Very cool place. Mirrored bar, seating in the back, good beer selection and not too loud either. Classic London bar! I would certainly be back. They had a wonderful selection of art and the pours were crisp. The hall/tunnel they're in is cool too. read more

The Ship & Shovell - Pubs Near Me - London, XGL

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A hidden gem pub near Charring Cross Station. Big crowd for 5ish on Friday October 3, 2025 that spilled outside Worth stopping in for a proper pint! read more

The Ship & Shovell - October 3, 2025 - Pubs Near Me - London, XGL

A street with two bars directly acroos the street frim each other - years ago one was called Ship and the other Shovell. Due to exigent circumstances, the owners of each bar decided to merge to one bar now called " The Ship & Shovell". Both bars resemble traditional english heritage with the polished wood decor and low lit lights. The Outland Badger West Coast ipa was excellent but I do not recommend the "Firsty Farret" beer, it was flat and not cold enough. The bathroom had modern urinals but old style black and white checkered flooring. read more

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Didn't have food, but great stop for a pint. Came on a pub tour and had a great time. Nice ambiance and history. read more

The Ship & Shovell - Pub is on both sides - Pubs Near Me - London, XGL

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Based on a recommendation we stopped into this pub on a quiet afternoon. It has two sides not sure there is anything different. Had a BLT and a fish and chip order. Food was delicious and moderate price for London. Friendly service. There are seats inside but it is limited, We realized going before the after work crowd piles in was our best bet. read more

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Amazing atmosphere. Perfect place for a quick beer while in London. Worth the walk to find this place. Plus from a LOT of people hanging out here. Seemed like good prices as well! read more

The Ship & Shovell - We got small pours because we were so full from dinner but we had to have a beer in a pub in London! - Pubs Near Me - London, XGL

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Great local pub in Benjamin Franklin's old neighborhood. It has two pubs connected by an underground tunnel. Had a fried codfish sammie, chips and a pint. Everything was tasty! read more

The Ship & Shovell - Pubs Near Me - London, XGL

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The aesthetic looked great from the street, but skip the food and just grab yourself a beer. read more

The Ship & Shovell - Pie & Mash. Classic Sausage Roll. Beer Battered Fish & Chips. - Pubs Near Me - London, XGL

Fun English pub with very good typical pub food. Had the burger and fish and chips. Good place for a bite and a pint

Right next to Trafalgar Square and across from Gordon's wine bar AND quite close to the nightclub Heaven, this place is the old English pub named after a dead sealord that you want to go to. Aside from Guinness, the also have Badger. Soak into the wooden stools and let things take care of themselves for a while. read more

The Ship & Shovell - It takes up two slots in the alley. This through the window at the other one - Pubs Near Me - London, XGL

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A real gem of a pub, hidden away behind Charing Cross railway station. This pub is unusual in being two halves, linked underground by the cellar. The main section is a traditional Victorian London pub, with lots of mirrors and pictures with a nautical theme. Across Craven Passage is a smaller, cosier venue, with lots of nooks and crannies. Owned by the independent family brewing company Hall & Woodhouse, it serves a good selection of well-kept real ales, including Badger Best, IPA, Tanglefoot and Sussex Bitter. They do food as well, although I've not eaten here. It can get very busy after work (17-19h), but the staff are helpful and friendly. Worth seeking out. read more

This pub is pretty cool. Went in and was enveloped in the traditional charm of the place. Operated by some friendly guys who look like their having a good time. Nice drink selection and a fun spot to chill out! read more

The Ship & Shovell - Pubs Near Me - London, XGL

Had to come here because my mum worked here in the early 80's. According to her it was pretty run down but to my surprise it was done up nicely and had younger clientele. Just a 10min walk from Covent Garden this place is refreshingly traditional yet modern with a great selection of beers and wines. I want to bring my expat friends here to show off. read more

