TT Landlord, GK IPA, and Camerons Autumn (�2.95). Some round metal topped tables, others wood standard four seaters plus a couple of drinking shelves with stools at the windows. My stay was rather rushed and curtailed due to the impossibility of shaking off the old bloke who persistently tried to engage me in conversation about when Lee Harvey Oswald shot John Lennon.....WTF!!
The current 5 score is about right.

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Maldenman - 22 Nov 2009 09:15

Visited here yesterday (Early Lunchtime) as part of the Nicholson "Dick Whittington" Ale Trail. Fairly Quiet but served a good pint of London Pride. Bar Staff were foreign but friendly Typical Nicolson Fare. Worth a visit if in the Tottenham Court Road Area.

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Bitter_Man - 1 Oct 2009 10:33

Quite acceptable imho ..... beer was good quite quiet .... ok

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W980501 - 30 Jun 2009 15:07

Nice single barred pub looking down Rathbone Crescent on a kink in the road. It's got an outside drinking area and the bar staff are efficient enough.

Right now for the downside - the toilets (at least for the gents) are up a staircase on the right hand side of the bar - to say they are cramped is an understatement and it isn't to hard to imagine desperate blokes fighting to get through the door and the narrow space behind it.

As an added bonus on my visit a few weeks ago they had some kind of problem with the drains and every time I opened my mouth to take a sip of my pint the intake of sewer gas massively over compensated for any pleasure the beer might have given me. Notwithstanding my previous comments about the efficiency of the bar staff their nonchalance in regard to this issue suggested they were sensorily deprived.

All in all a decent place not seen to its best effect when I was in.

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murgatroyd - 28 Jun 2009 19:34

nice little pub, great outside setting, good drinks, good food... BUT the service Friday May 29 was TERRIBLE and presumably always is if you encounter one particular bartender. Speaking up over the incredibly loud music booming from the speakers just over the bar when ordering after being ignored is not well-received apparently, and he lets you know it. Then he continues to insult you to the other bartenders. Maybe he wouldn't be this catty if he didn't have to deal with a speaker right overhead all night, whoever set that up must be even more of a genius than he is. Anyway, it's really a shame that I actually had to pay this guy for my drinks. I would avoid it if you're looking for a nice night out that doesn't involved being made to feel like a complete jerk just for patronising their pub.

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lori414 - 5 Jun 2009 17:35

Grim identikit London West End misery experience on all fronts - absolutely inexcusable in light of its geographic location amid so many London media companies. Pathetic and utterly laughable - a definitive one visit, never- return-to-London-again sour-beer clip joint.

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TS77 - 9 Feb 2009 00:39

During my visit last week the same ales were on as the bellow post except that the Black Sheep had been swapped for Deuchars. The Hobgoblin clip had red LED eyes peering out from the bar, something that I�ve not seen before.

I�ve no other comments except that I thought the attitude of the staff was a little offhand and there are plenty of more superior pubs in the area.

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Strongers - 3 Nov 2008 14:13

This is a pretty run-of-the-mill Nicholson�s pub � except that they did have Pride, Hobgoblin, Black Sheep Bitter and Harviestoun�s Number Of The Beast on handpump when I visited yesterday. The NOTB was excellent � quite light and pretty hoppy. The ales are definitely the best (perhaps the only) things going for this pub.

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RexRattus - 26 Oct 2008 23:51

Not a bad boozer for the Summer months to stand outside and quaff beer, quite a friendly place too. However, judging by the state of the blokes toilets, I can only assume two things about whoever runs this place

1) They are a male hating harpy who assumes men love to roll around in their own piss and is trying to kill off men by keeping the toilets in the most obscene state imaginable
2) They assume the current state of the bogs - which is something akin to a biological disaster - is an acceptable state of hygeine, therefore they must look like that bloke in Peanuts who is always covered in dirt.

Seriously, I have boozed in here quite frequently for over a year, not once has there been any soap in there, it stinks worse than Gary Glitter's grounds for appeal, and if you are wearing any sort of trousers where the bottoms touch the ground, expect to have them soaked up to the knee in piss after your first trip there

SORT IT OUT

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Oliver_Reeds_tash - 2 Oct 2008 17:31

A Nicholsons but not a good one. Pride, Deuchars and Doom Bar. Reverend James was turned around. Bottles of Leffe. Large bar extends into the one room pub not leaving much room. Drinking area outside.

Maybe best to wander down to the Black Horse.

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GuideDogSaint - 12 Aug 2008 23:09

The Brains SA Gold was my refresher here today. Beer was acceptable, pub fairly uninteresting. Bes feature is being able to drink outside in the sunshine.

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sussexred - 10 Jun 2008 15:46

Good pub, friendly staff..usually gets really busy but I've been in many times on a Saturday afternoon after shopping and it's much quieter and has a relaxing atmosphere.

