Not already a member?
Join our community and
- Rate & review pubs
- Upload pictures
- Add events
JOIN for free NOW
Chat about:
Disappointment of the week with Mobyduck
on the Pub Forum
Detail Pages
The Crown Tavern, Clerkenwell, EC1
EC1
EC1R 0EG
Pub Type
Castle (Mitchells & Butlers)Reviews (Current Rating Average: 6½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Blackthorn _ left this review about The Crown Tavern
A traditional looking, street corner pub located in the peace and quiet of Clerkenwell Green but only a short stroll from Farringdon Station, it includes a number of picnic benches outside which was a popular spot on our recent Sunday afternoon visit.
Internally it’s largely all one open plan room, although with a smaller room off to the side. Décor wise it’s quite traditional with a dark polished wood floor, green paintwork and some partitions with etched glass inserts. A number of brewery mirrors were on the wall, as well as several old black and white pictures of ballet performers, and I assume these were related to the old music hall that shared the site at one time. The large glass windows let in plenty of light and these two include some decorative etching around the perimeter. The usual exposed filament light bulbs were in use, although at least they had made a bit more effort by encasing them in some unusual wooden lamp shades that looked a little like an old packing crate.
Beers on tap were Doom Bar, Timothy Taylor Landlord, Wainwright Golden and X-Panda IPA. The solitary cider meanwhile was a rather disappointing Aspall’s.
On 8th May 2019
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1947 recommendations about 1860 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tris C left this review about The Crown Tavern
Until the other night I hadn't been in here for about eight-and-a-half years; this place is heaving on a Friday evening with office workers pouring out onto Clerkenwell Green. Not so on a Sunday night when it's far less crowded.
It now though seems less trendy than before and more down to earth, furniture is eclectic and in most respects it's a fairly conventional sort of contemporary pub with a rear room that can be reserved. My pint of Timothy Taylor's Landlord was very decent. I'd come again, not least because virtually every other pub is closed on a Sunday, and many are even closed on a Saturday. The outdoor area is a big draw especially on summer nights.
On 27th November 2017
- rating: 5
[User has posted 1983 recommendations about 1949 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Malden man left this review about Crown Tavern
A pleasant corner pub with a boarded L-shaped main room with a corner bar, there is also a smaller side room which has lots of stuff in frames of interest. There is a nice bar back and corner gantry with a feature clock. There are a few etched glass screens, fairly regular seating as well as a drinking shelf. There is also seating al fresco on Clerkenwell Green. Small vases of flowers on the tables are a softening touch while a few games on a side piece of furniture suggest that punters settle in for a period rather than grab one and go.
Five handpumps, Landlord, Doom Bar but also Portabello Bronze Star (£4.45) about par for the area. One reversed (an Inveramond brew) with the other not clipped.
Upstairs are The Apollo Rooms, noted elsewhere as being function rooms however I'm sure I spotted a sign offering accommodation. Quite a nice spot with a decent if a bit expensive pint.
On 14th July 2016
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1707 recommendations about 1681 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Danny O'Revey left this review about Crown Tavern
Rather trendy almost cosmopolitan food & drink house with the comfort of a large tabled pavement on Clerkenwell Green. Just far enough away from crowds to feel relaxed. Inside has big sofas and a back area.
5 beers of ok quality, its an all round good effort, just needs more staff.
On 2nd July 2015
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1456 recommendations about 1434 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve of N21 left this review about The Crown Tavern
The Crown Tavern is a decent corner pub, well situated on the corner of Clerkenwell Green, although ‘Clerkenwell Concrete’ is nowadays more appropriate, as it’s been a long time since there was anything green in this square.
I tend to utilise the Crown Tavern during sunny summer lunchtimes, when you can utilise the metal tables on the ‘green’ outside and it’s a very pleasant spot. But popped in the other cold December evening to catch a pint.
Both the internal spaces were very busy with the early evening, after work crowd and first time to utilise the lounge, which was once used as a concert hall and retains some of the original features.
I utilise this place because it normally has a decent beer selection and something different from the usual London offerings and although, two of the five pumps were not operational, along with the usual suspects of London Pride and Sambrooks Wandel was Blackout Porter from the Compton brewery.
Never eaten here, but for a place for a decent pint, it again was true to form.
On 19th December 2011
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2110 recommendations about 1992 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The Crown Tavern
A recent re-visit found four ales (Brains Young Rev, GK Saracens IPA, TT Landlord and Pride) with one pump unused. At £3.50 my Young Rev wasn't in great shape and the foreign barmaid was pretty clueless, even by London standards - not knowing what was where and eventually serving my ale in a Carling glass. I did note that Sierra Nevada and Leffe were available in addition to the usual fizz.
