We went to more than a dozen pubs while in London and the surrounding area on vacation recently so…read morewhile reviewing them, I'm trying to focus on what made each a distinct memory/experience for us. My wife actually booked dinner reservations in advance for Ye Old Cheshire Cheese, it was one of a few we did that for rather than just popping in. For some of these, Cheshire included, it isn't a bad idea if you want a full meal to do so as it gives you a table in a dining area that is quieter than the More raucous areas of the pub and guarantees you plenty of elbow room to dine. Every pub has fish and chips, and we had our share of it during our 8+ day trek, but my wife swears by this place as having the absolute best. I'd likely agree with that--we both had the traditional fish, chips, peas platter and every bite was great. We had a few slices of sourdough to hold us over while waiting for those plates. My wife had a bit of wine, and I tried a lager, lower ABV ale, and a pour of scotch opting for their "house" scotch. The spirits/beer menu was the same I saw used at a couple of what I think must be "sister" pubs all using the same distilleries and brewers. We were too full to try dessert. Service was friendly. Not sure if it was the vintage of my scotch or her wine, but price-wise this was by far our priciest pub visit in the area and I can't quite point my fingers at why, but I don't regret our meal and time here. As for historic interest, you can find pictures and placards of many of the pubs famous patrons from history--Dickens, Mark Twain on visits to London, etc. A first edition of a Dickens' book adorned a post by our table.

Cool pub dating back to 1300s?…read more Fish and chips were great. Price was okay given its a popular and historic spot. Beer was excellent and prices reasonable Only complaint was the dining area was extremely quiet on a Friday afternoon. A little strange for a pub

Excellent service and good. We had smoked duck, sausage, and Scottish egg. Incredible.read more

Three crowns out of a possible 10…read more Cider was warm. Gravy residue on table. Slow service. Slower food. Average food. Can't imagine if it was actually busy. Won't be back.

5 Star fish fry and cold beer. The batter on the fish was light and airy and the fish was as fresh…read moreas can be. Order and pay at the bar and they bring the food to your table. Perfect spot for lunch.

Decent pub near the hotel we stayed at. Stopped by on our way back form a night out. Clean inside…read morewith an ok crowd. Service was a bit iffy! Just stayed for the two draft beers and left. Traditional English pub in a good location.

Stopped in because the building was a beautiful old and English! I enjoyed the best gin and tonic…read moreever. Made with Hendricks Flora Adora and Fever Tree Tonic. Order at the bar and take your drinks to a table.

Good service with Good pies and…read more Friendly customers Seems to be a good spot to watch soccer too

Looking for a magical, dark, historic pub? You have found one! Get lost in a dark corner or mingle…read morewith fellow beer drinkers. Beer is cold, prices are just right. Stop on in and oogle at the well kept and beautiful place. Creeky floor is included.

We went here as 1/3 of a pub crawl in the area, and it's a really stunning place. Historic,…read morejam-packed with people, and dimly lit, it's a great representation of what you'd imagine an English pub to be. There's a till on each side of the bar for easier ordering and a back door to the alley where overflow patrons can drink (there's also a heater outside). It seemed like a really popular place for the well-to-do without being snooty or overpriced. A definite visit if you're in the area.

Gayle and I enjoyed a very nice snack at Marquess of Anglesey after a wonderful Sunday afternoon…read morematinee performance of "Standing at the Sky's Edge" at the nearby Gillian Lynne Theatre. The rooftop was a full and a little tight, so we took a very nice seat in a corner (with 2 wide windows) a floor below. Service was friendly, albeit a little slow in spots. Gayle's drink was a Hugo Spritz, while mine was a pint of Youngs Special (Extra Strong Bitter). We shared a Garden Board (Wild garlic hummus, Davidstow Cheddar, Bath soft cheese, Long Clawson Stilton, cherry tomatoes, radishes, celery, pear, garden chutney, foccaccia bread) which was just the right amount of food for both of us. We really enjoyed the ambiance and comfort that this place offered. It also gave us a lot of time to discuss various scenes in the play, the Richard Hawley soundtrack, and the beauty of the theatre itself.

