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Disappointment of the week with Mobyduck
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Detail Pages
The Mad Bishop & Bear, Paddington, W2
Paddington Station
W2
W2 1HB
Pub Type
Fuller'sReviews (Current Rating Average: 7 of 10) see review guidelines
David Walton left this review about The Mad Bishop & Bear
Originally visited on 17/04/2018 but writing review based on another return today!
Not much to note beyond the below, but i do like this as a station pub and there are definitely worse places to wait in Paddington station for wife on a very delayed train into the station! Totally agree with comment about the Beer House at concourse level - why would you wait there rather than here! Usual array of beers on hand pump here as below (Pride, ESB, HSB, Hophead, Oliver's etc) and spotted also had a red ale from Siren and a cider on hand pump.
On 18th April 2024
- rating: 6
[User has posted 90 recommendations about 90 pubs]
Moby Duck left this review about The Mad Bishop & Bear
A fairly decent station pub nicely furnished and understandably quite busy given it's location. six cask ales were available across ten pump handles, London Pride, London Porter. Olivers Island, ESB, HSB and Dark Star Hophead, there was one Cider on handpump, Harrys Haymaker. Again an expensive location but luckily the 15% discount on all ales is advertised at the handpumps. Not a place I'd linger in too long but handy for a quick one upon arrival or departure.
On 7th January 2024
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1871 recommendations about 1844 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve C left this review about The Mad Bishop & Bear
The Mad Bishop and Bear is a Fuller’s pub up above the concourse at Paddington Station. Escalators lead up to seating outside the front of the entrance. The noise from the escalators is akin to that of tinnitus. Inside, the bar counter runs along the back wall facing split level seating. The dim lighting allows one to forget they are in a railway station. The aforementioned bar counter supports two banks of five handpumps which were drawing the full Fullers range alongside Dark Star’s Hophead and Rhubarb Rising. Standard and premium keg was also available. I found the service to be polite and during a recent late Friday afternoon visit I found this pub to be hands down better than the beer less Beer House on the concourse.
On 3rd July 2022
- rating: 7
[User has posted 5233 recommendations about 5201 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
E TA left this review about The Mad Bishop & Bear
As described by others, below, this is a better than average station bar with a good choice of ales albeit I’m not a fan of Fuller’s. London Pride and Oliver’s Island from Fuller’s, plus Dark Star from Hophead in very good condition. There was a dry pump with another Hophead clip on, plus one ‘coming soon’ clip. The usual corporate food is available, but it’s fair enough given that it’s a station bar not a country pub. Beer was expensive though, at £5.45 a pint, but I guess that’s what you pay in London. It’s a good place to catch up with people after work or for a pitstop when travelling through.
On 16th May 2022
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3281 recommendations about 3246 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Mad Bishop & Bear
A good effort from Fullers to provide a 'watering hole' slightly removed by two escalator flights from the hustle and bustle of Paddington's cocourse. The decor is a reasonable combination of traditional and modern, and the frontage has recently been refreshed with more railway-like signage. Feature a variety of seating / dining areas and also has a few tables 'outside' in the atrium. Two banks of five handpumps, offering Pride, Oliver's Island, HSB, ESB, the seasonal Snow Globe and Hophead plus Tribute, Bath Ales Gem and Snakecharmer IPA from One Mile End as guests on this visit.
On 15th December 2018
- rating: 7
[User has posted 8086 recommendations about 8086 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about The Mad Bishop & Bear
A difficult one to spot this pub, when standing on the station concourse looking around in bewilderment. After some directions, you enter the front area of the station building and take an escalator up the pub. Once through the doors, you find a large heavily embellished bar along the back wall, with the full range of Fullers beers. My Pride was superb and a good start before getting the train to Oxford for the summer PG crawl.
On 31st July 2016
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3382 recommendations about 3381 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Old Boots left this review about The Mad Bishop & Bear
A single room station bar with quite grand decor on the second floor of Paddington station. Owned by Fullers with two sets of four pulls serving Fullers plus guests. Obviously it gets quite busy at times but the staff seem to cope well. The beer is pretty good and it's GBG listed.
On 12th June 2016
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 3230 recommendations about 2939 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Blackthorn _ left this review about The Mad Bishop & Bear
Located on the top level of Paddington station, from the outside this looks very much like your typical non-descript modern airport or train station retail unit. Once inside though, it has a much more traditional ambience and is actually not too bad at all. From many angles you’d have no idea that you were in a station pub, and even the departure boards are tucked discreetly away near the entrance.
The large central area of the pub has a largely wood strip floor with chequered tiles approaching the bar and a white plastered ceiling with some inlaid ornate plasterwork finished in gold. Several supporting pillars are faced with etched mirrors and there is further carved woodwork behind the bar counter. A smaller area up a few steps to the left was separated with some wooden balustrade and this had a cosier feel with a carpeted floor, a few booths along one side and some black and white photographs on the walls. A number of food options were chalked up on a menu at the end of the bar although we did not investigate this.
There was a good choice of beers on tap, albeit all from the Fullers stable, and on this occasion consisted of Chiswick, London Pride, ESB, Wild River, Bengal Lancer, Fire Cracker and Oliver’s Island. A coming soon board listed Tribute, so presumably Fullers don’t always have a monopoly. The solitary cider was Cornish Orchards. All in all I was pleasantly surprised by this, and it’s certainly a decent enough place to while away the time whilst waiting for your train.
On 1st December 2014
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1947 recommendations about 1860 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about The Mad Bishop & Bear
This is a Fuller's pub with the usual range on, plus several guests. It's very much a station pub, although better than most, with all tall tables/tall stools at the front, with some normal tables and chairs down at the back. It's a bit of a lifesaver when in need of a breakfast, which turned out to be better quality than a 'spoons, but at twice the price. In most respects it seems like an upmarket 'spoons, which is not a bad thing. I guess I'll end up in here again sometime, as it's so handily placed for those travelling from Paddington.
On 17th November 2014
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The Mad Bishop & Bear
Continues to be a safe bet for a decent (if expensive) pre-train ale. My visit over Xmas bagged a Bengal Lancer which is always a good drop. Service can sometimes be a little brusque.
November 2012
Fullers have done well here - most station pubs are usually situated between 'tolerable' and 'appalling' - this one actually manages to crawl over to the sparsely inhabited side of 'good'. Located up the escalators facing the platform ends of Paddington station, the pub stocks the usual Fullers/Gales ale range plus two(!) guests and the fridges are stocked with almost every Fuller's bottle imaginable. So you'll be spoilt for choice and ale quality is good (if expensive). Food is basic, stick to the onion rings. Interior has a slightly faux-traditional bent and is pretty clean, also unusual in the train station pub stakes. Opens early and beer can be purchased on its own from 10am. Toilets are free and also pretty tidy. Train departure boards are prominently on display by the doors. All in all, pretty good for what it is and well-worth a visit when using the station.
On 19th January 2014
- rating: 7
[User has posted 5072 recommendations about 5055 pubs]