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Detail Pages
The Crown, Soho, W1
St James
W1
W1F 9TP
Pub Type
Nicholsons (Mitchells & Butlers)Reviews (Current Rating Average: 6 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Roger Button left this review about The Crown
This smallish Nicholsons pub is located just off the northern side of Piccadilly Circus in the heart of Soho. It has all the traditional Nicholsons trademarks and is cosy and attractive enough without being anything too noteworthy.
The Nicholsons “Famous for…” blurb claims that the pub stands on the site of the Hickford Room, an 18th Century concert Hall where a 9 year old Mozart is supposed to have performed (one report I read said the event was actually cancelled and he was indisposed on the rearranged date) however the venue, which was controversially demolished in 1934, actually stood on the other side of the road and was replaced by the staff annex for the Regent Street Hotel. The name does however linger on in the pub’s upstairs overflow bar which is now known as the Hickford Bar.
The L-shaped main bar has bare floors in the bar area with a carpeted rear section. The décor and furnishings are all neat and tidy with leather banquette seating, striking wallpaper and theatre style curtain drapes creating a slightly underwhelming sense of elegance. The rear section has half paneled walls and a large display cabinet in one corner.
The decent enough selection of 6 ales included Sharps Doom Bar, St Austell Tribute, Fullers London Pride, White Horse Wayland Smithy, Harviestoun Bitter & Twisted and Thornbridge Jaipur IPA. Food is the general West End chain pub stuff with main courses ranging from around £8-£15 with a few slightly cheaper lunchtime specials also listed.
As Nicholsons go, this is about average and the more interesting ale selection does give the place a nod over much of the local competition but you can’t help feel that pubs like this are all too commonplace throughout the West End.
On 20th October 2011
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1239 recommendations about 1233 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Malden man left this review about The Crown
Situated on a street corner, this is a fairly standard Nicholsons pub with wood flooring and dark wood panelling and bar being standard issue. The ground floor bar is L-shaped, seating being traditional leather banquettes and chairs at metal topped circular tables and some of the wooden variety plus a couple of stools at a window shelf. The rear return area is partially carpeted and there is a corner display unit here of a few old books and stone jars, which added to the few local pub and area photos make up the decor in what is a fairly uninteresting room. Upstairs there is another bar-cum-dining room called The Hickford Rooms.
The beer range was actually rather good, Pride, Acorn Barnsley Gold, Leeds Midnight Bell, Brains Under Milkwood, Jennings Cumberland Ale and Cropton Majestic Lager.
The food menu is standard Nicholson's with regular dishes and the usual sausage selection.
The beer range was good, service less so, I had to request two top ups for my woefully short pint, the first attempt being simply contemptuous, and the pub rather ordinary. It will inevitably pull in the punters being where it is but whether it will attract my custom again is less likely.
On 23rd May 2011
- rating: 5
[User has posted 1715 recommendations about 1688 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about The Crown
I too was in The Crown on Friday lunchtime, and also thought that the Bengal Lancer was on good form. The beers were as mentioned by the previous reviewer, and as well they had a cauldron of mulled wine on the bar, and on the bar back they were advertising bottles of Sierra Nevada Pale Ale and Meantime Chocolate Ale. There was an inevitable smell of food pervading the place, and the food I saw being scoffed by a coule of punters looked OK, but I didn’t get to peruse a menu. This is a Nicholson’s pub that sits in Brewer St, pretty much in the heart of London’s red light district. It’s fairly typical for this part of the world. The bar counter is straight ahead as you enter, with a bit of seating in front of it, consisting mainly of tall stools at ledges. The room extends round to the left and back of the bar counter, with normal tables and chairs occupied mainly by diners as far as I could see. There’s nothing special about this pub – it’s a fairly basic West End Nicholson’s. I won’t go out of my way to visit again, but it’s OK for a pint when it’s not too busy.
On 8th January 2011
- rating: 5
[User has posted 2629 recommendations about 2544 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Chris 87 left this review about The Crown
The Crown stands on the site of the Hickford Rooms, London's premier concert hall in the 1740's and 1750's. According to blurb inside, Mozart played here on one occasion. It is now a pretty standard Nicholson's with, on my friday lunchtime visit, a rather uninspiring range of ales (Landlord, Pride, Doom Bar and the guest presence of Bengal Lancer and Brains SA). Still, Bengal Lancer (£3.35) was in good nick and service was friendly enough from the lone barman. The decor is regulations Nicholson's, with a mixture of wood and metal tables and traditional decor. This place is typical of many pubs in the area and as such it doesn't really stand out - nevertheless it wasn't a bad experience and I'd consider returning.
On 8th January 2011
- rating: 6
[User has posted 179 recommendations about 179 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Danny O'Revey left this review about The Crown
A very nice corner local, its a traditional London boozer and I imagine a meeting place for many locals. Friendly efficient service there is a wide choice of very well kept real ale
On 15th June 2010
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1636 recommendations about 1613 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Strongers . left this review about The Crown
I had to wait a while to be served as the lone barman was in the middle of a large order. Two more people came to the bar just before he finished and he still had to ask who was next, although he was very polite.
Pride, Landlord, Wainwright and Rev. James were all available along with a few standard lagers.
There are better pubs nearby, so I doubt I'll ever return.
On 2nd September 2008
- rating: 5
[User has posted 6829 recommendations about 6790 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
john mcgraw left this review about The Crown
Very comfortable pub at the Piccadilly end of Soho.Small front bar with a larger drinking area at the back.Four real ales on with Landlord as a regular wich was in very good form.
On 4th November 2006
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2044 recommendations about 2025 pubs]