please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Beautiful interior and the selection of beers is much better compared to the last reviews
Fullers pub so a little disappointed there was no HSB but the Brixton pale ale went down nicely
scarr - 31 Mar 2023 16:34 |
If you haven't been it's worth a pint for the interior and having a look at that. But the pub could and should be far better in my view. Indifferent quality beer, poor quality staff. Hasn't been a good pub now for at least 10 years and resting on it's laurels.
Loads of better places in the area.
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Perhaps it had been a long day. Dropped in at about 10pm. Place was deserted. A decent looking old boozer. But, a very average and over-priced pint of Pride served by a miserable young woman behind the bar. Will not be dropping back...
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Disappointing place. Beer expensive and staff (particularly the lady with arm tattoo referred to below) managed to be excessively polite in a manner which was somewhat dismissive. Plenty of btter pubs in the area.,
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A place I often pass and finally got around to trying: in future I'll go back to passing it. A full £5 for a not particularly well kept pint of bog standard keg cider. Which being the case, miserable woman with fake blond hair and overexcessive arm tattooidge, might at least warrant a "five pounds please" or a "thank you". Funnily enough, the only price list on display did not include the cider, so I was unable to ascertain what it was or whether I'd been overcharged.
There are far better pubs nearby (Paternoster, Bishop's Finger), even far better Fuller's pubs nearby (Butcher's Hook & Cleaver) so avoid this place.
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Found myself walking from the city to farringdon and thought I'd pop back in. Just as I remember it although I would say beer quality has improved. Very nice London Pride at a slightly expensive £4.
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Not the best Fullers pub in the city but it's hard to find a complaint as this is a proper old fashioned boozer.. What you get is a decent pint, although pricey at £4 for a real ale. Ideally located for the Old Bailey (opposite), St Pauls (10 mins walk) and City Thameslink (5 mins walk).
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i knew this pub back in the day when it was a nicolsons and a much better pub it was. the manager at the time used to take tourists down to the "cells" just for a laugh ,but then said they were old coal cellars and not cells ,the cells theory was created for the tourists,true or not?a good marketing ploy .run of the mill fullers pub beer ok but on the exspensive side .
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The original gin palace. Been in many times over the years on my way from the city to farringdon tube. No Esb this time though.
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This pub advertises itself as allowing people to see the Newgate prison cellars. My kids were doing a school project that had covered Newgate prison so we checked to see if they would allow kids in the cellars. During half-term we went to the pub and they said that we could see them with the kids after 3pm. We returned after 3pm only to be told that children weren't allowed due "to insurance restrictions". Not only were the bar staff unhelpful, inconsiderate, they lied, watsed out time and disappointed our kids.
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Interesting interior - didnt feel like pestering staff to see the cells - but maybe sometime I might. Nice enough for a stop off - right opposite the Old Bailey.
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Busy pub for city-types. Decent cask ales.
alexw - 14 May 2010 08:56 |
Fairly ornate corner pub, with an attractive surved exterior. Plenty of interest inside, with some interesting decoration above the horseshoe-shaped bar and around the ceiling. Famous for the historic prison cells in the cellar, it is apparently also one of the most haunted pubs in the country. As you would expect, it can get very busy at office closing time (and they also play music at an unnecessarily loud volume). Four real ales from the Fullers/Gales range on handpump, including an excellent pint of Pride at 3.25.
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Great Fullers pub with 'historic' interior', beer was good but rather pricey.
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Had an OK pint of London Pride, expensive as all Fullers pubs seem to be. Pub architecture is interesting, hope it's listed it would be a shame to lose it. Friday evening so rammed with city types.
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an OK Fullers pub in city land, can be a bit packed and is very open plan so not that cosy, but away from the rush hour is probably very nice
TheGP - 27 Feb 2010 19:19 |
This is a great pub for sitting by the window and watching the world go by before catching the train back home.
