Not already a member?
Join our community and
- Rate & review pubs
- Upload pictures
- Add events
JOIN for free NOW
Chat about:
Poll for date of Halifax crawl. with ROBCamra
on the Pub Forum
Detail Pages
Anglesea Arms, South Kensington, SW7
SW7
SW7 3QG
Pub Type
Metropolitan Pub Co (Greene King)Reviews (Current Rating Average: 7½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Ian Mapp left this review about Anglesea Arms
Another Good Beer Guide Tick - described well enough below by Tris.
Surprisingly, just the one cask on - but it was a well kept TT Landlord, so I was more than happy.
Until I got the on line banking notification following a swipe.
This and a cheese toastie - £18.
To be expected in this neck of the woods I suppose.
Oddly, a day time bouncer at the door. Probably to stop people running away after being presented with the bill :-)
On 21st February 2022
- rating: 5
[User has posted 1338 recommendations about 1324 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tris C left this review about Anglesea Arms
This was for a long time a Meux’s house, built in 1827 and grade II-listed.
A return to what was a regular haunt of mine in the late '80s, so I can’t really remember it that well, other than that it was quite traditional and mercifully, it still is; an absolute rarity in this neck of the woods. The interior has a boarded floor, with a nook down a couple of steps to the rear, featuring a lovely marble fireplace, sadly unused. There’s some remaining etched glass and near full height dark wood panelling. Otherwise, there’s floral wallpaper and a burgundy Anaglypta ceiling, with décor in the form of framed paintings with brass picture lights, further lighting coming from Victorian-style fixtures. Furniture is traditional, with a couple of tall chairs to the centre, then either pews or an avocado green upholstered banquette. Also on display, is a clock from Rotherhithe's former Prince of Orange, which closed in 2001. Unusually for a pub, there were no TVs and not even piped music; CAMRA describes the place as a ‘quiet pub’; all fine by me. Customers were of mixed age and seemed normal, a far cry from some of the awful poseurs seen in nearby Chelsea pubs.
This is a Metropolitan Pub Co joint, so beers are from Greene King, but with three unused pumps, then just GK IPA or Landlord and something sinisterly anonymous called ‘Charlie’s Choice’ bitter. I threw caution to the wind and ordered a half at £2.60 and it was very nice, no hint of Greene Kingery at all.
This is a decent solid pub, along with the Queen’s Arms, the joint best in SW7. A better choice of ales would get the score up at least a point.
On 6th December 2021
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1985 recommendations about 1951 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Blackthorn _ left this review about Anglesea Arms
A traditional looking pub located down a side street but just off of the Fulham Road, it has an attractive appearance with lots of hanging baskets and was very busy on our Saturday afternoon visit with far more punters on the terrace outside and even spilling out on to the pavement than there were inside.
It’s quite traditional in terms of décor with dark wooden boards on the floor, dark wood panelling on the wall to the left and some yellow patterned wallpaper to the right. A small tiled fireplace was off to one side although it looked as though this was probably no longer used, and above this was an oil painting of a reclining nude. Elsewhere was a large Burton Ales mirror as well as some old black and white photographs and a couple of TV screens, although fortunately these were not in use on our visit. The room was broken up a little with some wood and glass partitioning, and some of the glass was attractively etched. Green padded bench seating was around much of the perimeter. A further room down a few steps to the left had a “Please waited to be seated” lectern at the entrance, so was presumably intended for dining.
Beers on tap were Moncada Notting Hill APA, Abbott Ale, Timothy Taylor Landlord, Sambrook’s Wandle, St Austell Tribute and Greene King IPA. Prices seemed expensive with a couple of pints coming in at a hefty £12.
On 17th September 2019
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1948 recommendations about 1861 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about Anglesea Arms
After a sweaty afternoon pottering around the Natural History and V&A museums, I decided it was time for a pint or two and the reviews made me pick this one to start. This is a compact street corner pub in a quiet area and has a bit of backstory as a ‘CAMRA pub’ back in the 70’s when such outlets were few and far between. These days it is owned by Greene King! A few steps up to the outside patio and enter to a fairly traditional interior with light varnished wood, old oil paintings, some glass portioning panels and a generally respectable air, though the bunch of squawking middle aged females who thought they had some sort of god-given right to take up as much space by the bar as possible were a pain. Half a dozen pumps; 2x GK, London Pride, St Austell Tribute, Bedlam (went off) and Vale Brill (not so brill in the drinking, NBSS 2). Not too expensive for the location, at least. The beer let down what otherwise would have been a decent visit. I’d be prepared to give it another go though. 6.5
On 10th August 2019
- rating: 7
[User has posted 5081 recommendations about 5064 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about Anglesea Arms
The last time I was in here was a fateful day in April 1976 when my beloved Crystal Palace ,then in the Third Division,lost a FA Cup Semi Final to a brutally physical Southampton side at nearby Stamford Bridge.The trauma of the result has coloured my view of that day including the prematch drinks in here,several pints of Theakston's Old Peculier.The Anglesea was a rare free house in those days and featured in the 1976 GBG,and it is also in the 2018 GBG,although these days under the ownership of Greene King.
