The Black Lion Pub & Boutique Guesthouse Reviews Summary

Management and Staff

Pros:

• "The staff were really helpful leading up to the event and on the actual night, the bar staff were fantastic."
• "Most of the bar staff recognize our faces."
• "Staff are polite, kind and fast, they even improve the atmosphere greatly."
• "All staff was friendly and very helpfull during our stay."
• "The staff could not be nicer, Paulo (?) and the young lady and lad were rushed off their feet but extremely pleasant and provided great service."
• "The team are so friendly and welcoming."
• "The staff at the Black Lion are very friendly and helpful."

Cons:

• "Absolutely gorgeous pub. Shame it is badly managed."
• "We were told by a very rude member of staff 'you have to pay service as we bring the food to your table'."
• "Someone took down our order wrong and instead of apologising, we got back chat."
• "Big potential but every time I go there the staff is very unprofessional, even if the pub is almost empty they're always snobbing you."
• "The mangers name is Maya, and I can honestly say she is the downfall of this lovely pub."
• "The maintenance man became very rude and aggressive, really intimidating."
• "The WORST customer service I have ever experienced."

Food and Drink

Pros:

• "Food is great if you pick the right dishes. Roasts are good and reasonably priced."
• "They do lamb yay! Affordable, friendly and above all tasty."
• "The meal was delicious, generous and beautifully presented."
• "The food is also excellent."
• "Fabulous indian food. Tapas style made for sharing with friends."
• "Really fantastic food and great, well-kept beer; perfect atmosphere and music (jazz during my visit), and the staff are so lovely and genuine."
• "The food was phenomenal. Beef perfectly tender, gravy delicious and great roasts."

Cons:

• "The breakfast leaves a bit to be desired if compared to other lodging in London."
• "Starter frozen in the middle and burnt on the outside."
• "3 hour wait for food which was disgusting, salty no roast potatoes on half the dinners, some dinners were cold."
• "The only issue is the food which is a bit odd - sort of Indian small plates but the naan is doughy and really doesn’t need cheese."
• "Unfortunately the Sunday roast was really bad. The potatoes and veg were tasteless, not crispy/fluffy, just seemed cooked from frozen."
• "The roast had great gravy and a good yorkie but my pork belly was just a block of fat with very little meat."
• "The 'spring roll' is actually a strange panini type dish with mushy gloopy insides."

Ambiance and Decor

Pros:

• "Such a lovely place with an amazing interior!"
• "The decor of the pub is astounding."
• "The place is amazing, it is historical and very beautiful."
• "The inside of this pub is a wonder to behold; the ceiling roses and warm atmosphere are fantastic."
• "Stunning interior architecture, which they’ve restored in a sensitive way."
• "The Black Lion has very striking decor - very ornate and impressive as you walk in."
• "The interior of this pub is just stunning and retains many of its original period features."

Cons:

• "The venue looks a little run down, but the atmosphere is okay."
• "The sole remaining partition screen has at some point been modified with a varnished plywood opening."
• "A little bit noisy for sleeping but that's the city life."
• "The restaurant section is beautiful but a little cold."
• "You'd expect this type of pub to be bathed in darkness, but instead the large windows let light pour in."
• "The beds were really uncomfortable."
• "While the rooms are acceptable, they could be cleaner."

Location and Value

Pros:

• "Overall, for the price and location its a very good deal."
• "Very close to the Brandsbury overground and Kilburn underground stations."
• "Great budget accommodation and lots to do around the area, would stay again."
• "The Black lion is announced as hotel but actually is a B&B."
• "The hotel is really good quality for favorable value."
• "The B&B at the Black Lion was great value and very comfortable."
• "Rooms were clean and serviced daily."

Cons:

• "The actual size of this 2 bed room with stuffed three beds was about 16sqm."
• "Room no. 7, stay away from it if you are traveling in pairs and if you aren't a couple fresh in love - the bed is very narrow for two persons."
• "Our double room was in fact a weird dorm type affair comprised of a deconstructed bunk bed."
• "Given wrong room, the wrong room hadn't even been cleaned or bed made up."
• "The place is full of drunks and is not safe."
• "It has now shut its doors unexpectedly for 2 weeks - so the regulars will have to find another pub nearby."
• "Dirty, disorganised, disinterested, don't stay here."