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This is one of the best pubs in the area. It is still primarily a pub where drinking is paramount. You will get a good pint of Pride or Discovery served by changing but constantly friendly staff. It's excellent for people watching of an afternoon as it commands a great view of the junction including The Old Bailey. The wooden doors concertina in to give a lovely feeling of air and space (weather permitting). Thursday and Friday evenings can get quite busy with people (even the non-smokers) spilling out onto the corner. Lots of banker types from neighbouring Merrill Lynch and Timpson Family types at lunchtime taking on a few pints before returning to court. There is no extensive food menu (proper pub) but there are sandwiches served which definitely deserve a mention. You will not find a better sandwich for miles. Warm roast pork or beef freshly made. The pork is superb. Served with crisps, crackling (melt in the mouth), apple sauce, salad including pickled onion and cocktail gherkins on chunky white bread...mmmmmm. The surroundings are still ott victorian; just look at the ceiling; giving it an authentic feel. This is no chain or faux "olde worlde" place. Give it a try, and no. I don't know the licensee!
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A vastly improved old London drinking hole. Well worth considering on a tour thereabouts.
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Popped in yesterday afternoon. It has never been a favorite pub of mine over the years; to be honest being so close to the Old Bailey, it was always bad vibes, plus a constant terrorist target from those murdering Irish bastards in the 70s/80s/90s. They parked a car bomb outside the Bailey in the early 1970s.
Plus it was really a Postmans pub with the old sorting depot next door, and pubs frequented by Postmen I've found over the years are right Pikie places. So walking westwards from Cheapside towards Holborn and needing a toilet and a drink, found me visiting the Viaduct. And I must say it has greatly improved. A Fullers pub, with beers well served. Good service, pleasant chap behind the bar and clean. Most of the local trade being Bankers, Legals and tourists; well worth returning too. I promised the fella that I'd bring in a photo from the 30s of the place too.
anonymous - 5 Feb 2009 13:32 |
Attractive interior, only small but with high ceiling and mirrored walls. Usual Fullers beers served by efficient staff. Great lunchtime sandwiches if a bit expensive.
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This pub is fantastic full of character, the bar man took us down to the cellar to show us the old prison its was well worth a visit.
only slight negative was it seemed to lack a bit of atmosphere, may just have been me?
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Fullers pub with interesting decor. Last week had Pride, Discovery and Porter on, the later was excellent
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Tried to visit but its not open saturday.
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I've visited the Viaduct a couple of times this year, since starting to work in the offices next door. Firstly the interior is certainly the pubs top feature... apparently an original Gin Palace, the marble, paintings, mirrors etc seem original and must be worth a visit alone.
Before the smoking ban it seemed to be exclusively middle aged male bankers/lawyers/drs (the pub sits between the Old Bailey, Merrill Lynch and St barts Hospital) intent on lung disease, but now seems a little more mixed, and certainly cleaner air!
Drinks selection is a little limited... Pride, Discovery and Honey Dew are always on tap... with a guest (currently Mr Harry, previously Admans) usually, but not always available. Just a couple of lagers, Guinness, Hoegarden and Cider are the only other draught. They try to make something of the Gin Palace origins with a long list of Gins.
Lunch time they serve sandwiches (roast beef/pork/cheese) but not much else, though what they do serve is excellent.
The staff, along with most of London's pubs, vary from time to time, but i've certainly never had anyone be rude, and for my two visits to the Cells I've found the managers (one Lady one lad) both really keen to pass on some of the stories/history from the past. The place does vary wildly from dead quiet Mondays to packed (pavement almost stupidly so) friday evenings. An all-round lovely little pub worth visiting.
