please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
A really nice 3 bar pub which has a gorgeous terrace bar which is a an unusual feature for a central London pub.
The main bar has a good selection of ales, I had the Redemption Hopspur which was very nice plus also has more outdoor seating.
I spent the evening in the cellar bar which had a quiz night (Tuesday) on which was good fun and not too busy.
If you're in hatton Garden, I would definetely recomment this pub
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Much improved as the Argyle this is a somewhat unattractive building but with a very pleasant interior and friendly welcoming bar staff. There is a terrace bar upstairs which is a little unusual.
Beers on were Brakspears Oxford Gold, Harviestouns Bitter and Twisted and something called Slap and Tickle. My Oxford Gold was very tasty.
If I'm in the area the Mitre is always my preferred destination but this is a good alternative particularly for larger groups
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This pub re-opened on Wednesday February 1st as The Argyle - and what a transformation. It is now a very comfortable well-furnished bar (run by The Stonegate Pub Co) and was heaving as you might expect on opening night. The staff although busy were very friendly and helpful and the product range is quite extensive - including 4 real ales (the ubiquitous London Pride and Doom Bar but also they had Sambrook's Wandle Ale and Redemption Hopspur. My beer (the Wandle) was fine and extremely reasonable at �2.90 a pint!! From what I remember of the "old Diamond" this will bar definitely attract a new type of clientele and good luck to it. (It's a handy stop off from Chancery Lane tube station heading towards the Craft Beer Pub in Leather Lane).
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Came to this pub before (by the looks of the comments) under the old management. The staff were rude and seemed rather inconvenienced by your presence. Not to mention I once saw the assistant manager curled up asleep on one of the sofas! The beers weren't great and there was barely any ales on (which surprised me as they only have three hand pumps, shouldn't be that hard to maintain three ales?) So I avoided it for a while.
Went back last week and the place has completely changed. Totally new management, cleaner and tidier, the staff have all changed. They are much nicer, far more attentive and very polite, happy and competent.
The terrace bar (which only opens 3 days a week) doesn't have the same selection of draft products as downstairs, and can get quite crowded of an evening but it is definitely one of London's best kept secrets.
Will most certainly be back next time i'm in the area.
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ken0505 has only ever raved about one pub (twice) on BITE.
I find that quite amaxong.
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just had another amaxong lunch at the KOD!! once again staff fantastic and food great!! i will be returning
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this pub is fantastic, great pub friendly staff, great atmosphere on a thursday and friday night. i always come in for lunch and have a meal, sometimes you have to wait but its well worth the wait! hats off to the kitchen staff and the team
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had the most enjoyable night in this pub, I can't fault it !! food and drinks were great and the staff where very friendly and went out of there way to make you feel welcome!! I will be returning for another great night soon !
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The King of dimonds has a lovely new manageress, so this 'U Boat' as mentioned in a prior review is moving in a new direction!
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This pub should be renamed the U Boat; it's a dive. Always has been, always will be. Well positioned as a marker to find a nearby decent pub such as the Mitre, the One Tun or Melton.
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I agree with Browney. I've been drinking at the KOD for about a year and have never had any issues. The staff have always been friendly and the selection of beers and wine are great. I'm sure every pub has it's problems from time to time which are unavoidable. I was there the day the card machines were faulty and it was explained to me they were faulty, not that there was no paper. There is a cash machine 10 yards away, so it really wasn't an issue.
It's also their policy to lock the upstairs toilets on Friday nights to help combat any potential drug use.
Me and all my team love the Kod!!! Great pub
jj909 - 20 Aug 2009 16:55 |
If you don't like the KOD - I suggest you go down the hill to Wetherspoons - there you will definatly get the service you deserve.
We love you KOD
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I am going to keep praising them - I have just come home after a great evening again at the KOD
WE LOVE YOU THE KOD!!!!!!!!!!!
Love Stevey x x xx
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Honestly I have to say it makes me laugh when I read these reviews - when did they visit??!! I never ever have a problem at this boozer. I think the people who write these reviews are the ones with the problems. I am a regular, I visit two or three times a week now and I know what the service is like. I enjoy the staff asking "how are you?", I understand when the credit card machines were faulty (not ran out of paper), I understand that it must be hard explaining to customers that there is a problem with the cellar, which means they have a problem pouring beer. I think these people should buy a six pack of beer and drink by themselves in a very quiet dark room.
Give the pub a break - you lot sound miserable and clearly do not deserve to be drinking in a pub like the KOD. No wonder the 'miserable manager' looks unhappy - she had to serve you lot!! I think she is great - she stands for no nonsense but WHY SHOULD SHE???
I know all the staff there by first names because I MAKE THE EFFORT.
I wonder if these people had the nerve to ask the manager about these complaints? I had to laugh when the bar man told me that the guy who wrote the comment about ale (chalkywhite) was caught on cctv stealing the redbull sign out the pool room! and he wrote a complaint?? surely the pub should!??
