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Detail Pages
The Ship, Soho, W1
Soho
W1
W1F 0TT
Pub Type
Fuller'sReviews (Current Rating Average: 7 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about The Ship
Classic small street corner Soho pub,tied to Fullers but with an exterior devoid of heavy branding and windows with good etched glass. The frontage can open out in fine weather,the interior is very traditional with a mirrored bar back on the left side,a mix of low and high tables and a rear section that opens out a bit.A fine staircase leads to a private Captains bar,presumably gay friendly.The muzak was a good jazz track,enhancing the atmosphere early doors on a Sunday.
The 10 keg fonts do include some craft keg options,while the handpumps were drawing Fullers ESB,London Pride and Sticky Wicket besides Dark Star Sunquake (NBSS 3.5),and Hogs Back When Hogs Fly.
Food is snacky and under £7 ,the short menu comprised three pies and three toasties but the quality was terrific and my mushroom and emmental toastie was accompanied by a very strong mustard which I was warned about by the barman,it certainly cleared my sinuses ; a perfect drinking snack.
I liked this pub and would return,it feel authentic and straight people are welcome but be tolerant.One of the better pubs in Soho.
On 1st August 2022
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2727 recommendations about 2727 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Ship
Long, thin single-bar Fuller's pub with a traditional-looking facade but quite basic inside apart from the heritage features. Now has five handpumps, offering London Pride, Oliver's Island, ESB, the last cask of Dark Star's seasonal Nørdland IPA (£5.45) and the first Spring Sprinter. First revisit for 11 years, and I must say that I enjoyed it rather more this time so rating increased accordingly.
On 20th April 2022
- rating: 7
[User has posted 8086 recommendations about 8086 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tris C left this review about The Ship
Another pub dating from the late 18th century when it was the Ship in Distress, but rebuilt at the end of the 19th. A first in here, to a place which boasts a CAMRA inventory interior, being of Some Regional Importance. There’s much etched glass, some tinted and a fine bar with ornate cornice. Seating, high and low is traditional, with a boarded floor, some pale grey paint and Anaglypta ceiling. I think the place may have had something of a music reputation in the past. Certainly, there’s a huge selection of CDs behind the bar and a Who album was playing at a volume the band would appreciate, which though would have made conversation impossible; the bar staff were stomping around as if at a concert. Décor comprises some framed prints and the pub may be gay, judging by the rainbow flag behind the bar; the pub is certainly in Soho’s Gay Quarter.
Ales: most of the Fuller’s range, with Dark Star Pale and Hophead on at £5.20 a pint and on good form.
This is a decent pub, playing some good sounds and is worth a visit if in the area.
On 11th October 2021
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1982 recommendations about 1949 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
hondo . left this review about The Ship
Fuller's pub with engraved glass windows and an ornate bar gantry. 5 real ales served.
On 24th October 2016
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 2883 recommendations about 2820 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about The Ship
In many ways this historic Fullers house is a typical Soho boozer, as reflected by its single room, bare boarded interior with the servery running down one side. However, this place has retained a lot of original Victorian features missing from many of its peers, making it stand out from the crowd. It is the ornate glasswork that really captures your attention, including numerous windows, mirrored panels and a beautiful bar back with some wonderful etched glass panes depicting various plants and birds set into the dark wood frame, which is very ornate in itself and has a nice patterned frieze running along the top. The pub provides the usual straightforward seating options you'd expect in a place with limited floor space - chunky looking benches to the front, low stools in the narrow space opposite the bar (some in spaces separated by partitioning screens) and a mix of the two along with a button backed banquette to the rear. The pub has some smart looking light fittings, a sparsely filled set of bookshelves at the back of the room and lots of photos on the walls showing the building throughout the years. Music played throughout my stay at a volume that was still loud enough to allow conversation and I found the place had a good, friendly vibe.
Perhaps the only exception to this rule was the barman who seemed to be a pretty surly chap, although he did manage to serve me a very tasty pint of Fullers Oliver's Island, which was available alongside Fullers London Pride and ESB and Adnams Ghost Ship.
I can't say I had particularly high expectations for this place, but this ended up being a pretty successful visit. I found the beer to be in fine shape and the décor very pleasing on the eye. Soho may have a few pubs that can trump this place on either of these fronts, but it remains a solid option in an area where pubs can be very hit or miss.
On 2nd August 2015
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Danny O'Revey left this review about The Ship
Small Fullers pub that is nice & traditional, almost quirky, but needs a bit of TLC, the carpets are worn and the staff a little unhelpful. Lots of stools and round wood tables the beer is ok
On 15th June 2010
- rating: 4
[User has posted 1456 recommendations about 1434 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about The Ship
This is a Fuller's pub with the usual range of ales – no guests. The Pride was OK. There is a pretty interesting looking bar back, but don't know how old it is or whether it's an original feature.
Now a single bar pub, like almost all pubs these days. I remember when there was a small public bar at the front of the pub, where you could have a quiet drink during a Marquee pass-out while the main act and their entourage would be partying in the Saloon Bar. But some of the top names of the time would occasionally opt for the quiet drink in the public bar! Now it's a fairly ordinary pub – but that's good for this part of the world and OK for a pint if you happen to find yourself in Wardour St.
On 22nd September 2008
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve of N21 left this review about The Ship
The Ship is one of those that polarises opinion, you either like it a lot or not at all.
Smallish corner pub in the heart of Soho which has kept its traditional décor.
It’s not one to look at, the foods not up to much and its loud, sometimes very loud.
So why go here. If you want a decent pint, whilst listening to a very decent rock soundtrack, don’t mind being served by a mixed bag of assorted punks wearing black rock tee shirts and don’t mind a very mixed clientel, then The Ship of an evening will be up your street
For us last night, the Fullers was spot on, the music was loud and rocking and the atmosphere was lively.
For me , its in the like it a lot category.
On 9th January 2007
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2109 recommendations about 1991 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Roger Button left this review about The Ship
I recently revisited this place after an absence of several years. Until the mid 80's it was handy as a meeting place for the old Marquee Club that was situated a few doors down and along with the proximity of all the major film companies, you could always count on a bit of celebrity spotting. Today it still retains its classic rock angle and can best be described as a more civilised version of the Intrepid Fox further down the road where the music is more suited to extreme tastes in metal. At the Ship expect to hear the likes of Guns N Roses, Kinks and Black Sabbath from the well stocked CD collection behind the bar. One important rule - no dancing (there are signs up just in case you fancied a quick head-bang and the local council will jump on the pub like a ton of bricks if such deplorable behaviour is witnessed!). Instead, watch the sad old rockers of yesteryear (like me) tapping fingers on the bar whilst sampling the good range of Fullers beers like the good mature Real Ale tasters that we have all become (go on - admit it). The pub itself is 3 or 4 rooms knocked through and despite being a reasonable size, does not offer much in the way of seating. There are a few tables towards the rear but unless you are early enough to grab a stool at the bar or along the ledge running down the side of the pub, standing is the order of the day when busy. The carpet, windows and general décor are perhaps looking a bit tired but give the place a lived in, homely sort of feel with plenty of old pictures. If the walls could speak there would be a few good stories about this place (Keith Moon was apparently once a regular) and whilst those days have disappeared (like the Marquee) it is still worth a visit as it does offer something alternate to the so often bland, plastic, clubby bars that are springing up all with alarming frequency.
On 31st January 2006
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1239 recommendations about 1233 pubs]