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Popped in here recently with my folks one Tuesday evening before our family meal at the nearby Bleeding Heart (which I would highly recommend by the way). The missus and I got there a bit early and were pleased to see the place was quite empty so I thought I would take the opportunity to ask the barman whether it would be possible to go down to see the cells once everyone got there. "No problem" he said, so I thanked him and told him I'd give him a shout once they turned up. The parents eventually arrived at around the same time as a group of about 6 other punters. The barman was a bit tied up so I decided to approach the mangeress who was sitting at the end of the bar chatting to her mate (they certainly looked like they were enjoying themselves, having a good laugh about something). "Come back in 5 minutes, can't you see I'm busy?" said she. Not wanting to cause a scene I thanked her and said I would do so. 5 minutes passed so I approached her again, still sitting at the back of the pub with her pal. "For god's sake, can't you see I've got work to do?" said she, which elicited the only appropriate response of "F**k you then, you rude b*tch" and we all left the pub.
Now, correct me if I'm wrong but a) are managers of pubs not meant to be customer service focused, and should thus respond in a polite manner to polite requests for customers, and b) if you're going to emblazon every empty surface in your pub with signs saying things like "Dare you visit our ancient cells? Ask the barstaff!" then you've got to expect to have to field some queries from people who are interested in seeing the pub's apparent USP.
Anyway, the meal was quality and we all had a great night out, but I suggest that you don't visit this pub to see the cells unless you fancy getting treated rudely by some jumped up idiot of a manageress. In any case, there are plenty of other decent pubs in the area with just as much history and much better beer.
anonymous - 12 Oct 2007 09:49 |
Worth visting for the decor. When I was they had the Porter on tap, making it well worth the trouble.
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They had Porter on yesterday, but no ESB unfortunately. The Pride was OK, but not the best I have had. You know this is a classic Victorian pub when you walk up to it, and most of the interior decoration has been retained. Typical high windows let in masses of light making the interior very bright, but with shafts of sunlight emphasizing the smoke swirling around. Roll on 1 July. But definitely worth a visit for the classic decor.
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Something's gone wrong with this place. They only serve Pride and Discovery now, and they've put displays of spirits up on the gantry where bottled Fullers beers used to be. Depressing.
anonymous - 20 Feb 2007 13:12 |
nice chilled out traditional boozer. good range of beers/ales, food was tasty and the decor was expertly maintained and from a bygone era. barstaff were knowledgeable and friendly - highly recommended
ssrai - 11 Jan 2007 14:34 |
A lovely pub. Some really well-preserved features, including the ceiling mouldings and the triptych on the wall (representing Commerce, Agriculture and the Arts).
As regards visiting the wonderful cells in the cellar, the manager (?) was accomodating, informative and patient, but I was there just before closing on a Tuesday. If you are part of a group or are planning to visit around lunchtime or after 5pm during the week, use your loaf and check in advance.
A nice pint of London Pride, just far away from Bank to be comfortable, and a great building on the corner of the street. Only complaint is the rather gormless and slightly rude barman, who was like Kevin & Perry with facial hair - but I'm sure he'll have left within 6 months. Top marks otherwise!
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A really nice little pub - with gorgeous interior. Staff were friendly enough and I had a lovely pint of Hoegaarden and my husband enjoyed some nicely kept ale. As usual in the city full of braying twonks but alas this cannot be avoided if you want an after-work drink in this area.
A big dead moth in the ladies did scare me somewhat though but I haven't marked it down for that!
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Not sure if you can look around the cellar by just turning up and asking. Maybe best to phone first. It was Halloween and our guide might have checked beforehand himself. Good luck though - it's pretty creepy down there among the barrels and boxes of KP nuts.
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Will they give anyone a tour or do you have to be part of a group? I'd be quite interested in having a nose down there.
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Stopped here yesterday during a Hallowe'en ghost walk. Pleasingly ornate interior retained from its gin palace days, with red copper ceiling and the 16 hanging judges of the debtors' prison depicted round the walls. Anyway, I digress - had a decent pint of Red Fox and staff were all friendly. We were treated to a tour of the haunted cellar, which incorporates 5 cells from when the site housed Newgate Prison. Scary stuff. Manageress/landlady was very knowledgeable and charming. Counts for a lot, as I'm sure I'll be in for a pint when I'm next in the area.
