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Detail Pages
The Shakespeare, SW1
SW1
SW1W 0RP
Pub Type
Taylor Walker (Spirit Pubs)Reviews (Current Rating Average: 4½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Roger Button left this review about The Shakespeare
Much has been said about the Shakespear on various review sites, much of it negative, some of it justified and some maybe a little overreactive.
Firstly, it is a Taylor Walker branded Punch tavern which are normally bywords for average at best and with half a dozen Taylor Walker pubs within a few hundred yards, it suffers from having no specific identity to single it out from its neighbours
The interior is quite large and split into 5 sections, all much of a muchness in way of décor and furnishings with little that stands out of being of interest aside from a few old pictures of the area. One section is reserved for diners although it was deserted on my visit despite the pub being quite full. There was a sign for a lounge bar downstairs called Sapphires but the door was locked when I went to investigate although I believe there is a separate entrance located elsewhere. There were a couple of flat screen and music that was little more than a thumpy background against a cacophony of raised voices and would probably give me a headache if I was subjected to it for any length of time.
The service wasn’t exactly prompt but was friendly enough when it came. The 4 ales available were fairly predictable to anyone familiar with Taylor Walker pubs, the choices being Old Golden Hen, London Gold, Doom Bar and Theakstons Old Peculiar. The Old Peculiar was decent enough quality wise but at £3.75 a bit pricey although to be fair it is a premium strength beer. A full pint might have made the cost a little more tolerable. Food is the usual PubCo choices with main courses around £8-£15.
Due to its location right outside Victoria train and bus stations, it attracts a transient customer base largely made up of tourists arriving at the station or commuters gagging for a quick pint before going home. It is also a haven for bag snatchers and given the amount of warning signs (including the drip mats on the bar) I would expect that thefts are a regular occurence.
Despite its numerous detractors it is always healthily populated and whilst it certainly wouldn’t be my pub of choice it does cater for the unadventurous and could probably be a lot worse.
On 7th November 2011
- rating: 3
[User has posted 1239 recommendations about 1233 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Nick Davies left this review about The Shakespeare Tavern
Has now acquired Taylor Walker branding, though this has had minimal influence over the ambience and quality of service. The reviews below stand. The website says they "assure you of friendly service in a relaxing British pub with a welcoming atmosphere" which is over-egging it just a bit. Remarkably you get tour guides bringing groups in here for the authentic olde English pub lunch experience, complete with £9.99 Big Ben Burger. I suspect their poor punters never dare set foot in an English pub again.
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Review Sept 2010:
It seems to have fallen off Punch Tavern's website now, whether that means they've given up on it or not I don't know. Heaven help whoever takes it on, it'll need about five years hard work and much investment to clean both it and its reputation up. I haven't the slightest idea why so many people go in here, the station bars are far pleasanter, and that's saying something.
On 23rd October 2011
- rating: 2
[User has posted 582 recommendations about 574 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Strongers . left this review about The Shakespeare Tavern
This place is open from 10am until 12am everyday and serves food from 10am until 10pm, not that you would catch me eating in here. I arrived early Sunday evening and I had to wait a while at the bar even though there was no queue, but I was served a decent pint of Guinness. Also available were Pride and Ordinary alongside a selection of standard and premium lagers.
There is a plasma screen, but no sport is advertised, and the music was very loud which I couldn't understand until I saw the state of the toilets and realised that it must be to drown out the screams of unsuspecting tourists who think that they have just booked a holiday in the hole of Europe.
If this pub was located anywhere else it would have closed down years ago like many other inferior pubs have done.
This is not the worst pub I have been in, but I do find it embarrassing that tourists think that we find establishments like this acceptable, even though they are the ones keeping it open.
On 15th July 2009
- rating: 3
[User has posted 6829 recommendations about 6790 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Philip Carter left this review about The Shakespeare Tavern
Big pub right by the Victoria bus terminus and railway station. Sells food all day and has real ale. Paint work has changed, it's now red.
On 9th January 2007
- rating: 6
[User has posted 760 recommendations about 721 pubs]