I still really like the ambience of the place and I hope this visit was a one-off but I feel compelled to bust the score down a notch.
February 2009
Gave this place a go based on a personal recommendation and was pretty pleased with it from a drinkers point of view. There were a couple of quite interesting ales on offer, along with an impressive selection of overseas and continental beers. My ale (Gunpowder Mild - one which I hadn't tried before) was in excellent condition. The pub interior is quite airy and spacious, with a relaxed atmosphere on my Friday evening visit. It was busy though, I ended up with a small section of shelf to myself but never mind, it was a Friday after all. The pub looks appealing from the outside, set as it is on Clerkenwell Green. The large plate glass windows at the pub's front allow in a huge amount of light and allow the varnished wood floor not to overly dominate. Most of the action takes place in the front bar area, with a small continuation strip down the left hand side. As I usually stick to scoffing Subways when I'm out and about on pub crawls, I can't pass comment on the standard of the food. Will make a point of returning in the near future. Score - 8
On 8th August 2011
- rating: 7
[User has posted 5072 recommendations about 5055 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Crown Tavern
A fine corner pub, partially refurbished, but still retaining a good deal of character in its mixture of traditional fittings and modern furniture. The large windows also give the place quite an airy feel despite the mostly dark decor. Not a huge amount of seating around the horseshoe-shaped bar, so at least half of the customers were outside on the (paved) part of the 'green'. There is also the 'Apollo Concert Room' upstairs (that I didn't explore, but which may well offer further seating). Five handpumps offering a well-chosen selction of rarer beers such as the excellent Triple fff Moondance (£3.35).
On 6th November 2010
- rating: 7
[User has posted 8086 recommendations about 8086 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about The Crown Tavern
They had several ales on – Canterbury Jack; Timothy Taylor Landlord; London Pride; and Bateman’s Thirsty Work (£3.30 a pint), with Wyre Piddle Summer Splash “settling”. There were daily printed menus rolled up and stuck in glasses on the tables, including such staples as steak & ale pie, chips and mushy peas (£8.75) and sausage and mash (£7.50).
This pub has been thoroughly modernised with its original Victorian glass long gone, but a good effort has been made to make it look attractive. It’s bare-boarded as you would expect, with plenty of sofas, a few tall tables and stools, but also with a fair number of normal tables and chairs. The front room, on the corner, is very light having high windows on two sides. This leads, through an archway, to another room that, according to the glass in the door to the street, was once the saloon bar. This room in turn leads to another room at the back that was being used by diners when I was in there – presumably because it was more comfortable to eat from the normal tables and chairs with which this room is furnished. There is some interesting decor in the “saloon” bar – a large and impressive Bass brewery mirror, and an old advert for the pub, and its activities, on one of the corners. It seems that in an upstairs room here in Victorian times they held concerts and dances.
This pub is a bit too modernised for my taste, but nonetheless I found it a decent enough place to stop off for a pint. Undoubtedly some of the previous inhabitants of Clerkenwell, notably one Vladimir Lenin, would have found it a bit too bourgeois. But the pint of Thirsty Work that I had was rather nice, and I wouldn’t be averse to popping in for another pint some time.
On 26th August 2010
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Chris 87 left this review about The Crown Tavern
Retreated to here after a disappointing experience at the Fox & Anchor. The place was busy with a pre-wedding gathering at the Church around the corner, but it was still easy enough to get served and procure a well-kept pint of Chiswick (incidentally, the beer choice was not amazing here; Landlord, London Pride and an unavailable guest ale my only options). I found this a very pleasant boozer to sit down and have a drink in. Piped music was unobtrusive, and you get the sense this pub has managed to upgrade itself over the years to reflect its trendy location without compromising its appeal and atmosphere. My favourite pub I've so far encountered in the area.
On 21st March 2010
- rating: 8
[User has posted 179 recommendations about 179 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
train man left this review about Crown Tavern
In the spirit of fair assessment I looked in again when I was back in the area and two of the four pumps were in action; both the Timothy Taylors and the Adnams were in good condition. Wasn't eating but the food served to a nearby table looked good in both quality and portion. Huge windows provide a light, airy feel in the afternoon.
30 November 2006
Went in yesterday lunchtime. Four handpumps, no beer. What's the point?
On 12th December 2006
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 412 recommendations about 411 pubs]