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Detail Pages
Paradise by Way of Kensal Green, Kensal Green, W10
W10
W10 4AE
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 5 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Ian Mapp left this review about Paradise by Way of Kensal Green
Similar to the William IV. A pub that doesnt know what it wants to be. With one saturday lunch time punter - me - I would be surprised if it is around too much longer. At least in its current guise.
Wonderfully named - impressive exterior. My guidebook from 10 years ago (fancyapint book) says it looks like a Lawrence from changing rooms makeover - and that remains.
A distressed stately home indeed.
Again, no cask. A the keg is now upto £6.50.
Again, nothing to make me want to come back.
On 20th September 2022
- rating: 4
[User has posted 1347 recommendations about 1333 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tris C left this review about Paradise by Way of Kensal Green
Dating from at least 1861, though rebuilt as Ye Old Plough in 1892, so originally just ‘Plough’ then. It’s listed on CAMRA’s inventory of pubs with historic interiors, this registering of Some Regional Importance; WhatPub gives the origin of the current name.
Certainly, the exterior is quite interesting, as are the ceramic tiles to the entrance vestibule, but once inside, it’s an altogether massively altered interior, which rather beggars description, appearing like a shabby chic stately home – or just shabby through time – but also very camp, looking like it was designed by a committee comprising Liberace, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Joan Collins and Julian Clary. There’s mood lighting, a metal bar top with tubular steel rear shelving, a chandelier of such fine glass that I initially thought it was made from ostrich feathers, religious iconography, appropriate given the proximity to Kensal Green Cemetery, knickknacks with low and orange lighting, all to the smell of roast lamb – or mutton dressed as, a bit like the pub. Making my way through to the lavs, I spotted some residual and beautiful original glazed polychromatic tiles to a wall; clearly something rather lovely once existed here. You make your way through the rather swanky rear dining room to get to the lavs, where there’s a stuffed peacock above the loo door and at right, a cherry tree in full pink blossom; I shit you not. Customers are as described, aspiring sophistos; Jez and Quinn are obviously still regulars.
Unsurprisingly, there’s no real ale here, the bar being geared around cocktails. A few chrome founts in a couple of banks, one tap yielding up BrewDog Punk IPA at £3.30 a half.
This really isn’t my cup of lapsang souchong so I won’t be back, but it makes for an interesting heritage triple with the William IV and Mason’s Arms.
On 29th January 2022
- rating: 4
[User has posted 1999 recommendations about 1965 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about Paradise by Way of Kensal Green
Strange place, with a deliberately curious feel, but some old decorative tiling still visible in places. Retains three separate ground-floor rooms, the bar at the front (suffering from a mix of uncomfortable furniture), a side lounge and a dining room at the back. Also has a conservatory and an upstairs function room (not visited). No real ale, unfortunately, with the keg taps offering Meantime Yakima Red and two Truman beers - Craft Lager and Pale Ale (£5.10) - amongst others.
On 28th January 2018
- rating: 6
[User has posted 8117 recommendations about 8117 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Thuck Phat left this review about Paradise By Way Of Kensal Green
Not a full review as a glance through the window in search of an ale found only Bombardier on the single handpump so we declined and moved on.
On 16th December 2011
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 679 recommendations about 678 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about Paradise By Way Of Kensal Green
A boho bar full of middle class kids with 'issues' and arty blokes who look like Jez and Quin from Private Eye. Nevertheless it has a certain unique (“shabby-chic”) charm to it, though a fair bit of work needs to be done as it's pretty grotty in places; the gents for instance had no working light bulb forcing one to piss in the dark. Two ales on (Adnams Broadside being my choice) which were in good nick served by Dan Hawkins from The Darkness, who also appeared to be in charge of the rather eclectic playlist (Nico etc) that you usually wouldn't find in a pub.
A mixed bag but an interesting one.
On 13th December 2006
- rating: 5
[User has posted 5125 recommendations about 5108 pubs]