I love the general public
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Increasingly poor management and the most devastatingly dreadful bar service in central London. Yesterday they were cash only because they ran out of till roll, week before last the toilets were closed. They regularly run out of beer, although when they are stocked they're incapable of serving a full pint; short filling being this places speciality. Prices are on the cheeky side as well. If it wasn't for its location this pub would go out of business.
DON'T GO TO THIS PLACE - IT WILL RUIN YOUR DAY.
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Awful staff and manager!! I have been to the pub on many occasion after work and have always been served by a unhappy, rude bartender. On this occasion, me and work colleagues headed down to KOD for a colleagues leaving drinks, the main bar was almost empty, but seemed to be waiting forever to get served. Once I had given the miserable lady behind the bar my order, who I found out later is the manager, I was asked to give her ID, unfortunately I did not have this, I explained to her me and my colleagues are regulars, and they can all vouch for me, I was asked to leave, not even allowed to buy a soft drink. She was not only rude to me but also some of my work colleagues.
This is a shame, as I have been going to this pub for a year�. If you want to be insulted , be served by rude staff then this is the place to go� however if you want to relax after a hard week then I recommend to go any where but there.
xxx83 - 13 Jul 2009 15:36 |
To sum it up: good location, average atmosphere, hit and miss on the beers and atrocious customer service.
I've been here a bunch of times after work with colleagues and on every occasion we have been the land-lady has managed to offend at least one of us. It�s a shame because the bar is in a good location and the terrace upstairs is lovely. They tend to run out of some brands of beer and glasses on Friday nights. The land lady has been so rude and offensive on a regular basis that my colleagues and I will not return and wouldn�t recommend anyone to go.
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I stopped going to the KOD about two years ago then returned last wednesday. Very different, new look and new staff. The food was standard, normal, nothing special but just what we wanted. When I asked the barman for a glass of wine, he asked which one, what do i like, large or small etc - could not believe it! Some places just pour a large of the most expensive without asking! Very helpful. We sat on the terrace upstairs which is great and then moved inside into the tropical feel room! I felt like I was on holiday! I was served by a girl with dark hair and a northern accent, she was great - she seems to know everyone who comes to the bar, very welcoming. One guy was really rude to her and she dealt with it very well. Nothing gets past her! Makes a change that, a lot of pubs don't have someone like that to keep order, then the trouble maker customers run riot! The KOD is going to be my local again from now on!
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I used to use the KOD every day, and returned last Thursday evening after being away for a couple of years. The front door was displaying a large, hand-written sign saying "CASH ONLY" and when we entered we realised there were no more than six other people in the main bar. Went straight to the empty bar and waited for the tall barman to finish his text exchange and amble over.
ME: "Hi, do you have any ales on tonight?"
BARMAN: "NO"
ME: "Right.......Is the pool table free downstairs?"
BARMAN: "NO"
ME (jokingly): "You're not really enjoying your job are you?"
BARMAN: "NO"
I can see now why what was, just a few years ago, a very good pub with warm and welcoming staff, has received such bad reviews. It may well be that my experience was a one-off, but it seems that customers have voted with their feet and moved to any number of the many alternative pubs within a stones throw of the KOD. Mitchell's & Butler's need to step in and address this problem quickly.
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Dreadful. This pub is inexplicably popular with local office workers yet most of them spend their time waiting to be served and moaning about the terrible service. Good range of beers but it just takes too long to get one.
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Nice pub! Looks very unattractive from the outside, but is in fact very cosy inside. There are 3 levels, pool tables downstairs, comfy sofas upstairs and a terrace, which I personally think has a lot of charm. The food is great - especially the burger and the quesadilla! Service is ok, the bar staff always seems to be a bit annoyed about something, but they're fast enough. I had some good times here and I will certainly have more.
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I work round the corner and have actually had our spring office function on the terrace outside which was great fun.
I came in with three colleagues after having 2 pints each in the City of York up the road, we had a round of drinks in the KOD and then when one of us went to the bar to order another, he was refused service by the assistant manager for being too drunk!!
The jobsworth then refused to reverse his decision after obviously realising he was wrong.
I dont know if he had ever been in charge of a pub before but the whole situation was ridiculous.
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Whilst this is in the borough of Camden, it's certainly not in the geographical area Camden - it's just up Leather Lane off High Holborn. Located at the foot of a tower block but the interior was OK I thought. Only London Pride on when I visited but the place wasn't as bad as I'd feared.
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The King of Diamonds has a good location around Hatton Garden and they are also able to open up the frontage which is a big plus point in Summer. They don�t seem to exploit these advantages enough though, the d�cor could do with freshening up and their disinterested and lethargic attitude to customer service that has been evident for a number of years still remains. They have a couple of hand pumps, a selection of continental lagers on draught, plus Fruli, and some decent bottled beers. Prices aren�t too bad for the location
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