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Nellie Dean of Soho, Soho, W1
W1
W1D 3SU
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 6½ of 10) see review guidelines
Steve of N21 left this review about Nellie Dean of Soho
I am genuinely shocked that I have never reviewed The Nellie Dean on PuG considering how many times I utilise it in a calendar year.
There’s been a pub on the site since the early 1700’s and this current building dates from 1900 and took its current name in 1967. Over two levels as described below it used to be quite a rough and ready boozer with a wooden floor downstairs bar with five ale hand pumps and a second upstairs bar dominated by a pool table and a small bar at the back with just fizz taps. But then a few years ago it was taken over by the Pieminister chain who converted the upstairs bar into a bare bricked walled restaurant section laid to tables and chairs round the two long sides and bigger bench seating in the middle. The main street level bar was given a bit of a make over, but fortunately not enough to lose that traditional Soho pub feel and in the process the number of hand pumps were reduced from five to three. Post covid these have regularly dispensed Twickenham Bare Naked Ladies, Sharps Doombar and TT Landlord with Purity UBU occasionally replacing the Landlord or Twickenham brew. I’ve never troubled the middle pump with the round blue clip but the Bare Naked Ladies and Landlord have always been good for my visits. There is a smallish flat screen at one end but this invariably only shows sport and usually muted.
Its small and more often than not rammed of an evening with alfresco drinking on the pavement being the order of the day on fine evenings. One key advantage of this one is its proximity to the Pizza Express Jazz club. Basically, it is dead opposite and you can see the entrance to the subterranean Jazz Club from the pub windows, and therefore a great spot for a pre gig pint of ale whilst you wait for the club to open, which is something you might want to do when faced with the prospect of being on Fullers Honeydew Organic ale from bottles for the rest of your evening.
Another advantage is that with the opening of the Elizabeth line, the new Tottenham Court Road Elizabeth line exit spits you out onto Dean Street with the pub literally yards away and your gateway into Soho if you come using this route.
On 6th August 2023
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2110 recommendations about 1992 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about Nellie Dean of Soho
A small street corner pub,open plan inside with exposed brick around the barback.There is artwork around the walls,some modern flex hanging lights and bar stools for blockers.The furniture is mainly bench seating with some low level stools and the muzak was well chosen and not too loud.
There is a first floor function room,while tables on the ground floor can be booked,but with times advertised at the table in question.Food is from a selection of pies.
Three handpumps dispensing Doom Bar,TT Landlord and Twickenham Naked Ladies (NBSS 3,£5.10).A decent enough stop if crawling around Soho.Notices inside describe local authority restrictions on drinking outside.
On 7th August 2022
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2727 recommendations about 2727 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Moby Duck left this review about Nellie Dean of Soho
A basic but decent pub and I found the beer range to be a little less exciting than I was expecting maybe due to being visited during the Christmas break and festive offerings taking the place of more interesting guest beers.My Timothy Taylor's Landlord was in good condition albeit a little ordinary tasting. Worth a look if passing by though.
On 30th December 2014
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1872 recommendations about 1845 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about Nellie Dean of Soho
Attractive Soho corner pub, but will a distinctly cramped interior so probably best tried at a quieter time of day otherwise you may find a hundred people standing out in the road (and not just the pavement) outside. There is also an upstairs bar (with no real ale), but this is largely taken up by a pool table. Young crowd. Five handpumps, with the regular Doom Bar, Pride and TT Landlord supplemented by Redemption Trinity and Cronx Kotchin (£3.60) on my last visit.
On 19th January 2013
- rating: 6
[User has posted 8117 recommendations about 8117 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about Nellie Dean of Soho
There were five ales on in here – Timothy Taylor Haversake Ale, Cottage Brewery Carnival Ale, Adnam’s Ghost Ship and our old chums Doom Bar and London Pride. Food menus are on rolled up sheets stuck in a glass on the tables – and the prices are jolly reasonable for the area. Sarnies are £2.90 a throw, with main meals between £5.50 and £7. The pub standard of sausages and mash is £5.50.
The pub looks good from the outside with masses of foliage flowing from the hanging baskets. There are more plants inside on the shelf under the windows. Inside it’s a tiny one-room affair downstairs, and although I saw a sign pointing to further seating upstairs I didn’t venture up there. The toilets are downstairs, down a narrow and dangerous flight of stairs which would give those in the Nell Gwynne a run for their money. Furnishings in the main bar are grubby looking banquattes and small stools, combined with round metal framed tables. There was a mix of punters in on Wednesday afternoon – two or three regulars at the bar, and some tourists that had advisedly, and probably only temporarily, escaped the hell of Oxford St.
