Pub Recommendation London Tower Hill area

[georgemoe]

Hi,

 

We will be doing a Tower of London tour and Ceremony of the Keys in early September. Would like to find a pub/restaurant within easy walking distance of the Tower for in between our afternoon tour and the Ceremony at 9:30/2130. Looking for more of a classic pub experience. Thanks and appreciate your responses!

[Cotswold Eagle]

6 hours ago, georgemoe said:

 Looking for more of a classic pub experience. 

I'm not sure what this means to you (in some true classic pub experiences you wouldn't get food other than a stale sandwich and pickled eggs on the bar!), but I'll open the bidding with the Hung, Drawn and Quartered. It's a Fuller Ale and Pie House, which means you should get a decent pint (London Pride would be my recommendation) and some fair grub (not all pies).

And it look like a classic pub, even though  the building was nothing of the sort for most of its long history - this is a common theme in this chain of pubs, old buildings, new pubs! 

[Globaliser]

6 hours ago, Cotswold Eagle said:

I'm not sure what this means to you (in some true classic pub experiences you wouldn't get food other than a stale sandwich and pickled eggs on the bar!) ...

 

I'm also always a bit uncertain what people expect from a "classic pub experience". In general, the pub experience can be (to put it politely) uncomfortable, malodorous, and unhygienic if not downright hazardous to health - particularly true when smoking was still allowed indoors - and many of one's fellow guests are people who one fervently hopes will remain in the pub until one has got safely home, or at least got out of the likely range of any late-night brawl.

 

So I've mostly avoided pubs for decades, and the only ones I'm happy to go to now are most definitely not classic pubs but really restaurants or bar/restaurants in pub buildings. All around the country, pubs are closing at a rate that some describe as "alarming", but I for one can't feel too sorry about losing the "classic pub experience". But maybe nostalgia just ain't what it used to be.

[davekent]

The Hung Drawn and Quartered is a good shout and for me is the best of the pubs that are very close to The Tower. Within 15 minutes walk I would also suggest that you take a look at the Hoop and Grapes at Aldgate which though I haven't been to for a few years seems still to get good reviews or else one of the pubs in Leadenhall Market (Old Tom's or the Lamb Tavern), it's a very pleasant arcade with good pubs and cafe/restaurants should you not fancy the food on offer in the pubs.

 

The Hoop and Grapes website states in 1666 the building was saved when the Great fire of London was halted just 50 yards away from the building. It has a large majority of positive reviews but I do like the recent one presumably written by a very disgruntled customer titled  "if only the fire had burnt 51 yards further"

 

I completely disagree with the post above. We have very many excellent, historic, sociable and well run pubs in the UK (still have about 42,000 pubs left). I would highly recommend they be used rather than the soulless bar/restaurant type of operation that seem to open then rather quickly close again around the country. As with pretty well everything a visitor may consider experiencing in the UK there are good/not so good/awful examples of pubs and the OP is doing exactly the right thing, checking reviews and asking questions to hopefully find the better ones

 

 

[Harters]

Pubs tend to fall into one of two categories - drinking pubs and eating pubs. Drinking pubs are often as described by Globaliser. These days eating pubs are really restaurants in buildings that used to be drinking pubs.

 

Obviously, exceptions apply. But it is one of those things about which foreigners tend to have rose-tinted glasses. Another would be wanting to eat fish & chips - generally, please don't, it will probably be awful. And almost guaranteed to be awful if eaten in a pub.

[Malleykatt]

A walk depending on how you feel. South of the river over Tower Bridge to where you can the Old Anchor Brew house to the right of the bridge. Down here you will find the Anchor Tap pub in Horseleydown Lane.

 My ancestor was the landlord here back in Victorian times@ 1850s

[georgemoe]

11 hours ago, davekent said:

The Hung Drawn and Quartered is a good shout and for me is the best of the pubs that are very close to The Tower. Within 15 minutes walk I would also suggest that you take a look at the Hoop and Grapes at Aldgate which though I haven't been to for a few years seems still to get good reviews or else one of the pubs in Leadenhall Market (Old Tom's or the Lamb Tavern), it's a very pleasant arcade with good pubs and cafe/restaurants should you not fancy the food on offer in the pubs.

 

The Hoop and Grapes website states in 1666 the building was saved when the Great fire of London was halted just 50 yards away from the building. It has a large majority of positive reviews but I do like the recent one presumably written by a very disgruntled customer titled  "if only the fire had burnt 51 yards further"

 

I completely disagree with the post above. We have very many excellent, historic, sociable and well run pubs in the UK (still have about 42,000 pubs left). I would highly recommend they be used rather than the soulless bar/restaurant type of operation that seem to open then rather quickly close again around the country. As with pretty well everything a visitor may consider experiencing in the UK there are good/not so good/awful examples of pubs and the OP is doing exactly the right thing, checking reviews and asking questions to hopefully find the better ones

 

 

 

These look like great options. Plenty to choose from thank you!