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Detail Pages
Captain Kidd, Wapping, E1
E1
E1W 2NE
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 5½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve C left this review about Captain Kidd
The cobbled entrance of the Captain Kidd leads to the front door straight ahead and lines of riverside picnic tables to the left. By the entrance are some armchairs and to the right are steps down to the toilets and a staircase up to the Gallows restaurant, not visited. The flagstone floor runs throughout and to the left is raised seating on floorboards. Here there is also a snug and access to the aforementioned picnic tables. At the rear is open plan seating and along the rear wall is some raised seating, the table to the left is in a bay that overhangs the Thames. This is a Sam Smiths pub, so there was no music meaning that the river could be heard lapping against the side of the pub. The fixtures and fittings are all dark wood, as is the U-shaped bar counter on the right wall. This décor and overcast skies outside made the pub feel very gloomy. The usual SS keg was available, as was Old Brewery Bitter from one of the two hand pumps. Food is available, the burgers are priced at £14 and unlike many SS pubs this one takes card payments. The American barman was a bit miserable, but there were only two other customers during my midweek afternoon visit so he must have been bored senseless. This place is worth a look, but now I’ve been I probably won’t return.
On 18th March 2023
- rating: 6
[User has posted 5249 recommendations about 5217 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Moby Duck left this review about Captain Kidd
It looks like I visited a week before Blackthorn and his description is more than adequate, on my visit the OBB was off, not that I often drink that anyway, I went for my usual in Sams pubs , Extra Stout. The pub is ok for what it is and the interior looks good, not somewhere I'd linger too long though.
On 12th June 2022
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1872 recommendations about 1845 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Blackthorn _ left this review about Captain Kidd
This doesn’t look particularly inviting from the outside, looking something like an old shop unit with the windows boarded over, but take the trouble to venture in and you’ll be pleasantly surprised. As soon as you get through the entranceway you find yourself in an attractive, open courtyard with a galleried old building to the left and a solid brick one to the right, both adorned with colourful hanging baskets.
Internally it’s quite spacious, and although all one open plan room in something of a sideways U shape, it still manages to have a couple of distinct areas. It was a warehouse in a former life and that is still quite evident from the bare joists of the floor above and the large and very old looking chunky supporting pillars. Old flagstones covered the floor and the walls were a mixture of exposed brickwork and wooden boards that had been affixed as cladding. The windows and courtyard offered good views down the river to Canary Wharf whilst strings of fairly lights provided a cosy ambience. Seating was mostly tables and chairs, but also a scattering of padded bar stools, Chesterfield arm chairs and old church pews as well. All in all, I quite liked it in here, and whilst it may not have the same history and character of some of it’s nearby competitors, they have nonetheless done a good job of the conversion.
Unfortunately this is a Sam Smith’s pub, so as usual the real ales were limited to their own Old Brewery Bitter. Likewise the cider was their own which is barely palatable, so I reluctantly settled for a half. The barman seemed quite clueless and clearly struggled with the concept of an orange juice & lemonade, asking if I wanted it in separate glasses. When he did eventually manage to rustle it up, that, and the half of cider, cost me a quite ridiculous £8.65.
On 27th May 2022
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1948 recommendations about 1861 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Ian Mapp left this review about Captain Kidd
Surprisingly, I have never been here before - despite being in the grapes and prospect of whitby many times.
A Sam Smith - but dont let that put you off. They actually had beer, which hasnt been the case for London Pubs for some time.
Incredible patio area out the rear - with amazing views. Traditional, open plan with wooden slatted partitions in inside.
If it wasnt for the beer choice, you wouldnt know which chain you were in.
