As mentioned before central london pubs tend to be hit and miss when it comes to busyness, clientele, prices and atmosphere. I've been required at the Essex Serpent by the petulant demands on associates on a number of occasions and one can hardly refuse one's friends.
This pub is quite small with three levels including an upstairs restaurant which Paddyman and his coterie avoided. Instead we plumped to join some companions downstairs in a snug little bar marred only by its proximity to some miniature toilets. Fortunately the landlord had made the wise decision to avoid musak and so there was some relief.
My drinks here on saturday night were spoilt only by the constant harassment of customers by a man painted entirely in silver who seemed intent on muscling in on conversations. This pub would do well to ban this gentleman, rather than condone this sort of behaviour, and fortunately when he began stripping naked he was asked upstairs. Nevertheless, I am not suggesting for one moment that you are likely to have a man dressed in bacofoil stripping for you - no, for that you must head to a rather more specialist place and I am not going to be reviewing that place on Qype!
Paddyman's verdict...? We must go there if we must. But must we? IF you have wrestled and won that important question then so be it, enter the terrifying portals of a central london pub that is bound to disappoint afficionados of the 'real' public house. Nevertheless, a tolerable boozer by most standards. read more