Address: 33 Rose St, London, WC2E 9EB, United Kingdom
Phone: +442074979504
Rating: 4.5
based on 401 reviews.
Ambience & Atmosphere
Pros:
"Everything a traditional pub should be Attractive quaint I interior in unchanged since Dickens's time."
"Really cosy inside with an open fire and a good choice of drinks."
"A place like this cannot be made. It has to evolve over 100s of years."
"Altho very tiny, it's charged with casual friendly vibe."
"The candlelight provides the pub with a low-lit but intimate atmosphere."
"Love this place tucked away down a side alley."
"The atmosphere of this pub was amazing. Cozy and comfy inside with really cool decor around the place."
Cons:
"Old pub and looks its age now."
"The presentation made the food look unappetising."
"It’s comically small, and laughably crowded most of the time, with punters spilling out into the street outside."
"The bar claims to be chalked full of history, but you really don't feel it in the bar."
"Attractive and historic pub, another of Charles Dickens's haunts. I liked the place, but the management has slapped a huge TV into one of the two small bar rooms, which totally dominates it and ruined the atmosphere for me."
"The only annoying thing in here was a strong smell of bleach (I have been in this pub several times and the smell seems to stick around every time)."
"The pub is small and full of character. Unfortunately in hot weather the outside area can get a bit smelly from the back of house bin store."
Food & Drink
Pros:
"The lamb sausages were heavy and fantastic and exactly what you’d expect from a British Pub."
"Quality fish & chips and ale, at more than reasonable prices."
"The fish and chips which was excellent and my wife had the rib eye."
"There's a sign inside that says that they have the best fish and chips. You know what? They're not lying."
"The Fish and chips and scotch eggs are to die for."
"The food was delicious (I ordered the braised blade of beef, creamy mash, chanterelle mushrooms, pancetta, baby onion and a pint of London Pride)."
"The pie of the day tasted more like the pie of the whole life (yes, it was that good) and the beer was a perfect fit for such a perfect pie."
Cons:
"The fish we had was clearly frozen (but that's ok, as we did not expect to get fresh fish in a pub), but the taste was far below average."
"Not a fan of the presumed tip of 10% or 15% on the card reader when I’m just buying a pint!"
"Only improvement could have been the chips which I'm sure weren't double fried as the inside of the chunkier ones weren't that soft."
"Fish & Chips mediocre and oily."
"The roast looked amazing but surprisingly not that good, meat was real tough."
"The food was average, the beef was overcooked and dry and the pork was really nothing special."
"The food was quite pricey, at £17 for fish and chips, but reflective of the part of London."
Service
Pros:
"Had a Sunday roast at the lamb and flag today, really enjoyed the atmosphere and the service was good."
"All the staff were warm, friendly and very welcoming."
"The staff were efficient, friendly and willing to meet ones needs."
"Service was prompt and friendly."
"Our wait staff was pleasant and friendly."
"Staff were ever so attentive."
"Staff and service were great, a great dining experience from start to finish."
Cons:
"Was disappointed with the staff they now have. No smiles, no banter or bar talk or replies to my questions."
"Unfortunately they only get 3 stars due to service."
"The service was kindly but very slow."
"We were pretty much ignored by the waiter, and in the end a new person waited at our table."
"The staff while apologetic for the cold food, barely interacted with the table and didn't seem interested."
"When we arrived, the most bored and passive bartender was at work. Totally overwhelmed with the orders, very slow, no energy, ignored people that had been standing at the bar for over 10 minutes."
"Honestly the service was terrible, and the food was terribly over priced for what we received."
Location & Accessibility
Pros:
"Situated right off the main street down a short alley so it's a nice, quiet place to have a pint and eat something before going back to the shops and frenzy of Covent Garden."
"I highly recommend the location."
"Potentially my favourite pub in London and certainly the best in Covent Garden."
"One of the oldest pubs in London, tucked away down a side road."
"This is the original 1700s pub where many a brawl occurred in its time."
"Lovely authentic old pub in the centre of Covent Garden. It gets very busy on the weekend but that just adds to the charm."
"A nicely tucked away pub that boasts character from Charles Dickens era."
Cons:
"Very limited seating outdoors but can stand on the street with your drink."
"Its popularity often makes grabbing a seat difficult."
"The building is quite small and got full quickly."
"It can get really busy but there is a lot of space outside to have drinks with friends when the weather is good enough, otherwise I am afraid that you will have to stay inside squished between strangers."
"Seating is prime real estate."
"Super small so be prepared to stand outside."
"The first floor is filled with crowds of young professionals having a pint and spilling into the cobbled streets out front."