Ye Olde Mitre, EC1

Like the reviewer below I paid a return visit to this historic Inn yesterday for the first time in many years. Yes this is a great piece of London drinking history and visitors to London really should search it out. But be sure to pick your time if you are interested in seeing and enjoying that history because, as Mr Scrumpy eludes to below, this is not the most comfortable pub to have a pint in. Apart from the couple of occasions when I have visited in that mid afternoon time slot between the end of the lunchtime period and the start of the after work one I too have never managed to get a seat in one of the two small rooms either side of the small central serving area, and have also been confined to the passageways outside. There are additional tables in the two main passageways leading from Charterhourse Street and Hatton Gardens, but these are the main thoroughfares into the pub, so sitting here is usually not relaxing. The trick is to search out the third one, the dead end passageway behind the gents toilets, where if you are lucky to get a table you will be largely undisturbed, except for the odd first time gentleman visitor who has walked straight past the unmarked door to the small gents and now stands in the middle of this corridor looking completely confused. I first visited here over 40 years ago and the pub itself remains completely unchanged from that time which, as another reviewer comments below, is the point of the place. However what has changed has been the beer range and choice and I have to say full marks to Fullers in that respect and especially to the progressive guest ale policy. Last night there was a very good stout, a mild and a New England IPA alongside the Pride and the Seafarers. And a good team of staff squeezed into the central jump we’re doing an excellent job at serving the after work throng in quick succession. The point of this pub is to serve the working population of this part of London and it has been doing so for several hundreds of years. I will totally support the comments of Mr Scrumpy below. If you want to see the pub then come during the day after the lunch session, but you won’t get the atmosphere. For that come here on a weekday at 6PM, especially on a Thursday or Friday. It won’t be quiet and it won’t be comfortable but you will be standing in the shoes of many a working Londoner before you. And definitely do not come on a Saturday or Sunday as the pub is closed at weekends.

Yesterday was my first visit to this pub in over 7 years. It was also my first daytime visit, which made it feel like an entirely different pub. On previous evening visits, it's been packed out. Whilst I'd managed to squeeze into the front bar once, I'd normally be relegated to the quaint alleyway outside. The atmosphere is not quite as good as normal during the day, but the quietness allows you to appreciate the history and surroundings. Fuller's London Pride & Gale's Seafarers Ale are still the regular ales. Guests were Five Points Best Bitter, Dark Star Hophead & Oakham JHB. They no longer appear to stock a real cider. Certainly worthy of a visit to experience a step back in time.

Must visit pub for those with an interest in pub architecture and history. Pay attention when looking for it - its hidden down a little alley off either Charterhourse Street or Hatton Gardens. Once inside you have a two roomed (three if you include Ye Closet), restaurant upstairs. All wood paneled and furniture not out of place from a medieval banquet. You are in a different world, at a different time. Fullers house but ESB not on draft and amazingly, the London Pride had gone. Worth a revisit.