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ManhattanGirl - 9 May 2008 17:37

Beer quality better than many Nicholson's, but the evening music is unnecessarily loud (presumably in a dismal - but failed - attempt to create some 'atmosphere'). Suggestion: if you want to drink in the Marquis of Granby, try the other pub with the same name at nearby Cambridge Circus instead.

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rpadam - 27 Mar 2008 23:30

Standard Nicholson�s clone, a tad depressing, probably one best left for the tourists.

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Millay - 21 Mar 2008 13:50

In there with a group on saturday night and the two ladies behind the bar failed to crack a smile once, then rang the bell for time at 10.50pm and proceeded to take our drinks away at 11.10pm. We weren't roudy but were spending money. Couldn't believe we were in central London on a Saturday night and were thrown out just after 11. Shame as its a handy pub and the beer's ok

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pierre_mb - 16 Jan 2008 16:53

Nice pub for late saturday afternoon bite to eat. Usual JN selection of ales served OK. Had no problem with the bars staff. If you like sausages and mash then they have a good selection including veggie ones.
Gets very full saturday nights.

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CambridgeBlue - 12 Nov 2007 11:26

Bit of a meeting-point-pub which gets bloody rammed in the summer with new media types....Not too bad though. Wouldn't chance my luck with the stairs if i'd had a few mind you, bit steep.

Fair pint of Stella in here.

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dsw - 14 Mar 2007 07:48

Was third pub on a Friday night pub crawl. Got here about 7ish and it was absolutely heaving inside and out. Despite this I found the service to be OK and the beer I tried was adequate. Managed to find enough room to drink my pint and found the pub had a nice atmosphere but was clearly full of people who were going to move on somewhere else like myself.

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TheHorsesMouth - 5 Feb 2007 20:54

Whilst, undoubtedly The Marquis Of Granby has had some interesting characters pass through its doors in the distant past, I personally found it unbearable on my visit a few months back. The pub itself is small, wooden and on the whole, okay. Prices are dear but hey-ho, it�s the area. In a way, the pubs fame is its own downfall. The place gets absolutely heaving inside and out; with suits and tourists everywhere. A small pub like this simply cannot handle the sheer volume of custom it attracts and I personally don�t feel standing outside a pub or its next-door hairdressers makes for a particularly good drinking environment. You come to drink in the pub, not in the street, right? If you can avoid a visit after work hours and queuing an hour to get a drink, then it�s probably okay in here at other times, but I personally can�t be bothered to find out.

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HTM69 - 25 Oct 2006 14:00

I visited this pub on a Thursday afternoon for lunch and a pint. The barmaid was very nice and friendly and can't complain about the beer but the food was absolutely bloody appalling. I paid �9.95 for a "Large Chicken Steak Burger" to be served with chips and salad.

What I got is this - not a word of a lie: two bits of bread of a type I couldn't identify so I'm still not sure as to whether it's *supposed to be rock solid or not*, on top of which was an overcooked rubbery chicken breast - no batter, crumbs or anything else. The portion of chips was so small that no chip was touching any other chip on the plate. The salad was a few leaves of romaine lettuce and a couple of segments of a tomato.

Perhaps someone braver than me might care to go there and find out what the *regular* chicken steak burger consists of. I sure as hell won't be going back.

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esquilax - 14 Oct 2006 00:46

Was a great pub, but recently in need of a bit of TLC (gents are pretty poor to say the least). Still a good place to meet.

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toomanybeers - 8 Jun 2006 16:04

Not a bad place, and one of the pleasanter pubs in the area (which has many pubs, but few with a particular interest in being welcoming). Stay away on weekend nights, though, unless you're looking for a DJ and a show--for some reason, the pub's managers think that setting up a weekly dance night in a medium-sized pub is a winning idea.

The beer is what you'd expect to find in a Nicholson's pub--if you don't like bitters or bubbles, stay away. Nonetheless, this is a nice pub for a pint if you happen to be in the area.

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Hodsthorn - 28 Feb 2006 14:52

We were immensely disappointed with the speed of the service � we arrived at 12:15pm and ordered straight away. One meal (we were a party of 10) arrived after about 25 minutes, but the burger bun was stale. I complained to the barstaff, and they arranged a replacement, which arrived about 10 minutes later.

The majority of the rest of the party had to wait until 50 minutes after ordering before their food arrived, with the exception of one poor guy who didn�t receive his food until 13:20pm, a full hour and ten minutes after ordering!

As a local company of over 100 employees, we frequent many of the pubs and restaurants around the Fitzrovia area, and previously, the Marquis burger was somewhat of an institution. However, we have noticed standards dropping over the last month or so, and this lunchtime�s poor performance has unfortunately had the effect of deterring any of us from visiting there again, at least in the near future. An email was sent round the company informing them of our bad experience, and suggesting that they avoid the Marquis of Granby in the future.