On 19th January 2022
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1338 recommendations about 1324 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about Captain Kidd
Seemed a bit lighter, brighter and re-arranged on my latest visit, but maybe that’s just down to it being daytime rather than night. Cask OBB still available. I had another crack at the India Pale, a drink I had once when it first came out which I didn’t like – discovered that I still don’t! It’s a decent Sam’s. 6.5
February 2012
A Sam Smiths pub that doesn’t look like much from the outside, but enter through the doorway and you encounter an impressive courtyard (with plenty of flora and fauna hanging down) which leads to the bar proper. Converted from a warehouse, the interior is fairly large with a rustic feel; undressed brick and wooden framing, beams and pillars, with one or two other nods to its previous history before it was converted to a pubs 30-odd years back. Backing onto the Thames, there are the inevitable seats by the window which overlook the river and a Thames side drinking area which has views up to Canary Wharf. There’s also an upstairs dining room. Drinks-wise, it’s the usual Sam Smiths stuff with OBB available here so things must have moved on since the 2010 review below. I ate here and the food was no-frills microwaved stuff but at least it wasn’t priced otherwise. There’s some Captain Kidd history laid out on information boards. Worth taking in for the riverside view but then so are a number of other pubs round this way. Rated 6
On 18th December 2019
- rating: 6
[User has posted 5089 recommendations about 5072 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about Captain Kidd
A warehouse that has been converted into a pub by Sam Smiths,but like so much of their estate in London it has been furnished in a rather dull traditional style with little of interest.There is a large bar to the right,some tables by windows with views over the Thames and then a courtyard running up to the riverside.However the view is limited by a trip boat mooring wharf and the River Police HQ.
The more attractive area is the first floor restaurant,which also has a serving bar,and pub grub style food menu but not overly expensive.
Only one handpump offering Old Brewery Bitter (in better condition than many of their tied estate) and the usual SS keg options.Compared with the Prospect of Whitby ,this pub pales into insignificance and I can see no good reason to return.
On 25th March 2019
- rating: 5
[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 Captain Kidd
Not quite the traditional riverside pub that it first appears since it was converted from a warehouse a few decades ago. The interior features what looks like a rather unsympathetic rustic refurbishment, but this was presumably the original fit-out. Split-level bar, with some seats offering a river view. Dining rooms upstairs (not visited). Terrace overlooking the Thames to one side. As a Sam Smith's house, it is just OBB of course from the two handpumps.
On 10th September 2016
- rating: 6
[User has posted 8117 recommendations about 8117 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tris C left this review about Captain Kidd
Dating from 1989, this is a modern Sam Smith's conversion that attracts a mixed crowd. Ably described below, with all the fake beams, bare brick and flagstone floor.
Old Brewery on cask for once and better than my pint of Fuller's London Pride at The Town of Ramsgate up the road.
A bit fake Olde Worlde for me and the dog roaming around didn't appeal. I can't see myself returning given The Town of Ramsgate up the road.
On 26th February 2016
- rating: 3
[User has posted 1985 recommendations about 1951 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve of N21 left this review about Captain Kidd
When approaching from the road along Wapping High Street you could be forgiven for thinking this is another old historic riverside inn dating back many years like the Town of Ramsgate further up the High road. But the modern clean interior you walk into is due to this being a new build pub from the 80’s (that’s 1980’s not 1680’s) when Sam Smiths converted an old riverside warehouse.
It’s a massive internal space on two levels (restaurant upstairs) and although Sam Smiths have done their best to give it a bit of character, largely utilising the original grey stone floors, pale brickwork and soft timbers, it is still largely false and formulaic. But its USP is its location, which affords excellent views of the river from all rooms and the splendid outside riverside terrace.
The drinks choice is poor as it is restricted to whatever the Sam Smiths stable thrust upon us, but at least the Old Brewery Bitter is now available on hand pump from two pumps on the bar amongst all the rest of the keg taps and still reasonable for a Thames side location at just under £3 a pint. A note of caution in that there is usually drinks menus with prices on each table and its worth looking at this before deciding to try one of the bottled SS brews as some of these are well the wrong side of £3.
It’s a bit of a tourist trap but I still pop in when walking this part of the Thames.
On 19th April 2015
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2110 recommendations about 1992 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Malden man left this review about The Captain Kidd
One main space, with a couple of side rooms. There is a restaurant upstairs. Great river views, either from the terrace or the seats next to the windows. Stone flagged floor, some exposed brickwork and exposed joists and beams. Seating is a mix of settles, benches and stools. A bit of local history displayed in information boards particularly relating to Captain Kidd's fate. Worth a stop for the views but sadly only keg Sam Smith's.
On 14th March 2010
- rating: 5
[User has posted 1708 recommendations about 1681 pubs]