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Ahoy! In an ally way not far from Charing Cross station there lies two pubs - that are one! The Ship & Shovel is hidden away but don't think it's a secret as whatever night I've been in it's been reasonably busy, not packed but atmospheric. Inside they're both decorated 'traditionally' but clean, pleasant and welcoming. Cosy with small tables all hugging the walls and some larger tables in the back area. One of the Ship & Shovels is a little larger than the other but they're both the same place really, so it doesn't matter which one you end up in - same beer. The drinks choices are quite comprehensive, all the normal spirits, a choice for wines but the greatest is the plethora of lagers and ales on tap and in the fridge. Several lagers to choose from - some imported - and a healthy selection of ales (it's a pub that belongs to the Badger Ale brewers - if you like beer, that's a good thing!) both on tap and others available in bottles! Marvellous! There are plenty of theatre types that frequent the Ship & Shovel(s) and I'm always looking around for someone I may recognise but there are far better reasons to come here (please see far better reasons above) than star(?) spotting. Bon Voyage!! Ian P.S I did see Tony Bennett in there last time. TONY BLOODY BENNETT!! Y'know "is this the way to Amarillo"? - Yeah, that guy. Brilliant. read more

The Ship & Shovell - Pubs Near Me - London, XGL

Cool feature with two pubs in one so to say. Decent selection and range of draughts. (Badger) read more

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Another trip to this lovely atmospheric British pub near Charing Cross and Embankment stations.  Great service as usual and if you're lucky enough to be here at a certain time of the evening, you might get to meet a thespian or two. read more

Off the beaten path so we didn't have to fight for a table on a busy Friday afternoon. Sit in an available table and order what you like at the counter. We got a beef pie, which was big with a large steak pie of cooked cabbage and mashed potatoes. Also got a fried fish Cobb (a sandwich) that was loaded with 4 pieces of fish. My kid was complaining about not wanting a sandwich, and would rather go hungry. Yet, the food took a bit longer to get out, and she happily finished half of my fish Cobb (pretty big anyway) and a portion of dad's steak pie. A nice and hearty lunch! read more

Good old school pub with a reasonable food offering. Punters are a mix of local suits and tourists. Beer is well kept. The smaller bar across the alley has an upstairs space for those seeking a little privacy!! Recommended. read more

The Ship & Shovell - Pubs Near Me - London, XGL

A. I've never seen a bar split in two...that's a lie, now I have B. In an alley past Sherlock Holmes...you may miss it, just look for the really red paint C. Bartenders were cool and attentive D. Lots of beer options, half-pint of cask ales anyone? E. Love the decor and the intimacy of the space F. Classic pub I will hit again if I can find it. read more

The Ship and Shovel is two tiny pubs separated by pavement. It is a shame you have to walk through a pee smelling alley to get to this little cubby, however it's always worth it. Due to its quirky nature attracts the wandering tourist and bar crawl crowd. However certain times of the night it will be full of the locals. It's a favorite for the teckies and performers that spill out from surrounding theatres or the nearby players bar. The staff are always friendly and helpful and know about their booze. It's also a great central location, so if you are in town looking for a good British pint in a unique space, I'd totally recommend checking this place out. Bit of trivia, the two halves are actually joined by their shared underground cellar. Or so I'm told. read more

A great pub tucked away almost beneath Charing Cross station, with the added bonus of Hall & Woodhouse's excellent real ales - try the Tanglefoot, which is really gorgeous. The larger of the two sides has a bit more character, with a Victorian style interior of wood, etched glass and carpets, but the other side of Craven Passage is a bit more down to earth - take your pick. The 'Shovell' in the title - and I notice the pub and its website can't agree on whether it is Shovel or Shovell - is named after Sir Cloudesley Shovell (1659-1707), the celebrated and popular admiral of the British fleet and MP for Rochester, who died ignominiously on the rocks of the Isles of Scilly in fog, after a navigational error wrecked his flagship, the 'Association'. Legend states that he was washed ashore alive, but exhausted, and was murdered by a poor and old woman for his rings. She is said to have confessed all on her deathbed to a clergyman and returned the rings. There is a memorial to him at Porthellick, on the Scilly Isles, where his body was found. The pub has appropriate maps, nautical charts and pictures of ships reflecting the nautical theme. read more

