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Reviewing milestone with Tris39
on the Pub Forum
Detail Pages
The White Swan, Covent Garden, WC2
Covent Garden
WC2
WC2N 4LF
Pub Type
Nicholsons (Mitchells & Butlers)Reviews (Current Rating Average: 6½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about The White Swan
This pub was for many years an O’Neill’s bar, but with its recent rebranding as a Nicholson’s pub it has reverted to its original name of The White Swan. The interior is somewhat different to the pub that I knew in the 70s. It used to have a small separate bar in the front as you enter, with a larger room reached by going round to the back of the central server. Now it’s essentially one room. At the front you have a few normal tables and chairs plus the inevitable tall tables/stools. The bar counter is still on the right, and past it is what I reckon is a more comfortable area, with some bench seating and more standard tables and chairs, a large rug on the floor, and some interesting large framed prints on the walls.
Now to the important bit. There are eight handpumps on the counter, all in use, and although there were a couple of the usual suspects (Pride, Doom Bar) there were some less regularly seen offerings. But it’s not particularly cheap – the half of Moorhouse Black Cat I had was £1.85. Sandwiches ranged from £6.45 to £6.95, and the usual pub grub was available. Again it’s not cheap – but we are a stone’s throw from the tourist trap that is Covent Garden – with, for example, the shepherd’s pie coming in at £9.95.
It does have the West End cachet and feel (as well as the prices) about it, but as far as I’m concerned it represents a valuable addition to the real ale outlets in this part of the world, and is a considerable improvement on its previous incarnation. I would visit again.
On 21st May 2012
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve C left this review about O'Neill's
This is the usual O'Neill's affair with Cold, Extra Cold and Red Guinness along with standard/premium lagers available. I found the barman that served me to be very friendly, although my pint of Guinness was very short. It was pretty relaxed, but I did go in on a week night.
This is an above average O'Neill's, but there are better pubs a stones throw away.
On 29th April 2009
- rating: 6
[User has posted 5268 recommendations about 5236 pubs]