I liked this pub a lot. It seemed a small oasis among the many bogstandard pubs that this area has. A couple of Victorian cast iron pillars and a Lincrusta style ceiling added to the attraction for me. With five ales on, including a couple that I had not seen before, this pub is definitely worth a visit.
On 20th October 2012
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Danny O'Revey left this review about Nellie Dean of Soho
September 2012 - seems to be an improvement here & happy to m,ark up to a 7
Small Soho boozer, slightly subdued lighting and tee lights on the tables.
Bar along far wall, benches on the opposite with round tables and stools opposite and a pool room upstairs.
Its ok, but I think there are better examples of small pubs in this area. The beer was good though, 4 real ales, and therefore a place to probably include on a beer crawl. With the beer, probably a 6 1/2.
On 26th September 2012
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1456 recommendations about 1434 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about Nellie Dean of Soho
This is a small and, in many ways, typical Soho back street boozer. The simple rectangular room has wooden flooring, red and cream walls and pew and low stool seating arranged around its perimeter. A long row of bar stools along the bar counter were fully occupied, making it very difficult to get served. The room is brightened up somewhat by the large number of potted plants that stand on the window sills and these are complimented by a nice floral display in the hanging baskets outside. Music played quietly throughout my stay whilst TV screens were showing muted Super Bikes coverage. A sign pointed to an upstairs seating area which also has a pool table, although I didn’t get to explore the room myself. Menus on the tables list some simple pub grub at sensible prices, although I didn’t notice anyone eating, despite my lunchtime visit.
The beer choice was Wells Eagle IPA, Sambrooks Wandle (£3.60), Taylor Landlord, Sharp’s Doom Bar and Fuller’s London Pride. I gave the Wandle a try and was pleased to find that it was in good condition and it slipped down very easily. The staff were very friendly and dealt with the problem of lots of people blocking the bar very well.
This is a nice enough place to stop off for a quick pint, although I’m not sure that there was enough of interest here to make me want to stay for a session. The place has a good deal of character and should be included on any crawl of Soho.
On 7th August 2012
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Malden man left this review about Nellie Dean of Soho
This is a street corner pub, just off Soho Square at the Oxford St end of the district. The main bar on the ground floor is a small affair, basically furnished with the bar on the back wall and leather covered banquettes around the two external walls, plus stools at round Britannia type tables. There are pot plants on the window cills and small bottles containing a few daffodils on each table. the textured patterned ceiling may be original, certainly it has some vintage, but there isn't much else of note. Two TVs were showing live Premier League football on Saturday afternoon, courtesy of some Greek channel, to a vaguely interested group of punters. Upstairs is another bar with a pool table taking centre stage; there is a big screen up here but this was muted with the juke box playing.
Five handpumps, not a bad range, Pride, Sambrooks Wandle, Timothy Taylor Landlord, Redemption Pale Ale and Meantime London Pale Ale (£3.60...not bad for this area). Tasting notes on the pump clips. Food served, a group of lads were enjoying hearty looking plates of sausage and mash. It didn't look much from the outside, and it is a basic sort of pub, but I thought this place was alright.
On 22nd April 2012
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1708 recommendations about 1681 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
E TA left this review about Nellie Dean of Soho
A two storey pub on a corner in the back streets of Soho, Nellie Dean's is a basic, bare-boarded pub with tv, gaming machines and basic pub grub. It folows the local pattern of having a bar dowstairs and restaurant (well, the room where the food is served) upstairs. It's a bit shabby, but the greeting is friendly and the food is a fair price. There were 4 ales on - I had Harvey's Sussex which was in decent condition. Worth dropping in for a pint or a snack, or including in a crawl.
On 29th March 2011
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3283 recommendations about 3248 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tris C left this review about Nellie Dean of Soho
From 1988 to 1991 this was our office local and we'd go here virtually every night. The barmen were Irish and the Guinness was excellent. There was also this ghastly resident terrier which would attack all and sundry - it would venture out into the street and all would pray that it'd get hit by a car. We'd get plates of complimentary Cheddar cheese and order a Cornish pasty before playing pool upstairs.
Ian Hislop was a regular pre-HIGNFY, and I once sat next to Peter Cook at the bar who seemed a bit Brahms. That said, this pub was a bit downmarket; I visited it many years later and little had changed minus the awful hound. I doubt I'll go again as there are far better pubs in the area.
On 27th March 2011
- rating: 4
[User has posted 1985 recommendations about 1951 pubs]