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Disappointment of the week with Tris39
on the Pub Forum
Detail Pages
The White Horse, Soho, W1
W1
W1F 7RY
Pub Type
Nicholsons (Mitchells & Butlers)Reviews (Current Rating Average: 5 of 10) see review guidelines
Moby Duck left this review about The White Horse
A very busy but also very average Nicholsons pub, basically divided into three areas, a room either side of the central bar plus a lower level area at the rear. A pretty standard ale range which seems to be the norm for the chain nowadays, I tried the most interesting option in Dark Star Skylab, not in the best shape but still priced at £6.50, didn't enjoy it here to much and unlikely to be back.
On 30th August 2023
- rating: 4
[User has posted 1871 recommendations about 1844 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about The White Horse
Nicholsons pub with a two sided bar serving one area with a series of high tables and seating booths,while on the other was a long bench seat.On the high tabled side there is a tank for unpasteurised Pilsner Urquell lager,a novelty but probably lost on the tourist trade coming in for corporate pub grub. However there is an upside,the lower snug and rear room are calm and charming ,a quiet place to rest.
The ale choice on my visit was Marston's Wainwright,London Pride,Doom Bar ,St Austell Nicholsons Pale,Proper Job (run out but clip not reversed =bad practice) and Tribute (tired,NBSS 2).
The tables outside were popular,staff were stretched with food delivery and bill payment and the lack of care with the real ale would inhibit me from another visit.Could be a lot better.
On 1st August 2022
- rating: 5
[User has posted 2727 recommendations about 2727 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tris C left this review about The White Horse
The White Horse is a bit of a dark horse, in that it originally dates from 1718 but was actually rebuilt in 1939; you’d never really know it as it looks quite old if approached from Marlborough Court at night.
There’s a traditional field panelled bar, some shiny white tiling but with no bar back, though above it is a rather industrial cradle of RSJs, to support two huge ugly Pilsner Urquell coppers. The colour scheme is predictable smoky blue for the most part, with upper walls and ceiling painted in a pale mushroom colour. The interior is split level, with a modern boarded floor, the rear room being full height bare wood panelled. Furniture is conventional, with some oxblood banquettes. There’s downlighting to the main room and dining in the upstairs. Customers were young and very vocal.
Ales: two pumps unused, no Nicholson’s Pale Ale sadly, otherwise two unused, Doom, Pride, and Landlord at £2.95 a half and fine.
This isn’t a great pub, the ambience being spoiled by the squawking younger customers; the ugly lager plumbing doesn’t help. Nicholson’s Crown is a far better bet, especially given this pub can’t even supply its own house beer.
On 19th October 2021
- rating: 4
[User has posted 1983 recommendations about 1949 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
hondo . left this review about The White Horse
Nicholson’s pub that is served by the central bar that almost splits it in two with a lower level at the back.
On 10th October 2019
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 2883 recommendations about 2820 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Moby Duck left this review about The White Horse
Very busy on a Saturday evening as you would expect in this location,well described by PSM below but a little to busy to enjoy,there was a good selection beers available from the twelve handpumps.
On 5th March 2016
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1871 recommendations about 1844 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about The White Horse
This is a solid Central London Nicholson’s pub, just round the corner from Carnaby Street. The pub has a two bar layout which has been opened up to create a single U-shaped room with dark wooden flooring and wall panels throughout. The left hand side of the room has high banquettes and tables with pictures of Carnaby Street on the walls above. At the rear, there are some steps down to a seating area which was lit with low level lighting, creating a cosy feel in an area decorated with floral wallpaper. The right hand side of the pub has a T-shaped banquette under the front window and high tables and stools through the rest of the room, including along a drinking ledge at the rear which was cordoned off on my visit due to a leaking air conditioning unit above. Some impressive posters for the London Palladium and Fortnum and Masons add a bit of colour and visual distraction to the room, as does the decent pump clip collection snaking around the servery. I noticed TV screens in both halves of the pub, but they were turned off in favour of loud dance music on my Friday night visit. As with most Nicholson’s pubs in Central London, there is a separate dining room upstairs, but I didn’t get round to visiting.
A wide range of ales were available including Nicholson’s Pale Ale, Hilden Scullion, Growler Gladness, Wharfebank Fair Dinkum, Coach House Gunpowder Mild and Copper Dragon Black Gold, the last of which was in good shape. The staff were friendly, although I was shepherded from the left hand side of the pub to allow the cleaning staff to make a head start before closing time.
Things were a bit manic here on a late Friday night, so I’m not sure I saw the place in the best light, but even so, I thought it was another good Nicholson’s house worth checking out for the interesting ale range alone.
On 26th September 2013
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The White Horse
Busy pub just off Carnaby Street with two bars, connected by an open corridor from which a couple of side rooms can also be accessed. Also has an upstairs dining room (not visited). Six handpumps on each counter, usually offering a reasonale range of guest beers (e.g. Hooky Bitter, Jaipur and Adnams Diamond (£3.85) on my last visit) in addition to the usual suspects to be found in any Nicholsons (Pride, Doom Bar, St Austell Pale, etc.). Overall, not too bad, but music can be a bit louder than it needs to be in the evening.
On 9th June 2012
- rating: 6
[User has posted 8086 recommendations about 8086 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve of N21 left this review about The White Horse
The White Horse is tucked away on the cobbled streets adjacent to Carnaby Street and is far enough away to not attract the tourists. It is owned by Nicholson’s and supports a decent range of beers. It’s a two room pub although the rooms are connected at the back area and there are two sets of six hand pumps on either bar area.
The pub is mainly set up for vertical drinking and can get very busy during the week with nearby office workers, especially media types from the surrounding film and publishing companies. There is limited comfy seating, but some quiet seating can be found in the smaller areas at the back of the pub.
The surrounding streets are usually void of traffic which means they are utilised for outside drinking on decent after work evenings.
The Ales included St Austells Tribute, Sharps Doombar, Fullers Chiswick and RCH Pitchfork on my last visit, and the Tribute was a nice pint.
It’s not a brilliant pub, and the service can get a bit strained at busy periods, but has always been OK for me for a decent pint when in the Carnaby Street area.
On 25th May 2010
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2110 recommendations about 1992 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about The White Horse
This pub is tucked away in a side street off the tourist trap that is Carnaby Street. They had a reasonably good ale selection on – Sharp's Doom Bar; St Austell IPA; London Pride; GKIPA; and TT Landlord. All at under £3 a pint, with the Pride at only £2.50, which is good going for central London. All the pumps sported a second clip with a few tasting notes, as well as the price and ABV. A M&B pub possibly? Seating consists almost entirely of high stools/tables combined with ledges round the side. The ledge at which I sat was one of the stickiest I had ever encountered - I suspect that it needs a good wash, rather than a spray and quick wipe. The prices are good, and the ale selection's not bad, but otherwise it's not got much going for it.
On 5th August 2009
- rating: 4
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]