We were told that the reason the service was so slow was that the Chef was currently away on holiday, although we strongly feel that if suitable alternative arrangements hadn�t been made (and they most clearly hadn�t), then we should have been informed of this at the time of ordering.

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robinmckenzie - 17 Feb 2006 15:13

It had been some years since I have been here although I often walk past so I decided to include it on my Nicholson�s Dick Whittington Ale Trail. Whilst not far from the bustle of Oxford Street, this part of Fitzrovia has a village feel not unlike bits of Hampstead. When quiet the pub has quite a relaxed and calm ambience but I have often seen it in summer with people teeming onto the pavements. The interior is not too overpowering and candles on the tables give the place an intimate touch. The service was excellent from the welcoming and chatty (Aussie) barman. Cask Marque accredited but for a Nicholsons pub the beer selection was quite poor with only 2 mainstream ales. A decent enough pub when quiet but I wouldn�t want to be here fighting through the crowds.

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RogerB - 2 Feb 2006 16:20

Nathan Barley alert. Seems an ok pub though. 6/10 I guess.

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anonymous - 17 Jan 2006 21:58

One of the true Fitzrovia literary pubs. Dylan Thomas spent boozy lunchtimes here writing Death of the King's Canary with John Davenport, later to be joined by TS Eliot for a few pints. It was also the pub where Orwell would finish the evening as, being in a different borough to the other pubs in Fitzrovia, it would stay open half-an-hour later. Today it's an ordinary one room pub with a horse-shoe bar and plenty of wood, including panelling half way up the wall. It's low key and modestly attractive with two walls of windows to give some views of the passing world. It has piped music, but not too loud or intrusive, even if the music itself is a bit middle-aged bland. It had two casks ales on my visit -Pride and Landlord. I tried the Landlord (�2.60) which was served traditionally cellar cool. It was quite dry and dusty as it should be, but it lacked the fresh delicacy that gives this beer it's true reputation. All in all not a bad place, but not a lot to recommend, other than for the literary connections.

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SilkTork - 30 Aug 2005 22:25

This is a tidy little venue full of local media/retail/advertising types. Especially good in the Summer as everyone spills outside. Not full of tourists either. London Pride more than drinkable.

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PieFace - 14 Jun 2005 14:51

Ok meeting joint. I have heard either very good or very bad about this place. After my friend had a beetle/bug/whatever it was experience on the bar I don't feel at ease. Too loud to talk in a croud, although it is in central London, I could recommend better. Don't even try to go to the ladies with heels! Nah, dirty. And dirty glasses. Eugh.

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jordiesarah - 26 May 2005 23:56

lovely inside at the back, in the summer

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kmcs - 7 Apr 2005 16:47

a good one in an area that's effectively a desert if you're looking for somewhere that isn't a jumped-up soho w@nkparlour

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tanderson7 - 7 Apr 2005 16:35

Seemed to have fallen down ahead of the photo (above)! Okay pub, if occasionally dodgy beer.

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Gram - 7 May 2004 12:22

Does anybody know what's happened to this pub? Went past the other evening and half the sign had come down or been taken down-accident or is there something fouler afoot??

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anonymous - 12 Jan 2004 21:36

Top pub, even better manager!

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Macca - 19 Aug 2003 16:22

Just for atmousphere this place is great. On a sunny day you can't beat the outside area after work, and the location is fantastic, loads going around the place.

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Sian - 14 Aug 2003 12:35

Great pub. Short wait at the bar even when crowded. Subtle welsh influence.

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Peter - 13 Aug 2003 08:52

It's always so bloody crowded. Tend to gravitate towards it, spot the heaving mass outside, then walk off to the Black Horse or Bricklayers thinking "Why is it always so bloody crowded?"

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Ruby - 17 Jul 2003 00:37

Average really. Average food and average beer. Very busy on a nice day cos there's loads of room to stand outside. Unfortunately there are also plenty of beggars to keep you from talking to your mates by asking you for money in a wide variety of different ways, sometimes through a traffic cone.

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Greg - 16 Jun 2003 16:57

I used to be the manager of this pub. It was and I am sure still is the best pub in or around soho. the atmosphere and services excellent for its size. I hope that this is still the case. I wish there some photo display.

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Gus Hoarau - ghoarau@austin.rr.com - 27 Mar 2003 14:12

Not a bad pub. Range of beer was a bit poor but the staff were efficient and polite.

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Alistair - 6 Jan 2003 15:18

great pub for an after work drink. not too flash but not full of old men either. slightly dodgy beer selection. bar staff friendly & fast.

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katiepie - 15 Nov 2002 16:17

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Marquis of Granby, Fitzrovia

user reviews of the Marquis of Granby, Fitzrovia

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