I last came to this unusually arranged pub (it occupies either side of a small alley) about 5 years ago. It is a 'Badger Beer' pub, and used to have excellently kept ales. I'm sad to report that the ale-keeping skills have deteriorated, along with their customer service. Visited yesterday with a small group of friends. Tanglefoot was poorly kept, and when this was pointed out to the barstaff by a friend, was not replaced, as is normally the case with this small chain of pubs. First Gold on draft was also poorly kept. The place was busy, but note that most punters were not drinking beer from the pulled pumps. On the plus side, for a Friday night, the ladies toilet was clean, and had toilet roll. Overall, a disappointing experience. read more

Not the easiest place to meet a friend, for sure. The unique layout is a large part of this pubs charm. I personally prefer the smaller, cosier and quieter side, but the perception that there is less of a crush to get to the bar over there is misleading, as there is only really room for one person serving. Many of the bar lurkers on the other, traditional, busier side are leaning rather than waiting for service. Fursty Ferret ale was tasty and in good nick. I wasn't as keen on the Badger. Closed Sundays read more

(Pub #1 in what has now become a 20 Best Pubs in London Cyber-Crawl. Give your liver a good punch, and tell it its about to work overtime. Ready. Set. Booze.) I don't remember which is The Ship and which is the Shovell (Yes, there are two ells in the word), but I like this odd pub that is tucked away on an alleyway leading down to Charing Cross Underground station. The S &S is about 70 stumbling steps away from Gordon's Wine Bar, and about the same from The Sherlock Holmes. What makes this pub unique is that it is divided in half by the street. One side is the Ship, the other the Shovell. I have had pints in both, and love the atmosphere. Sure, its in a touristy area, but it definitely gets a local crowd of office workers, and theatre peeps. Both sides are small, cramped spaces, but have a wonderfully worn feel. I particularly like the upstairs of one of the sides, and there is nothing better for a Yank than to stand out front on the sidewalk and sip your pint. Maybe cross the street and finish it on the other side? Beer is mostly from the Badger brewery with a few on cask. If I was to create a top 20 pub list for London (note to self, I just did) I would include this place for it's uniqueness and atmosphere. Staff has always been great, and I have fond memories of meeting old friends here. I've never had food other than a pack of crisps, so I can't dole out a review on that front. Sink your pint, and get on down to The Harp for the next round. I am buying. read more

This pub is split in two! There's a huge passage way in between the two sides of it and so it isn't really in anyway connected - from where i was sitting anyway. I'm not sure if they thought that would make it seem oldey worldy but I say it's just badly planned. I was on the Right side, went around 6pm on weekday and it was pretty busy. Full of people stopping off for a a glass of wine or sweet sherry on the way home. So yeah, everyone was middle aged which isn't my style. Some good ales on offer and they all tipped the typical just over £3.00 London price mark. Not bad, not good. A-OK. read more

Great little pub a short walk from the river. You've got to pass the Sherlock Holmes tourist-trap, though, to find this. Cozy atmosphere, great interior. Attentive staff, good beer (of course - addicted to London Pride), and very solid food for a pub. Tasty without being greasy. Put it on the list. read more

Brilliant pub. I love that it's split into two halves. I don't know why. I think I like the idea of the little passage that the must by underneath joining the two bit together. I'd love to go and be nosy. They do great beer. Badger bitter or something like that which kept my friend happy. I was drinking Hofenbrau which was great and got me happily merry. It's a quaint little place that is great for after work chatting, I'm not sure I'd come here for a big night out. There seems to be a difference between the two sides. If Charing Cross station is one the right, then I prefer the right hand side of that pub. I think it had a nicer feel to it. But I'm not a fan of sitting upstairs in a bar (as we were on the other side) - I don't get the feeling of being in a pub if I'm upstairs. Even if there is more room. Considering the location, this pub is fab. I'm never wonderfully taken with the Charing Cross area (aside from Gordon's of course), but this pub might just force me to change my mind. read more