The old two bar layout is gone but many fine original features remain,with lots of wood panelling,a decent barback with an old clock above.There is an open plan feel to the tap room,but half high dividers create some discreet areas to sit,while the furniture is pleasingly traditional and wooden,with prints and paintings on the walls and a large Salt & Co.brewery mirror.At the rear there is a charming restaurant at a lower level,and the menu looks like a proper chef is at work ,with mains starting at £13 but quickly veering towards £20.No sign of any corporate GK menus,thankfully.
There are 6 handpumps ,with GK IPA and another reversed which I suspect would have been another dull GK brew ,leaving guests on my visit of Signature Brew Extra Pale Ale,Vale Brill,Hop Stuff Fusilier,and a very well kept Bedlam Smash ,£4.45.Not the most exciting of line ups,but I was impressed by the quality.
The fireplace was not working,and on a cold day nor was the central heating.The barman was brusque not only to me but most customers , maybe that's his personal style.As a result,despite no muzak,gaming machines or other modern intrusions there wasn't a homely atmosphere.No children here ,it's over 21's only.
The surrounding area has gone massively upmarket since my last visit,and I would certainly pop in again if in the area having exorcised the ghosts of the past.
On 9th November 2017
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2727 recommendations about 2727 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
hondo . left this review about Anglesea Arms
Tucked away on a side street the interior is still pretty much as described below. 6 real ales and food served.
On 30th April 2015
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 2883 recommendations about 2820 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about Anglesea Arms
Despite being in a distinctly upmarket area, this pub thankfully retains a traditional and relatively unpretentious feel. The layout has presumably been opened out at some stage, but the mix of furniture and array of decoration seems to work quite well. Rear dining room. Large front patio. Six beers on handpump: Wandle, Adnams Southwold and Broadside, Cornish Coaster, Old Speckled Hen and a rare London outing for Greene King XX Mild (£3.60). Overall, justifiably busy and well worth seeking out. (NB - Review dates from April 2012.)
On 24th June 2012
- rating: 8
[User has posted 8117 recommendations about 8117 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about Anglesea Arms
This is a nice compact traditional pub located in a fancy residential area between the Old Brompton and Fulham roads, just 5-10 minutes walking distance from South Kensington tube station. There is a two room layout, with the bar at the front and a restaurant down some stairs to the rear. The rooms have dark wooden floors and wall panelling and are decorated with lots of old oil paintings, including a large reclining nude to the right of the bar. The front room boasts some nice glass partitioning panels which break up the space effectively to create separate seating areas filled with padded benches and standard chairs. The restaurant area is very smart, with similar decor to the bar and on our visit the fireplace on the back wall had been lit. A daily menu offers around six starters, mains and desserts, but the food is pricey, with not many mains under £15. I tried a trout dish, which was very good although I'm not convinced it merited such a high price. The waiter who served our table was very friendly and helpful and dealt with a busy room pretty much on his own.
There were six beers to choose from at the bar; Greene King IPA, Adnams Southwold Bitter and Broadside, Sambrooks Wandle, Skinner's Betty Stogs and Sharp's Doom Bar. My pint of Betty Stogs was a bit tired, but still drinkable. Although not the most adventurous selection of ales, I was pleasantly surprised to find so many hand pumps in action and would suggest that this is as good as it gets in terms of ale choice in this part of town.
We visited this pub mainly for the food which we had heard good things about, but I was pleased to find that this wasn't a bland gastropub, but rather a characterful pub with much to recommend.
On 4th February 2012
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Nick Davies left this review about Anglesea Arms
Like John B I remember the Anglesea from its glory days in the seventies, indeed I was fortunate enough to live round the corner for a period. It was said at the time to be owned privately by Maxwell Joseph of Grand Metropolitan and thus Watney's brewery. Watney's were by then a pariah as their red revolution rebounded on them as the real ale movement took off, and so it always got a laugh to say you were drinking these then obcsure beers in a Watney's pub.
Times have changed and of course it isn't the destination pub it was, but is isn't at all bad and John describes it well. Currently Sambrooks Wandle and Dark Star Hophead alongside Doombar and Adnams, and it makes a far better choice than the plethora of Taylor Walker outlets locally.
On 24th August 2011
- rating: 8
[User has posted 567 recommendations about 559 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Danny O'Revey left this review about Anglesea Arms
Quite small street pub in posh London, tastefully decorated in a classical style, floral wallpaper and fine art on the walls, with a central bar.
Traditional and welcoming with 4 real ales that are locally sourced and away from the more traditional bigger brewers. I has the Sambrooks Wandle.
Nice terrace to the road, its a very pleasant pub
On 23rd August 2011
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1456 recommendations about 1434 pubs]