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This was a Nicholson's pub until a year or so ago.
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Couldn't remember if i'd been in there before or not on my visit. Has it always been Fullers? I was probably a few sheets if I had. Anyway, nice interior, paintings on the walls and nice mirrors as well as one of those interesting boxes behind the bar, which I'm led to believe used to be mini offices. Nice atmosphere and view out to the street.3 Fullers Ales on last visit.
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Agreed this place is fairly hectic after work - but friendly efficient service, lovely ornate interior and a very decent pint of Pride more than make up for it. Vive la Viaduct indeed Mr Boss_Hog.
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So I put down a pubs customers and it turns out two people whose recommendations I follow when choosing pubs drink here :-) Hey, no offence fellas. I've just had to endure the 6 to 8 crowd in here far too many times.
anonymous - 12 Jun 2006 23:34 |
Mr Tombola has got this one completely wrong. My mates and I regularly drink in here cos we like the vibe and the beer....not because of the pricelist. As we all earn many muliples of the average industrial wage, we can afford to drink where ever we want in the City. As for the 'champagne at Dion' comment....don't make me laugh. You are far more likely to find aspirational clowns, who can't afford to drink champagne in Dion.
Give me real beer and real people any day....... vive la Viaduct!
anonymous - 12 Jun 2006 13:36 |
If you don't judge pubs by trying to work out where you think the clientele are on a city pecking order, like the last fella, you will probably enjoy this Fullers house a bit more.
Great beer and pleasant service, though best avoided when thronged with local office workers between 6 and 8. Very interesting interior retaining many original features.
anonymous - 11 Jun 2006 16:38 |
I hate this place, it amazes me it's so busy. It's noisy, smoky, uncomfortably packed, hard to get served, and attracts every City ****head in the area who can't afford the Champagne at Dion. You know the type of person who's not trading or making any serious money, but still likes to think they're some sort of City success story? This is where they drink.
anonymous - 9 Jun 2006 18:08 |
Nice ornate pub and Fullers London Pride was in good nick yesterday. Recommended for inclusion in any crawl of the area
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The Fullers range of beers was all well kept...worked my way through all 5 they had on so judgement re last one, ESB, could be suspect. Great decor, get there before 5:30 if you want a seat until the suits drift off about 7:00. Good crowd although there was a group of undertakers from out of town when I was there last, they were on a crawl and being a pain so directed them to a rubbish sports bar far away.
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Was in here the other day (Valentine's day in fact, what a romantic I am, I really treat her to the best)... the music WAS turned down, the ESB was on top form, and the aussie barman with the long hair a total gent. Top marks - great place. Locations means it attracts almost exclusively office workers (LOTS of fizzy lager is necked), but that is unavoidable I guess
anonymous - 17 Feb 2006 08:23 |
Very ornate corner pub. Fullers Discovery was �2.50 a pint and was OK. Nice pub but nothing special. Can't really think of much else to say.
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I like this place, but they need to turn off the music. An almost full range of Fullers beers on tap and in bottles, gin palace interior, a bit of history what more do you want?
anonymous - 18 Jan 2006 13:27 |
I like it. The bitter isn't overpriced for the area. The decor is grand. Some of the clientele belong IN Newgate Jail rather than opposite it...The staff are very good and on my last visit, deeply attractive.
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Popped in one evening after escaping the appallingly bad Magpie and Stump opposite. Attractive staff and a nice interior. Plenty of space outside for people to stand in.
Jack Knight - 24 Aug 2004 12:13 |
Absolutely run-of-the-mill, and, if I remember correctly, very expensive for what it is.
Grecian - 18 Aug 2004 15:31 |
Great example of original (early?) Victorian pub decor - complete with a copper ceiling. Despite being almost in the City, it's not too populated with suits. In the cellars are a couple of cells left over from when there was an overspill lock-up for Newgate Prison! If you 're lucky, and it's not too busy, you can get a quick tour.
Liz B - 20 Nov 2003 17:24 |