Comfortable and clean pub with tasty food. Much more comfortable than the neighboring Bow Street…read morePub for example. A few quirks. First of all "the rules" aren't clear, for example is the same menu available on every floor? Second of all the welsh rarebit was a bad kind of surprise and not at all what welsh rarebit is supposed to be (I am a tourist so I am basing this on an internet search). Third our server was near-mass shooting/suicide level of stress when we arrived. She absolutely did her job but I could tell that the slightest mistake would send her over the edge. Not sure why, the pub didn't seem to be the high-stress kind of place. Fourth, the sign outside clearly indicated a Young's pub and we were not offered a cask ale option of any sort, which I didn't understand, was this a rule? No cask ales above the first floor?

A classy, beautiful pub housed in a former bank building. The classy yet relaxed ambiance suited me…read moreperfectly. Nice staff, great beer, very good food. Food: Ordered the chicken and leak pie. The pie came with mash and some very well prepared leaks and cabbage. Also ordered a separate a side of broccoli, and the broccoli was perfectly cooked. Excellent food. Beer: Had a couple of cask Fuller's ESB ales. Excellent. Service: Good service Overall cleanliness: Excellent

We are staying here at the counting house, but this review is about our dinner…read more We had dinner at the counting house for the last night of our London leg of our trip. I just have to say in general, everyone at this hotel and pub are just extraordinarily friendly and helpful. I'm not that familiar with pub culture and apparently the way it works is that you have to go up to the bar to order your food. I asked the hostess about it and she said that if we want a waitress there is an added service charge. We were on three walking tours that day and we're exhausted so I didn't care about paying the service charge. We started off with Yorkshire, puddings and gravy. I'm from the US. I don't usually get to have a Yorkshire pudding so I wanted to try it. It's kind of like a popover with gravy. The Yorkshire pudding was okay but the gravy was delicious. I saved the gravy and used it for the next part of my meal. We both had fish and chips. Unlike the US when I ask for malt vinegar, they know what it was and had it right away. I can't tell you how often in the US I'm giving red vinegar. The the fish and chips were spectacular. The fish was crispy even after sprinkling on the vinegar. The fries were very nice. Not as good as blacklock but very nice. And I am fry snob. My wife ordered sticky toffee pudding for dessert. I couldn't even finish my fries, so I passed. Overall a very nice meal and perfect for us as we were exhausted from walking all day and only had to go upstairs to our room afterwards.

A great pub with a great view across the green and pond. Lovely on a spring/summer evening after a…read moreshort stroll around the village and admiring the windmill. good food and very friendly service.

Located in a story book like setting, a lovely, quaint, pub, situated in the charming little…read morevillage of Finchingfield, Essex. That said, we had to wait for over an hour, to get our food orders. If you've read any of my other reviews, you will know that I rarely complain about this issue. The owner, did come outside, stating that everyone came at once, and it was beyond his control. To be truthful, I was enjoying myself, but not all in my party appreciated the long wait, so be forewarned. If you're on a "time budget," this may not be your place for food. Enjoy a pint and be on your way. It's definitely a beautiful little spot. I had a BLT, it was good, had worse, had better, it was better than okay . . .Okay? Would definitely return, and might get the same, but would probably try something else. I do believe that everyone was happy with their meals once they received them. Staff was helpful, friendly, so no complaints there, and we also had chance to chat up some others traveling through the area, so I personally didn't find the wait all that unbearable. If I'm anywhere in the area, will definitely stop in again. Parking, was a bit of a problem for our driver, and you may need to look around if you are here at the wrong time of day. And may need to walk a block of two. Our driver just kept circling a couple times and finally got a spot right on the street, about 25 yds, from the front.