I can see why people like this pub for its 'quirky' charms but I found it rather a frustrating place to visit on a weeknight due to the cramped gangways and general lack of space - a bit of a feat for a large pub that's actually in two separate buildings! Aside from this, the drinks choice for wine lovers was a bit rubbish (fair enough for an old boozer but not my cup of tea) and the place just felt a bit in need of some TLC. Not a great place to meet big groups of people because (a) you'll have to call everyone as soon as you arrive to tell them which 'half' you're in and (b) there simply isn't the space. Not a huge fan I'm afraid (but it beats a boring chain pub!) read more

Don't order the fish. I'm from a fishing town and this... is not what fish and chips is supposed to be like. It tastes funky and smells horrible. I'll probably be sick later. Service was quick and atmosphere friendly. Just get something that isn't seafood. Please. Beer and cider are good. read more

This is a pub with a split personality, and I mean this in a good way! The pub is split into two halves and it's best to make sure which one your friends are in before meeting them! There are so many nooks and crannies and lovely sofas and tables and chairs to settle in for a good session. I love the range of real ales on offer here, and there's lager for the louts as well. The area between the two pubs is great for a smoke break. If you need a function room you can't go past the the rooms available here, the prices charged are really reasonable for the area. The food here is quite tasty as well. read more

Having intended to go here for ages, I finally made it there last night. Sadly we didn't stay long, but still, what a great pub! Even during our short stay I could feel it growing on me - it's definitely got a certain ... something. Too bad I didn't check out the second half - can you go through the cellar or do you have to go across the passage? And yes, very interesting selection of beers. Really liked the Sussex Bitter. It was quiet and peaceful there on late Wednesday night. read more

Classic English Pub, cold beers as well as cask conditioned ales. Serves snacks as well. My favorite part is their current promotion of 2 bottles of ale for takeaway for 5 quid. Theater as well as a business crowd, nice ambience. read more

We were walking trying to find Ben Franklin's house and we did. We also found Melville's house as well. And around the corner from them was this fine establishment. We settled down in a little cozy spot, had several pints and ran into a lot of wonderful local business types. In fact saw a black Ferrari 458 just around the corner from there. It was established in 1777 I believe so it has been there. It does have the distinction of being a bar on two sides of a street (walking alley). Good beer, good apps. Have gone back twice. read more

This was my favorite pub while visiting London (and I did try quite a few). And that wasn't just because it was around the corner from the Charing Cross Hotel where I was staying.Wide selection of very good beer and friendly bar staff. Good mix of locals and visitors. Tucked away on a side alley, so it's not totally overun by tourists. Nice bar area to sit and watch outside or mingle with others, as well as tables to meet up with a group. If you can't find a good spot on one side of the alley - go to the second part of it just across the street. Added bonus - I think the name is just fun to say. read more

Avoid the over crowded hyped up Sherlock Holmes restaurant and head here!

An almost 5 star pub, blighted by its popularity and tiny size! I guess blighted is a strong term though, if you get holed up upstairs and get someone else to run to the bar for you, you'll have a fine time here. There are many fine drinking establishments nearby, but you should definitely have a look at this. It's worthy to note however, that it's not open at the weekend. read more

Go see this if youre in London. The pub is in 2 pieces, one on either side of a little alley. Food is terrific, waitstaff were great, beer is fresh and cold and mostly local. My daughter got baked pasta, I got steak pie and soup, all of it brilliant. read more

This is a great classic British pub. Something I've missed since moving to the states. While I was in town for a week me and a friend made this place our temporary local. It's split across two sides of an alley, out of the way enough that compared to the rest of London it is quiet enough to really enjoy yourself. Some good beers on tap too. read more

I second all the positive reviews of this pub, although the fact that it's in two buildings divided by an alley makes it a slightly confusing place to meet people. Interesting ramshackle place divided into different rooms. They have a dumbwaiter to send you up drinks from the bar! As I remember, it took a few goes to get it to work, but still: dumbwaiter! Nice real ale and other boozes. Don't think the food was anything special. read more

If I was a person who loved beer than this would be an absolutely awesome pubas it is i just think it's pretty great! it's really cosy and welcoming, and the two separate sections make it nice and quirky. read more